It's official.

For those of you who haven’t heard, it’s official, I am retiring from litigation. At least for now. I’m taking a clerkship position which is, at minimum, a step sideways in the career path. But MUCH less stress than private practice, less hours, more vacation (who gets 4 weeks of vacation a year? Not most lawyers, I’ll tell you. I’m in heaven!)

For those who have never worked in private practice as a litigator, let me tell you. It’s like housework, your work is NEVER done. There really is no start and end. When you go home, you’re either working or thinking about what you need to do or planning your calendar. You don’t just leave work when the office closes and forget about it til the next day when the office opens. Most litigators don’t keep 9-5 hours. More like 8-6 or longer, and most litigators work at least some on the weekends. It’s not “extra work”; it’s expected. I’ve never had a week’s vacation where I wasn’t on a conference call at least once. Even while I was on bedrest while pregnant I was taking calls periodically. And it gets worse as you get more experience.

So, anyway, with all that said, I’m stepping out of it for at least a year, probably 2-3. Then maybe I’ll come back. I really love some parts of litigation, but I love my kids more. What are 2-3 years in a 30-40 year career? Hopefully nothing.

I know this decision has disappointed some people who feel that I should keep going, and who say I’m “too good a lawyer” to do something that doesn’t use most of my legal skills. But I have to do this for me, and now is the time. I’ll reconsider when kindergarten starts for the kids. I feel at peace with this decision, for the first time in a long time.

So here’s to new beginnings, less stress, actual vacation time, and more time with my kids. Oh, and don’t forget state holidays!