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In a blog post that first appeared on Above the Law, Will Meyerhofer provides a psychological profile of people who aren't bothered by the long hours and occasional drudgery of BigLaw.
"Odd ducks" actually like reviewing insurance agreements — or enjoy the motions and dirty tricks involved in litigation — the same way some nerds relish Dungeons & Dragons, Meyerhofer writes.
They generally fit in with partners, who can sense their enthusiasm. In turn, partners take these odd folks under their wings and protect them from the more distasteful parts of BigLaw like "surprise" Friday evening work assignments, Meyerhofer writes.
One odd duck told Meyerhofer that he's loath to admit to liking BigLaw because "everyone else hates that place."
"The hours are brutal," that lawyer said. "But I enjoy litigation and the money’s great and I guess I’m just okay with it. I sleep at night. I don’t mind going in. It’s just, well, work for me.”
"Biglaw is so universally detested that the few people for whom it’s a fit are ashamed to admit it," Meyerhofer writes. "But the fact remains: Some people do fine in even the scariest biglaw firms – and they have a right to."
Still, he warns that BigLaw is "a disaster" for most people's mental health.