3 Common Challenges Faced by Legal Professionals

You’ve made a smart decision to pursue a career in the legal profession. Being a lawyer is richly rewarding, and it’s still one of the most sought-after careers. A 2020 survey revealed that 53 percent of law students in the U.S. had their sights on pursuing law as a career before they entered college.

However, legal professionals don’t always have it the easy way. There are challenges, just like in any other field. Ask any seasoned lawyer, and they’ll quickly tell you the job isn’t a walk in the park.

Often, the difference between a successful and a failed lawyer comes down to their ability to conquer the challenges that come their way. To help you prepare for what lies ahead, we’re sharing the most common challenges for lawyers.

Read on!

1. Increasing Competition for the Best Jobs

Getting a job as a lawyer isn’t a tall task. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be over 48,000 new legal jobs every year through the next decade.

But there’s a difference between getting a job and getting a good job.  Like most lawyers, you want to find a high-paying job in one of the country’s leading law firms. Unfortunately, these positions are few and far between.

Most top law firms care about the law school you attended. Unless you are schooled in a renowned institution, it can be difficult to grab their attention and get hired.

This means most lawyers have to settle for jobs in small law firms and work their way up. Others choose to start their own small law firms, wading right into the murky world of running a small business.

2. Long Hours

No amount of training will prepare you for the long hours most lawyers put in. In big firms, it’s not uncommon for lawyers to work more than 60 hours every week. Even those in small law firms typically work more hours than the average employee.

Early in your legal career, you may embrace the long hours. It’s how you’ll earn the trust of your bosses and earn promotions. As time moves on, though, the long hours will start taking a toll on your work-life balance.

Spending more time at work means leaving less time for yourself and your loved ones. Your health and wellness will decline and the quality of your relationships will suffer.

While you may not be able to avoid long hours, there are steps you can take to improve your work-life balance. Focus on finding employers who offer flexible lawyer job positions and be intentional about maintaining a healthy balance between work and life.

3. Digital Transformation

Technology has revolutionized every profession. And while it has made work easier for almost everyone, lawyers are struggling to adapt and enjoy the benefits.

Paperwork and in-person interactions define the culture of most law firms. Going paperless, conducting virtual dispositions, and working with virtual assistants isn’t something lawyers are used to, which is why technology adoption in the profession has been slow.

Thankfully, this is one of the few good challenges. As a younger, digital generation enters the legal workforce, technology adoption is only going to accelerate.

Legal Professionals Don’t Have It Easy

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to assume legal professionals are having the time of their lives. This isn’t true. They face many big challenges, from more familiar ones like a job market that’s becoming more competitive to unique ones like technology being a pain in the workplace.

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