Lawyers: any advice for an aspiring undergrad?

1) http://aoklaw.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-get-in-to-law-school.html

2) Don't worry about legal internship before law school. Do anything else that interests you. You will get enough law in school, trust me.

3) Good backup is work overseas or school at better Masters program than your UG, or something like Oxford, Cambridge or LSE.

4) Unless it's a Top 5 school, only go to law school if you want to be a lawyer. Law degree isn't as "flexible" as admissions sales depts pitch it to be. It's also a very expensive degree.

5) Don't worry about "structuring" law school. They have the first year or more planned out for you anyway. But do at least one practical clinic, I strongly recommend a clinic in litigation which is usually a criminal defense program at most schools (which is exciting).

6) Many (if not most) legal practices can provide income to afford a Ferrari, if not a new one at least an older model... however, it is a matter of time. However, IMO the most lucrative practice is personal injury and mass tort. You will find disdain for this and other 'regular person' practices (PI, criminal defense, tickets/DUI, divorce/family, consumer bankruptcy) at top law schools from the faculty and students, and it will certainly make for interesting conversation if you tell your classmates you want to be a personal injury lawyer (which I did!).

The "prestige" side of the practice is in corporate finance law/M&A, corporate and insurance defense, representing the largest companies possible, or work for elite government entities like the DoJ (no one will be jealous of an FDA position), or clerking on a federal circuit (in a large metro with a known judge). They don't like the fact that the whippersnapper with some TV commercials, a billboard and a full color double truck in the yellow pages can make millions more a year handling DUIs and car accidents than they do at Whiteshoe & Billem steamrolling those people for GE and BoA.

 

Get out now, I've been screwed by lawyers more times than I can count and now realize that they are the scum of the earth.

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" - Shakespeare

 

The meaning of that line is that without lawyers to defend the rights of the people (and explain them), no one could stop the overthrow of the government. It is actually complementary to the power and influence of lawyers.

I look at it this way: if people and businesses (through their owners, managers and employees) didn't lie, cheat, steal, harass, renege, breach contracts or hurt other people, lawyers would be out of a job through economic forces.

 

I just graded from law school in Canada and am now articling in a criminal defence firm in Vancouver. Ryan will have much greater insight into the US schools (i.e. Ivy League) but I can definitely offer some general advice I think is applicable.

Obviously keep the grades up in your 4th year because if you don't get into a school of your choice this year there is always next year!

Like Ryan said stay away from law gigs before law school...it will really be your last chance to do something other than law that could be really enjoyable. This is true even after your 1st year of law school.

Although you need to be proactive to get into law school, looking back I'd have to say you just need to let the chips fall where they may. It's not the end of the world if you don't get in and even if you do you may find out that you hate law like many of my friends after spending a small fortune to get a degree.

As far as choosing an area of law you really need to go into law school like a clean slate. They cover all the major law areas in first year and you may be surprised what areas appeal to you and what don't.

Lastly, listen to Ryalex as he gave me some great advice and encouragment way back when!

(+1 on the most misunderstood and overused lawyer quote).

 

I would have given more thought to where I wanted to practice. As Ryan stated, the law degree is not a flexible as it is touted. It is also much less portable than an MBA or PhD. A law practice is not portable unless you are a drone for a big firm. If your name is on the building, then moving even 50 miles could mean starting over.

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask more questions if you have them. Attorneys like to help.

 

Since my torts class, PI is all I've wanted to do. When I told a family friend that works in big law that I favored torts, the look and response I got was priceless. Everyone in lawschool looks down on personal injury until they get into practice and make no money. I am starting my third year this fall and have been at the same PI firm since my first summer....I couldn't be happier. My favorite comment I hear from other attorneys is...."Well I could make (insert dollar amount) if I took car accidents too!" My other favority I've heard is, "Well I don't want to make my living off other people accidents." And to that I say good, more work for my firm.

Mark

PS: listen to everyone, don't worry about working in law until you're alredy in school, you definitely will get plenty of it.

 

Reminds me of my friend, who went to a midsize corporate firm after law school. Day after day, he and some fellow 1-3yr associates would pile into the one guy's Ford Tempo and head to lunch. He described to me the day they were eating lunch and the others were all talking about their briefs/cases (construction defect defense and ins defense), and the topic came to one of the local flamboyant PI lawyers who was showing up at the courthouse in a new RR Phantom (which was also in some of his commercials!). They ragged on the plaintiff's lawyer for a while, and as they were piling back into the one lawyer's rusty Tempo, it struck my friend that maybe the guy in the Rolls Royce was really having the last laugh.

He quit, and after a year learning criminal defense and PI at another small firm he started his own practice... within 2 years he got himself a big house and a new RS4.