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New juniors coming in to the profession from law school are finding it unbearable to fit into the system and with such pathetic conditions, we shouldn't be expecting them to fit in either, its gross. While a lot of the points enumerated above are systemic of the stage of capitalism we are presently in, a lot can still be salvaged by making a push for basic level changes such as fix working hours, larger teams with better balance and pay etc. This may be wishful thinking, but is required.
Comments?
Infact, the amount of exploitation is same in law firms but they get paid atleast.
I want to add few more points :-
1. You can only litigate efficiently as long as your LEGS are fine.
2. You need highly connected social circle to get best cases. With so much time in office you cant socialize much.
3. No opportunity to do remote work, unlike other fields like CA or Software jobs.
4. Crazy work hours will not allow you to devote much time to family or friends. You become a dead person with no soul. Dark eyes. Tired all the time.
5. Over time you become unhealthy, no work life balance , back issues , common survical pain. You get diabetes around 40s.
6. Bar is a toxic acid spewing Monster
7. Problem of uncle judges and papa justices.
8. As economy/inflation is rising, other pvt sectors are getting remunerated proportionately . It is not uncommon for youngers to do CA / CS / Software jobs and crack Big4/MAANG companies and earn 15-20LPA easily at age of 20-23 .
In contrast, income in govt jobs and litigation practise (or CA practise ) does not increase as steeply.
9. High Chance of diorce in litigation and law firm due to work hours
Honestly, I'm getting tired and burnt out already. Thinking of wrapping up 6 months PQE and then try and switch. Will it work?
You're completely right about the BCI part, of course.
Paise chahiye to kaam bhi karo.
Even if Junior starts to work independently that high an amount comes maybe after 25 years into profession.
Moreover, that amount per hearing is for 0.01% of Lawyers like Salve and that too only in Bombay Hc , Delhi HC , NLCT(/AT) , SAT , NCDRC , NGT or SC.
There is not THAT high amount of fees in other High Courts.
I started off my career with 11k at a cosmopolitan city and the money I was paid meant I did not have the financial capacity to take a bike on an EMI.
Fortunately, my brother agreed to give his Honda Activa to me and with that, I managed my daily commute.
I spent three months at my first office with a senior who expected me stay in the office from 9.30am to 8.30pm on the weekdays and upto anywhere between 3-4pm on weekends.
I quit in my fourth month and joined a law firm as I came from a law school. I was initially paid a paltry sum but within 2 years, I managed to find a job with a very good salary.
Litigation offices can have bossy people all around who give a damn to your personal and emotional well being.
The senior I worked with was a gentleman who worked more than I did and really took care of me like his younger brother. However, it was not me in time to spend the whole day in the office and yet think thrice to go attend a family's event at 8.30 pm, for that required me to walk upto the senior and ask for a permission to leave the office before he did. Leaving office before your senior does is frowned upon, but that is an established practice and here to stay.
If you intend to continue litigating, you need to forego quite a bit on the personal front in the first six to eight years of your practice.
All the best !
Check it out - https://www.barandbench.com/columns/preventing-brain-drain-in-the-litigation-sphere-how-do-we-make-things-easier-for-young-lawyers