- Joined
- Apr 9, 2006
- Messages
- 194
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I don't know if you are out there, but I am hoping. I have been practicing corporate/real estate law for 5 years. I hated law school and have not enjoyed practicing that much. I hated my old firm with a passion. I moved to Colorado almost a year ago and love it here and like my firm much better. However, law still doesn't do much for me. It is just a job.
A few years ago, I started taking night classes in psychology and then was able to work out a schedule that allowed me to do a reserach internship. Miraculously, I was accepted into a Ph.D. program (clinical psych) and it was my first choice.
However, I am second-guessing going, and I am hoping that there are some lawyers out there that can help me or talk some sense into me - whichever the case may be. Although the law doesn't have meaning for me, it allows me to travel and care for my husband, who has MS. He is doing really well, and we are only in our early 30's, but he has recently taken an early retirement from his job and he doesn't know what to do. Stress is one of the worst things for him and money stresses him out more than anything. He is willing to do this with me, but I don't know that I can do it to him.
Law pays so well. In a few years, I will be partner and will be making around $200K. My hours are good (much better in real estate than in corporate) - I come in around 9 and usually leave at 6, but I could leave earlier - just try to avoid traffic. My mentor is incredible (she actually enjoys practicing law). It will take me 6 years - 4 years school, 1 year internship and 1 year post doc to even get started and leave the world of making peanuts. I will be 36-37. It will likely take me 10 years total to earn what I am earning now if I am really adept at getting people to pay me cash to hear their troubles.
But I worry, can you add meaning to your life outside work? I hike and ski every weekend and have time during the week with my husband. We will have to move to a small, college town in the southeast and will take a 75% cut in income.
Also, what if it isn't the right thing? I also love photography and it is a passion. I could earn enough in law to phase into photography gradually, and I don't have to go to school.
I don't know that I can deal with doing this to my husband or myself. I don't think that I will be happy not having any money. I haven't saved enough for this, but then again, coming from where I am coming from, it would take me 5 years to save enough to have the same lifestyle. I put everything into my 401(k) and other tax deferred investments because I wasn't thinking about doing this. I have saved for a year and will have the equity on my house - that's it. It's alot more than most psych grad students though - I know.
I don't have to think about money now. We aren't into big houses or luxury cars, we invest probably 20% of our money and splurge on exotic travel and eating out every once in a while.
Ironically, my husband's illness led me this way. I didn't want to be practicing law at the age of 50 because I had to in order to provide for my husband. I guess this is a temporary detour but because of the time involved, it feels so huge. I wanted to do something that "meant something." But so many people are happy with jobs that don't mean anything to the world, but what they do in their off time does mean something.
But, I am looking for a reality check. I don't trust myself because the law is a siren. The money is so good and large law firms are bleeding associates, so it keeps getting better. So, I am thinking that is why I am having doubts. But six years is a long, long time. I worry about this need our society has to fix everything by going to school. I don't believe in that. I want to be a clinician and do not enjoy research as much as clinical practice, so why in the world would I want to go to a Ph.D. program. Well, I don't agree with the social work philosophy and a PsyD is expensive and doesn't have the options that a Ph.D does. So, for me, it is a Ph.D. or nothing.
It was so hard for me to get in though, if I am going, I think I need to go now. I don't think this is going to get any easier the older that I get.
Please help.
A few years ago, I started taking night classes in psychology and then was able to work out a schedule that allowed me to do a reserach internship. Miraculously, I was accepted into a Ph.D. program (clinical psych) and it was my first choice.
However, I am second-guessing going, and I am hoping that there are some lawyers out there that can help me or talk some sense into me - whichever the case may be. Although the law doesn't have meaning for me, it allows me to travel and care for my husband, who has MS. He is doing really well, and we are only in our early 30's, but he has recently taken an early retirement from his job and he doesn't know what to do. Stress is one of the worst things for him and money stresses him out more than anything. He is willing to do this with me, but I don't know that I can do it to him.
Law pays so well. In a few years, I will be partner and will be making around $200K. My hours are good (much better in real estate than in corporate) - I come in around 9 and usually leave at 6, but I could leave earlier - just try to avoid traffic. My mentor is incredible (she actually enjoys practicing law). It will take me 6 years - 4 years school, 1 year internship and 1 year post doc to even get started and leave the world of making peanuts. I will be 36-37. It will likely take me 10 years total to earn what I am earning now if I am really adept at getting people to pay me cash to hear their troubles.
But I worry, can you add meaning to your life outside work? I hike and ski every weekend and have time during the week with my husband. We will have to move to a small, college town in the southeast and will take a 75% cut in income.
Also, what if it isn't the right thing? I also love photography and it is a passion. I could earn enough in law to phase into photography gradually, and I don't have to go to school.
I don't know that I can deal with doing this to my husband or myself. I don't think that I will be happy not having any money. I haven't saved enough for this, but then again, coming from where I am coming from, it would take me 5 years to save enough to have the same lifestyle. I put everything into my 401(k) and other tax deferred investments because I wasn't thinking about doing this. I have saved for a year and will have the equity on my house - that's it. It's alot more than most psych grad students though - I know.
I don't have to think about money now. We aren't into big houses or luxury cars, we invest probably 20% of our money and splurge on exotic travel and eating out every once in a while.
Ironically, my husband's illness led me this way. I didn't want to be practicing law at the age of 50 because I had to in order to provide for my husband. I guess this is a temporary detour but because of the time involved, it feels so huge. I wanted to do something that "meant something." But so many people are happy with jobs that don't mean anything to the world, but what they do in their off time does mean something.
But, I am looking for a reality check. I don't trust myself because the law is a siren. The money is so good and large law firms are bleeding associates, so it keeps getting better. So, I am thinking that is why I am having doubts. But six years is a long, long time. I worry about this need our society has to fix everything by going to school. I don't believe in that. I want to be a clinician and do not enjoy research as much as clinical practice, so why in the world would I want to go to a Ph.D. program. Well, I don't agree with the social work philosophy and a PsyD is expensive and doesn't have the options that a Ph.D does. So, for me, it is a Ph.D. or nothing.
It was so hard for me to get in though, if I am going, I think I need to go now. I don't think this is going to get any easier the older that I get.
Please help.
