I've always been interested in legal professions, but maybe law school isn't all it's cracked up to be.
It's time those of us inside the profession did a better job of telling others outside the profession that most of us don't earn $160,000 a year, that we can't afford expensive suits, flashy cars, sexy apartments. We don't lunch with rock stars or produce movies. Every year I'm surprised by the number of my students who think a J.D. degree is a ticket to fame, fortune and the envy of one's peers--a sure ticket to the upper middle class. Even for the select few for whom it is, not many last long enough at their law firms to really enjoy it.There's something wrong with a system that makes a whole lot of people pay a whole lot of money for jobs that are not worth it, or that have no future. If we wanted to be honest, we would inform students that law school doesn't keep their options open. Instead, we should say that if they work hard and do well, they can become lawyers.
I think business school will be my next stop.
Don't confuse going to law school with working as a lawyer. Law school will help you understand the world better. It will sharpen the way you think. Whether that's worth the time and expense you must decide for yourself. I'm not wild about practicing law, but I don't for a minute regret having gone to law school.
Law school or B-school can pay off if you get into a top school and work your butt off. For someone with your background, the average law or b-school is probably a waste of money.
Law school teaches cynicism, conflict, hair splitting, negativity, and greed...at least.
You also can end up with a solid understanding of our law-based society, and the underpinnings of the same. The basic teaching is great for doing future analytic work.
Two lessons I learned at UCLA Law:
Never sue or be sued.
The only winner in a law suit is the lawyer.
I'm proud of the fact that I never practiced in the field.
UCLA Law class of '75.