I want to be a Lawyer...

[Anonymous]

Hi.

I am in my last year of college, and I asked about the LSAT earlier and got some positive and negative responses.

I want to hear some from actual lawyers in the DC area. My current employer is a corporate lawyer and she is stressed 24.7. makes a crap load of money but is tired always and I feel bad.


But I want to go into Criminal Law. Debating on prosecution or defense. I'm not sure. I got an internship next summer with a law firm here in DC for defense and Am SO stoked.

But...is it worth it? I'd like to go to NYU or...

Something about being in a courtroom or debating and advocating makes me excited!
Just wondering if actual lawyers around the area feel the same...or stay away from it...
I'd like to have a family of my own one day too...
thank you!

[Anonymous]

Are you male or female?

[Anonymous]

You've been watching too much TV.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy being a lawyer. My post will quickly be drowned out by angry, angry people.

[Anonymous]

My SIL is a public defender. She goes to jail to meet her clients on a regular basis. She uses a shit-ton of moisturizer on her hands, because they're always drying out from using a shit-ton of antibacterial stuff after touching things her clients have touched. Several months ago she was attacked by her client and there was a snafu with the panic button behind the judge's bench so it took security extra time to get into the court room. This is not the first time she's been attacked by her clients. She's been spit on. She's been propositioned and had rape threatened all within the same sentence. She listens to 13 yr old girls claiming they weren't raped and asking if they can still get child support even though their 37 yr old baby daddy is going to jail for having sex with them.

Aside from when she has a trial coming up, she basically works 9-5. Her pay is lower than if she worked in a law firm, but she has awesome benefits. Nobody from work ever contacts her outside of work hours.

[Anonymous]

OP Here.

I'm a female. And no, I actually don't watch TV
And awesome!!! Glad SOMEONE enjoys being a lawyer. What kind of practice?
What makes you happy about it?

And holy crap and your SIL. She's been through hell and back! it's all about the passion then. Public Defense seems a little intense but interesting.

We will see..

[Anonymous]

You are 10 years too late

[Anonymous]

If you love the law you can find the work satisfying, however if you are saddled with large law school loans it can feel like you are paying a substantial amount of money to do a legal job which in this market may or may not pay "well." Also can be hard to balance motherhood and pursuing a career. Meaning lots of fellow moms I know took jobs for flexibility and still do legal work but not necessarily the full fledged career aspiration type work they thought they would do when pursuing a law degree. That can be a bit of a transition to accept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi.

I am in my last year of college, and I asked about the LSAT earlier and got some positive and negative responses.

I want to hear some from actual lawyers in the DC area. My current employer is a corporate lawyer and she is stressed 24.7. makes a crap load of money but is tired always and I feel bad.


But I want to go into Criminal Law. Debating on prosecution or defense. I'm not sure. I got an internship next summer with a law firm here in DC for defense and Am SO stoked.

But...is it worth it? I'd like to go to NYU or...

Something about being in a courtroom or debating and advocating makes me excited!
Just wondering if actual lawyers around the area feel the same...or stay away from it...
I'd like to have a family of my own one day too...
thank you!

If this is what you want out of your life go for it. You are the one responsible for living your life, so live it purposely and with a plan.

[Anonymous]

Very very few lawyers actually spend any time in court.

[Anonymous]

Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

NP. I went to law school to become a law librarian but I ended being bored working in library and am thinking of taking the bar and working as a lawyer to have more dynamic and interactive work. Would this be worthwhile? What field of practice would be less solitary reading/writing but have more dynamism

[Anonymous]

OP -- if you want to be a lawyer, you should go to law school. There are lawyers who enjoy their work. And right now is a good time to go to law school because applications are way down. If your LSAT and GPA are good, you can get into a good law school and the school will give you money. That way you can come out w/ way less debt (although you may not have a degree from the best law school you get into).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP -- if you want to be a lawyer, you should go to law school. There are lawyers who enjoy their work. And right now is a good time to go to law school because applications are way down. If your LSAT and GPA are good, you can get into a good law school and the school will give you money. That way you can come out w/ way less debt (although you may not have a degree from the best law school you get into).

I think that may be shortsighted. If it is easier to get into top top school take it. Gives more options for future. But debt is a concern I concede.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. I went to law school to become a law librarian but I ended being bored working in library and am thinking of taking the bar and working as a lawyer to have more dynamic and interactive work. Would this be worthwhile? What field of practice would be less solitary reading/writing but have more dynamism

Start your own thread. Sheesh.