Why being a lawyer sucks

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>The legal profession is dramatically changing and is in absolute CRISIS!!! Job searching in this vocational field has changed DRAMATICALLY! Every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don't expect the situation to improve in the coming years.....</p>

<p>Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. </p>

<p>Reminder: We are in a World-wide Recession. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<<<<< The DOW may be rebounding, but the UNemployment rate has not. TODAY's job market is fierce.</p>

<p>Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This is just not a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many reasons. We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today's graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software in order to get legal work done without the cost of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals - we have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc)</p>

<p>Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do.</p>

<p>The field of Law has a mystique that actually exceeds reality. The field of Law is an overrated career - mostly by television. There are many myths regarding the field of Law: working as a Lawyer is mentally challenging (Actually, most work as an attorney involves routine paperwork: research, cite checking, drafting documents, and document review. Attorneys need to write down and track every activity they do, all day long [in 6 to 15 minutes increments, depending on the billing system] - a painstaking but necessary task), being an attorney is thrilling, high-powered, and glamorous (remember: television is fiction - the fictional lawyers on TV are ACTORS - the majority of work that an attorney does, does not happen in a courtroom), law students think that because they are good at arguing they will become great attorneys (actually being a great attorney is more in one's ability to mediate between differing sides and bringing them to agreement), as a lawyer I can correct injustices (actually legal decisions are more about reaching compromises than about right vs. wrong), guaranteed financial success (actually when salaries are compared, you also need to account for cost-of living expenses [most large law firms are in large cities - the bigger the city, the more cost-of-living expenses will be], payment of debts accrued while attending law school, and time needed to build a client base. Many large law firms require lawyers to work 60-80 hours per week.). </p>

<p>Cost of law school to be lawyer, approx $150,000+.
Be prepared to take on a LOT of debt, if becoming an attorney is your "true" ultimate goal.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<</p>

<p>There are no jobs in this vocational field. My family, coworkers, friends, acqaintances, etc. have been laid off left and right in this vocational field.</p>

<p>Even if you finish law school, you won't be able to find a job when you are done. Since this vocational field is shrinking, many new attorneys/lawyers are, themselves, having to work "down" as Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc, to simply try to keep some of their bills paid <<this would be your competition. And the competition is fierce in TODAY'S job market!!</p>

<p>Now... the law schools know this, but they won't tell you the truth >that the job market/economy is just SATURATED with way too many Legal Professionals. Instead the schools will feed you a fairytale and will LIE to you. The root of the problem is we have too many law schools. We are in a recession, and the schools are fighting for their own survival - they will tell students anything to get to the students' money. (Which is why they won't tell you the truth about the job market for the field of Law.) And these schools continue to recruit and churn out even more graduates.............Remember: law schools are BUSINESSES - their top concern is making money for themselves.</p>

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<p>If you don't believe me, then:
*** just do a SEARCH here on Yahoo Answers to see what other posters are saying about the current status of the field of Law. Call some local law firms - ask to speak to the Manager of Human Resources - ask them if they are hiring; ask them what they think about job availability in the field of Law...............</p>

<p>In the book "So You Want to be a Lawyer?" by Marianne Calabrese and Susanne Calabrese (ISBN 0-88391-136-1): "The United States has more lawyers than any other country in the world. About 38,000 students graduate >each year< from the 200+ law schools in the United States. The competition is very keen for jobs and clients." - Even Associate Justice Antonin Scalia (who served on the U.s. Supreme Court for more than 20 years) says there are too many lawyers. (9/14/2008)</p>

<p>If you want a JOB when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the fields of: >>>Healthcare, Information Technology, Law ENFORCEMENT, environmentalism, emergency planning, accounting, education, entertainment, utilities, home-car-commercial-industrial repairs, vice industries, clergy, and/or debt collection! I spoke to a career counselor from Jobs and Family Services, and HE told me that these areas are where the jobs are, and future job opportunities/availability! and scholarships!</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

2

<p>Trying to discourage your law school competition?</p>

3

<p>Lol No</p>

<p>10SHINYpokemoncharizards</p>

<p>I want to be a writer.</p>

4

<p>ok? … why don’t you put this is the Law School section? Alot of us here are worried about getting into college and are not thinking too much about grad. school</p>

<p>But thanks for the heads up?</p>

5

<p>I have a feeling that if I graduate from Harvard or NYU School of Law to work in the field of International Business Law I might have a slight advantage in the job market over other aspiring lawyers…</p>

<p>It depends what school you go to and what branch of law you go into…</p>

6

<p>Actually this past year less people applied to law school. Probably because all of the press that has been getting out about how it is a terrible idea and there’s no jobs.
I don’t mind though because that’s less competition. For me law is one of the things that I love so none of that is going to deter me plus I’m guessing that I’m going to get a better job after I go to law school than I would get after just getting my bachelors degree in philosophy.
[A</a> Sign of the Recovery? Law School Applications Fall - NYTimes.com](<a href=“A Sign of the Recovery? Law School Applications Fall - The New York Times”>A Sign of the Recovery? Law School Applications Fall - The New York Times)</p>

7

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<p>Go look up the definition of “non-profit.”</p>

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<ol>
<li><p>This is CC, not Yahoo Answers.</p></li>
<li><p>You’re honestly suggesting that Yahoo Answers is a reliable source?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>While your points regarding the job market do hold some water, good attorneys (especially those who went to good schools and graduated near the top of their class) will still be able to get jobs. Just as in any other career, you have to be better than the competition to get a job.</p>

8

<p>From age 9-to even now, being a lawyer was my dream. Since law is what I love, and I understand it 348% better then any other person my age.</p>

<p>But I am becoming deterred day and day, as job spots are decreasing. Many lawyers are without any money because they couldn’t find a firm or at least a reputable one. </p>

<p>Now I am thinking about being a scientist, or businessmen. Only a lawyer if I am sure I can get into top 10 law schools.</p>

9

<p>

What a humble and accurate statement.</p>

10

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<p>Sarcasm meter: 89%</p>

<p>Thanks bro.</p>

<p>But, lack of better words in that post, I meant the average teenager my age.</p>

11

<p>Well, you can just major in whatever you want, and look at law prospects when you’re finished with college. If the market is still bad or you can’t get into the schools you want, then you don’t have to be a lawyer.</p>

12

<p>“I understand it 348% better then any other person my age”</p>

<p>I’d be willing to make a bet against that. </p>

<p>“I meant the average teenager my age.”</p>

<p>Well, you certainly aren’t speaking with a lawyer’s precision of diction. </p>

<p>The reason law schools are flooding with students is because that people are turning to a law degree when they aren’t able to find a job after undergrad. Consequently, the job market is brimming with law school graduates.</p>

13

<p>^ What is your point though? You want me to talk with a “lawyer’s precision of diction” when I don’t have any need. I really don’t have to speak in any diction inside CC. I am not being tested or anything, so I really have no need. </p>

<p>However, I doubt you know my age. So I don’t really know how you can make a bet against it. I am pretty sure about what I said.</p>

14

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14-15?<br>
[right]o[/right]</p>

15

<p>Ohhhhhh boy here comes a fight!</p>

16

<p>Lol. A harmless semi-joke explodes. Ok, I will stop.</p>