tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post7877373800104707030..comments2024-03-18T21:50:11.974-05:00Comments on Lag Liv: FAQ: Should I Go to Law School, 2011 editionLLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04431706155081017734noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-7632936994673699382012-02-17T07:32:27.390-06:002012-02-17T07:32:27.390-06:00I like your article.
I am contemplating law schoo...I like your article.<br /><br />I am contemplating law school at 41. But my circumstances are a bit different. I have a career that I like (boring at times, but that's okay). I always wanted to attend law school, but it was cost prohibitive for me, 10 years ago.<br /><br />Because I served six years in the Army, the VA will pay 100% of my law school tuition, if I attend a public school. If I attend a private school, between the VA and my employer, my tuition is 100% covered with no money out of my pocket.<br /><br />Presently, I live in Northern VA. I don't care about working Big Law, because I wouldn't be a good fit. I don't care about attending a T-14 law school. Further, presently, my salary is comparable to a first year associate, so I am not pressed about becoming a lawyer for the money. <br /><br />I want to attend a school that emphasize clinical work, because the only option for me, after law school, is to work for myself. I feel the clinical work will contribute to my readiness.<br /><br />Any suggestions or advice?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-47544077070444054882012-02-10T12:45:53.485-06:002012-02-10T12:45:53.485-06:00Basically, if you want to go to BigLaw, a JD from ...Basically, if you want to go to BigLaw, a JD from a top 10 school is more or less essential. If you don't go to BigLaw, you will get paid a lot less, if you're lucky enough to get a job, while carrying a huge debt burden.<br /><br />I also think the question of whether or not you really want to be a lawyer is impossible to answer. Before you actually practice, your answer to this question is just a guess, and even the best guesses can come out totally wrong once you actually have to live the life of a lawyer day in, day out. In my experience, as a former BigLaw associate, it was much more stressful and intense than I thought. I also did not realize that I would hate being cooped up in an office all day, and it felt like my life and who I was was slipping away from me. To be fair, BigLaw provided very good training (I wasn't a litigator), and I appreciated the massive paychecks and bonuses, which allowed me to quit without being too anxious about my finances during my current unemployment. For me, it was a good run, but I am very glad that I quit, and I can definitely say that I will never go back to BigLaw. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-78446210155668701812012-02-05T22:10:06.589-06:002012-02-05T22:10:06.589-06:00Should you go to law school? It pains me a bit to...Should you go to law school? It pains me a bit to think of it as purely economic, although the economics certainly matter. You've got to talk to practicing lawyers, not other law students and not academics. You need to know not just what law school is, but also what being a lawyer is like. Don't presume you know. And yes, as other commenters say, it matters how good a law school you can get into. There are lots of cynical blogs out there, but I think a fair assessment can be found at <br /><br />http://www.lawschoolcure.com <br /><br />Just be honest with yourself and don't go for insecurity/prestige reasons. And don't go b/c you've always said you'd be a lawyer one day. And certainly don't know if you want to be something other than a lawyer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-29176627625595112372011-02-27T23:46:40.282-06:002011-02-27T23:46:40.282-06:00The only way to succeed in law school and its uniq...The only way to succeed in law school and its unique Socratic method of teaching is to experience it – to invest countless hours with professors in a classroom environment.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lawschoolexperience.com/" rel="nofollow">considering law school</a>smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07489334769564382825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-38811793099947835412011-02-27T23:45:25.767-06:002011-02-27T23:45:25.767-06:00A law student provides invaluable information abou...A law student provides invaluable information about law school, applying, transferring, succeeding, using a law degree for a non-legal career and dealing with all the nerds along the way.<br /><br />A law student provides invaluable information about law school, applying, transferring, succeeding, using a law degree for a non-legal career and dealing with all the nerds along the way.<br /><br />A law student provides invaluable information about law school, applying, transferring, succeeding, using a law degree for a non-legal career and dealing with all the nerds along the way.