Is it true that lawyers lose their sense of humor or did not have one?

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>This is a stereotype, but uh I went to a pre-law meeting once, and it seemed everyone in there was EXTREMELY serious. Is this true? Will being a lawyer change your personality and/or do you need a certain type of personality to become one? </p>

<p>Pardon the grammar, but it wouldn't let me post a lengthier query.
To add onto the query...or did not have one in the beginning?</p>

<p>This isn't meant to be offensive; it's just a question based upon society's stereotype and a few, singular observations.</p>

2

<p>Trust me. If you watch closing arguments on Court TV, you'll see that lawyers crack jokes.</p>

3

<p>The funny ones become judges; that's the impression you get from how loudly the lawyers laugh when one of them cracks a joke from the bench.</p>

4

<p>No, in fact when my mom hires someone new to her lawfirm the first thing she looks for is a sense of humor. Don't lose it!</p>

5

<p>Has someone watched "Legally Blonde" too many times?</p>

6

<p>haha...Only twice.</p>

<p>But yeah, it was the pre-law meeting at my university. Then I had an internship at a law firm for some time...</p>

<p>I heard somewhere that 70% of lawyers are depressed. And that lawyers have the highest divorce rate among professional careers...</p>

7

<p>High divorce rate, high rate of alcoholism, suicide (although lower than dentists!), depression... the works. </p>

<p>A lot of that is anyone who works 90-hour weeks meeting other people's demands will be miserable. Anyone who is stuck in a profession that they didn't like much but went into blindly won't be cheerful.</p>

<p>Spend time at a law firm as a paralegal or unpaid intern. </p>

<p>FWIW, there are some super-laid back law firms. Email (PM box full) if you would like more details.</p>

8

<p>ariesathena,</p>

<p>C'mon, we all know it's one of the "trade secrets," but let the truth go free! Lawyers DON'T have senses of humor. Or souls, for that matter.</p>

<p>;)</p>

9

<p>I think the law profession attracts a lot of college students who have no idea what they want to do in life. Since going to law school has no class requirements and the entrance exam (LSAT) doesn't actually require any specific technical knowledge like other post-graduate exams, its quite easy to jump into law school.</p>

<p>I find that most often, from personal experience alone, people who don't have senses of humor in demanding situations or jobs are often above their level of compotency and overly stressed out because of it. They often have personal reasons for doing so, the most common often being parental pressure, or an active-negative personality.</p>

<p>That's just my personal experience.</p>

10

<p>Shiboing Boing,</p>

<p>Nice try. The real explanation? Every law school requires you to sign a waiver stating that upon graduation you will:</p>

<p>-- Relinquish your soul
-- Lose any sense of humor you once had
-- Eat babies</p>

11

<p>Do baby carrots count?</p>

12

<p>I hope so, because I gotta have my baby carrots.</p>

13

<p>Only puppies, kittens, or really cute babies of the homo sapien sapien variety count. Sorry.</p>