Lawyerlife: Balancing Life and a Career in Law

I've known very competent lawyers who have led balanced lives and seemed professionally fulfilled. I've known others whose lives were obviously out of whack. They seem miserable, and often aren't hesitant to express their misery. Judge Carl Horn's LawyerLife: Finding a Life and a Higher Calling in the Practice of Law discusses the problems endemic to the profession, often relying on anecdotes (including a particularly poignant one from his own life), polls, and published articles. He avoids an academic writing style, and has a hopeful message. No utopian, he recognizes the unavoidable pressures and demands of law practice but invites lawyers to examine which problems are avoidable and which are not. He invites them to step back, realize that their predicaments result from choices they have made, that they can still make different choices, and that there is more to practicing law, and indeed to life, than maximizing billable hours. If you have no interest in the profession or are not closely involved with someone in it, this book probably will be of little interest. But if you are a lawyer, a law student, a spouse of either, or if you work for a lawyer or law firm, this book could prove invaluable.

Beyond simply being another book complaining about "lawyer misery," Judge Horn offers a thoughtful analysis of the life of the individual attorney and the role of the lawyer as part of the larger legal community. A seasoned lawyer and a sitting federal judge, he gives not only an honest and incisive look into what can be better, but also offers practical advice and a realistic view about how it can be made better. Horn sounds a much needed clarion call for a more sensible and ethical path of practicing law and, even more importantly, to a balanced and meaningful life. Yet Horn approaches his task with a candor, a love for the profession, and a sense of humor rarely seen in books of this nature. It is a view not only from the mountaintop, but also from the trenches. The book is righteous but not preachy; motivational, but without ruse or cliche; unsettling at times, but never leaving the reader without hope that a better Lawyer Life is not only possible, but also the responsibility of all who practice. As a lawyer in a large regional firm, I wish I had read this book prior to entering law school, during law school, or in my first year of practice. I highly recommend it to all who fall in the above categories. Perhaps even more strongly, I recommend it to all who have been out of law school a few years.

Judge Horn examines the demanding culture and stresses that travel with the practice of law, and reflects on ways to find balance, combat burnout, and to work to a higher standard. His research, and command of the literature in this area, is outstanding (the book is worth reading for this alone); and his argument that the profession has deep historical roots as an honorable calling, and service to society, is a bracing reminder of what is good about being a lawyer. Whether you agree or disagree with Judge Horn, this book will open your eyes and make you think.

In his thought-provoking book, LawyerLife, Judge Horn begins by discussing the history of the legal profession in the United States with a particular emphasis on the questions of whether and when the profession enjoyed its "golden age." The author then encourages members of the bar, that is, judges, law school deans and professors, officers/members of local and state bar and other lawyers' organizations, solo practioners, and lawyers practicing in small, mid-size and large firms, to re-consider the noble aspirations that first brought them to their "high calling," to understand the effect of the "troubling trends" for a "profession in crisis," and to make substantial, practical change in their professional lives that will lead to greater fulfillment both personally and professionally. LawyerLife also provides great insight into the legal profession that is invaluable for law students or anyone who is considering "practicing law in the new millenium."

LawyerLife is a book I wish I had read before I went to law school, or at least before I began in legal practice. This book would be useful to any professional person trying to achieve balance between work and life and not just lawyers. No matter how much energy you have and how committed you are to your career, you need to make sure to take care of your life at the same time. Do not put it off. Lawyers have a high percentage of depression, alcoholism, and burnout, making it vital to watch out for signs of overwork, health problems, and relationship difficulties. The economic pressure of today's practice of law pushes lawyers to work too hard and tempts them cut corners ethically to succeed. Too many fail to take care of their personal lives and relationships. This book presents refreshing and practical information on how to take control of your life and find ways to achieve both professional AND personal satisfaction. The author's own life is an example: He talks about his life as a judge, a husband, a father, an author and speaker, a volunteer in his community, and a person who makes the time to remain healthy and physically active. Many of us mean to do all of these things but few of us, I'm afraid, actually manage to do it. This book is helpful in achieving what we want, professionally and personally.