How much can you make as a part time lawyer? -

I am considering going into law, but I doubt I d enjoy working as a full time lawyer. As a woman, I m going to want kids, and I dont think I could be a good mother do 80 hour work weeks. Dont get me wrong -- I m not trying to step back into the 50 s with gender roles, but I just want to have a balanced personal and work life. Any advice?

As a lawyer, I can tell you that if you plan on working at a large law firm on a partnership track, you ll have to work your butt off and it s going to mean more than 30 hours a week. In some firms, there is what they call the quot;Mommy Track,quot; in which an associate will agree to never go for partnership and in turn the firm will allow them lower billables and less time in the office. Another option is to hang out your own shingle and start your own firm. Downside is that when you have your own firm, you eat what you kill...in other words, you don t work, you don t make money. You can end up working longer hours when you have your own firm than you would have if you worked in a large firm. To make either option work, you will need a husband that will bring home the lion s share of the household income.

Unless you re an established lawyer with an existing partnership, I doubt you would be hired at any firm that I know of. Lawyers live and die by billable hours. If you can t put in the time and make them some money, their thinking would be quot;what good are you to me?quot;. It sounds harsh, but that s what the majority of firms are like. Good luck to you, and I hope I m wrong.

You will find it extremely difficult to find a balanced personal and work life where ever you go.....you have to do what is right for you......