Are most lawyers well off?

[RecordProducer]

I am determined to pursue a post-graduate degree, but I am considering several occupations: psychology, mental health, and law.

 

I know more or less what to expect from the first two, but I am slightly confused about law school. I have a bachelor diploma in business administration and since I am new to the US, I don't know how things go with becoming an attorney. I think you need to go to law school for 3 years and then JD. For how long does the JD last? What's next after that?

 

I am basically afraid that I might get the diploma and NOT have any success in the field. I mean, how do I know that I would be a good lawyer? What if I am not? What will happen to me? Is it possible to stay jobless with a degree in law? Now I am not talking about being a complete disaster, I am not retarded or anything. I am just interested in what I could do with it other than work for a law firm as an attorney with clients. Does it happen often that lawyers were so unsuccessful that they had to change careers?

 

And let's say that I am an average lawyer, can I live a decent life with that income? (Apparently, I am not afraid of what will be if I am a good lawyer. )

 

I've been thinking about going back to school for a while. I don't want to depend on my husband financially; it makes me feel like crap and he is rubbing it in my face, that it's HIS money and I should be grateful to him for supporting me. But most of all, I want to have a nice career and feel productive.

[Tony T]

It's great to have a law degree, or any degree for that matter, but that never assures you of getting a good job or any job at all. There are a lot of lawyers who do extremely well. Some of those are in large firms, some are on their own. Most attorneys make a good living but you might put them just above average in lifestyle with, say, $65,000 a year in pay. Many elect to go to work for the government as prosecutors in state and federal courts. Some are very luck to be counsel for big corporations.

 

There are some attorneys in large firms who make $200,000 to $500,000 a year, but getting to be a partner takes years of long hours and hard work. If you're lucky enough to win a great lawsuit for a client, you could make a million dollars or more. Getting those types of juicy, winnable lawsuits is a bit rare since there are so many attorneys fighting for them.

 

A law degree doesn't guarantee anything. Like everything else, it's up to you, your desire and your determination as to what you do with your degree.

 

I mean, how do I know that I would be a good lawyer?

 

If you have a desire to be a good lawyer, you absolutely will be. You've got to LOVE the law and you've got to be passionate about it to make the really big bucks. If you are just looking for a paycheck, you'll be average like most of them.

 

What if I am not? What will happen to me?

 

If you pass the bar exam in your state or others, that means you're good enough to practice law. Some pass the bar the first time, others take three, four or even five times. Some never pass but they use their knowledge of law to become legal assistants in large firms and they do OK. If you aren't a good lawyer, your errors and omissions insurance will handle the first few big mistakes.

 

If you find a branch of law that you enjoy, whether it be real estate law, family law, criminal law, personal injury and wrongful death law, etc., there is no doubt you will be good. And when those really big checks start flowing in from the lawsuits, which could be from one to four years down the line from the time a lawsuit is filed, you will most likely get lots better.

 

Is it possible to stay jobless with a degree in law?

 

Yes and no. It is possible that you won't be able to find a government agency, a real estate title company, a corporation or any other entity that wants to hire you. However, the longer your search the more likely you will find a jog. Staying jobless is usually not a forever thing.

 

As a licensed attorney who has passed the bar exam, you can always set up your own shop or find another attorney who practices alone who's got an extra desk in his office and wants a partner to take some of the load and bring in new business.

 

There are an awful lot of attorneys out there today but since everybody is looking to cut everybody's throat nowadays I don't think you'll find yourself out on the street as an attorney. Now, whether or not what you ultimately make is worth the extra three years of grueling, all-night law studies is up to you to decide. Remember, you've got to have four years of undergraduate college before you can be accepted to law school. I'm assuming you have that, but if not, enroll in college NOW with a pre-law designation.

 

Does it happen often that lawyers were so unsuccessful that they had to change careers?

 

It happens every day of the year, as it does with doctors, dentists, scientists, architects, etc. People want to be happy and if they aren't happy in what they are doing, they move on. Many people don't give a whole lot of thought to career choices. They have this idea in their heads from childhood and they move on that. Being an attorney takes immense dedication, willingness to put in long hours, the ability to take abuse and rejection, etc. If you've got what it takes and the fire in the belly to want to stick with it, you'll be OK. Otherwise, you'll have quite a good education that could open doors to other opportunities like teaching at a university, getting into politics, or even seeking another degree.

