Being a lawyer requires years of hard work and dedication. Being a doctor is much like being set on a path until you reach your goal. As a law student, you might not have time to explore other options while you are in school. In law school, you do not have much time to consider your career choices - you are busy with classwork and preparing for the bar exam.
Most lawyers see the law as boring once they have gone through this process. Some people do not mind a little boring work to accomplish their goals; it is not a deal-breaker. Other people, however, do not get the same satisfaction.
Where to Go Next
You can always consider other legal careers if the law is not the issue, but being a practicing attorney is. If you want to practice law in a different setting, you could look into consulting, business and finance, and education. A defense lawyer is not a necessity to practice law - see if your current education will prepare you for a similar role that would not be as demanding.
Leaving Law Behind
Consider your options carefully before making any major decisions. You may suffer from new-career syndrome if you just started law school. It can take a long time to truly feel at ease in a new profession or field, and it can be challenging to start.
Experienced lawyers should think carefully about what bugs them in law. If you feel tired as an attorney who is simply experiencing fatigue, you can do several other careers. A career change is also common later in life. A person's vision for themselves may not match up with what ultimately takes place, and that is okay.
A Legal career is harder to leave than other alternative career paths, unfortunately. Since becoming a lawyer involves so much time commitment, you had to sacrifice other career possibilities. Unemployment is never easy, so you should prepare financially. As much as a switch out of the law is a huge leap, you need to be prepared to reinvent yourself.
Lawyers typically have extensive networks of contacts. Do not be afraid to turn to your business friends and associates for help - you might just find a few good options within reach. You may be surprised by what you like when you open yourself to new ideas. Those who are dissatisfied with the job description should endeavor to steer clear of similar jobs. A lawyer leaving for a hiring manager position, for example, will not experience that much of a change in day-to-day work.
Regardless of the reason for leaving the legal practice, you should be confident in your decision. Especially after all the preparation you put into entering your current field, you should not regret your decision.