Just out of law school, I worked for the government for a year. I liked the people I worked with but I didn't feel like a lawyer. I felt like a case manager. The work was rote and mundane. I did get some courtroom experience though and was able to interact with a lot of judges, which was good.

After a year, I ventured out on my own and took whatever work I could get. I was married but didn't have any kids so this course was easier for me.

Most of the stuff that came through the door was real estate and litigation related. I realized quickly that chasing 10 clients for $500 each made me want to quit. However, over the course of a year or two, I handled a few PI cases. I realized quickly that injury law was something I really, really enjoyed ... and I got paid by the insurance companies.

While most cases are smaller, soft tissue injury cases, I loved the upside of getting good higher value cases. Also, the clients I help are for the most part genuinely appreciative of what I do for them. I had one client who was hit by a drunk driver. Luckily she didn't suffer any catastrophic injuries but we are able recover quit a bit for her and her husband. She posted on Facebook after her case ended that they now have money to put all their kids through college. I even got a thank you card from another client yesterday.

Having done this now for about 8 years, there is absolutely no way I could go back to government work or work in BigLaw. I would be terribly miserable. I love being a solo. The hours are long but they are much more rewarding because I am building something for me and not a bunch of partners.

That's my story.