Is it worth it to go to law school ever? Forum

[BigZuck]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

[holdencaulfield]

Yes. Going to lawschool can be worth it if you go with your eyes open. Just like any other endeavor you have to weigh the risks and make a calculated decision.


As to biglaw exit options: In-house positions are more prevalent than in years past, but they generally go to someone with more than 3 years experience. Almost every biglaw washout I've met has gone to a midsize firm, and most of them are doing just fine. In my market (DFW), there are plenty of decent (non-shitlaw) opportunities for young lawyers with 2-3 years experience.

[otnemem]

http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/manus ... wanson.pdf

This is the only reliable study of long-term career outcomes from a top school that I know of. For many obvious reasons it should be taken with a few grains of salt, but in general it paints a pretty positive picture.

[RhymesLikeDimes]

I can only give anecdotal evidence, but I know many people who get big law use their 3-4 years of six-figure salary to get their loans paid down as much as possible. Then, if they are let go, they have several years of marketable experience, a reasonable remaining debt load, and a good shot at another job that pays a decent wage.

Now, if you're irresponsible with your time at big law, or use it to burn a bunch of bridges, it might not end as well. But, I don't know where you get the idea that people with 4 years experience at SullCrom or another powerful firm are less attractive to smaller firms than the thousands and thousands of TTT grads that they hire each year.

[RhymesLikeDimes]

http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/manus ... wanson.pdf

This is the only reliable study of long-term career outcomes from a top school that I know of. For many obvious reasons it should be taken with a few grains of salt, but in general it paints a pretty positive picture.

Eh, I can't put much stock in this. It focuses on lawyers who graduated when the legal market was a goldmine, and were well established prior to the economic down-turn. Still, all the doom and gloom associated with the non-elite schools carries over unfairly to places like HYSCCN. I would imagine that a modern survey of any of those schools would have a very similar breakdown in results.

But hey, if you're part of the so-called "Millennial Generation", it's going to be rough no matter what you decide to do. Thank your parents and grandparents for that.

[star fox]

http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/manus ... wanson.pdf

This is the only reliable study of long-term career outcomes from a top school that I know of. For many obvious reasons it should be taken with a few grains of salt, but in general it paints a pretty positive picture.

Eh, I can't put much stock in this. It focuses on lawyers who graduated when the legal market was a goldmine, and were well established prior to the economic down-turn. Still, all the doom and gloom associated with the non-elite schools carries over unfairly to places like HYSCCN. I would imagine that a modern survey of any of those schools would have a very similar breakdown in results.

But hey, if you're part of the so-called "Millennial Generation", it's going to be rough no matter what you decide to do. Thank your parents and grandparents for that.

There are people from these schools doing doc review.

[RhymesLikeDimes]

It's a fairly small percentage. Some people just aren't cut out for the legal world, and a degree from Yale doesn't automatically change that. There are going to be flame-outs from every school in every field, regardless of institution quality.

[thisiswater]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

[bizzybone1313]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

It is going to be interesting to see how much more applications to law school crater due to the better economy. Get the popcorn out guys!!!!

[star fox]

It's a fairly small percentage. Some people just aren't cut out for the legal world, and a degree from Yale doesn't automatically change that. There are going to be flame-outs from every school in every field, regardless of institution quality.

5 years ago many of those people were placing in BigLaw (a school like Chicago used to place 80-85 %) so there's definitely been an effect for the top law schools, even if it's not been as noticeable as the drop in other schools.

[untar614]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

What college did u graduate from? If you came from Yale or Princeton or the like, you're going to be able to get certain jobs that people with the same degree from another school won't. A bachelors in a basic science from one of the top schools can get you a decent consulting position; from any other school it can only get you a much lower paying lab tech position, and thats if you have lab experience too (unless you have really good connections).

[thisiswater]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

What college did u graduate from? If you came from Yale or Princeton or the like, you're going to be able to get certain jobs that people with the same degree from another school won't. A bachelors in a basic science from one of the top schools can get you a decent consulting position; from any other school it can only get you a much lower paying lab tech position, and thats if you have lab experience too (unless you have really good connections).

I went to a shitty regional large public. I'm just an in-house paralegal at a private equity firm and I know i'm lucky with how good my job is but I find it hard to believe that I am the only lucky person out there.

[untar614]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

What college did u graduate from? If you came from Yale or Princeton or the like, you're going to be able to get certain jobs that people with the same degree from another school won't. A bachelors in a basic science from one of the top schools can get you a decent consulting position; from any other school it can only get you a much lower paying lab tech position, and thats if you have lab experience too (unless you have really good connections).

I went to a shitty regional large public. I'm just an in-house paralegal at a private equity firm and I know i'm lucky with how good my job is but I find it hard to believe that I am the only lucky person out there.

Sure, there are other lucky ppl. I know a girl with a biochem degree from a non-top public school and almost no work experience who got a job as a patent consultant at a small IP firm cuz she knew someone who knew a partner. It happens, but it's definitely the exception, not the rule.

[Void]

If you actually, legitimately, seriously want to be a lawyer, it's a good idea to go to law school. If you just want to make lots of money/are afraid of facing the real world after college/think practicing law is an easy way to live an easy life/think that all lawyers are prestigious/think that the law is all about right & wrong, then going to law school is basically always a terrible idea.

The problem is that you can't really know whether you want to be a lawyer until you go to law school.

[kaydee]

Just in reference to a small thing the OP said- I am capable of getting in to a T14 but incapable of getting decent employment (unless by decent you mean 30k a year). I don't see any way I could get on a career path that would lead me to getting paid like 80K a year. At least not right now.

The job market in general is shit, it's doom and gloom all around for college grads.

Make sure that is true for you before you decide that you have no other path though. I graduated from college in may of 2011 with very little useful experience and a useless degree, registered with some staffing/employment services and ended up at a job where i make about 60k a year with benefits, yearly bonuses and raises and also project bonuses that add up quickly. And in the year I have been here, I receive monthly recruitment calls from agencies looking to put me in a new position.

All I'm saying is try the market before you decide you have no options. College grads are very employable right now

What college did u graduate from? If you came from Yale or Princeton or the like, you're going to be able to get certain jobs that people with the same degree from another school won't. A bachelors in a basic science from one of the top schools can get you a decent consulting position; from any other school it can only get you a much lower paying lab tech position, and thats if you have lab experience too (unless you have really good connections).

I went to a shitty regional large public. I'm just an in-house paralegal at a private equity firm and I know i'm lucky with how good my job is but I find it hard to believe that I am the only lucky person out there.

You're the exception. I've since landed a paralegal job at a very respected firm (mediocre salary, at best), but had to work an "administrative assistant" job, found by a recruiter, first and am CONSTANTLY getting calls now about more shitty, 30k, administrative assistant jobs that give you no relevant experience for your career, unless of course you want to be an Executive Assistant. Employers know most of us have nowhere to go after graduation