I found my experience as a government lawyer to be very positive. While the lack of resources were occasionally frustrating, this was more than outweighed by the satisfaction derived from believing in the value of my work and the opportunities to take significant responsibility at a junior level. Fortunately the State of Western Australia also pays its top recruits starting salaries that approximate those of top corporate firms, so at least in the first couple of years there is little reason not to take a government job.

-- PetefromOz - 01 Mar 2009

I know a number of 'happy' government lawyers, most of whom work for the City of New York, some of whom work for the federal government. However, I again think we have to distinguish between 'most satisfied' and 'good things to say about their jobs.' Government work can be very frustrating, because results come slowly, and you have very little control over your own work (I have close friend who has a high-ranking city government lawyer job and is nevertheless planning a move back to his small New England hometown to hang a shingle). Most of them are 'happy' not because of the work that they do, but because the geometrically smaller burden government work puts on them -- they can still see their spouses, their children, and their friends from time to time.

-- AndrewCase - 27 Feb 2009

I would say that a culture of fear makes the work less good. Because what are the lawyers afraid of? Lack of promotion? Lack of job security? Being yelled at by the boss, or the client? If you have a lawyer who's primarily focused on avoiding that, I think s/he'd do a bad job. I would want a lawyer who isn't too scared to exercise independent judgment, if I needed a lawyer. I appreciate the distinction between "good lawyer" and "positive atmosphere," but I would guess there's a correlation.

Something else we might want to consider is the ability to choose your clients, which people are discussing in the "Is Being a Corporate Lawyer Immoral?" thread. Robinson prides himself on choosing his clients. How important is that? Is there any organization you can really trust to choose your clients for you, and be willing to surrender your autonomy to? Is a boutique law firm more trustworthy than a big one? (Maybe. I don't know.)

-- AnjaliBhat - 26 Feb 2009

Also, who else went to that "Life After Law School" talk a few weeks back? The one where the professor from UVA presented a longitudinal study on the satisfaction of lawyers 20 years after graduating. The study had all the standard problems of getting people to self-report on their own happiness, but otherwise I thought it was well done and well explained. One of the more interesting results was the government lawyers were the most satisfied. Public interest was second and small law firms a close third (with large firms a distant last).

Anyone know any government lawyers who have good things to say about their jobs?

-- AnjaliBhat - 26 Feb 2009

I do think that working without a fear of clients correlates with having (or being able to choose) worthy clients. Still, I believe being a "good lawyer" is slightly different. A proper atmosphere certainly facilitates a happier lifestyle. But this might be a different goal.

-- KeithEdelman - 25 Feb 2009