 

You should do a LOT of thinking about this. The best thing to do is talk to an employment or career counselor who can put you in a good direction according to your education and psychological make-up. Some people are just not suited to be attorneys and you may be one of them. But you may be a great one as well. The best thing is to get a number of options from a professional who has interviewed and tested you and then go from there.

 

Picking a career is VERY serious and should not be done on a whim!

[Touche]

Hi, RP. It ocurred to me that I never got back to you on this business of a career choice and I apologize for that. What I had in mind was social work. I think you'd be good at that and you don't need any more education for that.

 

As far as law, well no. Not all lawyers are rich. That stereotype drives me crazy. Yes, most are well off though..top 10% I'd say.

 

The JD lasts forever if you keep up with the required CLE courses and don't get yourself disbarred somehow.

 

And yes, it's possible to be jobless and hold a law degree. It depends on the market. It's extremely competitive in some markets. Just open up the Yellow Pages and you'll see how it is in your market.

 

Also, you should consider what kind of law you'd be practicing. Some kinds of lawyers make more than others. I jwould go talk to a school counselor at the school where you're thinking of applying. They can be very helpful in answering your questions.

 

And that's really crappy of your husband (sorry) to be throwing that in your face. I would get a job immediately. Obviously, the marriage, such as it is, involves power plays. There's no room for that kind of garbage in a good marriage.

[My Fair Katie]

am just interested in what I could do with it other than work for a law firm as an attorney with clients.

 

Legal Researcher (for instance for the media)

Journalist

Legal (or even Government) Librarian

Lobbyist

Director for Non-profits

Agent

Professor

Work for CLE

 

Many other possibilities.

[Curmudgeon]

It's like any other occupation. Some go to work for big firms or eventually establish their own legal firms and make a killing. Others work in the public sector or for private-non-profits doing socially responsible work and never get rich. However, having the JD, whether or not you ever take the bar and practice law, can be a career enhancer in other fields.

 

My career in politics and public policy is a good example. I write law but don't have a JD. I could run for office or wrk directly for the Legislature and rake in a very nice living but I choose not to and work for my state as a legislative analyst and advocate in a particular policy area while managing a legislative office. I'll never be wealthy but it affords me a very comfortable, upper-middle class living, I believe I'm doing important work and in three years I'll have a very nice, worry-free retirement for life.

[norajane]

Depends on the kind of law you practice and with what firm. If you work for one of the big legal firms, you can make a lot, but you'd need to graduate from a really good law school to get in. The hours you'd have to put in at one of those firms as a new associate would be unbearable if you want to actually have time with your kids. The large firms generally focus on corporate litigation and business law.

 

You can also make a lot of money if you go to work for a corporation and practice coroporate law - protecting the company from lawsuits and advising on business law, contracts, employment law, mergers, etc. But those jobs are also tough to get and have long hours.

 

A nice, comfortable living can be made from estate planning (wills, trusts, etc.), and real estate law. Tax attorneys also make a comfortable living, but you have to be interested in tax law and that's just a snooze. Insurance law - working for insurance companies - can also be a good middle ground in terms of hours/salary.

 

Things like family law - divorces, child custody, etc. - can be lucrative depending on the firm (do they deal with people who have high incomes, or the average person off the street?).

 

Criminal law, especially working for the government as a public defender, is long hours and little pay. If you try to work for yourself, you'd have to chase a lot of clients and they don't all have lots of money unless you're really good and get a lot of high income clients who need someone to get their kids off when they get arrested for drug possession.

 

Personal injury law is a wild card. You usually work for commission - if you get a settlement, you get a third of that. But if you don't get a settlement, you get nothing and wil have put in all the work anyway.

 

You might look into paralegal studies instead - it's less school commitment, and they're always looking for good real estate and estate planning paralegals. You won't get rich, but you'll have job security and a decent living.