<br /><a href="http://www.lawschoolexperience.com/" rel="nofollow">considering law school</a>smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07489334769564382825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-31367675294887201582011-02-07T06:24:18.946-06:002011-02-07T06:24:18.946-06:00Totally agree with Meg and others who have encoura...Totally agree with Meg and others who have encouraged you to really understand what lawyers do and be sure you like it before you go. Yes, it can be interesting, but also repetitive and oftentimes stressful. Also, as Elizabeth the commenter said, experience makes a huge difference. You may think, hey, I have finance experience. That should help me get a job. Hahaha, no. Maybe you have a slight edge over someone with no work experience but your experience wasn't legal. I have several engineer friends making big bucks who worked all through school (part-time program) graduated in top 25% (one in top 10) and can't get work because they have zero legal experience. Try to get legal experience in school. Volunteer. Network! In the end, as with many things, it ends up being about who you know more often than not.PT LawMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15314090311423013154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-28017994531749066102011-02-06T14:26:13.687-06:002011-02-06T14:26:13.687-06:00I go to Yale, and I'm worried about jobs, too....I go to Yale, and I'm worried about jobs, too. You may hear that if you can get into one of the top law schools you'll be fine, but I'm not so sure that is true. Yes, we still have access to the BigLaw jobs, and we have a great LRAP program. However, competition for clerkships and public interest fellowships is intense, from deferred associates and all the people from other schools who couldn't get the BigLaw jobs they wanted. I'm worried about providing for my family on a public interest salary, assuming I can even find a job right out of law school.. what non-profit is adding positions? My 3L friends who want to do public interest have no idea what they will be doing next year, but all of the BigLaw slots are gone for the year even if they wanted to change their minds. <br />I'm incredibly lucky to have gotten into Yale, and am usually still glad I came here with all of my debt over the free ride I had at other schools in the top 8. However, I wanted to tell Elizabeth that even at the top it's not risk-free and it's scary to have left a well-paying union job for this uncertain future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-47570677459605699992011-02-04T20:51:07.975-06:002011-02-04T20:51:07.975-06:00I graduated from a good school as an undergrad but...I graduated from a good school as an undergrad but could not get a job as a paralegal. I think having a paralegal certification might have helped in retrospect. So, I went to law school (top 100 school) figuring worst case scenario I could get a job as an attorney at a small firm or a as a paralegal after law school. I graduated class of 2010, and there basically aren't any jobs for attorneys without years of experience (with the exception of OCI, but only the top 15% of our class was allowed to participate in the OCI - On Campus Interview - process) It also turns out that law firms won't hire law school grads as paralegals either. So law school hasn't exactly worked out for me yet, and even the 33k in student loans I took out for the degree seems like a bad investment at this point. Furthermore, while college was a blast, all 3 years of law school felt like Chinese water torture.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-15541837104281942062011-02-03T11:03:59.061-06:002011-02-03T11:03:59.061-06:00The one thing I haven't seen mentioned here is...The one thing I haven't seen mentioned here is that not all debt is created equal. I have $220,000 in student loan debt (from a BA, MA, and JD - the JD being the most expensive of those, unfortunately). Some of it is capitalized interest - I went to school for many years to rack up that kind of debt. But...only $22,000 is private loan debt (i.e., that I owe to the Sallie Mae gods). And that makes all the difference in the world.<br /><br />I work a legitimate law job in the same city as LL, but make a fraction of what she makes (a third). I do not work in public interest. And my loan payments are a chunk of my monthly take home salary. But...with the new government programs, I consolidated all my federal debt last year ($198,000, kid you not), and have monthly payments of roughly $600 based on my income. If I don't pay off the debt in 20 years, it gets forgiven. That's not a bad way to live, and I get to do what I love. (I pay slightly less than $200/month on the private loans - I have friends that have much, much more than $20K in private loan debt who are absolutely drowning - there is no relief available in the private loan world. If the only way you can go to law school is by taking out $50K or more in private loans, don't bother).