I just wanted to give you a quick thank you.  I was working as an associate in a workers' compensation defense law firm and completely miserable.  I participated in this career day at an elementary school and I realized I need to make a change once I couldn't honestly tell the wide-eyed fifth graders that I liked my job.  I started researching other jobs in law and stumbled on your blog.  Now I will start at a pd's office on August 1st. 

I wish you the best in New York.  Thank you again!

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Hmm, that's a curious way to start your post . . . so are you back in the PD fold? Or are you past-tensing? My hunch is that given the fall off in your updates here, you're not a PD at this point. But that's just my hunch is all.

After one year I'm about ready to give notice at my shop. September first, looks like I'm out of the racket. The life of a PD is rough stuff, overwhelming at times, just plain tiring at best. A move overseas forces my hand, but hey, I can admit I would have left sooner rather than later anyway. It's just time.

And while I'll probably at some point down the road consider getting back into a PD office, I don't think I'll ever actually do it. That consideration would be born more out of some kind of innate comfort with what you've done before rather than "the call" to do the work. I just don't think it's there for me.

Now don't get me wrong, the job has been rewarding as hell and I've worked with great people, made good friends, appreciate the opportunity to launch my legal skill development at breakneck speed, and feel good about those people I've been able to help . . . so do I recommend that others take the plunge? Yeah, of course. Give it a shot. There's almost no downside to starting out in an office. If you've got a shot to try it, try it.

But there is something I did notice in my year and it would serve as my word of warning to others. I got to know a lot of PD 3's and 4's, and while it's thin ice to over-generalize, I think I'll risk it . . . PD's who have been in the office for more than, say, 5 or 6 years, tend to fall into one of two types. Either they love what they do and can't imagine doing anything else, or they've been doing PD work for so long that they are either afraid to move on or have convinced themselves they can't move for some reason. I can't tell you how many times I heard "my retirement has vested and I can't walk away," or "this is all I know" or "I can't give up the benefits" or "I can't take the first year paycut I'd have to take (PD's in my county get paid pretty well)."

Lookit. Those are all fine reasons to keep a lot of jobs I suppose, but if those reasons are all that keeps you a PD, the job will crush you. Flat out, if you don't love it, leave it. And you'll know early on whether you're showing up at 8 a.m. for the right reasons or for the wrong reasons. Trust your instincts. But from what I've seen, a PD with 10 years in who hates the nature of the business (and there are a LOT of those people) is not a healthy soul.

Anyway, that's my word of warning is all. Feel free to take it or not.

When I was looking to get into the PD gig last year, this blog was a great source of info and I want to thank you heavily for that. I felt better prepared for the bumps and bruises from having some sense of them coming at me. You've done a solid piece of work here and I'd be more than happy to buy your a drink or two if our paths ever do cross.

Thanks Jenny. Hope it's all shaking out your way in

Thanks to both of you, I'm so happy to hear that my rants were helpful to you. I totally feel what you're saying MAXHOFA about perhaps needing to move on--I was glad to get a rest when I got married and left my office. And I agree with your assessment of the future in the office. I didn't meet many people who said that their retirement had vested, but I did meet more than a few folks who were sitting by the embers of an old camp fire, rather than stoking it...

BEING_ESQ, Congrats and more power to ya! Work it work it work it! You've done a terribly courageous thing by stepping out--you won't regret it, I'm sure of it. Blog it up, want to read all about it....