[RecordProducer]

Thank you so much for your thorough replies. They're very helpful, but I have additional questions now.

A law degree doesn't guarantee anything. Like everything else, it's up to you, your desire and your determination as to what you do with your degree.

If you have a desire to be a good lawyer, you absolutely will be. You've got to LOVE the law and you've got to be passionate about it to make the really big bucks. If you are just looking for a paycheck, you'll be average like most of them.

Tony, as usual, your answers are thourough, specific, friendly, and very helpful. :love:I completely understand and always tell others that they should do what THEY are best at - you may like film, but film might NOT like YOU!

 

It's encouraging that you say that if I WANT to be a good attorney, that I will be. I was just worried that I might say "I studied this for nothing."

 

Intimately, I think I would be passionate about the whole law career, but one never knows what you can be passionate about. As artistic as I am, believe it or not, I totally enjoyed studying the boring English grammar, accounting, quiantitative techniques, economy, and math, while I absolutely hated singing at gigs and even audio production, despite of my (as professionals in the filed say - immense) talent. So just because something may seem boring on the outside doesn't mean it's boring when you get deep into it. I had one course of law at college and liked it.

 

I think I have pretty good verbal skills and I am good at anything that has to do with expressing ideas with words. I also think I have the ability to see matters from many viewpoints. I think the whole law mystery is about maneuvering among laws and their holes to find your client's best interest and presenting the facts wisely in negotiations. If you divide all professional work into two parts - factual and creative - I think an attorney must know a whole lot of facts, but what makes you a GOOD one is totally creative. My husband sold his company recently and the buyer broke the contract terms twice. I know for a fact that the buyer's attorney is a very expensive one so I truly doubt that she advised him to break the contract. But how she handles her clients stupid actions is what makes her a good or bad lawyer and requires some creativeness.

 

If you pass the bar exam in your state or others, that means you're good enough to practice law. Some pass the bar the first time, others take three, four or even five times.

OK, I need to know more about this JD and the bar exam. I've never heard of it before. In my country, you go to a 4-year law college right from high school, then you need to do "practice" at some attorney's office and then you can take the exam for an attorney or a judge (which takes additional studying), but you don't go to school anymore (I think).

 

If you find a branch of law that you enjoy, whether it be real estate law, family law, criminal law, personal injury and wrongful death law, etc., there is no doubt you will be good.

I would be interested in family and corporate law, but you never know how interests can develop.

 

Now, whether or not what you ultimately make is worth the extra three years of grueling, all-night law studies is up to you to decide. Remember, you've got to have four years of undergraduate college before you can be accepted to law school. I'm assuming you have that, but if not, enroll in college NOW with a pre-law designation.

I think the motivation itself is high enough. I know that I am attracted to psychology as a science/discipline, but job-wise, I don't see any challenge in it.

 

Many people don't give a whole lot of thought to career choices. They have this idea in their heads from childhood and they move on that. Being an attorney takes immense dedication, willingness to put in long hours, the ability to take abuse and rejection, etc. If you've got what it takes and the fire in the belly to want to stick with it, you'll be OK. Otherwise, you'll have quite a good education that could open doors to other opportunities like teaching at a university, getting into politics, or even seeking another degree.

I am the kind of person that if I have committed myself to something, I give my best. I can procrastinate and change my mind many times about many things, but once I decide to go for it - I go for it, even if the decision was made on a whim. I have to be higly motivated and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

You should do a LOT of thinking about this. The best thing to do is talk to an employment or career counselor who can put you in a good direction according to your education and psychological make-up.

How about I talk to an attorney about what it takes and what his or her job comprises on a daily basis

 

Some people are just not suited to be attorneys and you may be one of them. But you may be a great one as well. The best thing is to get a number of options from a professional who has interviewed and tested you and then go from there.

 

Picking a career is VERY serious and should not be done on a whim

I agree. I am more worried about my own potential than about the market potential for a job as a lawyer. I want to do what I am best at, but as I grow older, I find myself attracted to things like challenge and social status. And as my kids grow up, I am more open to the idea of putting long hours into work, which had been a mental barrier until recently.

