I Hate Civil Litigation

You know what? Maritime law firms are basically personal injury/civil litiation firms. The only substantive difference is that a lot of slip and fall cases that happen out on the water or on boats will often fall under the jurisdiction of federal law (i.e., the Jones Act). Anyway, I'm one month into my new job and I already want to quit. The attorney who hired me is ridiculous. He likes making what I think to be needless motions on cases, and he's making me do all these last minute document drafts with little or no guidance. (It'd be nice to have some details about the situation you want to make an objection or motion to. I'm not a freakin' mind reader). And then to top it off, the guy makes these irritatingly condescending remarks whenever I give him something that might have a slight mistake on it that he had a hand in putting there. (Boss: "Why'd you put the wrong case number on these pleadings? This isn't the case we want to dismiss? Why didn't you know it was the wrong case number?" Me in my head: Because the effin' drafts you wrote and gave me to clean up had it on there already!)

If it weren't for the fact that I'm looking for some practical litigation experience (it seems the bulk of civil litigation deals with discovery and motions) I tell ya I'd quit tomorrow. As it stands, I'm giving myself a two month window to see how much more I can stand, and also to teach myself how to write wills and trusts. I'm still looking to have my own practice, and although I'd like try to take on a some employment discrimination cases, I think estate planning may be better for my overall health and mental well being.