<br /><br />We hire recent college graduates as paralegals at my firm, and most all of them want to go to law school in a year (so we have high turnover, too, but we don't mind). We run our paralegals through the ringer - they draft documents, call opposing counsel, and sit in on a lot of the meetings the lawyers have. We train them to be lawyers, and then they decide whether this is really what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Of the five paralegals we've had in the past three years, three have gone on to law school, one chose to pursue an MA instead, and one chose to go for a doctoral degree. But the two that chose other than law school might have been stuck in a program they hated if they hadn't seen the inner workings of an average law firm BEFORE they made that choice. That's why I suggest that anyone who isn't sure about whether they want to go to law school should work as a paralegal for a year or so before they make that decision - it will also give them time to save up some money. Law school isn't going anywhere - it will be there when and if you decide you want to go. This isn't a race.Megnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-62657458892156767612011-02-03T09:49:40.361-06:002011-02-03T09:49:40.361-06:00I do think that it would be helpful to consider wh...I do think that it would be helpful to consider what she wants to do with her law degree. Even debt isn't as daunting when you are doing something meaningful--if you are going to go to a same/corporate job as you would have had without your law degree, the extra debt might not be worth it. But consider that if you do something in the public interest, the "value added" from your law degree is worth way more than the prestige attached to whatever law school you go to. For example, you are now licensed to represent people who really need it. <br /><br />I think Lag Liv does a great job of talking finances and weighing the pros and cons. But it's important to include a subjective valuation in that equation--at least if you are inclined to help people. As a 3L going into public interest law, a law degree is worth way more to me--and way more to the world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-6671728236205606872011-02-03T09:46:06.786-06:002011-02-03T09:46:06.786-06:00I am a Wyoming attorney, and went to UW's law ...I am a Wyoming attorney, and went to UW's law school. Here, lawyers and firms are skeptical of people who didn't go to UW law, or who otherwise have no Wyoming ties. I think that is generally true for the rural areas in the middle of the country - school rank doesn't matter, but whether you went to the regional school does.<br /><br />That said, most of the top ten of my class (2009) were able to break into the Denver BigLaw market, but I know it was hard work for them to compete with the Denver regional law schools.<br /><br />My best advice is to really think about whether you want to practice law - don't go to law school if you just want the intellectual challenge, because the cost and stress is not worth it. Then, if you really want to be a lawyer, decide where you want to go based on your goals for after law school. If it's BigLaw, go to a top school. If you're not in the major metropolitan markets and in the middle of the country, then go to a regional school.Jaclynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08869144134686810478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-56473258936641820072011-02-02T21:33:59.972-06:002011-02-02T21:33:59.972-06:00Elizabeth - do you want to be a lawyer? Do you kno...Elizabeth - do you want to be a lawyer? Do you know what lawyers do? If you don't know the answer to either of these questions, it is foolish to blindly commit yourself to hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt for something you are ambivalent about. If what you want is an intellectual challenge and higher status in society, there are a million different ways to get there that don't involve loans of the scale that most of us now-lawyers have. <br /><br />Everything I was going to say in response to this post has already been said. <br /><br />I suggest talking to as many practicing lawyers as you can to find out what they do. In particular, try to talk to attorneys who have been practicing for at least five to ten years, who have seen the legal market change, and who may have interesting (and frankly more insightful) opinions on the future of the profession that you would be entering.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-29189761709179903472011-02-02T19:53:30.120-06:002011-02-02T19:53:30.120-06:00I will preface what I'm about to say with the ...I will preface what I'm about to say with the fact that I just got my loan consolidation confirmation in the mail this week...<br /><br />I tell people who want to go to law school because it sounds "fun" or their parents are lawyers or they want to save the world, that it's probably not going to be what they expect, and maybe they shouldn't go. It is not easy to save the world when you are tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. The job market is a lot better than last year, from what I can tell, but places aren't expanding as much (or at all) anymore. I am currently clerking for a judge. I was in the 15% of my class to have a job at graduation last year. During my 1L year (2007-2007), 85% had jobs lined up by January and almost all were employed by graduation. The market is just not the same, but who knows where it will be in three years.<br /><br />My biggest surprise in law school was that 1L year was HORRIBLE. I was always the nerd who loved school, and for the first time in my life I hated it. On the good advice of a professor I decided to wait it out until 1L summer when I actually did some lawyer-like work. I loved it. While I am less than loving my boss right now, I still love what I'm doing and can't wait to get into actual practice and out of clerking. <br /><br />I don't think I'd recommend people to go to law school. In fact, I HAVE told more than one person NOT to go. However, if someone really enjoys the practice of law (which, like you said, is hard to really know until you've been to school) it's not worth it. I looked at a piece of paper that said I paid out $82,000 in loans that will end up costing me $230,000 over the next 25 years. I cried. And I think I will cry more than once before it's paid off. BUT at least I'm doing something I will love. So, I guess who really knows what anyone should really do....