 

What I had in mind was social work. I think you'd be good at that and you don't need any more education for that.

I don't? So how do I get that kind of job (before I go back to school)?

 

As far as law, well no. Not all lawyers are rich. That stereotype drives me crazy. Yes, most are well off though..top 10% I'd say.

No diploma or market will make me rich. It's MY own skills that will or won't let me succeed. I just wanted to know all my possibilities. I know a doctor (pediatric physiatrist) who was working at a university for $60k a year and lived in Manhattan. She moved to Long Island to cut the costs of living and finally moved to North Dakota for a good salary. Frankly, I think all the three decisions were stupid. But somebody has to fill in those job positions and it's the doctors who don't have the guts to start their own practice and fight for their career. I know another young doctor who works for a group who provides ER staff on a temp base for hospitals; he admitted that it takes $200k to start your own practice and it takes connections... basically he's afraid of failure, which doesn't mean he won't go for it ten years from now. So what I am saying is that sometimes ambition and persistence is what will yield with a better professional quality. If you were born as a shark, you will succeed in whatever field is more suitable for you, whether you're Condoleza Rice, Liona Helmsely, Oprah Winfrey or Madonna.

 

The JD lasts forever if you keep up with the required CLE courses and don't get yourself disbarred somehow.

Please tell me more about it.

 

Journalist

Professor

Don't you have to have some kind of reputation in order to be a professor? And also have a degree in education?

 

never be wealthy but it affords me a very comfortable, upper-middle class living, I believe I'm doing important work and in three years I'll have a very nice, worry-free retirement for life.

Do you like your job?

 

Depends on the kind of law you practice and with what firm. If you work for one of the big legal firms, you can make a lot, but you'd need to graduate from a really good law school to get in. The hours you'd have to put in at one of those firms as a new associate would be unbearable if you want to actually have time with your kids. The large firms generally focus on corporate litigation and business law.

Thanks, Norajane. See, coming from a small country where the university is centralized (there are only a few public law schools and one is not better than the other), I didn't think of this factor.

 

You can also make a lot of money if you go to work for a corporation and practice coroporate law - protecting the company from lawsuits and advising on business law, contracts, employment law, mergers, etc. But those jobs are also tough to get and have long hours.

As I said, I am more interested in exploring all the possibilities and how they suit me than chasing the big bucks. I just don't want to end up putting 5 years and a lot of money and sacrifice into something that might punch me in the nose tomorrow.

 

Tax attorneys also make a comfortable living, but you have to be interested in tax law and that's just a snooze.

I like to snooze!

 

Things like family law - divorces, child custody, etc. - can be lucrative depending on the firm (do they deal with people who have high incomes, or the average person off the street?).

 

Criminal law

While it may sound very attractive (not financially), I don't think I would be comfortable taking the responsibility of defending or prosecuting people. I couldn't go to sleep at night knowing that I might have accused an innocent man or defended a murderer or saw a criminal walk away free.

 

You might look into paralegal studies instead - it's less school commitment, and they're always looking for good real estate and estate planning paralegals. You won't get rich, but you'll have job security and a decent living.

If the challenege is taken away from the equation, I'd rather go for psychology. In any case, thanks for your thorough and helpful reply (as usual).

 

I really appreciate all your answers very much. Thank you.

[Citizen Erased]

I am currently getting my psych degree, and every single lecturer/tutor has stressed that if you are going into the field for the sake of money than you are going in for the wrong reasons. I think this can be applied to every occupation. If you don't have the passion for whatever career you choose then how do you expect to have the drive to succeed?

[Topper]

Did anyone mentioned the long hours? Once you have finished law School passed the bar and land a job. You are now faced with 60 to 80 hour work weeks untill you have established yourself. That could take a few years. Getting training asa para leagal and working in a firm. might give you some idea of what you would be doing as a Lawyer. at least then you would know if the law id for you without the 3 years of expensive schooling.

[RecordProducer]

I am currently getting my psych degree, and every single lecturer/tutor has stressed that if you are going into the field for the sake of money than you are going in for the wrong reasons. I think this can be applied to every occupation. If you don't have the passion for whatever career you choose then how do you expect to have the drive to succeed?

