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Anonymous
07/14/20 at 1:47PM UTC
in
Career

Feeling Stuck, burned out, and don’t know what to do

I’ve worked in the legal field as a legal assistant for 13 years, with the vast majority of that time dealing with family law matters (divorces, custody, support, etc.). While I absolutely love the people I work with, I’ve grown tired and burned out of what I do. I’m the type of person that needs a challenge to stay interested/motivated/focused, and I’ve gotten to a point where everything I do is repetitive and easy. I previously expressed an interest to our firm’s management in becoming a full-fledged paralegal once our “domestic section” paralegal retires in the next couple of years; however, since I’ve taken on more of a hybrid position, I don’t know if that’s what I want to do anymore since it’s not entirely different than what I’m doing now. I’m not even sure if I want to continue within the legal field anymore because of how I feel currently. I have three attorneys that I assist, and I’ve asked my appellate attorney if there’s anything I can help with to learn new things and I never get anything from him outside of the “normal” things I handle. I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place: loving the people I work with, but borderline hating what I do. I don’t know if I need a change of scenery of a completely new work environment, different aspects of the law to focus on, or a complete overhaul of my career. I’ve noticed myself becoming very cynical of the issues that arise in our cases, and I don’t like it. Anyone feel this way and how did you “get past it”?

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Kristyn Parker-Meyer
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649
An imperfect person trying to be my best
07/14/20 at 4:43PM UTC
It's definitely a stressful career to be in. I would be sure to take some time to reflect on your hearts desires for the future. <3
Mindy Green
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441
On Air Beauty Expert, MUA, Hair Stylist
07/14/20 at 4:23PM UTC (Edited)
I think it’s natural to get in a rut after doing the same job for years. For me, I usually have to find a new job or take on a new skill every 3-5 years so I don’t get bored. You are attempting to learn new things, but sounds like you don’t really have a work environment supporting your growth. I would take a good look at what it is you love about what you do now, and explore what jobs allow you to do it. Maybe it’s not being a paralegal, but being a lawyer. Or, maybe it’s social work or family counseling that might be your next move. Consider getting a mentor in the industry. Someone outside of that firm to reawaken your love of the law. Like Barb said, using what you do in a different way could be the key to your new found happiness.
Barb Hansen
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6.67k
Startup Product, Growth & Strategy
07/14/20 at 2:27PM UTC
I was in a very similar place after (strangely enough) 13 years in the health care field. I loved the actual technical work but I didn't love the repetitiveness of it all. I wasn't not happy in my job but I could see the unhappiness looming in my future. I pivoted out of healthcare and into a job with a healthcare-related start-up (in the early days of the internet). I was using my healthcare knowledge in a different way and I luckily fell into a job that was a great fit for me. It's been 25 years since I leapt into tech startups and I am still excited to go to work every day (well almost every day :) ) so my pivot worked out well for me. I don't know if taking your legal knowledge to another type of job is a fit for you but it worked for me ;)
Nicole
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309
Podcaster. Speaker. Tech Leader.
07/15/20 at 1:08AM UTC (Edited)
I totally agree with this perspective. After 13 (ha!) years in Audit, I was tired of the hum drum of it all. I moved to a new team that operated like a start up, and was able to leverage my audit skills as an unconventional skill that carved out a space for me on my new team. After 4 years there I moved into cyber and haven't looked back since. Definitely see where else in the business you can leverage your legal skillset (i.e. contract review, privacy, audit, consulting) and start interviewing. It doesn't hurt to have some conversations with folks who have successfully navigated the same challenge as you.

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