On being self employed...

I knew quickly when I graduated from college that I needed to work for myself. Working for other people was just not going to work for me. Sure, I did a great job taking care of them, but I wanted to do all of that for ME.

Being a lawyer was a profession I knew would allow me to do that, and provide new and different challenges on a daily basis. I also knew that even if I decided not to be a lawyer in the end, the knowlege and discipline of law school would give me an edge in whatever path I did take. I needed something to support myself until I got my book written.

So I became a lawyer. I pretty much knew from the time I entered law school I would never ever work for a firm. Working for myself is the greatest thing ever. I decide when I come in, when I leave, how my files are organized, what to charge a client, when to write on my blog. I am the kind of person who would feel like I was cheating my employer if I wrote on my blog durring work hours- but my curent boss has no problems with it. : )

I always say, "My boss can be a real bitch when it comes to getting my work done, but she's also very flexible about everything else."

The thing is, I've seen so many lawyers and others who just shouldn't work for themselves. You have to have a certain personality type to do it. You have to be a self starter. You have to be organized. You have to be self disciplined. You have to be able to keep financial records, and live within your budget. You have to make yourself stay at work when its slow, and come in on Saturdays when you have too much to do.

You have to know yourself-- if you want money, fame, and power- you probably need the framework a lawfirm provides. Solos are seldom searching for those things. I want financial comfort, personal satisfaction and a life. I want to live within my ethical framework and not have a choice made for me that I do not feel is right. These things are more important to me than being rich.