It is a well-known fact that practicing law, especially in big law firms, is extremely stressful. As a legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search and a former attorney myself, I know a lot about the legal profession and meet with many law firm attorneys daily. Many of the attorneys I have worked with have had heart issues caused by the stress in their forties, and some even died from them. Other lawyers turn to substances to help them deal with the stress, which disrupts their work performance and personal life; and can lead them to situations no one would expect lawyers to get into.
I recently talked with an attorney who served in the military and was tortured in a POW camp. Even though he must have gone through hell in the combat and the camp, it was practicing law in a competitive firm that led him to being hospitalized and on the verge of a breakdown. The stress was just too much for him, even after being exposed to torture.
This got me thinking that being an attorney in any major American law firm is truly one of the most stressful professions. Here are the main reasons why.