Lawyer

You'll argue professionally for a living, bill in six-minute increments, and carry law school debt that makes doctors feel better about theirs. Everyone at parties will ask you legal questions for free, and you'll learn to say 'I'm not that kind of lawyer' so often it becomes a reflex. The hours are brutal, the opposing counsel is insufferable, and somehow you still love it.

What you'll actually do

• 01Bill your time in 6-minute increments — yes, even the bathroom counts if you thought about a case
• 02Read contracts so boring they could be classified as Schedule II sedatives
• 03Say 'I'm not that kind of lawyer' to every friend, relative, and Uber driver who asks for free advice
• 04Deal with opposing counsel who treats every email like a declaration of war
• 05Discover your client lied to you — their own lawyer — right before the deposition
• 06Redline documents at midnight while questioning every life decision that led you here
• 07Explain to people that no, you're not rich — you're just well-dressed and deeply in debt

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.