Any solicitors on here?

[Lyra25]

Why is the profession so awful to work in? I’m in house but miss the human aspect of private client work. I find when I go for interviews, there’s an archaic attitude of treating people either like children or slaves, or both.
I think this is unique to law. I’ve got great autonomy just now, good pay and low stress.
But I am under stimulated, not challenged and isolated.
Why is law such an awful industry to work in?
Other professions treat staff like adults and genuinely give work life balance, support, you can actually take holiday.

Law seems a throw back to patriarchal ways

Hmm. I'm a solicitor and this isn't my experience where I work (national firm 500+ lawyers). I'm a psl now though which does help the work/life balance. What PQE are you?

I’m a partner in a top 100 firm and this isn’t my experience. I practice in Clin Neg and have a great work / life balance. No billing targets.

6 years but moving back to private practice, so maybe limited in that sense. The firms I’ve found this with are high street firm, though one a legal 500.
At the most recent, I found one partner lovely and the other a bit concerning, she made a few comments in the interview that made me feel as though she’d be a micro manager and one of those of the view ‘that’s how it was for us.

I’ve got so much autonomy now, I wouldn’t want to go back to being made to go into the office every day for 3 months, for example

I also have colleagues who left private practice who’ve said they wouldn’t go back, no matter how much money. And many of them. My partner is a lawyer and he’s just done, 20 years in practice and hates it.

If you’re a partner, could it be possible you aren’t aware of how other staff really feel? It’s not the face they’d show to a boss

Honestly, not my experience. Firms vary, obviously, but my current firm is fabulous - everyone respectful, treated as grown ups and given plenty of autonomy. In return we expect people to work hard, but not ridiculously so, and if someone’s in the office at 7pm that’s a rarity.

It’s just a matter of finding the right fit.

I’m confident that my team is happy. We work 08.30-17.00 in the office, with great facilities. We’re very well looked after by the office hosts. Everyone is friendly and socialises out of hours. IT and case management isn’t as slick as it could be but everything works. No CH or billing targets. We work hard but there’s not the same pressure as I’ve experienced in the past at other firms.