<br /><br />Wow, least helpful advice ever.Brittanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07515732200660298865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-42308157878572969432011-02-02T19:19:13.107-06:002011-02-02T19:19:13.107-06:00LL I agree with you. I tell people all the time no...LL I agree with you. I tell people all the time not to go to law school. Which of course sounds sort of hypocritical considering I went and am glad I did, but it's TOUGH right now. The vast majority of my class (2010) is NOT employed. And we're not talking about people who are holding out for great jobs. We're talking people with $150k in debt who would JUMP for a job that pays $45k a year (which is really not even a living wage when you consider your loan payments). <br /><br />Just don't do it.Halliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00213593870039027367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-51301140169653536382011-02-02T16:26:42.337-06:002011-02-02T16:26:42.337-06:00Wow!
I know I graduated Law School many, many, man...Wow!<br />I know I graduated Law School many, many, many years ago (20 to be exact - but I don't feel -and am not - that old, trust me!) and that I hail from a different country (Canada) but it's hard to believe how different things are between here and there/then and now.<br /><br />Law School is pricey here too, in fact, it's gotten a hell of a lot pricier over the last several years with students now paying the same or more in tuition for an undergrad year than I did for Law School. But there was never the kind of crushing debt load you guys are discussing. <br /><br />On the flip side, I can't picture any first year associate ever dreaming in their wildest dreams of making much more than a quarter of your $160 k/yr. Not in Nova Scotia anyway. The pay would be signifantly more at a firm in Toronto, of course (where the cost of living would be even more significantly more) but I still can't picture $160k for a first (or second or third) year associate even there.<br /><br />But enough rambling, what I really wanted to say was this - I have been repeatedly amazed at how useful a law degree is even if a person chooses not to practice law. For one thing, you have instant credibility (whether you deserve it or not!) - just open your mouth and tell people you're a lawyer (even if you don't practice) and they look at you completely differently. But much more importantly, I find it incredibly useful in the sense that I can pretty well make my own job anywhere and anytime I want to. No, I don't just mean by opening a solo practice but, for example, by offering my legal analysis and research skills to other lawyers, doing contract work for the provincial Barristers' Society Library or even ... most recently ... going completely entrepeneural and creating a brand new legal product - a self-help Legal Guarianship Kit (think of the Legal Will Kits you can purchase but more complex) that people can purchase and use to obtain guardianship of a family member without the cost of retaining a lawyer.<br /><br />I guess I'm just trying to say that if you love law (and I most definitely do, I can't picture myself ever leaving the field), there are many, many things you can do with a law degree besides the traditional idea of being a private practice lawyer. The downside, of cousre, is how do you know if you really love law until after you go to Law School? (And, just for the record, no, I most definitely did not love Law School.) That I don't really know ...Michelle Morgan-Coolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03671529553739362752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-22718893690587629202011-02-02T14:42:47.677-06:002011-02-02T14:42:47.677-06:00What I can say is that if you are having a hard ti...What I can say is that if you are having a hard time deciding whether or not to go, don't go. Law school is not easy or cheap and you definitely don't have a promise of what type of salary you will have when you get out. Being an attorney is not an easy job. The legal field can be very very stressful and emotionally taxing. I am not surprised at all that there is a high rate of substance abuse among lawyers. <br />If you are thinking of going to law school for a large pay check or just because you are bored, don't do it. Go to law school because you want to be a lawyer. <br />I went to law school because I knew I wanted to be a lawyer and "help people." I went to UT Law and graduated in 2006 and those 3 years were pretty tough. Additionally, when I got out of law school, my starting salary was very very low. Probably the same as a teacher. I'm in a happier place now, but for a few years I was pretty unhappy. I knew I had to go to law school because I always wanted to do this, but there were some really dark days. <br />Most legal jobs don't pay 160k and most legal jobs are very very stressful. Go to law school because you believe in it, not just because.