Hi everyone
Throwaway account for obvious reasons. I had what so many people saw as the dream life but it was actually a nightmare. Made 6 figures working in a big law firm, had my name written on the door and the wall, years of postgrad formation and experience, specialized in a tiny field with high demand, big profile cases and clients, blablabla.
I was working like a pig, often 55-60hrs weeks, you could take a shower and sleep at the office (literally). I was making the firm so much money and even though my salary was good it was greatly undervalued.
Anyway, covid and other things opened my eyes on how much BS I was dealing with, the unnecessary meetings, living downtown, traffic, etc.
While I was still working there I built myself a good website on Fiverr for a few hundred bucks, rented a small office in an average neighbourhood, bought some office equipment and quit my position. Started working the following Monday for myself.
From the outside people think I lost my mind. My office is small and not on the 17th floor. My clients went from big companies to Mr Nobody. Turns out I have never been happier. And most shockingly, I make pretty much the same (about 5-10% less, which is negligible given how much life has improved). It is also due to high expenses at the beginning and I still see myself growing or rather being more efficient.
I pile up easy cases. Settle if possible. Fight at trial only if my time is well compensated. Get at the office twice a week at 10am and leave at noon. I am almost always home.
The bad? I don’t have a secretary, I hired an accountant for taxes…Beside that, loving doing the bare minimum for myself and not killing myself for corporate pride.