RECESSION PANIC MEGAPOST: Bad economy threads go here! Forum

[as stars burn]

For those of us who currently have decent paying jobs, going to law school is looking more like a questionable idea each day...

Thoughts from others in the same boat?

I have a job, er, jobs, but it doesn't pay all that great. I get to save money and that's all I care about right now. In fact, if it weren't for my fiancé I'd probably be living with my parents right now. As a journalism graduate there are zilch journalism jobs where I'm at and the few students I know who did find reporting jobs had to move far away...which wasn't an option at the time (I live in Florida, ah, the price we pay for love). I really want to go to law school, and honestly, depending on how much scholarship money I get, ect., life after graduating law school couldn't be worse then life after I graduated undergrad with no job. I'm prepared.

[laidoffjournalist]

For those of us who currently have decent paying jobs, going to law school is looking more like a questionable idea each day...

Thoughts from others in the same boat?

I have a job, er, jobs, but it doesn't pay all that great. I get to save money and that's all I care about right now. In fact, if it weren't for my fiancé I'd probably be living with my parents right now. As a journalism graduate there are zilch journalism jobs where I'm at and the few students I know who did find reporting jobs had to move far away...which wasn't an option at the time (I live in Florida, ah, the price we pay for love). I really want to go to law school, and honestly, depending on how much scholarship money I get, ect., life after graduating law school couldn't be worse then life after I graduated undergrad with no job. I'm prepared.

Another one! Haha! J-school is the biggest scam right now. And I read that J-schools are as packed as ever. I want to bust through all the classrooms and beg these kids to major in something else. Read angryjournalist.com for fun sometime -- I'm sure it was once for venting about the trials and tribulations of reporting the news, but now it's all about furloughs, shrinking newsrooms and lay offs. I am actually the only person I'm aware of in my graduating class who did manage to find a reporter job in the area. I got laid off but I actually work for a good large paper right now... but as a correspondent because they are laying off full-time staff, not hiring. For the record, I do live at home because I can't afford paying my own health insurance and rent. Some days I want to get a one-way plane ticket to Thailand. I too have decided law school cannot possibly be worse than my situation right now. Ha.

[Z3RO]

For those of us who currently have decent paying jobs, going to law school is looking more like a questionable idea each day...

Thoughts from others in the same boat?

I have a job, er, jobs, but it doesn't pay all that great. I get to save money and that's all I care about right now. In fact, if it weren't for my fiancé I'd probably be living with my parents right now. As a journalism graduate there are zilch journalism jobs where I'm at and the few students I know who did find reporting jobs had to move far away...which wasn't an option at the time (I live in Florida, ah, the price we pay for love). I really want to go to law school, and honestly, depending on how much scholarship money I get, ect., life after graduating law school couldn't be worse then life after I graduated undergrad with no job. I'm prepared.

Another one! Haha! J-school is the biggest scam right now. And I read that J-schools are as packed as ever. I want to bust through all the classrooms and beg these kids to major in something else. Read angryjournalist.com for fun sometime -- I'm sure it was once for venting about the trials and tribulations of reporting the news, but now it's all about furloughs, shrinking newsrooms and lay offs. I am actually the only person I'm aware of in my graduating class who did manage to find a reporter job in the area. I got laid off but I actually work for a good large paper right now... but as a correspondent because they are laying off full-time staff, not hiring. For the record, I do live at home because I can't afford paying my own health insurance and rent. Some days I want to get a one-way plane ticket to Thailand. I too have decided law school cannot possibly be worse than my situation right now. Ha.

What's health insurance and the job market look like in Thailand?

[as stars burn]

For those of us who currently have decent paying jobs, going to law school is looking more like a questionable idea each day...

Thoughts from others in the same boat?

I have a job, er, jobs, but it doesn't pay all that great. I get to save money and that's all I care about right now. In fact, if it weren't for my fiancé I'd probably be living with my parents right now. As a journalism graduate there are zilch journalism jobs where I'm at and the few students I know who did find reporting jobs had to move far away...which wasn't an option at the time (I live in Florida, ah, the price we pay for love). I really want to go to law school, and honestly, depending on how much scholarship money I get, ect., life after graduating law school couldn't be worse then life after I graduated undergrad with no job. I'm prepared.

Another one! Haha! J-school is the biggest scam right now. And I read that J-schools are as packed as ever. I want to bust through all the classrooms and beg these kids to major in something else. Read angryjournalist.com for fun sometime -- I'm sure it was once for venting about the trials and tribulations of reporting the news, but now it's all about furloughs, shrinking newsrooms and lay offs. I am actually the only person I'm aware of in my graduating class who did manage to find a reporter job in the area. I got laid off but I actually work for a good large paper right now... but as a correspondent because they are laying off full-time staff, not hiring. For the record, I do live at home because I can't afford paying my own health insurance and rent. Some days I want to get a one-way plane ticket to Thailand. I too have decided law school cannot possibly be worse than my situation right now. Ha.

