Whiny AssociatesWho else has very little patience for the constant complaining of associates at big law firms?
Many overly pampered and overly paid young adults working at large law firms complain constantly that (1) they work way too hard and (2) they hate their work.
I'm not necessarily talking about all law firm associates here. The ones who fall into the whiny associates category tend to be people who (1) went to law school because they couldn't think of anything else to do; (2) have no chance of making partner; and (3) still cannot think of anything to do other than be a miserable lawyer.
The truth, of course, is that if one hates what he or she does, he or she should immediately find something else to do. The problem for the whiny associates is that they seem to think that because they did well on the LSATs, got into an elite law school, and have been making lots of money, they should be entitled to do something else that would be interesting, stimulating, of value, and also pay lots of money.
These whiny associates seem to think that being willing to accept a job that would pay them, say, $150,000 instead of $180,000 proves that money is hardly an issue for them, and they would willingly be poverty stricken if only someone would offer them a chance to do something else.
Of course, the reason these whiny associates stay in the jobs they hate is because they like the excessive pay check they receive every two weeks. They certainly can't be blamed for that, but they are oblivious to the fact that they have made a decision to accept money over job satisfaction, and should accept the pluses and minuses of their decision without complaining.
I know the whiny associates well because I was once one of them. Over a $30 steak or an $8 beer, I'd lament my supposed troubles with another unhappy lawyer.
Around six years ago, I was put in my place. One night, prior to maariv at the West Side Kollel, a friend who I went to law school with told me he had quit his law firm and was leaving law. This was shortly before the recession and the stock market crash, so I asked him where he was headed. A venture capital fund? A consulting firm?
I had to wait until services ended for his answer: He would be teaching, and entering a PhD program.
posted on 4/10/2006