The thing is I've always had the passion for psychology and THAT I wouldn't do for the money. I have passion for several things; that's why I am trying to pick the one that suits me most. I came out wrong asking if most lawyers are well off, leaving an impression that I would do it for the money. As I said, I am well aware that money comes from your own skills, hard work, and talent in any occupation. I am more interested in doing what I like and earning decently than going after the big bucks, especially if I turn out not to be so good - then it'd be a waste of time.

 

Did anyone mentioned the long hours? Once you have finished law School passed the bar and land a job. You are now faced with 60 to 80 hour work weeks untill you have established yourself. That could take a few years. Getting training asa para leagal and working in a firm. might give you some idea of what you would be doing as a Lawyer. at least then you would know if the law id for you without the 3 years of expensive schooling.

My kids are growing up and I have established an absolutely amazing, close relationship with them. I've been with them all the time for 8 years. When I was back in my country and was offered to sing in Chicago for 6 months, I refused, because I didn't want to leave my children for so long. When I was offered a job as a producer at a famous recording studio in my former city, I refused, because I knew I'd barely see my kids. I even refused an 8-day vacation at a local island I got as a reward for my song from the Jewish Community, because I couldn't leave my kids for 8 days. I believe I made the right decisions, because my kids were more important than any money or career. I was there when they needed me most, so when they become teenagers and start locking themselves in their rooms, I can turn to my career a little bit. Hopefully, they will understand and be happy for me.

[Art_Critic]

You should pick a career because it is something you want to do.. not because it pays tons..

If you go after the money your happiness will be the sacrifice

[sunshinegirl]

I have only skimmed this thread, but I don't think anyone yet has talked about the GOLDEN HANDCUFFS problem of legal education in the United States.

 

To the OP, the way legal education works in the US is this: you must first get a 4-year bachelor's degree at university. You can study any subject you want; frankly I'm not sure what schools even offer pre-law majors anymore. I have numerous friends and family who went to law school whose undergraduate majors were everything from religion to history to economics to the sciences.

 

After the 4-year college degree you apply to law school(s). If accepted and you enroll, you go to school for 3 years to earn your Juris Doctor (JD) degree. This is a law degree. After that, if you want to actually practice law you must pass the bar exam, an extremely rigorous multi-day test that is offered just a couple of times a year.

 

But back to my central question/concern: no one here has talked about how unbelieveably expensive a legal education is! Most of the people I know who went to law school owe somewhere between $100,000 and $150,000 in student loans upon graduating.

 

Look at those numbers again: they are not an exaggeration.

 

Several friends have felt 'forced' to go work in a big law firm (read $$$ - high salary) even if they wanted to do public law, human rights law, or one of the lesser-well-paid legal professions, simply because they could not afford to pay back their loans on a low salary. (Some schools offer loan forgiveness for graduates who pursue public interest law jobs, but I think those programs can be stringent and not always sufficient.) In situations like this, law school graduates can get trapped in a "golden handcuffs" kind of world in which they make oodles of money but feel trapped and unhappy in jobs they don't actually enjoy.

 

My advice would be this: if you are absolutely convinced that the only way to do the work you want to do is to spend the time and money obtaining a JD, go for it. But if you have the slightest hesitation, and/or other educational opportunities that could get you to similar kinds of jobs in less time and with less money, I would strongly urge you to go in that direction.

 

That's why I never went to law school.

[RecordProducer]

I was going to add this to my last post regarding the children, but Arty posted before that.

 

And my husband, who is telling me that I don't have any "real job" experience and thus my skills are not marketable, has a lot to learn about life values and priorities from me - I was a real mother and did that in three shifts! It doesn't get any more real than that. Just because nobody paid me for it doesn't make me a less valuable person - unless you measure human value with $$$.

 

You should pick a career because it is something you want to do.. not because it pays tons..

If you go after the money your happiness will be the sacrifice

Arty, doing what you like and what you're good at are two different things. I would LOVE to be an attorney, always have, but my question was what if I discover some day that I suck at it? But you guys convinced me that I can't suck if I put enough effort, time, hard work, and passion into it. Believe me, I know how miserable a job you don't like can make you. But beside assessing my own potential and desires, I want to know the market possibilities.

