Many senior attorneys forget the long learning curve new lawyers go through. They don’t realize how much time it takes new associates to finish projects. In many law firms, new attorneys are assigned less work than more senior lawyers. The new lawyers are not aware of their workload because they are under the supervision of senior attorneys, who are typically very busy. So, if a senior attorney assigns too much work to a new associate, it may not be fair to them or to the clients.
Taking a break is vital to the overall health of a lawyer. Although this may be difficult, take a vacation or take a temporary leave of absence to refresh yourself and remember how exciting it was to become a lawyer. To keep yourself healthy and happy, create a personal plan for self-care. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed by work, try to incorporate a few short breaks each week.
A culture of overwork has long existed in the legal field. In fact, it began long before lawyers entered the profession. It is something that partners endured for years, and juniors are expected to do the same. Increasingly, young lawyers are rebelling against the tradition in top law firms, pushing back against the culture of workaholism and overwork. While some jobs are legitimately demanding, others are simply not.
