Thanksgiving Highlights of a First-year Lawyer

As I wind up a week with the family in Hilton Head, I can't help but give thanks for some of the fantastic experiences I've had in the last two months since our swearing in ceremony as lawyers. First of all, I'm grateful to be working at a law firm with flexible partners who haven't blinked an eye at my week-long vacation in the midst of a busy time of year in our business. Other biggies:

Hilton Head 2012 with the boys

• In many ways, I'm grateful that the law school gamble worked out at all. While many members of the Class of 2012 at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law have found great jobs, others are still searching. And by most accounts, the market is tough out there. A recent story in the Washington Post stated that, nine months after graduating, half of all law students last year did not find jobs as lawyers. That's a bad fraction.
• I'm grateful to be playing a small part in some legal cases that bring me deep personal satisfaction. In the last three months, I've helped launch class action lawsuits involving unfair banking fees for college students, a conspiracy linked to Anthem health insurance premiums, and a train derailment that spilled dangerous chemicals into the environment. 
• I'm grateful for technology, which allowed me to edit videos, communicate with clients and other lawyers, and draft pleadings from my laptop during vacation.
• I'm proud to know more than a handful of fellow law graduates who have struck out on their own, starting independent law firms like this one and this one that are running on grit and ambition. They're going to do great things. 
• I'm thankful for all the veteran attorneys and judges, like this guy and this guy and this guy, who have graciously welcomed me into a profession that demands vast knowledge and experience. 
• I'm humbled by the opportunity to help people recover from serious injuries, including cases like this one, that are caused by the negligence of others. It's a responsibility I don't take lightly.  
• More than anything, I'm thankful for family. Cheesy yes, but also true. I'm thankful for a week of building sand castles with my kids, taking oceanfront strolls with my awesome wife,  gorging myself on rich food, and waking up early to run off the calories. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.