[Livia]

Yes, it pays well, but also comes with a LOT of BS. I always say I'm really an actress (but you'll never really know)...you have to be thick-skinned and able to handle all personality types - all the difficult ones. Multi-task and kiss ass at the same time. I cope by making up nicknames for everyone and amusing myself w/ my own internal dialogue - a la Stewy from the Family Guy. Venting to friends via email throughout the day helps. They think it's hilarious.

IP is booming right now - I think that would be interesting to do. I'd love to get into copyright/publishing/entertainment law. We do education/employment/administrative law. We represent school district employees all over Texas. So, not much litigation, which is great. That's where the high turnover rate is with secretaries - in litigation - cuz it sucks. We are a boutique law firm, and most of us don't believe in working more than 40 hours/week, so we don't. One of my guys is a workaholic - he's here every weekend, and doesn't even need to be. It's sad, really. He's got a wife and 2 young daughters who rarely see him. Alternatively, there are other attorneys in our firm who are the "fun dads." They hardly work at all during the summer - always got some activity planned w/ the kids. I also have my own office, I'm wearing jeans and flip-flops and I have the radio blaring. The pay is not as good as a big-time firm, in a skyscraper downtown - but the other perks are worth it. The other secretary here took a huge cut in pay, for less bs, casual dress code, etc.