Do you remember why you became an attorney?  I’m sure it wasn’t to be the butt of the thousands of lousy lawyer jokes out there.  The profession is a real target for persecution, but it has pretty much always been that way -- at least since Shakespeare’s time, from Henry The Sixth: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”

Over the past 14 years, I have worked with thousands of attorneys and there are very, very few I would wish that fate upon. 

I can think of four very good reasons to practice the law:

Mental stimulation.  If you are a lawyer and any good at it, you are being constantly challenged mentally and that makes for a very interesting career.  You also are likely to work around other lawyers and judges that make your work life stimulating.  Utilizing your creative thinking skills to win cases on behalf of your clients is rewarding work.

Emotional rewards.  Many lawyers I know do their fair share of pro bono work, which provides great emotional satisfaction.  But you also get satisfaction from helping your clients overcome life-changing problems and making a real difference for people with problems you help solve.

Career options.  There are many areas of the law you can choose to practice, in both the public and the private sector.  Prosecutors get great job satisfaction from putting the bad guys away.  Defense attorneys derive some joy from helping the “little guy” and beating the system.  Other attorneys thrive in a corporate environment, while still others love being in a solo or small firm.  The thing is, if you have a law degree, you have options.

Financial rewards.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for attorneys in the U.S. is north of $100,000.  Not everyone makes this, of course.  And I know many of you make more.  With every new law that goes on the books comes the opportunity for financial gain for lawyers.

While many attorneys struggle with the business side of the law, I have met few who would give it up for another career.