^____^ spritz spritz ([info]likeafox) wrote,
@ 2009-01-10 01:57:00
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So what would you all say if I told you I, in a fit of panic about the future, have decided that maybe I should convince myself to go to law school and become a lawyer?

alksdj

I'm... being a little weird these days. In the freaked out sense. It's sort of awkward and difficult. But honest opinions people. As much as it seems like some sketchy important real life decisions version of the livejournal meme, Ellen would make a good lawyer some day! Yes or no?

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[info]soullessthinker
2009-01-10 09:19 am UTC (link)
I don't know any happy lawyers. None.

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2 cents
[info]sunnyd137
2009-01-10 02:55 pm UTC (link)
I think it depends more on the person. I can think of a lot of people who would be happy being lawyers.

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[info]sougo
2009-01-10 11:44 am UTC (link)
If it's any help at all...I've had the same fit of panic and came to the same decision.

But I'm a lazy ass and don't know if I'd actually go through with the entire law school thing. Don't know how I feel about being a poor student for even longer, but yeah, kinda at a similar impasse still. >>

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[info]miss_daizy
2009-01-10 12:48 pm UTC (link)
You're certainly bright, curious and hard-working enough. I applied and was accepted to law school but didn't go. I really don't regret the decision although I probably should have had a better back-up plan. I eventually ended up working as a paralegal because I enjoyed law but didn't really want all the debt and long hours and stress of a lawyer. Of course, there are financial drawbacks to that. But there were a lot of advantages when if came to raising children.

Wow, so unhelpful.

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[info]abbers44
2009-01-10 01:02 pm UTC (link)
sldkfjsdf uh. idk I could see this happening, but like.... what kind of law would you practice... there are like 290039094 kinds. also there are pre-reqs? AND THE LSAT gosh. slkjf uh. slkjf I guess my advice is to do some research! Make sure it's feasible and not soul crushing? Look for internships in a law firm this summer... i can ask around about what law schools like, if like. hannah's applying or at least making sure she can apply if she feels like it later on, so i have an in skjf.

So! What brought on the panic?

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[info]abbers44
2009-01-10 01:03 pm UTC (link)
if you like.... sorry i just woke up.

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Ellen and the LSAT
[info]sunnyd137
2009-01-10 03:00 pm UTC (link)
Dear Ellen,
I think law is a very interesting career path, but I think you would enjoy many other fields a lot more. Do you really want to sit at a desk all day reviewing dense documents or preparing for trials and yelling in court and making friends with convicted people and possibly angering them when you win/lose (depending which side you are working for).

I can see a lot of people we know moving into a field like that, but I think you, in particular, would prefer something where you could be more creative and possibly employ your mad Japanese skills. That's not to say you shouldn't be a lawyer. I'm sure whatever company Naruto is made under needs lawyers and whatnot to represent them, etc etc and you would squeal at that.

I think you should move to Japan and teach English and on the side write books under a crazy pen name. Oh and especially if said books are really trashy and filled with buttsecks.

<3
Sandhya

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[info]sagacious_c
2009-01-10 03:39 pm UTC (link)
I recently graduated from law school and am in my second year of being a lawyer, and would advise doing a LOT of research before deciding to go to law school. I also think it's a good idea to take some time off between undergrad and law school, so you can get more life experience and work experience to make sure it's something you really want to do. A lot of my classmates went to law school because they weren't sure what else they wanted to do and it was a way to prolong making a decision, but they ended up not being very happy. It's intense, stressful, competitive, and will continue to be that way during your career. :( The debt load from most law schools is practically a mortgage, which then puts pressure on you to find a job that pays enough, which is part of why the field is so competitive...

You're doing the right thing in collecting information early on. You're smart and could definitely thrive in law school if that's what you decide you want to do, but definitely research the hell out of it to make sure it is what you want to do. I just realized I sound kind of negative, which I'm not intending because I actually do love the law and love being a lawyer (I also came at it from a different angle and decided to go to law school when I was 24 or 25, and had a specific legal field in mind). But I do know a lot of very unhappy lawyers who weren't really sure what they were getting into when they decided to go to law school, so my overall advice is to be very sure it's what you want to do.

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[info]acusa_dora
2009-01-10 04:05 pm UTC (link)
I've been a lawyer for a long time and I'm reasonably happy. (I don't think people are 100 happy in any job, even if they say they are.) There are a lot of different types of law. You can be in something as dull as finance or something as exciting as working for the FBI as an agent. (some have law degrees and the CIA also recruits in law schools) I decided to be in a DA's office because I liked the hours. I really started liking the work as well. I was always fascinated by crime stories when I was a kid, but I also liked wills and estate planning when I was in school.

Yes, you may have to negotiate contracts, but that skill can be applied in the entertainment and publishing industries. You could also become an intellectual property lawyer or work in elder law. (that's a place where lawyers are needed.) You could work with children as an ad litem if you did family law.

Why don't you look for a type of law you might be interested in and then try to get a job with a law firm so you can see what goes on in the practice of law? If you don't mind being a runner, you'll see what kinds of things the firm does.

I do suggest that if you go, you really study hard ane get the best grades possible. I think jobs may be hard to come by in the near future. Good luck with your decision.

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[info]acusa_dora
2009-01-10 04:06 pm UTC (link)
I also agree that taking time off before going to school is good. I didn't, but I wish I had.

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[info]coplandripoff
2009-01-10 05:32 pm UTC (link)
You need to lay off the Phoenix Wright :P

I personally feel like you are so creative and talented with Japanese as well, that you would be a kickass teacher or professor. You could move to Japan and be an amazing English teacher too. (Woah I just read that Sandhya said the same thing woah).

Law is, from what I understand at least, a lonely career as well. I don't know, I am not a lawyer.

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[info]frankieb_sq87
2009-01-11 01:08 am UTC (link)
First, I would stare at you for a while as I attempted to comprehend the words you just said.

Second, as they SLOWLY penetrated my brain, I would try very, very hard not to shake you silly.

But seriously. . . why law? It takes a certain kind of self-loathing to WANT to be a lawyer. I work with about 300 of them, and none of them have ever suggested anyone should go to law school. It's horrifically long hours (I know the first year in the office next to my desk put in around 100 hours last week because of this big case she's working on), tedious work and the moral ambiguity is wonky as you don't always agree with the people you're representing.

Money is good. . . but think about it seriously for a while. It's not all it's cracked up to be.

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[info]talimeeka
2009-01-11 04:48 am UTC (link)
Uh...uh...I believe you have the capability, but is this what you want?

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[info]daelite
2009-01-12 05:37 am UTC (link)
I couldn't decide how to reply to this and still don't know, I have no advice. Apologies :(

However I spent Thursday night, not PANICKING per say, but extremely worried about my future as well. That doesn't mean it's normal to go through but... luck girl, good luck, I'll be cheering for you!

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[info]likeafox
2009-01-12 07:32 am UTC (link)
ahh, don't worry. I'm just being weird and stressed. I suspect it is pretty normal to go through worry about future right about now (though possibly I am overachieving in the worry department XD) I think I'm okay now, though 笑 just need to get the stress out of my system.

it'll all work out in the end! and I'm on the verge of quoting inspirational sakurap, so I'm going to stop now.

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