If you are looking for someone to date, you probably have some pretty high standards. From what your prospective partner does for a living to what kind of home he or she lives in, there are lots of things to consider.
Your prospective partner and their choice of profession is certainly something to consider. When you are casually dating, it is easy to ignore the daily minutiae of the workday world, but when things get more serious, you need to think carefully about their choice of career and how what they do might impact your life together.
If you are currently involved with a lawyer, specifically a personal injury lawyer, divorce lawyer, or a labor and employment lawyer, or thinking about dating one, there are some things you need to know going in. Lawyers can make spectacular mates, and they certainly earn a decent living. Even so, living with a legal professional is not always easy, and their character quirks and unique qualities can make them challenging husbands and wives. Here are five important things you need to know about dating a lawyer and building a life together.
#1. Lawyers Tend to be Workaholics
If you marry a lawyer, you might find that there is a third entity in the marital bed. More than many professionals, lawyers tend to be workaholics. They may edit papers for money, search for evidence, working on a defense strategy, etc all day and all night. Some take the workaholic label so far that they are truly married to their work.
Your lawyer husband or wife may not be cheating on you with the office, but you should expect to take a back seat at times. Lawyers are dedicated to what they do, and they love the courtroom in all its glory. That is good news for their clients, but it can be a real challenge to those who share their beds, and their lives.
#2. Lawyers Love Their Coffee
Lawyers love their work, but coffee is a close second. The legal profession runs on coffee, and the men and women who date lawyers often find themselves in coffee shops, diners, convenience stores and other places where there is always a fresh pot on the stove.
If you marry a lawyer, or even casually date one, be sure to dust off your coffee maker and keep it handy. Whether it is 7 in the morning or midnight, your lawyer boyfriend or girlfriend will always be ready for a fresh cup.
#3. Lawyers Love to Argue
This one should be pretty obvious, yet it still takes many people by surprise. Trying to win an argument with a lawyer is a near impossibility, and an exercise in frustration for the unprepared.
Some people thrive on this love of argument, and they revel in the constant debate their lawyer spouses provide on a daily basis. If you were the captain of the debate team, you might want to seek out a lawyer to date. If you hate to lose an argument and strive for peace and quiet, you might want to look elsewhere in the dating pool.
#4. Lawyers View the World Through a Legal Lens
It should come as no surprise that lawyers see the world in a different way. After all, they spent many years in college and law school, and during that time they learned to think differently. Whether they have just emerged from law school or have been practicing for years, your lawyer spouse or partner will see everything from a legal perspective.
Whether you are watching the nightly news, talking about politics or just chatting with friends, you can expect the conversation to turn to legal outcomes. If you really want to see this legal lens emerge, just watch a Law and Order type show on TV. Then you will see your lawyer in all his or her legal glory.
#5. Lawyers Are Sensitive and Empathetic
Dating a lawyer has its share of challenges, but it also has its rewards. Lawyers may be workaholics and lovers of caffeine and a good argument, but they are also sensitive, caring and above all empathetic.
From the day they arrive at law school, future lawyers are taught to see everything, from politics and people to current events and contentious issues, from a variety of perspectives. It is that ability to see things differently and weigh every side of every argument that makes them so good at what they do.
Successful lawyers also have the ability to empathize with their clients and see the world through their eyes. From the poor inner city resident who turned to robbery to feed his family to the white collar management who gave into temptation, good lawyers are able to understand where their clients are coming from and what drove them to do the things they did.
This caring attitude and ability to empathize carries over into the relationships lawyers have, and that is good news for their spouses and partners. Your lawyer husband or wife may work long hours and filter everything through a legal lens, but he or she will also be compassionate and caring.
Dating a lawyer is not for everyone. Like every other kind of relationship, welcoming a lawyer into your life will have its fair share of challenges. You may find yourself left alone for long hours when your spouse or partner is in court. You will go through enormous amounts of top quality coffee as your partner stocks up on caffeine and spends long nights practicing for a deposition. You may never win another argument again, and you may never be able to binge watch Law and Order. On the other hand, you can expect your lawyer partner to see things from your point of view, and to be compassionate, caring and empathetic no matter what the issue. All in all, it is not a bad tradeoff.
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