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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's for my son who is a freshman in college. He wants to major in history and go to law school. He says he likes the idea of studying criminal law and becoming a prosecutor but I suspect his idea of this career is based on tv so I don't know. We're pushing him to apply for internships at various law offices to learn if it really is for him. What I do know is that we can afford to pay for his schooling but I'd like him to get a job at the end of it, kwim? Lol

Tbh, i haven't been following the ups and downs in the legal market much, though I'm aware that it's a bit over saturated. [b]Does this mean there aren't enough jobs in general or there aren't enough high paying jobs that enable people to easily pay back their loans?[/b][/quote]

Both.  Oh goodness.  You know what, do not pony up a penny for law school until he has worked in a legal office and knows he enjoys that work.  I would say as someone who has been in his shoes, he should work in a law office at least for a year, but if a summer internship is doable I guess that's fine too.  And I know this is awful, but maybe he should try a major that will give him more job options (says the former psychology major).[/quote]

Yes this is causing a bit of a problem in our house right now, lol. He wants to major in history and DH thinks this a bad idea. DH wants him to study something "applicable" preferably engineering (though that ship has sailed), economics, finance, etc. I don't know much about legal careers myself though I suspect there *are* interesting things you can do with the degree, so I'm inclined to encourage him in that direction. Pretty much all I hear about irl though are people in BigLaw careers who think their jobs are dull and they despise their employers. Most of them took those jobs to make enough money to pay back their loans though. So they might not be the best examples. [/quote]

I think that there will always be a need for lawyers, just less of them compared to the past.  A lot of this has to do with automation. When I joined my firm, large cases required large numbers of junior lawyers to review documents.  Computer programs that assist with document review have reduced that need greatly.  So, here is the advice I have given to people:

1. When picking an undergraduate major, pick one in which you will do very well. The better your grades, the better your chances to get into a good law school.

2. Take one or two years off between college and law school. This gives you an opportunity to get some real work experience on your resume, which will be very helpful later on when you are looking for a job.  Working on the hill is a popular choice, as is teaching English abroad for those who want to travel.

3. If your intention is to make money and you intend to practice in one of the big legal markets (NY, DC, Chicago, SF, LA) don't bother going to law school unless you can get into a first tier school.  Big firms and the super prestigious boutique smaller firms hire almost exclusively from the top tier firms.  If you want to be a prosecutor, then pick where you think you want to live and go for the best local area school or a first tier law school.

4. Keep in mind that only a select few attorneys will be making big money in the future.  
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