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So, I graduated Order of the Coif from a UC law school. On graduation, I followed the path of least resistance to a big, prestigious law firm. After 7 years, I had a spiritual awakening / midlife crisis situation where I left my legal practice to look into other ways to make a living. After 2 years and some distance, I'm thinking I did not dislike law, I disliked feeling like I was a sell-out doing work any hired gun could do.
If I really had my choice, I'd love to work on important constitutional cases. Like ACLU law. Hell, if I could volunteer for the Guantanamo Bay situation and get paid enough to live on, I'd be in heaven. Anyway, I have started searching for jobs like that. I was an excellent attorney but for the issue of motivation because I didn't believe in my cases.
The problem I'm finding is that all these jobs want a demonstrable commitment to public interest law. I'm not sure the fact that I left my legal career to do massage therapy for 2 years is evidence of that kind of commitment (lol).
So my question is, does anyone who might have done a similar transition or might be in the public interest sector have advice on what some one in my situation could do to get into the public sector? Are there jobs that are so under-sought that they'd take some one like me with radically different legal experience, and then I'd "work my way" to the public interest area I wanted to serve?
I can hear some suggesting doing pro bono, but as I am not practiing law at all right now, it seems like a pretty circuitous route to find a job doing "sell-out" law, get secure enough in that job so I can insist on doing so much pro bono, so that years later, I can take that pro bono as support for switching to public interest law.
I mean, maybe there's no answer. Maybe it's a "you make your bed, you lie in it" sort of thing and those jobs should go to those who have been working in public interest already in some capacity and maybe some one in my position needs a lot of luck to make that transition, where it comes down to being in the right place at the right time?
Well, any advice anyone might have, I'll be interested to read.
And thanks,
~Frinj~
If I really had my choice, I'd love to work on important constitutional cases. Like ACLU law. Hell, if I could volunteer for the Guantanamo Bay situation and get paid enough to live on, I'd be in heaven. Anyway, I have started searching for jobs like that. I was an excellent attorney but for the issue of motivation because I didn't believe in my cases.
The problem I'm finding is that all these jobs want a demonstrable commitment to public interest law. I'm not sure the fact that I left my legal career to do massage therapy for 2 years is evidence of that kind of commitment (lol).
So my question is, does anyone who might have done a similar transition or might be in the public interest sector have advice on what some one in my situation could do to get into the public sector? Are there jobs that are so under-sought that they'd take some one like me with radically different legal experience, and then I'd "work my way" to the public interest area I wanted to serve?
I can hear some suggesting doing pro bono, but as I am not practiing law at all right now, it seems like a pretty circuitous route to find a job doing "sell-out" law, get secure enough in that job so I can insist on doing so much pro bono, so that years later, I can take that pro bono as support for switching to public interest law.
I mean, maybe there's no answer. Maybe it's a "you make your bed, you lie in it" sort of thing and those jobs should go to those who have been working in public interest already in some capacity and maybe some one in my position needs a lot of luck to make that transition, where it comes down to being in the right place at the right time?
Well, any advice anyone might have, I'll be interested to read.
And thanks,
~Frinj~
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Los Angeles
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Re: Any thoughts on how to transition from big firm civil litigation to public interest law?
Mon, July 3, 2006 - 6:22 PMI might try working for a public defender's office. You would get the Constitutional Law, you would become an expert on the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments faster than you would believe. Its quasi-public interest.. You at least would get to fight the system who is trying to screw people.
Public Defenders offices are always looking for people. I live in Sacramento and know the PDs office here is looking. I have no idea if you are interested in re-locating. [I don't work there but I am a criminal defense lawyer]. I have heard that Shasta County is looking also. So is the Louisana Capitol appeals [you don't have to have passed the bar there for one of the jobs that is open].
I'm guessing anything like that would be a huge pay cut. PDs make in the $80s up here to start.
The other thing maybe worth checking is the UNs website for their various tribunals. You get to live all over the world, work on amazing and important international issues. I have no idea what the pay is like.
I got out of law school, worked for other people and hated it. I hung out a shingle and started practicing. Spent the first couple of years clueless and broke. I was lucky enough to find other people who knew what they were doing and willing to help me so I didn't ruin someones life or get sued for malpractice.
Why not start your own public interest practice in something that moves you?
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Re: Any thoughts on how to transition from big firm civil litigation to public interest law?
Sat, July 15, 2006 - 5:58 PM"The problem I'm finding is that all these jobs want a demonstrable commitment to public interest law. I'm not sure the fact that I left my legal career to do massage therapy for 2 years is evidence of that kind of commitment (lol)."
I think it is. On the other hand, the mere fact that you are making a big monetary and career sacrifice might not be enough for some who view their work with such a zealousness bordering on religion that a "recent convert" just doesn't cut it.
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Re: Any thoughts on how to transition from big firm civil litigation to public interest law?
Tue, October 24, 2006 - 1:01 AMSave some money up. Get "let go" from your job. Collect unemployment. Volunteer 2 days a week at 3 different public interest law orgs. If you're good, one of them might scoop you up.
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