Career Advice Request

[bjensen]

Wow, if that is the case I sure pity the fools going to the 25-200 ranked schools!

[Anonymous]

Nostradamus, I realize your post may have been totally tongue-in-cheek. But in case you were serious, I beg to differ. I have been a litigation attorney for nearly 12 years now, and in my experience, there is generally a pretty close relationship between a lawyer’s income and the number of hours worked. Also FYI, there is an incredible amount of work involved in litigation outside the courtroom. The notion that a lawyer whose cases end up settling out of court is not working is ridiculous. And to bjensen, you definitely should not go to law school just because you can’t figure out what else you want to do. If you graduate in the top 25% of your class from a top-20 law school, you can be pretty well assured of a good job and income. I would not even think of going to law school and taking on the debt burden if you cannot get into a top school. This means you will have to move out of San Diego to attend law school, as you may already know. Law school, especially the first year, is no walk in the park, and the practice of law is not for everyone. I recommend you think seriously about what you really want to do with your life, rather than focusing on law school as a semi-guaranteed path to a great paycheck, and only if you are fairly certain you want to practice law should you start down the law school path.

[Anonymous]

Nostradamus, I realize your post may have been totally tongue-in-cheek. But in case you were serious, I beg to differ. I have been a litigation attorney for nearly 12 years now, and in my experience, there is generally a pretty close relationship between a lawyer’s income and the number of hours worked. Also FYI, there is an incredible amount of work involved in litigation outside the courtroom. The notion that a lawyer whose cases end up settling out of court is not working is ridiculous. And to bjensen, you definitely should not go to law school just because you can’t figure out what else you want to do. If you graduate in the top 25% of your class from a top-20 law school, you can be pretty well assured of a good job and income. I would not even think of going to law school and taking on the debt burden if you cannot get into a top school. This means you will have to move out of San Diego to attend law school, as you may already know. Law school, especially the first year, is no walk in the park, and the practice of law is not for everyone. I recommend you think seriously about what you really want to do with your life, rather than focusing on law school as a semi-guaranteed path to a great paycheck, and only if you are fairly certain you want to practice law should you start down the law school path.

[Anonymous]

Nostradamus, I realize your post may have been totally tongue-in-cheek. But in case you were serious, I beg to differ. I have been a litigation attorney for nearly 12 years now, and in my experience, there is generally a pretty close relationship between a lawyer’s income and the number of hours worked. Also FYI, there is an incredible amount of work involved in litigation outside the courtroom. The notion that a lawyer whose cases end up settling out of court is not working is ridiculous. And to bjensen, you definitely should not go to law school just because you can’t figure out what else you want to do. If you graduate in the top 25% of your class from a top-20 law school, you can be pretty well assured of a good job and income. I would not even think of going to law school and taking on the debt burden if you cannot get into a top school. This means you will have to move out of San Diego to attend law school, as you may already know. Law school, especially the first year, is no walk in the park, and the practice of law is not for everyone. I recommend you think seriously about what you really want to do with your life, rather than focusing on law school as a semi-guaranteed path to a great paycheck, and only if you are fairly certain you want to practice law should you start down the law school path.

[Anonymous]

Nostradamus, I realize your post may have been totally tongue-in-cheek. But in case you were serious, I beg to differ. I have been a litigation attorney for nearly 12 years now, and in my experience, there is generally a pretty close relationship between a lawyer’s income and the number of hours worked. Also FYI, there is an incredible amount of work involved in litigation outside the courtroom. The notion that a lawyer whose cases end up settling out of court is not working is ridiculous. And to bjensen, you definitely should not go to law school just because you can’t figure out what else you want to do. If you graduate in the top 25% of your class from a top-20 law school, you can be pretty well assured of a good job and income. I would not even think of going to law school and taking on the debt burden if you cannot get into a top school. This means you will have to move out of San Diego to attend law school, as you may already know. Law school, especially the first year, is no walk in the park, and the practice of law is not for everyone. I recommend you think seriously about what you really want to do with your life, rather than focusing on law school as a semi-guaranteed path to a great paycheck, and only if you are fairly certain you want to practice law should you start down the law school path.

