tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70940149986302556842024-03-13T22:15:55.668-07:00Attorney to (Temporary) TempLaw firm life got you down? Struggling to find work after law school? Read on. I am a former practicing attorney who regrets giving so many years of my life to the legal profession, and so many hard-earned dollars to repay law school debt. I left the law a couple years ago for a temporary administrative assistant position and lived to tell the tale. Here's my story, along with some tips for finding non-legal work, and for repaying your student loans.Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-22567957664696833442020-06-01T17:42:00.000-07:002020-06-01T17:42:03.875-07:00Quaranfew
Photo credit Cristian Castillo, Unsplash
Greetings from quaranfew! It's a combination of quarantine and
curfew, brought to you by a mysterious, deadly virus and civil unrest.
Don't forget to tip your waitress.
It's been so long, I
have no idea what to even write, but I still feel a tug and an
obligation to keep posting, no matter how infrequent. I was surprised [continue reading]
Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-27542406015096224362017-04-10T15:54:00.000-07:002017-04-10T15:54:18.258-07:00Decisions, Decisions
Apologies for not posting new chapters last week! I had some unexpected things come up. First I had to travel for work, so I was busy night and day. Then when I returned, my husband and I started talking about the future and whether we want to stay in L.A. for the next three years or start a simpler life now. It would mean giving up more money in the long-term, but it might be worth it to us.
Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-32480442505391168162017-03-20T17:25:00.000-07:002017-03-20T17:25:10.234-07:00Pulling a Geographic
There’s a term that people in AA use called “pulling a geographic,” which describes the process of moving to a new place looking to
escape one’s problems. It’s criticized by some because, as the saying goes, “wherever
you go, there you are.”
But sometimes, pulling a geographic can be just the ticket.
Take Daniel Bailey, a 2010 law school graduate who knew
early on in his career (like, Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-7151503569349500612017-03-14T00:14:00.000-07:002017-03-18T19:24:43.874-07:00“Thank You, Sir, May I Have Another?” (Or, An Open Apology to Curves for Women)
I’ve been catching up on my blog email lately and I came across a
message from a struggling attorney who enjoys the research and writing
aspect of her job, but dreads going to court because of all the anxiety
and insecurity it provokes. It got me thinking about my litigation days,
and one of the worst courtroom experiences I ever had.
Actually, the courtroom wasn’t the real problem (more Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-55719172514083679132017-03-07T18:20:00.000-08:002017-03-08T18:07:20.482-08:00Four Years of Debt Freedom
Warren, you had one job!
Greetings from La La Land (or is it Moonlight?)! :) I couldn’t resist.
It feels like it’s been forever since I updated my blog! Thank you to
everyone who emailed me or left kind words in the comments. It really
helped lift my spirits since my last depressing post. I figured that even though I’m still struggling with life here in the city of angels, I have (continueRecovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-55122852858225103772016-07-05T23:19:00.003-07:002017-03-08T13:26:41.812-08:00"Lonely As I Am, Together We Cry"
I haven’t updated my blog in a while because [sigh...] once again, my husband and I have moved.
I wrote a few versions of this post, none of which seemed quite right because they sugarcoated things. [continue reading here]
Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-14042039810390196932016-02-25T21:05:00.003-08:002016-02-25T21:05:39.976-08:00Letting Go
A few weeks ago, I
was catching up with “Howard” (the colleague I interviewed in episodes 3 and 4 of my podcast) After chatting about what’s new in both of our
lives, the conversation inevitably turned to the subject that has bonded the
two of us ever since we met at the bus stop on that first day of 1L year: the
practice of law. (continue reading here) Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-18731296792879158072016-02-24T08:51:00.002-08:002016-02-24T08:51:22.696-08:0099 Homes and the Law School Bubble: We Got Emotional About JDs
My husband and I
recently watched a movie called 99 Homes,
starring Michael Shannon (Boardwalk
Empire) and Andrew Garfield (The
Amazing Spiderman). It’s a thriller about the foreclosure crisis that (continue reading here)Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-26491429210097101802016-02-20T23:19:00.002-08:002016-02-20T23:19:33.414-08:00"So You Think You Can Tell"
What label describes you?
One thing that I still struggle with since leaving the law is
the concept of identity. The main reason I went to law school to begin with was
I didn’t know myself very well, which meant I had no idea what I wanted to be
when I grew up. I’d always (continue reading here)Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-38990141382076773672016-02-10T17:34:00.002-08:002016-02-10T17:34:26.261-08:00Updates Coming Soon!
I know it's been a long time since I updated my blog, so I wanted to
thank my readers - both of you - for reaching out and asking me to
continue documenting my post-law journey. I'm in the process of writing... (continue reading here) Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-71361946929223113452015-03-03T19:39:00.001-08:002015-03-03T19:39:18.100-08:00I'm Still Here
The big picture
Wow, it’s truly depressing seeing my blog comments overrun by spam.
Especially such bad spam. How is it possible that sex toys are out and psychics
are in? I’ll never understand people.
