 
Meaghansdad
Member
Username: Meaghansdad
Post Number: 156
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:17 pm: |    |
Need some advice here. I've long desired to attend, don't ask me why, I just have.
As of late, I've read and heard some very disparaging comments about law school, potential for employment after graduation, local market for lawyers...
If there are any lawyers, or law students that could give me some direction, I'd appreciate it!! |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 4048
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:31 pm: | |
Lawyer's skills will always be in demand, somewhere. It's a good career investment.
The local market is tight. You need to be near the top of your class. I'm sure people already in the profession will fill you in on that. |
Spiritofdetroit
Member
Username: Spiritofdetroit
Post Number: 727
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:33 pm: | |
In other words, "I have nothing new to say, but must ramble on regardless."
For some real help, meghansdad, search the forum for some past threads. there has been some great discussion fairly recently on here about those very issues. |
Flyingj
Member
Username: Flyingj
Post Number: 46
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:33 pm: | |
If you have to post this question on a public discussion board, you don't wanna do it. The guy behind Instapundit.com is a law professor who oft posts links that would be relevant to you. You probably won't have a life because most of my lawyer friends are all seriously overworked, 6 minutes at a time. I've gone out with a girl who had a lawyer father & was ambivalent about it, so she took the LSAT & deliberately bombed it...which was way too expensive a decision for my taste. |
Meaghansdad
Member
Username: Meaghansdad
Post Number: 157
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:40 pm: | |
Part of displaying this on a discussion board is to hear what other experiences are. I've done tons of research, but nothing beats real world experience. |
Mayor_sekou
Member
Username: Mayor_sekou
Post Number: 1699
Registered: 09-2006
| | Posted on Monday, November 19, 2007 - 11:53 pm: | |
I am also questioning whether law school is worth it too. I am taking the LSAT in a couple weeks because someone else paid for it for me. If I do good and get into somewhere decent, I'll do it, as long as I dont have to put myself in debt in the process. More schooling could never hurt. If I tank the test, oh well its not the end of the world, its not even a big deal, that is unless your an English major.
There was a thread, a good one, about law school and life as a lawyer on the Detroit side a couple of months ago. You should check that one out. |
Spaceman_spiff
Member
Username: Spaceman_spiff
Post Number: 98
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 9:36 am: | |
Meaghansdad,
I'll give you my perspective if you want. shoot me an email at catchskyfalling at yahoo.
-spiff |
Bobj
Member
Username: Bobj
Post Number: 2971
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 12:12 pm: | |
I think it is worth it. I know lots of people with law degrees that are diong related work, but you wouldn't say they are practicing law. The degree has really helped them in their careers and it is a great fall back job.
The economy is terrible right now, but by the time you graduate - who knows?? |
Crash_nyc
Member
Username: Crash_nyc
Post Number: 1053
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 6:07 am: | |
It all depends on what field of law you'd consider the most rewarding. Law spans the spectrum, from sitting behind a desk tending to banal legal issues for a company, to hard-core litigation and fighting for someone's life before a jury.
Where do you stand?
The money you'll make depends upon the field you practice (then obviously, how good you are). A good friend of mine graduated from GWU Law in DC a few years ago, and went to work fighting the good fight in environmental law, her motivation for law school. Unfortunately, environmental law isn't a very lucrative area, and she was having trouble with her $96K student loan bill, so she bit the bullet and an switched to corporate law. She's cleaning up big-time financially, but she hates her job and dreads what her life has become. But hopefully, one day she'll have her loan paid-off and will be able to get back to her original reason for becoming a lawyer.
That's just one scenario to take into consideration.
I hope this has been of some help. |
Zxzm
Member
Username: Zxzm
Post Number: 107
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 26, 2007 - 9:26 pm: | |
If you do decide to go, be prepared to lose all sense of self-worth. You will also become very jaded and disillusioned. Just my $.02. |
Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 3154
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 8:22 am: | |
A lot of the stuff said about practicing law can be said about many (most?) modern jobs, short of owning your own business. |
Belleislerunner
Member
Username: Belleislerunner
Post Number: 387
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 1:32 pm: | |
There are no good jobs and there are no bad jobs. Only people who are happy in them, or not. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 3186
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 2:04 pm: | |
Have you given any thought to attending the Univ of Chicago? |
Mayor_sekou
Member
Username: Mayor_sekou
Post Number: 1708
Registered: 09-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - 5:10 pm: | |
I would if I had a chance of getting in. Last time I was in the Chi I toured that part of the south side and liked what I saw, not to mention that school is one of the best in the country. |
Umcs
Member
Username: Umcs
Post Number: 402
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 1:00 pm: | |
Meaghansdad,
What is your current occupation?
(Message edited by Umcs on November 29, 2007) |
Dabirch
Member
Username: Dabirch
Post Number: 2478
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 5:14 pm: | |
quote: A good friend of mine graduated from GWU Law in DC a few years ago, and went to work fighting the good fight in environmental law, her motivation for law school.
I did not know my wife a good friend of yours...
If you have the means, or don't mind the risk of racking up $100k in debt - then law school is a great choice right now.
Sit out the economy for three years.
Learn skills that can apply to pretty much every profession out there.
Pad your resume with practical real world experience while in school.
Discuss and learn on a daily basis with a group of other educated and (assumedly) intelligent people.
Make connections with future large firm partners, judges, politicos, etc.
And there is even the potential to graduate and find a nice paying job.
Just go to the best possible school that accepts you.
The better the school - the better the opportunity for all of the things listed above. |