I love the Complete Lawyer!
There is an article in the latest edition about practicing law and finding your passion in the practice of law. http://indiana.thecompletelawyer.com/volume4/issue5/article.php?ppaid=11127
When I started practicing law 11 years ago, I was told "you have to be a nurse or an attorney, you cannot do both." I don't like being told I can't do something, I guess its the Gen X in me.
I practiced as a RN one weekend a month while I worked in a law firm firm. After I left the firm and started my own law and consulting practices, I continued to practice as a nurse. I was told again "you can't have a law practice and a consulting practice, the division will not work." You are either an attorney or a consultant. Oh, really...
I built my law practice around my passion, which was advocating for nurses and some 7 years later, I have the law practice I dreamed about. It hasn't been easy starting a niche tri-state law practice from scratch but it has been worth every single minute invested. The long hours, the travel, the writing, etc.
I work full-time defending nurses in licensure matters and counseling and advising nurses in professional nursing practice matters. I also consult for a national nursing professional association on legal projects. I enjoy writing and I have multiple opportunities to write and publish now. I enjoy presenting and speaking to nurses on legal topics and I have the opportunity to do this also.
If I have figured out anything in my brief 11 years of law practice and 15 years of nursing practice, its plot your own course and practice. Listen to the advice of others but dare to be different and dare to be you.
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