[scwtlover]

Just ask yourself why you (might) want to be a lawyer. If it's because you can't think of anything better to do or just because you want to make a lot of money, then you should reconsider (at least, unless you have good reason to anticipate admission to a top law school). If there's something you need to be a lawyer to do, or something about the practice or teaching of law that especially appeals to you, then go for it.

A year or two in "the real world" might help clarify your thoughts.

 

[the law]

Just ask yourself why you (might) want to be a lawyer. If it's because you can't think of anything better to do or just because you want to make a lot of money, then you should reconsider (at least, unless you have good reason to anticipate admission to a top law school). If there's something you need to be a lawyer to do, or something about the practice or teaching of law that especially appeals to you, then go for it.

A year or two in "the real world" might help clarify your thoughts.

I'll second this. Law school is not for the faint of heart. It is grueling, cut-throat and challenging. If you are not passionate about the practice of law, then rethink this route.

I recall some reports that state that law school applications increase during times of economic turmoil. Realize you will have plenty of competition if you go. That's competition for grades as well as for fewer jobs.

However, if you feel strongly about this career move and are flexible, this could be your thing. Some areas have a higher demand for jobs than others. Nevada is a notoriously great job market for attorneys (one of the reasons I moved here - I was turning down interviews, let alone offers). The caveat is Nevada pays about half what you'll make in BigLaw in a major city (LA, NY, etc.).

IP is a great field that is always in demand and pays well. If you have the credentials (hard science undergrad degree) then you can make a go of it. Patent prosecution can be boring from what I've been told (I worked at a firm that did some IP work and the IP partner and I chatted a bit about this). IP litigation on the other hand can be very interesting (this same partner was recently in Korea for depositions). Find what you like and certainly do as much research on this prior to setting off. Good luck.

 

[Stringfellow]

Not to hijack the thread but if anyone out there in Ask Andy land is hiring feel free to let me know. I have a pretty good resume and better than average work experience (for a 3L).

 

[MarkfromMD]

Hm you guys are making law school sound pretty terrible. I'm doubling up undergrad with B.A. degrees in economics and management and doing a pre-law concentration.

I've been thinking about going for a J.D./MBA and trying to get into corporate law.

Hopefully by the time I get done with all that the economy will heading back up again. I definitely won't be able to go to a top 10 school and have been looking at Wake, Richmond, and Georgia as the schools where I am most interested and am likely to be accepted.

Is it pointless to do the J.D./MBA? Would I be better off just going to work and getting an MBA part time instead of going to law school? I feel like law school is what I want to do and would be a great experience, both for getting me where I want to be job-wise and also for becoming a better educated individual.

Great responses and lots of good information in this thread!

Thanks,
Mark

 

[nerdykarim]

I love law school. It's tough, but it's rewarding in a way that my undergraduate education never was.
My first final is in two weeks, though. Ask me again in a month.

 

[PedanticTurkey]

In law school it's just "the exam."

 

[Stringfellow]

Hm you guys are making law school sound pretty terrible. I'm doubling up undergrad with B.A. degrees in economics and management and doing a pre-law concentration.

I've been thinking about going for a J.D./MBA and trying to get into corporate law.

Hopefully by the time I get done with all that the economy will heading back up again. I definitely won't be able to go to a top 10 school and have been looking at Wake, Richmond, and Georgia as the schools where I am most interested and am likely to be accepted.

Is it pointless to do the J.D./MBA? Would I be better off just going to work and getting an MBA part time instead of going to law school? I feel like law school is what I want to do and would be a great experience, both for getting me where I want to be job-wise and also for becoming a better educated individual.

Great responses and lots of good information in this thread!

Thanks,
Mark

Law school is VERY terrible! Especially if you want to work in transactional/business/corporate law. I am currently an extern in Philly's largest corporate law firm. We have well over 500 lawyers and almost exclusively work on M&A and business deals and every associate is worried about getting the axe. Associates who are 1 or 2 years from becoming partners are afraid!

Seriously, I go to a good law school. I am in the top 1/3 of my class. I have worked on more legal jobs than anyone else in my class. I am an unemployed 3L! And besides that law school SUCKS!!! I really wanted to be a lawyer before coming to law school. I worked for 2 years after undergrad just to make sure this is what I wanted. I got a good LSAT score and go to a good law school. This is the worst decision I have ever made. I am too educated to get a "regular" job and I don't have enough experience for what legal jobs are available.

If you go to a little school like Wake in the middle of no where like Wake think of your job prospects. It's even worse in NC where you have to compete with Duke and UNC grads in what is a very small legal market. The great thing about an undergrad degree is that no one cares what you majored in. As long as you have it you qualify for most positions. Once you have a post graduate degree that is what you are supposed to do and you cannot "down grade" yourself. I wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to go to law school.

 

[scwtlover]

Law school is VERY terrible!

On the whole, my law school professors, as teachers, were outstanding; better than my B-school professors.

I don't regret either program. In retrospect, however, I probably would have done better to take some time off between college and graduate school.

 

[wessex]

Would I be better off just going to work and getting an MBA part time instead of going to law school?

Why? There are very few professions in which an MBA magically escalates you into the next level of the corporate food chain. Even in those fields, the degree better be full-time from a top 10 school. What kind of work would you like to do? I think you're fooling yourself if you think there will be any entry-level IB M&A jobs for non-ivy league studs available in the next few years.

I think undergrads have a huge misperception about the value of post-graduate education. Try to find a job doing something you like. If you still enjoy the work after a few years, it will become clear what you need to do to succeed and advance. Most of the time it will not include obtaining another degree, and you'd be wasting your youth and money spending your evenings learning about "strategic" management at CUNY.