Why lawyers are unhappy?

Article originally appeared in Cardozo Law Review November 2001 - growing unhappiness and disillusionment among lawyers stems from three causes - lawyers are selected for their pessimism and this generalises to the rest of their lives - young associates hold jobs characterised by high pressure and low decision latitude - conditions that promote poor health and morale - American law is to some extent a zero-sum game from which negative emotions flow - suggests that much of the unhappiness of lawyers can be cured - role and responsibility of law schools