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-58904129176661604842011-02-02T13:10:56.001-06:002011-02-02T13:10:56.001-06:00My long comment got erased. I'll try again wi...My long comment got erased. I'll try again with a shorter version:<br /><br />1. My credentials: I am 29, decided to go to law school 5 years out of undergrad. Currently in my last year. When I decided to go, I was staring down the barrel of a well-paying, but unfulfilling job in human resources; long-term relationship with now-husband; thinking about kids but feeling not quite ready, esp. because I didn't feel fulfilled in my life and worried about having kids before I felt more comfortable/happy with what I was doing. It gradually dawned on me that my past experiences, skill areas and general interests were pointing me in the direction of law, a career I hadn't considered before.<br /><br />2. Look: Only you can know the extent to which you are considering law school as (a) an escape/change in direction from what you're doing now and (b) the professional career path that's a true fit for your personality and interests. If you're considering law school mostly because of (a) and not so much because of (b), then I'd challenge you to think about what other things might give you a change you might be looking for. Don't go just to get out of your current situation. But if you're really feeling that law is What You Want To Do, then don't let ANYONE tell you it's not the right thing to do. Nobody can ever know if the risks they take will pay off in the end. But if you want to be a lawyer, if you want to practice law for a living, then you should absolutely go to law school and forget the millions of reasons that people will throw at you as to why it's a bad investment. Your dreams, the things you feel called to do are never a bad investment. Be honest with yourself about which of these reasons (and yeah, it's probably a bit of both) is dominating your interest in law school. <br /><br />3. About that legal career: For BigLaw advice, LL was probably spot on. I wouldn't know cause I went to law school with the express goal of avoiding anything BigLaw related. (Debatable as to whether that was a smart move.) But she knows what she's doing, and did it well. I wanted to do public interest, but there are virtually no jobs. So now I'm looking at small- to mid-sized firms and even potentially going solo (in the field of immigration). Plenty of people tell me that's crazy. But I went to law school because I want to represent immigrants. And immigrants, when they need to, can scrimp and save. So I know I'll have paying clients. I'm learning that you can and MUST get creative with jobs. If you don't limit yourself to the well-defined career paths and career search paths, and if you look beyond the places where everybody wants to work/live (i.e. consider the suburbs, consider off the coasts and outside major cities), there's a lot more out there than people might think. It helps that I actually WANT to be a lawyer - I don't feel ambivalent about it. See #2, supra.<br /><br />4. Here's a myth: If you go to the mid-tier school you can be at the top of the pack. Not true. I chose the mid-tier school over the top-tier because I wanted a lesser debt load and knew I wasn't aiming for BigLaw or BigGov't where the rankings would matter most. But I too thought I would "instead" be at the top of the class. Here's the thing: everyone who goes to law school is smart, and that has virtually nothing to do with where you land in the class rankings heap. Neither does which schools accepted you. The people at the top are those with the most self-discipline, who work the hardest and want it the most. So if you go to a mid-level school thinking that because a top-tier school wanted you it's a surefire bet you'll be the best in your class, you might as well accept defeat. I took it for granted I would naturally be at the top, and I was wrong. I don't work that hard. I'm okay with that. Would you be?<br /><br />5. No matter what you do: good luck! And let us know what you decide to do!jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10325718347907489658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-73430523567846471912011-02-02T12:59:51.210-06:002011-02-02T12:59:51.210-06:00I am not a lawyer nor in law school but from a lif...I am not a lawyer nor in law school but from a life-advice perspective I'd agree with Rebecca S. above: Is there any other field you're thinking about that involves less up-front risk and investment? I've seen a lot of my peers go to law school kind of by default--they aced the LSAT, being an attorney sounds prestigious, they're not sure what else to do after school, etc--but in the end they don't like being lawyers. So think about if you WANT to be a lawyer, not if you can get into a good school or have a high class rank at your school.<br /><br />I've seen some med students do it too--they do well in science and on the MCAT and so assume they're cut out for med school. They only think about if they can get into medical school, not if they should actually BE DOCTORS. They become doctors and they're miserable.Sally W.