Pondering a move to Chicago.

[Brigid]

I don't know anyone there, but Chicago has always intrigued me and I am sick to death of hopelessly red IN. There is a way I could do it. How's the job situation there?

[Scuba]

1. I love Chicago. Great city. And that's coming from a dyed-in-the-wool Cheesehead.

What kind of work do you do?

[Brigid]

2. I have a lot of customer service experience,

And I should be finished with my paralegal degree soon.

[Scuba]

9. The paralegal will take you far. Enjoy the city.

[landolfi]

3. Former Hoosier here

originally from Fort Wayne. I moved here in 1981 (transfer from St. Joe, MI) and could never go back. I now live in N suburbs (Highland Park) and love it here, many well-educated and liberal people. I shudder when I visit Fort Wayne, though I like to think I helped turn Indiana blue in 2008 with the canvassing I did there. Anyway, you can always find a job here and that's just one other reason I could never go back. I'm glad to help any way I can.

[Brigid]

6. Thanks, landolfi!

[landolfi]

8. With your skills, especially paralegal, no problem.

Attorneys are a dime a dozen around here. I'm sure you know they'll work you hard and take all the credit.

[Brigid]

11. That is a given.

[TlalocW]

4. Just remember...

If shomeone pullsh a knife on you, you pull a gun. They put one of yoursh in the hoshpital, you put one of theirsh in the morgue. That'sh the Chicago way.

(the sh's are to make it sound more like Sean Connery in your head)

TlalocW

[Brigid]

5. But I'm not going after Al Capone.

He's dead.

[mysuzuki2]

7. come to milwaukee instead.

We know how to party

[Peregrine Took]

12. I love the area around Brady Street.

Reminds me a bit of Haight Ashbury in the '60's. Very cool and laid back. I would move there but Wisconsin would tax my pension. No thanks. I like it though!!!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. Firms are doing well, after a couple of years of blah.

That affected smaller and solo practices more than the large or multi state/ multi national firms. But even the large guys cut staff, took on fewer high priced 1st years, and even more seriously downsized their summer associates.

Those times are over, and rents are up or stable, firm closings are almost gone, and mergers are for profit, not desperation. For the first time in years, local law grads are actually putting a smile on their face.

If those assholes ADM finish twisting that axe in Decatur's back, they may move here (far more rational than michelle bachmann's nape of the forest), which would add the need for 250-300 experienced lawyers, in a surprisingly diverse mix, plus at last as many paralegals, and other support staff. The down side is that you work for a corporate monster like ADM.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. Anecdotal, but I have a paralegal friend who's had major trouble finding work.

She's said the law firms have cut back on paralegals and dumped a lot of their work on regular secretaries

[Cadfael]

14. The 'burbs are pretty red....

Du Page county is getting better though....there are still a fair number of scarey Conservatives in my neck of the woods.

[mopinko]

15. first of all, come to rogers park.

blue as blue can be. major stepping stone for a skinny kid with a funny name. your congresswoman would be jan schakowsky.

there should be a ton of jobs if you are looking to feed your heart more than your stomach. lots of non-profit law firms.

let us know. we'll throw a party.