So I might be mean and selfishFollow

Some of you may know, I'm retiring from the Air Force next month and in October I'm going to start a new job at a small law firm in Texas (I'll be the 3rd lawyer). The firm represents plaintiffs in personal injury cases and concentrates on catastrophic injury cases -- death, dismemberment, disfigurement.

The Boss says he wasn't planning on expanding just yet, but changed his mind when he looked at my resume. Consequently, expanding is a bit of a financial stretch for him. His offer to hire me was "conditional." He's going to decide after a couple of months whether he's going to let me go or let 1 of the support staff go (can't afford to pay us both).

Part of me thinks it's crappy to accept an offer putting someone else out of a job. The other part thinks I have to do what I have to do to feed my family. I don't have any other good offers right now. And I can't help thinking (rationalizing?) he wouldn't be considering this if he doesn't already have some other reason to get rid of the other guy.

And, even if he ends up not keeping me, it's worth taking the short term offer just to gain valuable experience with Texas personal injury law.

What do you think?

But we don't know because we've never heard of you. :)

I suppose I could call you a 40-something *****, then you could sue me for defamation and get a court order to have my identity exposed...

But no one listens to you, so clearly no harm will have been done.

Cut his head off with a chain saw. The corresponding lawsuit will have him set for life.

I think it was pretty crappy to lay the guilt on you before even officially going to work for the firm.

I think it's pretty unprofessional that the boss would discuss other employees potential employment conditions with you. You could have been informed that the job may be temporary without it being divulged that it was you or another specific employee.

Besides what sounds like questionable practices with the boss, I guess it's up to you if this is how you want to put your law degree to work for you. Injury peeps need good representation too.

I can tell you though, for me, hearing the term 'personal injury lawyer' conjures up a picture of the accident chasing, inhumane money-grubbing dramatist.

Money is money - it can come from lots of place. Don't compromise yourself for it.

This. It's one of many things I want to do. I find the concept of helping people hurt by the negligence of big companies and discounted by insurance companies personally rewarding.



Yep. I've had that thought.



I would have thought the same. Doesn't seem to be the case. The only other nibble I had on 200 resumes turned into an offer for only part time work. I don't think it's my resume per se that interested this guy. I have a spanish last name and I'm retired Air Force. In his market, that will make a difference to bringing in business. Once I prove I can add to the firm's bottom line, I'll negotiate for a percentage or go out on my own.