Leaving the Law

We became lawyers for any one of a number of reasons. Because we wanted to make a difference. Or maybe we wanted to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Or maybe we wanted a path to climb the corporate ladder with. Or maybe we just like the money. Maybe all of these. Maybe none. Yet when the profession starts impacting your mental health, it is time to ask yourself if, despite your reasons for joining the profession, it is in fact time to leave the law.

And I say this as someone who worked in environmental law for a number of years but currently finds myself not in a traditional legal profession. While my ability to think like a lawyer has helped me in my mental health work, the fact is my own mental health has improved since I left the field.

That doesn’t mean I won’t go back some day. I try to keep connected with the field as much as I can while not actively working in it, with the thought that maybe some day the time will be right to jump back in. I know that my last employer was certainly as much a part of the problem as the work and the work environment, so I am open to returning with the right organization and under the right circumstances.

And the fact that I might go back someday is an important point. Because careers can always be restarted. Education can be restarted. However, you can never get back the time lost to a mental health condition that you ignored in favor of work. Investing in yourself really is the best investment in the future you can make. Believe me, the law will always be there when you come back.

And in the meantime, if you are struggling with mental health and thoughts of leaving the profession, or at least taking a break, know that the LegalMind Society is here to support you with individuals who have been there and know what it is like to be facing that internal battle. We came out the other side of that darkness, and we can help you to do the same.