[codingdave]

I started to - I went to law school with the intent of switching, and ultimately cut that short to go back to tech. I just didn't enjoy working with attorneys. I'm sure some people do, so my rejection of that industry should be taken with a grain of salt... but I'd take time to get to know who your professional community would be before committing to such a change.

[openknot]

I'm curious. What was your experience working with attorneys? I heard an anecdote from a law student that the classmates were highly competitive about grades. Less anecdotally, there was a recent Financial Times article about corporate lawyers at one firm billing ~100 hours each week, and others sleeping only ~5 hours a night. It also reported a more accurate measurement from a survey:

"That level of exhaustion is taking a toll. In a survey of over 1,700 lawyers published in September, LawCare — a mental health charity in the sector — found almost 70 per cent had experienced ill health, either clinically or self-diagnosed, in the 12 months to January 2021, including depression and anxiety. According to the study, those aged between 26 and 35 were displaying the highest burnout scores — in part because of a lack of autonomy over their working lives. A fifth of respondents said they felt unable to cope." [0]

I'm guessing that law attracts competitive personalities who are willing to work long hours to make money, and that prospect might cause many lawyers to be high-strung.

[0] Paywalled, but the most relevant bit is quoted: https://www.ft.com/content/f4006248-eb05-49d2-a938-d70118c4c...

[Spooky23]

It’s like anything else, people get into law and chase money without thinking about what they are getting into and why the pay is so high. Don’t feel sorry for them, a bunch of type-a types killing each other for sport is by it’s nature a stressful endeavor.

Even in public sector, the mental toll of dealing with criminal prosecution and defense is high. Alcoholism is rampant, all sorts of personal acting out / implosions are frequent. (High-flyer prosecutors and corp counsel people in local government are looking for money indirectly through political aspirations or access.)

It’s the price of admission to working your way into a more elite strata of society. It’s much harder than the old fashioned way.

People who find a less lucrative, but sustainable, niche are like any other professional.

[gyulai]

Though: Software Engineering is not doing all that well on the mental health front either, as far as professions go. See [1] which I found kind of shocking, though I don't know what those numbers look like for other professions or in the general population.

[1] https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2021#section-demog...

[Ensorceled]

Software Engineering is an appealing profession for people with several of the issues on this list (in particular: social anxiety, ADHD, spectrum disorders) so this is not surprising.

You are mixing up cause and effect; working as a developer is not causing ADHD, bi-polar disorder or spectrum disorders.

[gyulai]

Good point.

[kerneloftruth]

Wise choice. I've known attorneys professionally and have some in my extended family. I've never met a truly happy attorney yet.

[rayiner]

I’m a truly happy attorney! So is my wife. But it’s a client service job. I think a lot of Americans suffer from delusions of grandeur, especially more highly educated ones, and the reality of being a cog in the machine really bursts their bubble. I think of myself more like a very skilled tradesman. People need legal representation, just like they need electricians. My trade is intellectually stimulating and highly remunerative, so why shouldn’t I be happy?

[edge17]

I have but they're also professors and they teach so I'm guessing that changes the dynamic a lot.