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-11117424804176171932011-02-02T10:58:45.320-06:002011-02-02T10:58:45.320-06:00I have a feeling I'm one of LL's "old...I have a feeling I'm one of LL's "older" readers . . . so keep that in mind when reading my perspective. I'm a 1997 UT Law grad who has worked in BigLaw, government, and now for an international organization.<br /><br />I chose UT over higher-ranked private law schools, and I can honestly say this was one of the best decisions of my life (right up there with my choice of spouse). At the time, dark ages of 1993 (I deferred a year), we were in a recession (no, not as bad as 2008-9, but bad enough in its own way) and like many others, I applied to law school as a safe haven from a really crappy post-college job market. At least my 22-year-old self somehow had the presence of mind to think about the cost: choosing UT (back then! in-state!) meant leaving law school with about $80-90,000 LESS debt than the top-tier schools. [Keep in mind I was not married at the time and had NO parental assistance (my parents actually declared bankruptcy during my 1st year of law school) and was already carrying loans from a pricey top-tier undergrad.] Many told me that I was selling myself short, was limiting my options, etc, etc. I had doubts but decided that under the circumstances I couldn't ignore the price tag.<br /><br />I ended up graduating in the top 10% of my class and going on to work for a top tier Wall Street firm (in NY) where many of my colleagues (even back in late 90s) had well over $100K in student loans--and our starting salary (highest in the nation!) was $85K (they pretended it was $100K by including signing bonus and law admission bonus :)). Man, was I glad I'd gone to UT.<br /><br />That said, I know that public school tuition has skyrocketed; UT Law is not exactly "lower-tier" in anyone's book; and it is nearly impossible to predict where you will land class-rank-wise in your law school class. I'm not sure that my experience could be replicated these days. <br /><br />I would think very carefully about the cost, and about your husband's career. You will be paying for this for a long time to come--LL's advice about being sure you want to be a lawyer is right on. Even if I in some sense won the golden prize, it sure didn't feel like that for several years. It took me a lot longer to pay off my student loans (from undergrad and law) than I had thought it would; my grand plan originally did not include BigLaw at all!<br /><br />One of the reasons that I worried so much about the debt when choosing a law school was that I was sure that I was going to do international public law (actually, this is what i do now, just took 12 years to get here!). However, the reality of graduating with even "limited" undergrad and public law school debt meant that I felt compelled to take the BigLaw job to pay the bills. It was just going to be for 2 years . . . well 2 turned into 8, and I can honestly say that sometimes i am sad about how much of my 20s and 30s was lived pulling all-nighters tediously editing deal documents. All in, it's worked out for me. But I truly have a hard time imagining how it work out if I were just starting out now. The world has changed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-89302766630243349942011-02-02T08:06:32.482-06:002011-02-02T08:06:32.482-06:00I guess my point is its a huge investment that one...I guess my point is its a huge investment that one needs to be sure will pay off. Maybe if you have a job lined up and aren't going to take on a lot of debt, then maybe?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-3654779811784334902011-02-02T08:04:31.407-06:002011-02-02T08:04:31.407-06:00I would say not to go to law school. I am highly ...I would say not to go to law school. I am highly regretting my decision. I live in San Antonio and graduated at the top of my class at my law school. I had a two year judicial clerkship; one year with the Chief Justice and one year with an Associate Justice and now I'm unemployed and have been for the past 4 months. It's hard to hear that big law firms are hiring because that is not what I'm hearing in San Antonio. I have talked to big law firms, which have all told me they are not hiring and have not been hiring from their summer associate pools either. I even have the "connections" as you may call them wherein a judge I worked for would talk to a colleague, get me some face time, but it never has panned out. I thought last year it was because it was the end of the year and with the new year things would turn up. But, it hasn't. I am still hearing the same line. If I want to find a good salary in a law firm, I know I am going to have to leave San Antonio. However, that's easier said than done because it makes sense for me to stay here since my husband has a great job with a hefty salary with his Bachelors degree. Thinking about that makes me happy for him but pretty much apathetic I took this 100K risk and it is not panning out. I agree with Proto Attorney. I may be bitter, but maybe once someone hires me, I would feel better about it. Right now I'm working contract work, which really just does not even pay the bills.