[Anonymous]

Nostradamus, I realize your post may have been totally tongue-in-cheek. But in case you were serious, I beg to differ. I have been a litigation attorney for nearly 12 years now, and in my experience, there is generally a pretty close relationship between a lawyer’s income and the number of hours worked. Also FYI, there is an incredible amount of work involved in litigation outside the courtroom. The notion that a lawyer whose cases end up settling out of court is not working is ridiculous. And to bjensen, you definitely should not go to law school just because you can’t figure out what else you want to do. If you graduate in the top 25% of your class from a top-20 law school, you can be pretty well assured of a good job and income. I would not even think of going to law school and taking on the debt burden if you cannot get into a top school. This means you will have to move out of San Diego to attend law school, as you may already know. Law school, especially the first year, is no walk in the park, and the practice of law is not for everyone. I recommend you think seriously about what you really want to do with your life, rather than focusing on law school as a semi-guaranteed path to a great paycheck, and only if you are fairly certain you want to practice law should you start down the law school path.

[larrylujack]

. Unless you want to buckle down and get an engineering or science degree before heading off to law school, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. Still, it might be a good option but you will have a lot of competition…

I agree with the above since I am in the business. You don’t need to go to Harvard or Stanford for your JD to get a position with a good firm if you have a Biotech PhD or an egineering MS or BS. On the other hand, if you don’t have a technical degree, you do need to do well at a top tier law school or forget getting an associate position at a top firm, that’s just the plain facts- JDs who graduate from average law schools or do average in law school with econ or polisci majors are a dime a dozen.
However, the nice thing about being an attorney is that what you have learned can be used for many other professions, such as running a business, etc. You will find that a JD will expand your professional options tremendously. You will also use what you learned in law school in everyday life, for example, dealing with contracts. Thus, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a JD because it will provide you with skills you can use for the practice of law, as well as outside the traditional practice of law and in everyday life. I am glad I did.
Good luck,
LL

[larrylujack]

. Unless you want to buckle down and get an engineering or science degree before heading off to law school, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. Still, it might be a good option but you will have a lot of competition…

I agree with the above since I am in the business. You don’t need to go to Harvard or Stanford for your JD to get a position with a good firm if you have a Biotech PhD or an egineering MS or BS. On the other hand, if you don’t have a technical degree, you do need to do well at a top tier law school or forget getting an associate position at a top firm, that’s just the plain facts- JDs who graduate from average law schools or do average in law school with econ or polisci majors are a dime a dozen.
However, the nice thing about being an attorney is that what you have learned can be used for many other professions, such as running a business, etc. You will find that a JD will expand your professional options tremendously. You will also use what you learned in law school in everyday life, for example, dealing with contracts. Thus, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a JD because it will provide you with skills you can use for the practice of law, as well as outside the traditional practice of law and in everyday life. I am glad I did.
Good luck,
LL

[larrylujack]

. Unless you want to buckle down and get an engineering or science degree before heading off to law school, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. Still, it might be a good option but you will have a lot of competition…

I agree with the above since I am in the business. You don’t need to go to Harvard or Stanford for your JD to get a position with a good firm if you have a Biotech PhD or an egineering MS or BS. On the other hand, if you don’t have a technical degree, you do need to do well at a top tier law school or forget getting an associate position at a top firm, that’s just the plain facts- JDs who graduate from average law schools or do average in law school with econ or polisci majors are a dime a dozen.
However, the nice thing about being an attorney is that what you have learned can be used for many other professions, such as running a business, etc. You will find that a JD will expand your professional options tremendously. You will also use what you learned in law school in everyday life, for example, dealing with contracts. Thus, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a JD because it will provide you with skills you can use for the practice of law, as well as outside the traditional practice of law and in everyday life. I am glad I did.
Good luck,
LL

[larrylujack]

. Unless you want to buckle down and get an engineering or science degree before heading off to law school, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. Still, it might be a good option but you will have a lot of competition…

I agree with the above since I am in the business. You don’t need to go to Harvard or Stanford for your JD to get a position with a good firm if you have a Biotech PhD or an egineering MS or BS. On the other hand, if you don’t have a technical degree, you do need to do well at a top tier law school or forget getting an associate position at a top firm, that’s just the plain facts- JDs who graduate from average law schools or do average in law school with econ or polisci majors are a dime a dozen.
However, the nice thing about being an attorney is that what you have learned can be used for many other professions, such as running a business, etc. You will find that a JD will expand your professional options tremendously. You will also use what you learned in law school in everyday life, for example, dealing with contracts. Thus, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a JD because it will provide you with skills you can use for the practice of law, as well as outside the traditional practice of law and in everyday life. I am glad I did.
Good luck,
LL

[larrylujack]

. Unless you want to buckle down and get an engineering or science degree before heading off to law school, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. Still, it might be a good option but you will have a lot of competition…