It's so comforting to know I'm not the only one!! I just graduated last December, and must have sent out around 300 applications. I desperately wanted to move out of the state, but I got engaged last Christmas and my fiance has a great job here in Florida, which, ultimately, limited my job scope. I knew I was going to law school even before I graduated from undergrad but I felt so defeated when I couldn't find anything with my journalism degree (I took a year off to work and save money).

I agree with you. I can't believe journalism school is packed. I'm friends with several of my journalism professors on facebook and they always post articles about how j-school is growing. Most recently, my professor posted an article and said, "Are these students crazy for coming to j-school? No, they are going to change the face of journalism!" I laughed for about an hour. I know a grand total of about 4-5 kids who are currently working in journalism, 3 that got laid-off and around 20-30 who are still journalism job-less. The 4-5 that do have jobs are doing fairly well: one is an editor for a Spanish magazine in NY, and another is an education reporter for the LA Times (I believe?), but as you can see, they all are far away from Florida. I try not to regret doing journalism, but I think my expectations were too high. Hey, at least we'll have one up on the intensive writing in law school and law review. Though, whenever I meet a journalism student I immediately try to talk them out of it. It is a complete joke right now, and not to mention, the pay isn't that great anyway. Hope the whole law school thing works out for you! I get my LSAT score in a week and then it's either I re-take, apply at the end of December or send out all my apps. now.

I'll have to read angryjournalist sometime. Thanks for the link! And PM me sometime and we can crack on journalism, haha.

[MTal]

$8/hour position for an ADMITTED attorney in NY...! Honestly, I will just let this ad speak for itself.

--LinkRemoved--

Edit: I doubt you could survive on this "salary" in NY debt free...now add in a 6 figure law school loan and you've got the makings of a very sad situation.

Edit 2: Changed the thread title.

[Kohinoor]

$8/hour position for an ADMITTED attorney in NY...! Honestly, I will just let this ad speak for itself.

--LinkRemoved--

Edit: I doubt you could survive on this "salary" in NY debt free...now add in a 6 figure law school loan and you've got the makings of a very sad situation.

You need a hug...

[TTTTT]

EVERYONE, A REALLY BAD JOB WAS POSTED ON CRAIGSLIST!


I get what the point you're trying to make, but using one ad on craigslist isn't really the best way to make it....

[Pearalegal]

This is a job for a paralegal, that they're trying to broaden to get new attorneys as well.

[MTal]

This is a job for a paralegal, that they're trying to broaden to get new attorneys as well.

"open to entry-level admitted attorneys in NY (NJ is a plus), to assist with all aspects of no fault insurance litigation "

Reading...Comp?

[MTal]

EVERYONE, A REALLY BAD JOB WAS POSTED ON CRAIGSLIST!


I get what the point you're trying to make, but using one ad on craigslist isn't really the best way to make it....

You're right...one should never try and make points by pointing to CONCRETE REAL WORLD EXAMPLES.

[Pearalegal]

This is a job for a paralegal, that they're trying to broaden to get new attorneys as well.

"open to entry-level admitted attorneys in NY (NJ is a plus), to assist with all aspects of no fault insurance litigation "

Reading...Comp?

Jack...ass?

"Boutique law office seeks attorney/paralegal,"

"including preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing and other administrative matters as well."

These are paralegal duties, save maybe the negotiating, which is vague and can mean anything. Everything else is paralegal work. They're obviously just desperate to get anyone.

[hank44]

EVERYONE, A REALLY BAD JOB WAS POSTED ON CRAIGSLIST!


I get what the point you're trying to make, but using one ad on craigslist isn't really the best way to make it....

You're right...one should never try and make points by pointing to CONCRETE REAL WORLD EXAMPLES.

Your point is well taken. I think what they may be getting at is the fact that ANYBODY can post a "job" on craigslist. If you want to point out the fact that there are fewer and fewer legal jobs out there for new grads, fair enough. To act like a job offer of $8/hour is somehow a "concrete real world example"...thats a joke.

[MTal]

This is a job for a paralegal, that they're trying to broaden to get new attorneys as well.

"open to entry-level admitted attorneys in NY (NJ is a plus), to assist with all aspects of no fault insurance litigation "

Reading...Comp?

Jack...ass?