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-30503963291208950142011-02-02T03:15:15.502-06:002011-02-02T03:15:15.502-06:00I can't speak to law school or being a lawyer ...I can't speak to law school or being a lawyer but one thing to think about is if there are any other professions/careers that fit with existing skills or interests and require less upfront investment. I am a health actuary and for someone who is good with numbers/data an actuarial career is very beneficial from an investment/stability/earning potential standpoint. You get paid to study and pass the exams to become credentialed as an actuary while you are gaining experience on the job. I imagine that there are other potential career paths that minimize the risk of ending up with such a huge amount of student loan debt and have more demand/less competition.Rebecca Stobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09173365292554835620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-90293469651594686212011-02-01T22:31:58.384-06:002011-02-01T22:31:58.384-06:00Law school was probably a great investment a decad...Law school was probably a great investment a decade ago, but now that tuition has skyrocketed, there's no payoff, because there are no law jobs. The recession ate them. The few jobs there actually are, even the crappy pay public service jobs, we're competing with the ivy league. There's some ivy league grad working at the public defender's office now, who couldn't get another job. WTF? Also, the crappy firms are taking advantage of the expanded labor pool. A few days ago I saw a posting for a mid-size insurance defense firm that pays crappy, that was taking applications for a new associate, wanting top of the class. WTF ever. Ten years ago, when I decided to go to law school, they would never have even dreamed of landing an associate in the top of the class, until that person became disillusioned with Big Law, brought in some clients and came in as a partner. Now any crappy firm can have the cream of the crop, because no one is hiring, and people in the top 15% of my class did not have jobs as of getting sworn in to the bar. For instance, a Berkley grad beat my friend out for a supreme court clerkship that she otherwise she have been a shoo-in for. Why a Berkley grad still didn't have a job at the point that opening came up is definitely a result of the recession. And I don't see the legal market improving any time soon. <br /><br />As for it all being worth it... well, I'm having a rather bitter day. Today, if I could file bankruptcy and discharge my student loans, I would hand over my law license and work in a public library reshelving books and be happy about it. I think there's some satisfaction in what we do, but in all honesty, most days I think I made a huge mistake in going to law school. I'd trade interesting and challenging for a boring and stable 9 to 5 any day.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11173655298262399906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-33637879153157360582011-02-01T22:14:13.348-06:002011-02-01T22:14:13.348-06:00There's so much I wish I'd known before I ...There's so much I wish I'd known before I started law school last fall. My husband and I both had good jobs in a stable field, with good hours and good pay. We went to cheap state schools and between the two of us only had $40k in loans. I'm now realizing I didn't really know what I was getting into; I miss working at something I was good at, and I miss getting a paycheck. I'd been married for 5 years when I started school, and didn't realize that this was the year we'd start to feel ready to have kids. Now that we're living on less than half the income we were before, there's just no way we could afford them. My first semester grades put me in the bottom third of my class at a school between 15 and 20, and the outlook is not good. I alternate between swearing I'll drop out after this semester and trying desperately to do the best I can to increase my chances of getting a job after graduation that pays what I made before I came to school: 70k a year with 20k in school debt is a very different thing than 70k a year with 100k in loans.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552008288188142238.post-60991897713968345202011-02-01T19:59:24.123-06:002011-02-01T19:59:24.123-06:00Elizabeth, I think the experience is different for...Elizabeth, I think the experience is different for everyone. I graduated last year from a so-so law school (bottom of tier one), I was 50th in my class out of about 250 - and I got a two-year judicial clerkship (federal district court) and an offer to go to a top ten law firm (Houston office) after that. So, you never know! On paper, I am not a candidate for either of the jobs I have. Still, I got them. And, based on my experience, you can open a lot of doors for yourself by networking. I basically told everyone I knew that I wanted to get a judicial clerkship and asked if they could help me. Someone did.<br /><br />I would unequivocally encourage people who really, truly want to practice law to go to law school. I loved my time there. The economy is bad now, but it will not *always* be this bad. The question is whether you are financially secure enough to be able to wait on a job offer if, when you get out of school in three years, the jobs still are few and far between. That said, all the previous cautionary comments are also spot on, take them into consideration. I still have friends from my law school class that are unemployed. It IS a tough market, but go for it if it's something you really want to do. Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com