I agree with the above since I am in the business. You don’t need to go to Harvard or Stanford for your JD to get a position with a good firm if you have a Biotech PhD or an egineering MS or BS. On the other hand, if you don’t have a technical degree, you do need to do well at a top tier law school or forget getting an associate position at a top firm, that’s just the plain facts- JDs who graduate from average law schools or do average in law school with econ or polisci majors are a dime a dozen.
However, the nice thing about being an attorney is that what you have learned can be used for many other professions, such as running a business, etc. You will find that a JD will expand your professional options tremendously. You will also use what you learned in law school in everyday life, for example, dealing with contracts. Thus, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a JD because it will provide you with skills you can use for the practice of law, as well as outside the traditional practice of law and in everyday life. I am glad I did.
Good luck,
LL

[Coronita]

Borat- Too late. Too many people…

 

Original poster. You really have to ask yourself. Why do you want to be a lawyer?… If it's a money thing. Think again. There are many careers that school/background doesn't make a huge difference (engineering might be one where say a UCLA or USCD won't make a huge difference). Talking to friends, it's completely different for lawyers. Top pay, school does matter. And a few lawyer friends from sh!tty law schools don't quite do quite as well as some of the geek types (could also be in their line of work). Also, I hope you like to read…a lot…

Patent law was something that I was interested in. But after thinking about things, I wouldn't like to be reading about what everyone else did. But that's just me.

That's why when I look at other careers, engineering isn't that bad. Yes, it's average pay, but you really don't have that sort of pecking order you do in other professions. The pay disparity between lawyers from different schools and finance people from different MBA's is astounding.

You think (no offense to USD/SDSU MBA holders) those folks would be able to get jobs on Wall Street pulling in 7 figures? If it were the case, it would be more the exception than the rule.

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

Borat- Too late. Too many people…

 

Original poster. You really have to ask yourself. Why do you want to be a lawyer?… If it's a money thing. Think again. There are many careers that school/background doesn't make a huge difference (engineering might be one where say a UCLA or USCD won't make a huge difference). Talking to friends, it's completely different for lawyers. Top pay, school does matter. And a few lawyer friends from sh!tty law schools don't quite do quite as well as some of the geek types (could also be in their line of work). Also, I hope you like to read…a lot…

Patent law was something that I was interested in. But after thinking about things, I wouldn't like to be reading about what everyone else did. But that's just me.

That's why when I look at other careers, engineering isn't that bad. Yes, it's average pay, but you really don't have that sort of pecking order you do in other professions. The pay disparity between lawyers from different schools and finance people from different MBA's is astounding.

You think (no offense to USD/SDSU MBA holders) those folks would be able to get jobs on Wall Street pulling in 7 figures? If it were the case, it would be more the exception than the rule.

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

Borat- Too late. Too many people…

 

Original poster. You really have to ask yourself. Why do you want to be a lawyer?… If it's a money thing. Think again. There are many careers that school/background doesn't make a huge difference (engineering might be one where say a UCLA or USCD won't make a huge difference). Talking to friends, it's completely different for lawyers. Top pay, school does matter. And a few lawyer friends from sh!tty law schools don't quite do quite as well as some of the geek types (could also be in their line of work). Also, I hope you like to read…a lot…

Patent law was something that I was interested in. But after thinking about things, I wouldn't like to be reading about what everyone else did. But that's just me.

That's why when I look at other careers, engineering isn't that bad. Yes, it's average pay, but you really don't have that sort of pecking order you do in other professions. The pay disparity between lawyers from different schools and finance people from different MBA's is astounding.

You think (no offense to USD/SDSU MBA holders) those folks would be able to get jobs on Wall Street pulling in 7 figures? If it were the case, it would be more the exception than the rule.

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

Borat- Too late. Too many people…

 

Original poster. You really have to ask yourself. Why do you want to be a lawyer?… If it's a money thing. Think again. There are many careers that school/background doesn't make a huge difference (engineering might be one where say a UCLA or USCD won't make a huge difference). Talking to friends, it's completely different for lawyers. Top pay, school does matter. And a few lawyer friends from sh!tty law schools don't quite do quite as well as some of the geek types (could also be in their line of work). Also, I hope you like to read…a lot…

Patent law was something that I was interested in. But after thinking about things, I wouldn't like to be reading about what everyone else did. But that's just me.

That's why when I look at other careers, engineering isn't that bad. Yes, it's average pay, but you really don't have that sort of pecking order you do in other professions. The pay disparity between lawyers from different schools and finance people from different MBA's is astounding.

You think (no offense to USD/SDSU MBA holders) those folks would be able to get jobs on Wall Street pulling in 7 figures? If it were the case, it would be more the exception than the rule.

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Author]

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