Law school sucks

[rabbit]

[/blog]

[Ozarkian]

It gets better your second year. First year is maximum suckage time.

[JoeBob]

I've heard that law school is best described like this:
The first year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death, and the third year they bore you to death.

[cameraman]

If you like law school, you will hate being an attorney.
If you hate law school you might like being an attorney.

But either way there is a very good chance that you will hate being a private practice attorney. Unless you enjoy the constant pressure to find new clients and keep the old ones happy. Private practice law = 80% sales and 20% law.

[Linda]

My brother graduated law school in the late 60s early 70s. He said only half the class that started out made it to graduation. But he even got drafted to Vietnam for one year while in college, so could be where some others went also. But he said it is very hard on you mentally. If ya consider what he went through in Vietnam and still graduated from college. You can do it just take advantage when you have free time just relax. :cool:

[Sean O'Gorman]

Private practice law = 80% sales and 20% law.

Tell me about it. :flame:

[Napoleon]

Personally I thought all 3 years sucked.

[rabbit]

So tell me, how much is practicing law actually like studying law? Because if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like.....

[Methanolandbrats]

So tell me, how much is practicing law actually like studying law? Because if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like..... Just get a sole proprietor gig going where you are appointed by the court to represent people. You'll make a nice living having them plea bargain, they'll go to jail, you'll work a couple hours a day.

[Andrew Longman]

My best friend from HS graduated from college with a philospohy degree. Never thought much about how he'd earn a living but knew some people with philosophy degrees go to law school.

So he took the LSAT and did really well. But he didn't want to go to law school unless he could go to a top 10 school and his girlfriend had a job lined up in LA. So he applied to UCLA, surprise, he got in. So he guesses he's going to be a lawyer.

First year nearly killed him but he got through it and married his girl friend. Two years later he gets out but his girlfriend decides she's a lesbian. Gets divorced and finds a job with a firm in Palo Alto. A few years go by and he has a nervous breakdown. Moves to Boulder to live with his sister and work as a waiter for about a year, then goes back to his old firm.

A few more years go by and he becomes a partner and has another breakdown. Goes back to the firm again. Last I knew he was rentng a 1500 sq ft house with three other partners in Palo Alto because despite working 70+ hours a weekbeing a partner, and making hefty six figures, they couldn't afford to buy a house in Palo Alto.

OTOH I have a friend here in Jersey who in a corporate counsel, works 40 hours a week, doing pretty much the same IP law and makes $135K.

Moral is plan ahead

[TrueBrit]

You lost me after "his girlfriend decides she's a lesbian". The next piece of information that is mandatory after a statement like that HAS to be whether she was hot or not, otherwise no-one gives a crap about the rest of the post...:D

[Andrew Longman]

You lost me after "his girlfriend decides she's a lesbian". The next piece of information that is mandatory after a statement like that HAS to be whether she was hot or not, otherwise no-one gives a crap about the rest of the post...:D

Actually see was pretty hot. Smart, blond, really fit and totally into sex.

There. Is that better?

Sorry to bore you with the rest.;)

[TrueBrit]

Much better...see, now we can think to ourselves "mmmmmmmm hot lesbian......."

[Spicoli]

Law School worked out well in our family.

[cameraman]

Same for this family but the first law job damn near caused a couple of ulcers.
The legal career v.2 is a much, much happier place.
Just doesn't pay as much:rolleyes:

[Ozarkian]

^^ Yep. Old saying about a JD being the last great liberal arts degree is correct. No need to feel that you have to go to or stay at a firm. Lots of options, especially as you get more experience.

[oddlycalm]

The legal career v.2 is a much, much happier place. Just doesn't pay as much:rolleyes: Yeo, there are always tradeoffs. Remembering that you only live once is generally a good reality check when making those decisions IMO.

oc

[Spicoli]

Yeo, there are always tradeoffs. Remembering that you only live once is generally a good reality check when making those decisions IMO.

oc

I agree. Lifestyle *should* dictate career choice, but often does not. Working the cube farm or steady hours would not be a very good fit for me (yeah, no schlitz! :p ), although for some it's what they need (the stability, the rote, etc.)

It's generally a big trade off, and having worked with and around lawyers most of my life, it truly is something you can take with you wherever you go. whatever you do.

anyway, here's to lawyers! http://www.smileyvillage.com/smilies/banana031.gif (http://www.smileyvillage.com)

[Napoleon]

Just get a sole proprietor gig going where you are appointed by the court to represent people. You'll make a nice living having them plea bargain, they'll go to jail, you'll work a couple hours a day.