Anyway, I don’t intend to abandon it. It’s just that my life
has taken some interesting turns since we paid off our debt (including my massivelaw school loan). For one thing, click here to Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-35092648241652021152014-01-16T20:52:00.000-08:002014-01-16T20:52:07.783-08:00One Crushing Tale and a Letter to a 0L
File this one under “there but for the grace of God go
I.” Here’s a profile of Andrew Carmichael, a “whiz kid” who racked up law school debt totaling
$215,000. Yep, that’s not a typo. Two hundred fifteen large. Continue reading here Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-38623621173523413962013-04-17T01:19:00.001-07:002013-04-17T01:19:35.916-07:00Podcast Episode 3: WWJD?
This week, I discuss the impact that declining law school enrollment has had on Catholic University's budget. (Spoiler alert: they're going
to continue feeding at the law school loan trough, but some art courses
and such are on the chopping block). Also, part 2 of my interview with
Howard, a former law school classmate who is now working in a non-legal
position. Howard andRecovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-89600788676325644742013-04-08T20:06:00.000-07:002013-04-08T20:08:23.514-07:00Damaged: On Legal Mythology (or, Why Do We Watch This Stuff?)
A promotional poster for Damages (FX)
*** Warning: This post contains spoilers for the pilot episode of Damages. ***
When I first quit law, I avoided watching any movies or TV shows
involving lawyers or police procedure (since I mainly practiced criminal
law). It was a painful reminder not only
of what I’d left behind but what would never be. I guess you could call it nostalgia Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-65993710551087961862013-04-04T15:57:00.000-07:002013-04-04T15:57:05.854-07:00Podcast Episode 2: All Over But the Shouting
My second podcast is now up and running! In this week's episode, I discuss an LA Times article regarding the class action lawsuits that have been filed against numerous law schools. Plus, part 1 of my interview with a former law school classmate, in which we discuss why he went to law school. Also, I read an excerpt from Will Meyerhofer's book, Way Worse Than Being a Dentist: Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-87172483460816658842013-03-22T19:21:00.000-07:002013-03-22T19:21:59.006-07:00New Beginnings
I recently changed my blog to Legally Obligated. Since I still feel like I need to tell my story about quitting law and getting out of student loan debt, I decided that name would be more appropriate. This week, I worked on a podcast, which I have released on my new blog, plus I am doing my first ever blog giveaway. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for reading!Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-81692635161660000732013-03-07T00:47:00.000-08:002013-03-07T09:00:44.648-08:00The Long and Winding Road
Our dog, on a post payoff walk
I haven’t updated on my job situation in a while, so I
thought I’d put together a little timeline of events, from when I first got out of law to our recent debt freedom. It’s kind of fun to look back at how far we've
come.
Mid 2009: Gee, this
law thing really sucks. I should find
another job. Shouldn’t take too long since
I have a JD,Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-57039653856534528132013-03-04T16:28:00.002-08:002013-03-04T21:51:56.585-08:00Old School: The Outdated Law School Model
Photo courtesy of stockfreeimages.com
I came across this recent post in Outside the Law School Scam, a blog you should definitely check out. The post was a call to action on the part of scambloggers - what are they/we looking for exactly? I then remembered that I wrote a post about the flaws I see in the current law school model, as well as some changes I'd like to see (scroll to Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-36828154207775994802013-03-02T15:40:00.000-08:002013-03-02T15:40:16.058-08:00Something Amazing Just Happened
I wrote a couple weeks ago about our progress in paying off the last of our debt, my federal student loan. Well, since then, something really great has happened. As of today, we are officially debt free. How did this happen? Well, we had saved up about $20,000 and we had $50,000 more to go. When we moved across the country a couple years ago, we did so because my Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-34512765419899733912013-02-21T00:45:00.002-08:002013-02-21T18:12:25.206-08:00The Pizza Diaries, Part 10: Sleepless in Seattle
By spring, I was tired.
I’d been moonlighting as a pizza delivery driver for five months, five nights a week. The original plan had been three nights a week, but given inflated fuel costs, it was tough for the pizzeria to hold on to drivers for any meaningful period of time. Hence, more shifts to go around. More nights sweeping Parmesan shavings and cardboard chads Recovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-46610945930079148362013-02-18T21:11:00.001-08:002013-02-18T22:16:38.376-08:00Disclosure
"Wait, you've got a doctorate? I didn't see that on your resume."
I’ve been getting a lot of emails lately from law school graduates who are wondering whether to disclose their JD’s on resumes when looking for non-legal work. There are many opinions out there on whether the practice of omitting advanced degrees on a resume is ethical. A lot of people who rode out the worstRecovering Lawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05216005842425651479noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7094014998630255684.post-73301200030661608282013-02-17T19:08:00.000-08:002013-02-17T19:08:28.125-08:00The Crock Pot Versus the Microwave
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<![endif]-->One woman paid off Christmas layaway accounts for complete strangers. What would you do if you had money instead of debt?
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