According to my stats, the second most popular phrase that people are typing in to the Google search bar to find this website is “I Hate Paralegals.”
I can only assume that these searches are generated by asshole lawyers, and I just thought I would like to remind them that we hate them too.
Actually, I really don’t anymore.
But I do remember. I remember how awful most of you were – not just to your lowly staff, but to your own family members and to each other, and your clients too. I don’t hate you anymore, but I still think most of you are absolutely awful human beings, and I am thankful that I don’t have to get in the mud and dirty myself with you anymore.
I guess that’s closure or progress, or time healing wounds. I don’t know. I’m glad I don’t have the hate, because hate is ugly, and it blinds you, but it also lights the fire that makes you keep running until you don’t have to run anymore. Because you’re somewhere else now.
And you are happy, and not struggling right now, and all is well and right in the world.
We go up, and maybe, just maybe, we don’t come down again. Because we were already down so long that when we finally pick ourselves up, God himself smiles upon us and says, “You made it. You don’t have to worry anymore. You made it out. You found another way. And I will not let you fall now that you have made it out.”
That’s what I think. Things are not handed to you, but I think that when you fight and make it out, after awhile, you get to be safe. The psychological torture ends.
Recovering Paralegal 
I want to escape too. I just cannot figure a way out where Id be able to pay the bills. Meanwhile the stress and misery of tha job is ruining my life what little I have left of my good years. I feel l once you get stuck with ”paralegal” on your resume, no one else wants to give you a chance. Even when I highlight my transferable skills, other jobs look at Me with suspicion, wondering Whats wrong with Me that I would want to maje a career switch from the highly esteemed position of ‘paralegal’
Hi. I love your blog and would love to see more Posts from paralegals or legal support staff in the us and canada. I am a legal assistant / law clerk and have worked for litigators since the beginning of my career in 2010. I am going to submit a blog post of my own.
I am struggling to find employment that dosen’teffect my life negatively. I know I am an asset to any firm and have been told so from all my previous and current employers however I am treated always poorly by at least one of the lawyers in the team of litigators I support. I am fed up.
Your blog is a breath of fresh air! It was like you were speaking for me! I recently transferred to a new litigation firm thinking that the new area of law would be exciting and I realize this (being a paralegal) is just not for me, 12+ years later! However, I don’t know how to get out without taking a major pay cut, and it’s scary when you have a family that depends on this, but I will loose my mind if I continue this way! Recommendations? Any Paralegals Annoymous Group?
Thank you for this blog!
I’m experiencing severe burnout as a paralegal. I do a lot of work in family law, but that’s not the primary cause of my burnout. I am so sick of working for arrogant attorneys who do nothing but schmooze and attend conferences in Hawaii while their paralegals do all the work. I am also sick of attorneys who assume paralegals can read their minds, and therefore it isn’t necessary to, you know, communicate with us like human beings.
The best job I ever had was working for an in-house corporate legal department. So much less stress without outside clients and litigation deadlines. The attorneys were actually respectful to their paralegals. I’m not sure I can ever work for a private practice again.