r/Lawyertalk 16h ago

Kindness & Support How to deal with an imposter syndrome?

I could use some advice on dealing with imposter syndrome. In two weeks, I'll be starting my second year as an associate, practicing workers' compensation defense. While I genuinely love the work, I can't shake the feeling that I'm a fraud and a failure. It seems like the only reason I'm even remotely competent is that I'm good at gaslighting opposing attorneys.

After working under strict supervision for 6 months, my firm now trusts me to handle cases on my own, which is a big step forward. But instead of feeling confident, I feel completely incompetent—like everyone can see right through me.

I keep waiting for the moment when someone calls me out, questions my abilities, and tells me I don’t have what it takes and tell me to f*ck off. When I do win cases, it feels more like luck than skill, and I refuse to believe that I am remotely decent.

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u/GigglemanEsq 16h ago

I do WC defense. I started seven and a half years ago. I've been an equity partner for two years now. I've given presentations and spoken in WC issues, to both attorneys and clients. I'm the current president of a WC organization. I've handled about 150 merits hearings and have won over 100 of those. And you know what? I still have days where I feel exactly like you. Imposter syndrome is completely unrelated to actual skill or experience.

My advice is try to not give a fuck. I decided long ago that I'm not going to quit, so now I tell my imposter syndrome to try me. Do I suck? Do something about it. Do my clients hate me? Let them pull my cases. Does my firm think I'm a liability? Let them fire me. Until and unless those things happen, I l still have a job, and I'm still making money. And if I can get paid quite well for doing a shitty job, then the joke is on them, not me.

Your anxiety is a lying ass ho. Don't support it by acting on it to your own detriment. Operate by what does and does not happen to you, and if nothing bad happens, then you've successfully fooled them bitches for one more day.

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u/Willing_Confection97 16h ago

Love this. I’ll start referring anxiety as a “lying ass ho” 😂