 

E.g. the opportunities for new pilots are ridiculous right now with so many senior pilots being paid off and working as private pilots doing city tours for next to nothing. The market is such that anyone who would want to have a pilot career should know that after spending a lot of money on obtaining the licence and all the ratings, they have absolutely no chance in getting into the cockpit of a jet. The only current job openings come from small companies who pay less than $1,000 per month. I think this information would be very valuable for a captain wannabe, considering aviation as his career choice. "Do what you like" would be advising him to be poor, frustrated, and practically jobless for many years. And since there will always be people who are getting the licence because flying is their dream, the competition will always be severe.

[Touche]

To answer some the questions you had for me:

 

Check with social services in your area. They might have a website that will list job openings. Some don't require experience (usually the entry-level social workers) but do require a college degree. At least that's how it is here where I live. I almost went for one of those jobs because the pay wasn't bad if you also speak Spanish (which I do.)

 

As for your other question. Yes, about once a year you have to take a CLE class. I know H goes for one or two days on the weekend once a year and he's through for the year with his requirements. I'm not sure if it's different in each state or not.

[Art_Critic]

PS:

 

Your husband is a jerk...

 

He only says you have no marketable assets because he gets off on making himself look better than you.. Keeping you down..

 

He doesn't consider being a mother a job because they are not his kids and he doesn't value you as a person he loves.... he got rid of his kid with you ..

 

I have heard your music.. you are a wonderful musician..

if he was half the man he thinks he is then he would help you take your music talents and make them flourish..

 

Of course this is just my opinion.. but I think you are trying desperately to feel better about yourself because he makes you feel like crap about yourself..

 

Maybe going to a law firm in your area and speaking with someone there as to what you could do to get yourself moving in the right direction or career change..

[a4a]

RP just do it!

 

Get out there now with the skills/degree's you do have and get your feet wet in the work force world.

 

You don't know what you can run into once you get out of the house and just put yourself out there.

 

Get a taste of what is going on in your area, see where it leads you for this moment. Don't limit yourself at this moment...... until you get out there for a bit.

 

Your not stupid, someone may notice your potential, you speak 2 languages, you do have a degree, you are not a troll to look at........

 

for cripes sake........ go get a job. :)

[RecordProducer]

After the 4-year college degree you apply to law school(s). If accepted and you enroll, you go to school for 3 years to earn your Juris Doctor (JD) degree. This is a law degree. After that, if you want to actually practice law you must pass the bar exam, an extremely rigorous multi-day test that is offered just a couple of times a year.

Oh, so the JD is the law school. And then the bar exam, just like in my country.

 

I have another question: I know that it's very hard to pass the exam for judge, but I am curious, because I've always had this sadness of NOT going for a judge after I graduated from college (business administration). So what does it take?

 

 

That's why I never went to law school.

I think if you really want something, you will go for it. Every occupation has two sides and it's up to the indiviual to choose if the good outweighs the bad. So what did YOU choose?

[RecordProducer]

RP just do it!

 

Get out there now with the skills/degree's you do have and get your feet wet in the work force world.

 

You don't know what you can run into once you get out of the house and just put yourself out there.

 

Get a taste of what is going on in your area, see where it leads you for this moment. Don't limit yourself at this moment...... until you get out there for a bit.

 

Your not stupid, someone may notice your potential, you speak 2 languages, you do have a degree, you are not a troll to look at........

 

for cripes sake........ go get a job. :)

Thank you for your inspiring post, A! I will probably do that before I make any decision about further education. I might actually discover and explore another talent? It's kinda hard when you have a husband who feeds you with statements like "Your skills are not marketable... You can only work as a waitress, if you could even hold THAT job! You can only spread your legs for somebody to support you!" (although said during an argument). Some people try to put you down and you start believing them. He is not being supportive about anything.

