The big draw for many law students at schools like Columbia is the "big law" salary.

I feel like my happiness and fulfillment exists within the "big law" ecosystem.

That is, if I were to not make a sizable income, something would be wrong.

Does anyone else share these fears? Do you feel that the fears are limiting in a detrimental way?

-- NnamdiNwaezeapu - 20 Jan 2021

I agree with the fear that something is "wrong" if you're not making a sizable income. One source of pressure for me is the expectation of others, namely family and other loved ones. I feel like everyone is expecting me to make a ton of money, to put it bluntly, to either support family or just in general as a measure of my "success" as a lawyer (especially considering my impending hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans). I'm still trying to parse through how I think about these "money concerns" (to your question--are they detrimental, and if so, how?) and if perhaps the source of pressure is not only external but also almost subconsciously internal. I think one argument could be that a focus on money can be so deeply engrained that it's almost difficult to figure out if the pressures are more so external or internal. So I don't have an answer, but I think I share your fears if I'm understanding your inquiries "correctly."

-- DeborahSparks - 21 Jan 2021

I share these fears. I think, at least for me, this gets more complicated whenever I think of money not as something that will buy material things, but rather a good education, access to healthcare, and many other intangible things that have a price tag when they shouldn't. I, too, wonder whether my happiness ultimately depends on an ecosystem where money is the number one priority.

-- ValeriaFlores - 22 Jan 2021

I definitely agree with all that has been said. The financial insecurity that exists within this country has only been exacerbated by the global pandemic.

I think one nuance that I'd like to add to this thread is a question or request for advice on exactly how to juggle a fulfilling career while also being paid sizeably. Does the participation in the biglaw sphere inherently mean that a career is unfulfilling? If that is not the case, why is that the stereotype regarding the career?

On this point, how can one receive a position outside of biglaw while still being able to live comfortably amidst financial insecurity, student debt, familial obligations, etc.

-- MaryamAsenuga - 26 Jan 2021

I agree, Deborah, with feeling pressure from family members and other loved ones. For me, I think this stems from a sense of guilt that my parents sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today, I can't help but feel that if I don't measure up to their very specific expectations that I am in a sense taking for granted all that they have done for me. I know this is a silly way of looking at it, and that it is ultimately up to me what to do with my life to find my own happiness, but it is hard to separate the two in my own head. I would love to one day provide for them everything that I can, as they have provided for me my entire life. That is where I struggle.

-- ElizabethBartzokis - 27 Jan 2021