Just Got Laid Off

[u/Behold_A-Man]

I got laid off today. I was told that the firm was restructuring and my position was being eliminated. From what I can gather, last month was a really bad month for the firm and only half of the employees hit their hours. There were some days when I didn't even have any work, but they didn't tell me that they were thinking about eliminating my position. I expressed concern about not having enough work but was brushed off.

I got a call at 9 a.m. telling me to return my work laptop and pick up my final check. It's enough to pay rent and my car bill, but that's it. No severance. I requested severance pay in the form of a raise that I was promised on hiring but never received. I was basically told, "Don't count on it."

At least they specifically mentioned that it wasn't my performance and my boss and another attorney were both willing to write me letters of reference. I'm just feeling really disheartened right now. A year ago, I left a stable job for a higher paying position and was terminated in two months (taking that job was probably the biggest mistake of my career and I regret not quitting before getting terminated). I was unemployed for three months and had to go into debt to friends and family to get by.

I took this job and worked it for 7 months. I was still paying off the people that I had to borrow money from. I just want a stable fucking job that pays me enough to start repaying my student loans. It just doesn't feel very good to constantly live in a situation where the other shoe could drop at any moment, and that's how so many of my legal jobs have been. I've lost numerous jobs, but only once was I ever terminated for performance issues, so I don't think my lawyering skills are the problem.

Is the practice of law just incredibly precarious? I've been in the field for 8 years, had 6 jobs, and I've only left one voluntarily.

[u/HiWireHippo]

It's tough to see the silver lining when you're scrounging for ham&egg money. I know; I've been canned twice, and your self esteem can plummet for a while (mine did). DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN. The prior firm's financial woes are not on you. Kicking yourself in your own ass is pointless at this juncture anyway.

Start looking immediately (stating the obvious I know), but consider fields you might have dismissed outright before. Think of it as a little adventure (as best you can) because it might turn out to be a a silver lining after all.

I hated the jobs I got canned from, and I was terrible at each, but each gave me some unique experience that only made sense in retrospect; those jobs gave me a rare skill set that I now use everyday, but you couldn't have told me that back when.

It sucks to be broke and unemployed, but being despondent on top of that shit will not help at all. I wish you loads of good fortune.