As a public sector attorney who has been out of school for around a decade and working at the same job for almost as long, the stress I feel at work is probably much different than the stress for attorneys who work at law firms. While it is true that I do not have the stress of billable hours or client development, there are still stress points.

My stress comes from a lack of engaging and interesting work. My stress comes from the fact that my job does not give me the opportunity to grow or improve as an attorney. My stress comes from the fact that I never had anyone look out for me or mentor me. My stress comes from seeing articles in the Daily Report discussing how high attorney salaries are getting in Atlanta. My stress comes from the fact that, while I have been promoted and received raises over the years, I still make $60,000 less than what a new associate can make at one of the big law firms in town.