Why did you go to Law School? What else would you rather be doing for a living instead of being a lawyer? Why don't you make a career change? Just wondering because I always thought I wanted to go to Law School and not I am preparing for my LSAT for next month.

Thanks, Imelda

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2000

Answers

Well, I think you've gotta do what you want - especially if you've been drawn to it since the beginning of time. (Since I met you you've talked about this!) If nothing else, try it law school in for size for the first semester - the "weed out" semester." By then you're bound to know if law school is more than a passing interest, non?

My friend Louis says that everyone should know more about the law - he now doesn't understand how he got by all those years without knowing his rights. He's now a private practice attorney and loves it. My friend Joe, I think you met him once, he passed the bar, did really well in law school, but doesn't want to practice. Looks good on the resume. Same thing with our friend Kevin - he went to law school in CA & doesn't practice, but it looks great on the resume and opens lots of doors.

Wanna talk more? Walk the 20 feet over to my desk - I don't have any work right now & I'm bored.

angela

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2000

I think there are some interesting law jobs out there -- almost all of them involve a huge commitment of time. If you look at the thread on this forum titled "What is a attorney?" you will see that all of us, whether in private practice, federal, or other not-for-profit practice, work well over forty hours a week.

I do not think the J.D. opens as many doors outside the law as it did twenty-five years ago, when it was rarer, and the MBA was still sort of an emerging degree. I think a lot of the career flexibility that was traditionally associated with the J.D. degree has now shifted over to the M.B.A. Unless you work in a private firm on business transactions, it is hard now to shift from legal practice to business management.

All that being said, there are not many degrees besides the J.D. and the M.B.A. that come with starting salaries north of $50,000, if that's what you're interested in.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Here is a better question:

I'm entering my sophomore year of undergrad as a poli sci major with aspirations of going to law school. I eventually want to work in Washington D.C. for the government. Am I crazy for WANTING to go to law school? Until now, I've written off my desire to go to law school to my being a masochist ;o)

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2000