Life carries on after 60 and I intend to make themost of it.

Mrs North’s father worked hard all his life. He retired at 56 have jammed all his money into a gold-plated final salary pension (the likes of which we’ll never see again).

He’s now 63 and so far has done pretty much SFA with the time he “bought” himself. He’s effectively worn out and, as much as he would like to travel, he’s lost the energy and appetite for it. I hope you don’t..!

Knowing a little of shooterman’s background, his reasoning isn’t quite the opposite of your angle: it’s driven from the job he does (same as me, sort of) and the massive pressure that comes with it. I don’t know many lawyers who actually enjoy their job. It has the worst possible combination of factors: boring and stressful.

However, law feels hard to leave. Lawyers are trained to be risk averse, so career change is often too hard a concept to grasp. Though the money is only really any good if you work in one of the City factories, it’s hard to leave behind the elevated salary that often comes with the job.

It’s also a profession dominated by high achievers and people who always want to win and beat other people. The concepts of weakness and failure are hard to deal with – christ, for me going in-house to work in industry from private practice felt like failure when, objectively, it’s anything but.

Leaving aside the regulation and professional pressure, there’s also the other problem that being a lawyer has two career paths: private practice (where the money is, and usually the evil lifestyle) or in-house. I think there ought to be scope to think differently outside that.

I’ve got 21 years to go until I’m 55. I just don’t see me doing the same thing until then.

Throwing in work or taking a break is fine but have 1 eye to the future.

Ah yes, although you are 10 years short of him, you sound exactly like my Dad. As OMITN says, the days of pensions that will support you nicely in the 30 odd years that might expect to live in ‘retirement’ are gone for us younger models I’m afraid. And I’m a few years older than OMITN. 😉 I see absolutely no value in slaving away in any job that I don’t enjoy (accepting all the inherent imperfections) for some mythical golden time when you can travel/ roam, spend, laze to your hearts content. It really is time that we turned on its head this worn out groove of ‘work stupidly hard, save, work, save, work’ on the basis that some day you might get to enjoy it all a bit. Not least because by the time the younger generation gets to traditional retirement age, many of the institutions and structures that the baby boomer generation (like my parents) benefited from will have well and truly imploded. I envisage a life where the work/play relationship is entirely different so that I can do both now, and will still be doing both way past a nominal retirement age.

Well I think everyone’s situation is different and in my case I travel and do more now because I haven’t got the responsibility of kids or expense. I have more time and I have the money to do more. Crossed Atlas mnts already this year and in training for trans alps. Guess I’m not too worn out 🙂 When I was younger family commitments meant curtailing plans. Now freedom and money. On a personal note I’m enjoying my lifestyle. I wouldn’t have stuck any old job. Like I said imlucky, had a job I really enjoyed. When I say retire, I plan to still do a little work for the interest factor. Not trying to convert you just explaining everyone has a unique circumstance. It will be hard for my three children but they have different opportunities and challenges. They wil overcome them just like we had to. No free meal out there ever:)

I would be very interested in getting some of those links ART if you don’t mind.

It’s not actually the law I’m tired of. It’s the office politics, the abusive and dishonest clients and constantly having to look over your shoulder and protect yourself from those you work with.

PB – absolutely, everyone is different and it’s heartening actually to hear positive tales. 😉 Shooterman, leave it with me, will mail some stuff to you tomorrow eve.

It’s not actually the law I’m tired of. It’s the office politics, the abusive and dishonest clients and constantly having to look over your shoulder and protect yourself from those you work with.

That sounds like my experience in marketing! I really don’t get how some/most people seem to be able to enjoy a job where this is reality. Maybe I’m naive or just expect too much.

The one time I actually felt like work was ok was freelance. You accept you have no job security, get paid a little more for that, and so long as you remain aware of the politics you can sidestep it. Don’t know if that’s an option for the law?

People I know who are freelance or self-employed rarely IME have these kind of gripes. I guess it’s because they’re more in control of their destiny…

The one time I actually felt like work was ok was freelance…. Don’t know if that’s an option for the law?

Traditionally not: you either work in a law firm (where clients come to you) or you work as an in-house lawyer for a commercial business.

However, I think there is scope for freelance legal work. But… you have to think carefully how to pitch it. Funnily enough, my current boss and I have been discussing just this sort of thing recently (she’s disenchanted with office politics). We have a similar background/knowledge base (M&A and now work in telecoms sector) and think there are some perfect areas where law firms are just too cumbersome to win work.

For me, if I could earn what I do now, but work 50% or 75% of the time, that would be perfect.

Will the law business contract?

I don’t know anything about the law business but lawyers here who are thinking about a career change might want to read this…