I am a third year student in an NLU who has recently started interning with chambers as well as law firms. As someone who decided to do law because of a love for the law as a subject, I am deeply deeply disillusioned by the law as a profession. The work is crude and lacks sophistication or intellectual stimulation, atleast until you claw your way to a high level, and the work becomes more cranial. Also, the work at firms seems to be far more dull and boring when compared to litigation, atleast at the associate level. But litigation pays its associates like shit, and i have too many financial responsibilities to do that; the intellectual stimulation:salary ratio is not worth it. Irrespective of a firm or a chamber, the work environment is often toxic, and finally, the worst of all- the work hours.

Putting in 10-12 hour days is the bare minimum, and somehow the entire industry has normalised it. Feel free to tell me if I am a snowflake, or quintessentially Gen-Z, for wanting to have time in the day to myself. For living a LIFE that is not defined ONLY by my work, for not wanting to be under constant stress and pressure, and for wanting to be HEALTHY. Because lets face it- most lawyers are NOT healthy. Physically OR mentally. I am sure there are exceptions, and I have come across some myself, but most lawyers I have worked for/under are overweight, balding, overworked and overstressed. is this endemic to the legal industry in India, or is this the norm for lawyers all over the world? and also- is this only the case for law in India, or are other indian industries also like this? WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE 9 TO 5?!?!? This cant be the rest of my life, holy shit. How are ya'll okay with this?? Please tell me how reflective of reality this is. Does it get better? Are there any silver linings in these dark, gloomy clouds? Or should I expect to be met with only torrential downpour after I graduate.

You are a bit of a snowflake - read any good legal autobiography and you'll see that this is part of the game, but it's only for a finite time. There is sunshine if you wait long enough.

That aside, if finances are a concern, have you considered academic work? speak to your profs - salaries are not law firm level but still decent! You will probably have more satisfaction with the work.

Have you been able to see this "sunshine"? or could you elaborate a bit on what it is- because I see seniors working just as many hours as juniors. And logically- the stakes just get higher as you become a PA/Partner/Sr. Adv, don't they? Work hours may reduce marginally, but that may be offset by a marked increased in stress? (may be completely wrong here)

I have indeed considered academic work, and I am strongly inclined to it. But if I want to be an associate professor in a tier-1 NLU, I need a masters degree. The gestation period is a bit too long!

I am strongly considering slogging it out in a law firm for a few years (5-6 years) and then doing a lateral entry into in-house.

I am just scared of losing the best years of my life (20s)- I want to travel, have a romantic and social life. Does the law allow for this? Lmao. and does wanting all this make me a snowflake, or human? Surely the point of life can't be to work yourself to the grave

No age is too old for the heart :-) https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/harish-salve-former-solicitor-general-of-india-weds-for-third-time-video-101693799053231.html