Former attorney needs career counselor

June 18, 2022 1:48 AM

This is a long shot, I know. I don't think it's likely that a counselor like this exists, but it's worth asking.

I'm a former attorney (graduated upper 40% from a school ranked about #35 in the country ~20 years ago.) For a number of reasons - some my fault, some not - my career never took off. I practiced litigation for a couple of years, hated it; left the field, did HR-adjacent work for several years. I was laid off in 2016 and my household has been able to afford to have me be a SAHM since then. i've done some legal work volunteering as well as lots of other volunteering during that time, and even some minor court appearance work (but that dried up with the start of COVID.)

I need to get a job soon. Doesn't need to pay much to start, but needs to have the reasonable likelihood of becoming benefits-eligible within a couple of years. (Or to develop marketability so that I can get a different benefits-eligible job in a couple of years.)

I can write very well. I can convey complicated concepts in simple language. I have written one successful first-time grant application. My technical legal skills, including research and cite checking, are stale. I think my resume (its reality, not its format) is very bad. Lots of short stints, and many years spent in a field that I really can't go back to (staffing.)

Is there such a thing as a career counselor for someone like me? Someone who can help me figure out what kind of paid jobs I could reasonably expect to get and do well at?

Please note I'm NOT asking for off the cuff suggestions for jobs, here. I'm asking if you know of an appropriate career counselor whom I can pay for a consultation.

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (11 answers total)

I can recommend Peer Genius as a possible route. Sarah Potter has built up a good reputation as a career coach and mentor for senior HR leaders and career changers.
posted by parmanparman at 1:53 AM on June 18, 2022

Check in with career services at your alma mater(s). Ours is free for year one, and $30/year after that for actual services, like a resume review. They will also know career counselors as well, but you will likely need to speak with their seasoned staff, not a new hire (there is a lot of reshuffling with the great resignation) that being said, some are fabulous at adapting an old school resume for Linked In and more.
posted by childofTethys at 4:23 AM on June 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

Google “DC lawyer counselor career.” DC is the Land of Lawyers and there is a whole side-industry of psychological and career counseling for the bar.

FWIW I think you should focus on legal opportunities. Sounds like you have the basic chops - just need a foot in the door.
posted by haptic_avenger at 4:41 AM on June 18, 2022 [3 favorites]

An organisational psychologist/coach should offer you don't great assistance here. I offer this as an example for further research and ideas: integralcareer.co.uk, it should help you find the terms you're looking for locally.
posted by socky_puppy at 5:20 AM on June 18, 2022

Outplacement is an industry devoted to helping people in situations similar to yours, but usually with a prosperous ex-employer to pay the bill. Still, their first week protocol getting clients pointed in a good direction could be a big help. A phone call would reveal if it's a real possibility.

They might also do some testing. Its possible that Johnson O'Conner-type testing could give you some focus.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:21 AM on June 18, 2022

If you were in Canada, I would suggest Paulette Nnorom but you aren't, so I would expect she can't help you specifically since the markets are very different. But perhaps you could reach out to her and ask for a recommendation in your region.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:23 AM on June 18, 2022

if you'd be interested in a pivot to climate change careers, i think your skill set would be very useful, especially in HR adjacent roles. If this is interesting to you me mail me and i have some specific recruiter resources i can share specializing in helping people make this shift :)
posted by wowenthusiast at 6:57 AM on June 18, 2022

I came here to recommend Paulette too! She is a lawyer and created an excellent workshop about identifying the personal values that drive your career. It’s great for anyone, not just lawyers. She used to use the surname Pommells if you want to search more of her stuff.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:01 AM on June 18, 2022

Lawyer here who attempted to find an alternative career. Spoiler alert: it did not go well. I went to two different coaches and did the what drives you exercises, etc. Neither were particularly helpful. I also had a good visit with my career services department at my law school and they were not very helpful (granted, regional tier III but still ). I became so frustrated with my private practice job that I just quit and decided to go into teaching. The time away from the practice coupled with the off the charts feelings of NOPE when I actually started to student teach gave me so much more clarity than the coaches ever did.

I ended up going back to lawyering but working for the government. It does not require after hours commitments, NO BILLING, and no malpractice worry (which were my big three problems). I think the government is also a lot more lenient and forgiving about gaps in your practice history and repurposing skills for their use. That is to say that your resume is probably not nearly as bad as you think it is. If you still have your bar membership, this might be the path of least resistance if you want to stay in the legal field.

Also if you are licensed in Texas, they have free webinars on alternative careers for lawyers. If you aren't in Texas, it is highly likely that your bar association has something similar for members.

Feel free to memail me!
posted by tafetta, darling! at 3:31 PM on June 18, 2022 [3 favorites]

You should really talk with your state bar! Oregon has a group called lawyers in transition and it provides resources and networking for people in your situation. I imagine other states have something similar.
posted by Happydaz at 10:09 PM on June 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

Yes, Happydaz! I went through this program, and it was very helpful even though I changed to a completely non-law career path. Critical moral support, too.
posted by mmiddle at 2:35 PM on June 19, 2022