so i'll have a law degree soon...

tippy · #1 11-09-2007, 12:57 PM

If you don't like law, drop out now. If you don't like law school, you won't like practicing law. Practicing law is one of the most boring and tedious occupations on the face of the earth.

Take this advice from someone who has a law degree and hated practicing: Do something you love with your life, especially if you are young and don't have many responsibilities.

If later in life you realize that law might be your thing, you can always go back to law school.

Somnius · #2 11-09-2007, 01:12 PM

Know how you feel Joker, I just turned down a couple scholarships to law schools in the states (I'm from Toronto) for this schoolyear to keep pursuing the internet money making world...and to decide if it's even worth it to go if you really don't have much desire to practice.

It's hard I think to really uncover if holding that degree will really benefit you in ways that 3 years of opportunity cost, x money if you're paying tuition, and a removal from your other interests, are an ev sacrifice and not a waste...especially considering 95% of the pop is conditioned to believe it's so great, which on one hand does mean it has the social value, jusitified or not, but if you have other interests or look kindly on other fields, just not sure law outweighs that. I really predict in our lifetime (...im 23) there will be a paradigm shift in how it's perceived by the general public, and maybe even their pockets.

Regardless, it's still a respectable field held in high regard, I think you're going to have to uncover it's real world non-practicing value for yourself, especially considering you already started, when you finish, should you decide to, at least then you'll know. I'm going to stay away from it for a couple years and see where my mind takes me, really hard to ignore the pressure of its social weight and utility though, so I know what you're going through.

After all, as was mentioned, it gives a great amount of credbility that could very well create lots of +ev in future ventures...unfortunate if you ask me, but, it really is seen as steps above to the general public...talk about people going for the wrong reasons, how about people putting the profession on a pedestal for the wrong and often inaccurate reasons.

joker122 · #3 11-09-2007, 02:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't like law, drop out now. If you don't like law school, you won't like practicing law. Practicing law is one of the most boring and tedious occupations on the face of the earth.

Take this advice from someone who has a law degree and hated practicing: Do something you love with your life, especially if you are young and don't have many responsibilities.

If later in life you realize that law might be your thing, you can always go back to law school.

[/ QUOTE ]

thank you for the candid insight. however, as i said before i do enjoy law school and the law in an academic sense. i also like the idea of the power a law degree will give me (not some macho societal thing but rather the idea that i will have a leg up on people i negotiate/contract with in any pursuit i am engaged in).

that said, if i value a law degree in those senses, do you still recommend dropping out?

tippy · #4 11-09-2007, 02:31 PM

It all depends on what makes you happy I guess. I've personally never found having a law degree some special power or image to present to others. Most people just don't really care (and you have to listen to the lawyer jokes, lol). I suppose it makes some people feel better about themselves, but it sure is an expensive way in both time and money to make yourself feel better.

If you like law and want to make a career out of it, then stick with it. If you are doing it just so you can write J.D. behind your name, have a diploma on the wall to impress your friends or justify the other things in you are doing in your life, then get out now.

joker122 · #5 11-09-2007, 02:46 PM

"If you like law and want to make a career out of it, then stick with it. If you are doing it just so you can write J.D. behind your name, have a diploma on the wall to impress your friends or justify the other things in you are doing in your life, then get out now.
"

yeah this is a large reason i entertained the notion of law school years back, but that has since evolved into much more "genuine" reasons (mostly).

#6 11-09-2007, 02:50 PM

joker122 · #7 11-09-2007, 03:08 PM

so far i don't have a class that is more practical than contracts. indeed, much of law school curriculum is designed to prepare you for a career practicing law (hence the dillema).

that is not to say the other classes don't have practical value outside of being a lawyer. Torts (another first year class) is pretty relevant to everyday life in the sense that it teaches you what you can be sued for/how to conduct yourself in certain scenarios so that you won't be sued/what you can sue other people for. that, to me, is a pretty powerful tool - to be in a comprimising situation and have the knowledge to do exactly what you should be doing to cover your as$.

i haven't taken Property yet but I would imagine that would be extremely practical.

civil procedure (again, a 1L class) informs you of all your rights in court (suing or being sued). that isn't much practical value though because you would have an attorney that would be taking care of all of that, but i can't help but feel like i'm learning very important information when i'm sitting in that class.

i can't really comment alot on this because i don't even have an entire semester under my belt. maybe some actual lawyers can add something or disillusion me.

Gamblor · #8 11-12-2007, 06:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
so far i don't have a class that is more practical than contracts. indeed, much of law school curriculum is designed to prepare you for a career practicing law (hence the dillema).

that is not to say the other classes don't have practical value outside of being a lawyer. Torts (another first year class) is pretty relevant to everyday life in the sense that it teaches you what you can be sued for/how to conduct yourself in certain scenarios so that you won't be sued/what you can sue other people for. that, to me, is a pretty powerful tool - to be in a comprimising situation and have the knowledge to do exactly what you should be doing to cover your as$.

i haven't taken Property yet but I would imagine that would be extremely practical.

civil procedure (again, a 1L class) informs you of all your rights in court (suing or being sued). that isn't much practical value though because you would have an attorney that would be taking care of all of that, but i can't help but feel like i'm learning very important information when i'm sitting in that class.

i can't really comment alot on this because i don't even have an entire semester under my belt. maybe some actual lawyers can add something or disillusion me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You sound like an Ontario law student, these courses are all mandatory in 1L in Ontario.

Somnius · #9 11-09-2007, 03:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
"If you like law and want to make a career out of it, then stick with it. If you are doing it just so you can write J.D. behind your name, have a diploma on the wall to impress your friends or justify the other things in you are doing in your life, then get out now.
"

yeah this is a large reason i entertained the notion of law school years back, but that has since evolved into much more "genuine" reasons (mostly).

[/ QUOTE ]

Most intelligent, successful, spirited people will learn to like...or at least appreciate what they are doing, and derive satisfaction and pleasure from it or what it represents, just the way it is.

Traditionally law was one of those things you just do and be happy about, whether things are just changing drastically and/or it's easier to get information about other opportunities etc, it is really clear that many people would be better off in other fields.

Some people will give you the "might-as-well's" considering you are already in the mix, others will tell u to stop now and go down the other path. Honestly, I really don't think there's an easy answer, you really will have to analyze your near future as best as possible for both decisions, and see what provides the greatest overall utility, happiness and ev...in the end, I really don't think it friggin matters if you have a law degree or not, you can deal, negotiate, etc etc without it. Not only is the information easily accessible, but you can always pay people to do it for you instead of spending 3 years and x money. Then again any way you look at it things are done for satisfication in one way or another, if you want this, and now that you're in it see that it is very much a great benefit for your future plans to at least have it, or have the ability to fall back on it considering...well then, it might be a "might as well".

Somnius · #10 11-09-2007, 03:20 PM

Not sure if I'm allowed to post this here and I apologize if not...you probably know about it anyway but www.lawschooldiscussion.org has a lot of great information. Plenty of students and lawyers with a wealth of insight and information about situations like yours. You would surely find it useful if you haven't already.