That is not what I do, but I tell you there is no way that work is a "walk in the park".

Sometimes I do wonder if there is something else I should do with my JD.

[Spicoli]

That is not what I do, but I tell you there is no way that work is a "walk in the park".

Sometimes I do wonder if there is something else I should do with my JD.

the JDs I know that make the most money outside the big firm ******** are in Real Estate. A couple do very well as Corporate Counsel. But you are 100% right. Solos and small firms are A LOT of work. Talk about wearing a dozen hats at once! (plus they are usually somewhat "tardy" on their bills, and that peeses me off).

[cameraman]

I know an inorganic chemistry PhD who got a JD and is now a patent attorney. The dude gets paid and he is in-house so he does not have to do client development.

The whole client development thing is what my wife hated with every fiber of her being.

[Napoleon]

the JDs I know that make the most money outside the big firm ******** are in Real Estate.

Funny, I do nearly all real estate and finance law. I have thought about getting into the development end of it.



The whole client development thing is what my wife hated with every fiber of her being. That and having to keep your time on everthing is what really sucks.

[Spicoli]

The whole client development thing is what my wife hated with every fiber of her being.

so, like you, she just doesn;t like people? :D

[Spicoli]

Funny, I do nearly all real estate and finance law. I have thought about getting into the development end of it.


That and having to keep your time on everthing is what really sucks.

- yeah, these guys are usually in the development side of things, not on the zoning, permitting, contracts, etc side of things. They are usually "partnering" in on the deals and such. Check your pms.


Yep - wifey sould not STAND keeping track of the billables.:yuck:

[Sean O'Gorman]

Career-wise, I would probably benefit a ton in my field from going to law school, but it looks like too much work. All I'd want to do is just yell at people in court, the research side looks boring. :laugh:

I think I'll stick to getting all the free drinks, meals, golf tournaments (uh, if I played golf that is), etc. we always get from our law firms.

[Ankf00]

the JDs I know that make the most money outside the big firm ******** are in Real Estate. A couple do very well as Corporate Counsel. But you are 100% right. Solos and small firms are A LOT of work. Talk about wearing a dozen hats at once! (plus they are usually somewhat "tardy" on their bills, and that peeses me off).

IP law, 'specially pharmaco & biotech

[Sean Malone]

I had a lawyer get me off of a drunk in public charge when I was 19. Cost me $500!!!!! Well, at least it's not on my permanent record!

Lawyers rock (except the lawyer who I had for my first divorce. Dude let my wifes lawyer walk all over him, she was hot though.):thumbup:

[devilmaster]

Lawyers rock (except the lawyer who I had for my first divorce. Dude let my wifes lawyer walk all over him, she was hot though.):thumbup:

Isn't that what got you into divorce court in the first place? ;) :D

[Spicoli]

IP law, 'specially pharmaco & biotech

Yep. and Aerospce Engineering too. Hell, alot of new lawyers are former engineers. We see them alot on construction, environmental and IP stuff. Working an ongoing case on helicopter engines and IP. TONS of dicovery. :thumbup: Buttloads of depositions. :thumbup:

When lawyers argue - I win. :D

[Sean Malone]

Do you even know what I do in my job? The only way I'd make more money at my age is to be an engineer or a lawyer.

Damn! Hook me up bro!

I work with a few JAVA developers who make $80k and are under 25. Not bad scratch right out of college. The down side is you sit in a gray cube all day. But at least you have the internet. :)

Other corporate positions that pay over $50k for the under 25 crew; IT web designer, IT Business Analyst I, IT sys admin I, Marketing Proposal Writer, Marketing Graphic Designer I. These are in the $50k to $65k range and are entry level positions for a college grad.

[extramundane]

Do you even know what I do in my job?

http://www.jimnieb.com/images/photos/var_janitor.jpg

[cameraman]

The whole client development thing is what my wife hated with every fiber of her being.


so, like you, she just doesn;t like people? :D

Nah, the problem was schmoozing with people like O'Gorman exceeded her tolerance for pain.

[Spicoli]

Nah, the problem was schmoozing with people like O'Gorman exceeded her tolerance for pain.

Oh, so the whole fraternizing with morons (Insurance dweebs) got her down? don't blame her.:(