Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Publication
Mercer Law Review
Volume
75
Abbreviation
Mercer L. Rev.
First Page
1441
Abstract
This essay explores how law students and lawyers develop, lose, or reorient their sense of purpose, using the author’s own trajectory through law school and practice to illustrate structural barriers—competition, lack of reflection, limited mentorship, and ideological homogeneity—that complicate identity formation. Identifying common lawyer archetypes whose work aligns differently with purpose, the author argues that legal education must make space for reflection, diverse viewpoints, and virtue-based development to enable students to integrate purpose meaningfully into their professional identities.