Do you ever feel like it's the little things that get you? I definitely do. I'm fresh off a large victory in criminal court- my client should have spent 6 months in jail, but instead got probation and a few hours of community service. It was one of those times when I should come back to my office feeling like the conquering hero, but instead I am mired in paperwork for other cases.
At times like this, I often retire to a nearby coffee shop with my lap top, a stiff cup of coffee and my mind numbing pile of work. Law, especially family law, has a good level of drudgery. You have to fill out numerous forms, draft declarations and prepare motions that are essential to representing your client well. As a lawyer, I live for the moments when I argue in front of a judge or a jury, but each of these moments has to be carefully prepared for with a large level of minutae.
A good friend and I once did an analysis of our profession over cigars and cuba libres and we calculated that maybe only 5% of the time that we spent as lawyers was spent in dramatic hearings or trials. For most lawyers, the percentage is even smaller. Most attorneys will never in their careers address a jury. They spend their critical time typing on a laptop, drafting agreements or other legal documents. They talk on the phone and work out deals.
I couldn't live life comfortably without at least a few high adrenaline moments in my work week. It makes the papercuts worthwhile!
