So you are asking Lawyer Joe if you should go to law school? I get this question a lot. Since I don't need any more competition, the answer is no!
Just kidding. Deciding whether you should go to law school is a very serious matter. Take it from someone that has been in your shoes- going to law school may be either the greatest thing that will ever happen to you, or the worst nightmare of your life! This is not an exaggeration. For those of us that become lawyers for the right reason, there was no true choice. For those of us that make a mistake (either by going when we shouldn't have, or by not going when we should have), the consequences will be severe. Let's take a look at some details.
You should probably go to law school if:
- You are prepared to exit law school with a debt of approximately $100,000. Unless your daddy is covering the bills with his chump change, you will have a debt as a new attorney of around $100,000. These student loans are not fun at all, and don't even think about running away from them!
- You know in your gut that this is your calling. Call it a sixth sense if you will. I knew in my gut (heart, soul?) that I had to be a lawyer. It was my calling. Anything less would have left me incomplete.
- You can afford to not work for three years. During your first year at law school, you are not supposed to work at all. During the next few years, you are allowed to work a few hours, but many don't work at all. Personally, I had to feed a family, so I worked 60+ hours during all three years, but that's not the smartest thing to do.
- You don't mind reading. You will be reading a lot in law school! For the most part, you will be reading on a daily basis as an attorney, and you will likely read more pages in law school than you ever have in your entire life.
- You don't mind studying for four hours a day. Sure, some people are really smart and don't have to study at all, but most folks will need to study for about four hours a day to really succeed in law school.
You should probably not go to law school if:
- You are in it to get rich. Look, you will dive into debt through law school. After you escape, you will be a very low paid attorney for at least three years. Even if you get lucky and hit the personal injury or class action jackpot, it probably won't happen for many years. If you want to become wealthy, there are much easier ways to do it!
- You have a family to take care of, and finances are tight. I did it, but this was so much tougher than it should have been. For many struggling families, the burdens of law school will break them.
- You just want to party. Most of the people that fail law school are the ones that are there to party. If you want to hang out with some frat buddies and get drunk, skip law school. trust me on this.
I could probably throw out 100 more pointers, but this is a good list of things to consider before deciding on entering law school. Not everyone is cut out to be a lawyer, and that's probably a good thing. Whatever choice you make in your career, just make sure that you are full of passion about it. If you are passionate about what you do, no matter what it is, you will go a long way!
Lawyer Joe is awaiting your questions. Please ask me anything.
15 comments:
Great List man, i'm really considering a law carrer right now.
Thank you pal. I personally considered it for 12 years before I made the commitment. This is a decision that should be made very wisely.
Thank you for stopping by, and good luck in whatever you decide.
If you can get the funds to get your way through school, then it is a no brainer, you got to go.
LawyerJoe,
now that interest rates are dropping, it would be more reasonable to take out loans for law school don't you agree?
what do you think about payment options for law school?
I agree ryno, as long as you are going for the right reasons.
If your heart is in it, and you can afford the struggles for the first six years or so, then go for it.
At least you have put your heart and mind into the matter before taking the plunge.
Thank you for stopping by pal. It's great to see you, and please feel free to throw any questions my way.
Hey elleve! I'm really glad you dropped by!!
Yes, the lower the interest rates, the more affordable any loan is. Condiering that the average law school student comes out with $100,000 in debt, a small drop can make a huge difference!
Great point. Thanks for sharing.
Well I never know such things and it is a great list. Thanks for sharing your information. I would come here daily to know more about law.
Thanks for dropping by Rohit. I will probably expand on this list, as soon as I feel like writing more.
Please stop by any time. Your thoughts are really appreciated!
I wish I would have seen this list before I tried law school for a year. None of my advisors at undergrad warned me about what I was getting into. I had no idea how much studying and reading was involved, and with how many graveyard shifts I had to work to cover expenses (couldn't work during study time, of course) I burned out quickly in my first semester.
It's not NEARLY as fun as it looks on tv, that's for sure.
Ahnonamis, you are so correct! A lot of folks think that the legal profession (and law school) is sexy and glamorous, just because of what they see on TV. As you and I both know, it is anything but.
thanks for dropping by pal. I hope to hear from you again.
Thanks Joe,
I am just starting to think about Law School, and this is just the kind of advice I was looking for.
I already have a good job, but I see a real benefit to a legal education in my specific field.
You said you worked 60+ hours. How did you do it? I am considering night school and am looking for others who have done the same thing.
Thanks
PD,
First off, thank you for stopping by! I hope to see you around here in the near future. Feel free to ask me any legal questions that you want to.
So you are considering law school? I considered it for a long time before I actually did anything about it. When I was ready, here is what I did:
1- I started saving every penny I could. I actually saved for almost two years before I started law school.
2- I chose a law school.
3- Just before school started, I quit my corporate job and started working in a field that was very flexible. I drove a cab for three years through law school. It wasn't glamorous, but I could work whenever I wanted to, and for as many hours as I wanted.
I have friends that went to law school at night. It's tough, but you can do it if you really want to.
No matter what time you choose to go, the standard rule is that you can't work at all during the first year, and just a few hours per week in the next few years.
How did I work 60 hours then? I just did it, and kept very quiet about it all. Driving a cab, I would study when I didn't have any customers. It wasn't easy, and I would not advise it, but I did what I had to do to keep my family happy during it all.
Good luck to you pal. Give me a shout if I can help you.
Hey Joe, very nice from you for giving some advice for the students who want to follow their carrier as lawyers. I HAVE A QUESTION? IS BACHELOR DEGREE FROM EUROPE ACCEPTED IN US LAW SCHOOLS?
I WILL FINISH MY BACHELOR DEGREE IN LAW IN KOSOVO (EUROPE) NEXT YEAR AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF THAT IS ACCEPTED IN THE US UNIVERSITIES. Thankyo.
The big issue for many is what law school you get into. Graduates of the top ones are still going to do very well financially.
Hi Lawyer Joe, I live in Okla. If I owe an unsecured credit card debt,been making all the payments on time, then they raise the percent of payment due from 2% to 5% of balance owed {going from $250 up to almost $900}, now I can not make the payment. I have always heard, as long as you are making an effort to pay some amount each month you can't be sued. Is this true?
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