WSJ: Law School Motivation and reality

Survey Says: Promise of Money Drives People to Law School

Read the comments, they are just as illuminating. Though I disagree, a little, about the comment conjecture that the poll must have been 'BigLawSchool'.

When I started with Bank One, my associate there was doing Pre-Law at a frickin community college, and planned to finish at OSU to 'enter politics'. That was almost ten years ago and I havent seen his name anywhere. So hopefully he got that out of his head. He had no common sense.

Oh... wait....

 

I have to say, nothing burst my idealistic bubble quite like going to law school

To me, the education was paramount to the money to be made. I felt like, and perhaps still feel like, an endangered species.

 

Like the one commenter says: an MBA AND a JD will open lots of doors. Though, IMO, an MBA and an Engineering degree will likely get your personal finances in the black just as fast.

 

I feel badly for the poor souls going to law school for the money. It's not worth it! Law school is miserable and the profession is even worse. Why do doctors make a lot of money? They save people's lives. Why do lawyers make a lot of money? No one would do such a miserable job otherwise. To anyone out there considering going; DONT DO IT!

Sincerely,
Disgruntled BU Law alum

 

Unless you are doing it for reasons other than being a lawyer, I agree with bostoncottage.

 

Speaking as a recent law school graduate: Not surprising in the slightest.

 

I went to law school cause I had a History, German, and Economics degree and didn't know what to do with myself. Which is exactly what you're told not to do.

 

Funny, I often thought about law school, because I had the grades and didn't know what else to do. Glad I didn't go though.

But it's my understanding you only make decent money if you are a GOOD lawyer, and most aren't.

 

That's somewhat true. The truth is that lawyering is now a business and you can make a lot of money even if you aren't any "good", if you can place youself somewhere in the legal market where nobody is at. The so-called ambulance chasers are a good example because they mostly make money by suing insurance companies who will hardly ever take your client to court. All the advertising creates volume, which creates wealth, and you don't have to work that hard once people start coming through the door routinely.

Immigration and traffic tickets are other areas you can make a lot of money if you can pull in clients.

This also only applies to big metropolitan areas as well.

 

Not only had I dealt with {but largely 'big firm'} Lawyers for over 20 years, I also served jury in a civil damages case where the plaintiff lawyer 'worked for' the biggest TV tort advertiser in the area. What a F@#$KING IDIOT!!!!!!
Just in jury selection, it was obvious the guy must have failed 'barristry'

I could NOT believe they settled before the first witness was heard, a 9th grade debater would have eaten him for LUNCH!

 

"Ambulance Chasers" usually aren't any good in court, because they hardly ever go to court. There are probably some who are "good" though.

 

I've been waffling on my higher education future for quite some time. Have been biding my time in my freshmen year and applying for transfer to various places. I want something practical, something I can get a job with, and not one where I'm sellin cars or houses or whatever else. My parents say just make up your mind already and study what you want. That would be Political Science. But what does one do with a Poly Sci degree do? They go to law school! That's not what I want. Not real keen on becoming a bureaucrat either.

 

You dont want to SELL anything?

Maybe you should refine the defnjition, most white collar jobs require either bureaucratic work or 'selling' in one way shape or form.

Forget PoliSci/JD What WORKS is Polisci/Marketing

But there's lots of call for Business Degrees / JD, too.

 

Your views are highly outdated, Don. Else why are both Dem candidates touting 'everyone going to college'?
And 'dont be a sucker, stay in school' is what someone tells OTHER peoples' kids. Later in the workplace, the later the geezer gets replaced by the wet-ear, right out of school.

Spencer... CERTAINLY there MUST be a physical science that you're sort of interested in?

Why not actually PRODUCE something, rather than just redistribute wealth?

 

My 2 cents. After gettting out of banking/finance, I had the opportunity to go to school to change careers. I seriously considered law school, until I realized that one day I would be a LAWYER. I decided I wanted to be able to live with myself, and I liked the leadership skills I learned in the Army, so I am now in school to be a special education teacher. Half a semester down, several to go. Young kids need role models and strong leaders. Plus I can coach soccer so there's a fringe benefit.

I have a family member who worked for a local ambulance chasing company, becuase he had law school debts, and I was just dismayed by that. With all apologies to the good attorneys who are looking at this site, the rest of the world does not view that profession with a very positive image, and just like there are too many cockroaches int he world, I thought my not entering the legal profession would be about the same thing.

 

Whoa! Regarding the first question, no not really. I've always been very weak in the math and sciences. Anything mechanical forget about. Small engines class goes down as my biggest academic disaster ever. If I had to go with one I'd pick engineering but thats not what I like and it'd be uphill all the way. My strengths and enjoyments have always been in social studies, writing, some marketing and business, phy, soc, some history, and of course I love studying poltics and gov't.

Regarding question 2. Yes, I see where you’re coming from. But like I said math and science or not my strengths so as far as designing anything or physically putting anything together, its a no go. Being a small business owner down the road also has its appeals. I have also been considering journalism, law enforcement, or in the mean time dropping out of school and joining the service. That’s one hell of serious commitment though and one with mixed results.

As for the selling comment, I know I'll always have to sell sell sell in some capacity. But I don't want that to be my primary jest of my career.

And Don your right college is not a trade school. I love school for the most part. Studying, researching, writing papers as you say learning new stuff.

But omg its alot of money, Ma and Pa aren't going to be footing much if any of the bill. My grandparents have said they'd help me out but I feel terribly uncomfortable taking more than a few grand from them. I have a desire to get out into the real world and be self sufficient, be productive, and earn my keep so having a degree which can translate to employment is critical to me.

Realistically I know things will always be on the move and I'll have to be as well. But I want start out life on my feet and preferably not 50k of debt on my back!

 

Engineering will get you a good job and will pay well. Computer Science or better computer engineering will as well.

Liberal Arts and Business are a good mix.