Job Stability

So you'd think that since I work in the field of law, I would never have to worry about job stability. I'm at the top of my group of paralegals, have seniority such that it is, etc. I mean people sue each other every day now, so it should be no question that this field is here to stay. Of course, I made the horrible mistake of getting into the dreaded asbestos law. Not only is this field of law incredibly boring for the most part, it is also now under threat of being abolished through a bill in the Senate.

If I was an average person whose job was not affected by this bill, I would be in complete support of the bill. Especially after what I know about what really goes on and how it's really not about the victims and getting them what they deserve, but really about whose back needs to be scratched to make your "relationship" with that attorney/firm good. It's a messy and filthy business - I was actually rather disgusted when I went to trial in of all places Beaumont last year by the sleaziness with which things were handled. But I digress.

The point of this blog is job stability. I thought I had it. But right now, things aren't looking so good. I'm not in jeopardy of being fired from the firm, and I didn't make anyone mad or anything like that. It's just that there is the potential for this bill to pass creating a trust fund to pay asbestos victims claims instead of this entire litigation which clogs up the court system and has been under fire for reform for years. And that makes me nervous. I am high up in the ranks in my section at least so I'm sure I would be one of the last to go if something were to happen. But at the same time, it scares me what might come next. If it passes, we will have about six months of clean-up and then what? Me and every other paralegal/legal secretary/etc. in the United States that have experience will all be fishing for like the 3 jobs available. The thought of it makes me cringe. Especially when as I've said before, I'm still not convinced this is the field I want to be in for a career.

Now there is always the possibility that it will fail or they'll push it off some more or whatever the case may be. But there is also a strong possibility that it will pass. And maybe we'll get new clients in a different type of toxic tort or maybe we'll pick up claimants for the trust fund or whatever it is that we might do. But what if I like that even less than this? Or what if they go for medical malpractice which I can not ethically do because my father is a doctor and I see what that does to innocent people? It is a quandry that has definitely thrown a wrench and pushed the gas pedal in my search to find myself and career this year. On the fourth day of 2005.....

And I thought 2005 was going to be easy and great! ;) Please, let a shiny new door open for me sometime soon! Or give me some direction! Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated on my quest for my career choices!