A good friend of mine is a criminal lawyer who works for the brilliant Kersh law firm, he has been a lawyer now for almost a decade and during that time he has just about seen it all. He started at Kersh when he passed the bar and has stayed with them ever since, moving up the ladder and being considered as one of the best lawyers at the firm. I spoke with Mike recently as part of a study which I was doing, to find out what personal challenges his job presented him with. Not many of us see this side of lawyers, and it is quite fascinating to see how the job impacts them personally.

Emotionally Tough

Throughout his years working for Kersh law firm, Mike has seen some truly harrowing cases, and he’s also had to represent some truly deplorable people. This plays havoc on his emotions and he has told me that in the early years he would find it incredibly difficult to erase the things which he has seen from his mind. Over the years Mike has learned how to deal with these things and how to ensure that they do not affect his personal life, but it is still something which he wrestles with on a daily basis.

Sacrifice

Many people know about the hard work which a lawyer must put in during their time at law school but the hours which they must put in once they begin to actually do the job are even longer. The result of this is a huge amount of personal sacrifice and Mike has told me that prior to meeting his wife he lost many relationships and friendships as a result of the amount of time which he would spend at work. We often don’t see this side to professionals like doctors and lawyers, but the truth is that through their hard work they face a lot of personal loss, missed events, and missed moments.

Pressure

Something which Mike tells me that he has worked very hard on during his time with Kersh law firm is dealing with the massive pressure which he has on his shoulders. In many jobs you can make a mistake and nothing and will happen, in Mike’s case however he could make a mistake which costs someone their freedom, or which allows a criminal to roam the streets when they should be in prison. Mike meditates and takes his fitness very seriously, and he tells me that he does this as a way of helping to relieve the pressure which he faces. As if that wasn’t enough, he knows that if he lets this pressure get the better of him then he will not be as efficient in his job, which brings even further pressure to the situation. Without his outlets this would be something that really impacts his life.

Lawyers are highly respected individuals and rightfully so, if for no other reason than the personal challenges which they must face in their job.