"Boutique law office seeks attorney/paralegal,"

"including preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing and other administrative matters as well."

These are paralegal duties, save maybe the negotiating, which is vague and can mean anything. Everything else is paralegal work. They're obviously just desperate to get anyone.

Wow, you are really clueless. The duties they list can only be perfromed legally by an admitted licensed attorney, and NOT a paralegal... "preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing" NONE of those duties can legally be done by a para. The only thing the list which could apply to paras is "and other administrative matters".

[Kohinoor]

This is a job for a paralegal, that they're trying to broaden to get new attorneys as well.

"open to entry-level admitted attorneys in NY (NJ is a plus), to assist with all aspects of no fault insurance litigation "

Reading...Comp?

Jack...ass?

"Boutique law office seeks attorney/paralegal,"

"including preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing and other administrative matters as well."

These are paralegal duties, save maybe the negotiating, which is vague and can mean anything. Everything else is paralegal work. They're obviously just desperate to get anyone.

He's like reasonable_man without the courtesy, wisdom, eloquence, or real world experience.

[Pearalegal]

Wow, you are really clueless. The duties they list can only be perfromed legally by an admitted licensed attorney, and NOT a paralegal... "preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing" NONE of those duties can legally be done by a para. The only thing the list which could apply to paras is "and other administrative matters".

...you know I'm a paralegal, right? My name should have been the first clue.

I work at a V10, and I prepared two motions earlier today (quite common), regularly draft the majority of our correspondence and obviously, other administrative matters. If very common for paralegals to do all these things, at all types of firms.

[Kohinoor]

Wow, you are really clueless. The duties they list can only be perfromed legally by an admitted licensed attorney, and NOT a paralegal... "preparing motion papers, negotiating with insurance companies to settle cases, drafting correspondence, filing" NONE of those duties can legally be done by a para. The only thing the list which could apply to paras is "and other administrative matters".

I did all but negotiation as a paralegal. You don't know what you're talking about.

[Pearalegal]

I did all but negotiation as a paralegal. You don't know what you're talking about.

Exactly, and that really could mean anything, or just a shout out to try and make the position more attractive to a desperate attorney.

[MTal]

Ok I will give you that preparing the motions could be done by a para (even though the motion would have to be filed by an attorney) however, the ad also states that they are looking for someone to assist with ALL aspects of no fault litigation, which ON TOP of mentioning that they are looking for an admitted attorney, suggests that they are primarily looking for an attorney to fill this position.

[Matthies]

Protip - use craigslist to find: used furniture, a roommate, or a Philippino she male. Don’t use Craigslist to find a legal job.

[hypermeganet]

7 years of head and you get paid $8/hr? If you go to a T3 with a full ride where's the drawback?

[Pearalegal]

Ok I will give you that preparing the motions could be done by a para (even though the motion would have to be filed by an attorney) however, the ad also states that they are looking for someone to assist with ALL aspects of no fault litigation, which ON TOP of mentioning that they are looking for an admitted attorney, suggests that they are primarily looking for an attorney to fill this position.

Haha, maybe. But you have no clue what you're talking about here.

And no, paralegals file. Attorneys never do, in fact. Attorneys have to sign everything, but even that can be done by a paralegal if they initial afterwards.

[Kohinoor]

Ok I will give you that preparing the motions could be done by a para (even though the motion would have to be filed by an attorney) however, the ad also states that they are looking for someone to assist with ALL aspects of no fault litigation, which ON TOP of mentioning that they are looking for an admitted attorney, suggests that they are primarily looking for an attorney to fill this position.

I regularly did filings as well. The filing is electronic and the lawyer assumes responsibility for any filings done under his name. It's likely not prohibited since I sometimes needed passwords for filing and was able to request passwords from the court clerk.

[Pearalegal]

however, the ad also states that they are looking for someone to assist with ALL aspects of no fault litigation, which ON TOP of mentioning that they are looking for an admitted attorney, suggests that they are primarily looking for an attorney to fill this position.

Also, that wording ("assisting in ALL aspects...") was the exact wording my firm used in its search for paralegals.

Second, they also mention paralegals.

[MTal]

Protip - use craigslist to find: used furniture, a roommate, or a Philippino she male. Don’t use Craigslist to find a legal job.

Apart from OCI which is only availabe to the top 10 % of students at most schools, could you please point us to the magical legal database of plush lawyer jobs, with dozens of postings for every city? The fact is that if you haven't secured a job through OCI or a judicial clerkship, C-list is what you're stuck with.

[hank44]

OP, how do you find so much time to post on here if you are an attorney? Perhaps this work ethic is why you ended up with a job you don't seem to like?