 

One day he tells me "Why don't you work part-time from home so we can travel?" or "I support you about your psychology degree" or "I think you would be good at anything you choose and like, cuz you're smart," (and this was ONCE, after I accused him of inhibiting me and when I asked him if he thinks I'd be good at ANYTHING at all!), but the next week he tells me to pack my bags and get a job. Basically, he is trying to prevent me from pursuing any of my ambitions by keeping me stressed out with the constant divorce threats and belittling my potential. He would be happiest if I decided to stay at home and do everything he says. He doesn't want me to have a career.

 

I don't even dare tell him that I am considering obtaining a JD degree, even though I would take a loan; I would NEVER let him pay for it. The possibility of his wife being a successful attorney would freak him out - he wants to have me in the corner.

[sunshinegirl]

I think if you really want something, you will go for it. Every occupation has two sides and it's up to the indiviual to choose if the good outweighs the bad. So what did YOU choose?

 

I can't quite read your tone with this - it sort of reads like a pep talk. Which is very nice, but I don't need a pep talk and that's not the central point of my post.

 

To answer your question: I chose to obtain two master's degrees and to accumulate a wide variety of professional experiences both domestic and overseas that allowed me to enter a consulting field that many law-school-educated-folks have difficulty entering themselves (negotiation/mediation/conflict resolution). In other words, I pursued other tracks and opportunities to get me exactly where I want to be, without spending 150k on a law school education.

 

So I hope you still hear the central point I was trying to make: getting a legal education can be an extremely expensive proposition. I have at least two friends who went through some very difficult financial crises because they got law degrees (from ivy league schools) but could not afford to pursue their passion (human rights law).

 

I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm; in fact, my encouragement to you is to explore every nook and cranny of the dreams and desires you are exploring here... to figure out the best (and most realistic and most cost-effective) way to go for it. Which may, or may not, be to go to law school. That's all I'm sayin'.

[sunshinegirl]

I have another question: I know that it's very hard to pass the exam for judge, but I am curious, because I've always had this sadness of NOT going for a judge after I graduated from college (business administration). So what does it take?

 

I don't know the first thing about what it takes to become a judge in the U.S., except I think that it varies from state to state. Some states may require judges to hold a JD, others may not (Texas comes to mind). Someone else may be better able to respond to this.

[norajane]

Judges are political appointments in some cases (federal judges, typically people who have been judges in a local jurisdiction), and are voted by the electorate in other cases (state and local). In Illinois, the local judges are lawyers who have been working for a while (or professors with JD's, I think), and then they run for the judge position in a particular District and must be elected.

[RecordProducer]

I can't quite read your tone with this - it sort of reads like a pep talk. Which is very nice, but I don't need a pep talk and that's not the central point of my post.

I was just saying that if I want to be an attorney really badly, I will do what it takes to become one. If I give up, it means I never really wanted it so badly.

 

You seem to have achieved your professional goals so chose the right thing(s).

I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm; in fact, my encouragement to you is to explore every nook and cranny of the dreams and desires you are exploring here... to figure out the best (and most realistic and most cost-effective) way to go for it. Which may, or may not, be to go to law school. That's all I'm sayin'.

And that's very helpful, because if I am presented with all the good and bad aspects and still want to go for it, it's good. My current priority is to work on my marriage (my studying will suffer if I am all stressed and busy resolving problems with hubby).

 

Thanks for your reply, Sunshinegirl. Thanks, everyone. All of your replies have been of significant help to me. I really appreciate it.

[sunshinegirl]

I was just saying that if I want to be an attorney really badly, I will do what it takes to become one. If I give up, it means I never really wanted it so badly.

 

Gotcha. That totally makes sense.

 

Good luck with everything that's going on for you right now.

[RecordProducer]

Gotcha. That totally makes sense.

 

Good luck with everything that's going on for you right now.

Thanks.

[Herzen]

I've been a practicing attorney for 25 years. I'm an appellate lawyer with an emphasis on health care, employment discrimination, civil rights and antitrust.

 

Over my 25 years, I've seen many lawyers, often women, exit the profession and/or big firm life. It can be a high pressure grind with long hours of tedium and boredom punctuated by moments of extreme panic and anxiety.

 

Being an attorney can be remunerative, but you have to like the game. If there's no passion, you shouldn't play.