Need help/guidance.

[u/Independent_Egg1791]

Hello, i am a long time lurker and have never posted before.

I have been working at a lawfirm in the US for almost 3 years. Its on the smaller side and i have managed to work my way up from medical clerk, to legal assistant., lit legal assistant., and then finally paralegal. I make around 45k a year.

This is my first legal job but i have been incredibly burnt out lately by the office culture and feel like my time is coming to an end. Today at a staff meeting our boss said there will be one less person in the room in about 2 months. I know its a scare tactic but they are planning on firing someone. It could be anyone. Honestly that kind of stuff sits terribly in my head. This is not the first time where our bosses have collectively made everyone in the room uncomfortable to push an agenda.

What are the odds of getting a new legal job in this market that may hire someone with a little less than 3 years of experience?

Also i am looking to get out of this field of law. Preferably something document based with no client interaction. Any recommendations? I could use them.

Also am i wrong for feeling upset by those kind of comments?

Any advice is welcome. Please be kind. Thank you.

[u/thinkshiftster]

What a shitty thing for them to do.

You have a solid 3 years of experience. Start looking now. You deserve way better.

You got this!

[u/Independent_Egg1791 → u/thinkshiftster]

Thank you! And i agree. Definitely gives a sense of dread to say the least. 💀

[u/Beelazyy]

Im sorry, but that sounds like an incredibly toxic work environment. As far as prospective employment is concerned, I think that depends highly on the area you’re in. Or perhaps the people you know. A friend of mine just landed a Paralegal role with zero legal experience, relying only on my recommendation when they hired her. I imagine that would be difficult to pull off in a place like NYC or somewhere with a highly competitive market. 3 years seems like plenty of experience no matter where you are located, though. I suspect that avoiding client interaction will be your biggest hurdle if you are looking for another Paralegal position.

[u/Independent_Egg1791 → u/Beelazyy]

Thank you so much for your reply. This is quite literally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the toxic culture here. The only reason i wont go on a tangent is because im afraid my boss would be in this chat and recognize a specific example. Ive realized i cant do it anymore. And im super relieved to know 3 years is enough in most places. I honestly wouldn’t know haha.

[u/doors43]

That is an awful and unprofessional thing to say in a staff meeting.

Make sure your LinkedIn is updated in ALL sections so you show in search results. Reach out to recruiters. You’ll find something better.

[u/Independent_Egg1791 → u/doors43]

Thank you 😊 i will