Any second thoughts on law school among 0Ls? Forum

[Inmilex]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

[ahduth]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

Please elaborate on "continuing collapse."

[Adjudicator]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

Please elaborate on "continuing collapse."

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir. It is beginning to show some signs of life, however minor. It will probably never be what it once was, but it won't be as bad as the past couple of years, either.

[superhands]

I'm not too worried. So what if I become mired in debt and end up with no decent job offers after graduating, “it’s not like they can put me jail” as one recent Thomas Jefferson graduate said.

[Pricer]

It is making me lean toward UGA with money rather than the higher ranked schools I was shooting at.

[Inmilex]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

Please elaborate on "continuing collapse."

You could argue that the collapse is complete, and as such cannot continue any longer.

[NorCalBruin]

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir

Excellent use of the word "nadir".

[09042014]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

Please elaborate on "continuing collapse."

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir. It is beginning to show some signs of life, however minor. It will probably never be what it once was, but it won't be as bad as the past couple of years, either.

It will rebound to mid 2000 levels eventually. But taht still doesn't mean paying sticker at Tulane is a good idea. Law school has always been a bad choice for most law students.

[Inmilex]

It will rebound to mid 2000 levels eventually. But taht still doesn't mean paying sticker at Tulane is a good idea. Law school has always been a bad choice for most law students.

Possibly, but the classes of 2007 through at least 2012 are lost.

[Adjudicator]

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir

Excellent use of the word "nadir".

Thank you.

[DeeCee]

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir

Excellent use of the word "nadir".

Thank you.

LOL I was thinking of this too. Haven't heard such great usage since my remote sensing class.

[LSATclincher]

I pretty much share the feeling of the rest above. I still think connections, experience, networking, and extreme hard work will land you a job. I also think firms will bounce back once they figure out the new business aspects of the profession. I'm certainly more realistic about salary vs. debt. My goal is no longer to attend the best school I can get into. It's attending the best school I can get into with the least amount of debt.

[Adjudicator]

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir

Excellent use of the word "nadir".

Thank you.

LOL I was thinking of this too. Haven't heard such great usage since my remote sensing class.

You guys are too kind.

[DeeCee]

My goal is no longer to attend the best school I can get into. It's attending the best school I can get into with the least amount of debt.

+1000. At this point if I don't get enough money (not sure what that amount is, but I'll crunch the numbers in due time), or if I don't get into my in-state school, I'll be forced to retake and reapply next cycle.

[ahduth]

I also think firms will bounce back once they figure out the new business aspects of the profession.

My goal is no longer to attend the best school I can get into. It's attending the best school I can get into with the least amount of debt.

I think these two statements may be at odds.

http://www.economist.com/node/17733545

I'm sure this article has been covered off elsewhere, but when we talk about "nadirs" and "continuing collapses" and the like, it's perhaps important to recognize that the legal market itself is not impervious to structural change. The union-esque progression of associates, where promotions and pay are based on hours and seniority rather than value-add, will not necessarily hold true with all firms going forward. As the article cites, dla piper is setting up its own internal outsourcing operation - how they plan to manage it remains to be seen. But firms are clearly becoming more open to addressing the market in different ways. Debt can be eliminated, but work experience cannot.

[2011Law]

It is making me lean toward UGA with money rather than the higher ranked schools I was shooting at.

I've also been doing some soul searching in this regard, but in the end I think I'm going to go for the higher ranked school.

[d34d9823]

DLA Piper is setting up its own internal outsourcing operation

Lol dla piper

[ahduth]

DLA Piper is setting up its own internal outsourcing operation

Lol DLA Piper

Does dla piper have a good/bad reputation? I don't know very much about the various firms at all.

The main reason I'm trying to get into a top school is that I want to make sure I'm in control of the process of playing local contracting costs against overseas contracting costs. Legal fees are going to continue to go down in a number of market areas. A partner's ability to deliver local resources versus foreign resources will come to mirror what happens in accountancy. This is very particular to me I suppose, but I decided to go to law school to understand what I need to make this work. The good old days of billing associates out because they have the firm's name on their business card are increasingly over.

[rundoxierun]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

FTFY... I have second thoughts but honestly Im well aware that I just hate loans and risk. At the end of the day, even if I were going to medical school I would still be having second thoughts. I could just get an entry-level analyst job and try to work my way up but I know thats not my personality type. To get to the higher levels of society when you come from the lower levels you have to take a risk at some point.

[LSATclincher]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

FTFY... I have second thoughts but honestly Im well aware that I just hate loans and risk. At the end of the day, even if I were going to medical school I would still be having second thoughts. I could just get an entry-level analyst job and try to work my way up but I know thats not my personality type. To get to the higher levels of society when you come from the lower levels you have to take a risk at some point.

Great point. Ultimately, we are taking risks on ourselves and our abilities, so if our confidence is high, we should feel less risky about the investment.

[AreJay711]

Ehh I second guess myself all the time but I'm just going to go for it. If I'm in the bottom 1/3rd after my first year, I could still be in good shape with my alternative if I drop out.

[d34d9823]

DLA Piper is setting up its own internal outsourcing operation

Lol DLA Piper

Does DLA Piper have a good/bad reputation? I don't know very much about the various firms at all.

The main reason I'm trying to get into a top school is that I want to make sure I'm in control of the process of playing local contracting costs against overseas contracting costs. Legal fees are going to continue to go down in a number of market areas. A partner's ability to deliver local resources versus foreign resources will come to mirror what happens in accountancy. This is very particular to me I suppose, but I decided to go to law school to understand what I need to make this work. The good old days of billing associates out because they have the firm's name on their business card are increasingly over.

They really struggled during the downturn and were pretty harsh on their associates. Ergo now people don't want to go there. (theoretically, most people don't have the luxury of turning down a V100 firm)

[chasgoose]

Just curious, considering the continuing collapse of the legal job market.

Please elaborate on "continuing collapse."

This. It definitely did collapse, but at this point I think we are past the nadir. It is beginning to show some signs of life, however minor. It will probably never be what it once was, but it won't be as bad as the past couple of years, either.

It will rebound to mid 2000 levels eventually. But taht still doesn't mean paying sticker at Tulane is a good idea. Law school has always been a bad choice for most law students.

Personally I disagree. While it will definitely rebound. I highly doubt we will see it return to mid-2000 levels anytime soon. Those were an aberration, an aberration partially to blame for the economic collapse we saw. People keep forgetting that the mid-2000 levels throughout most fields were an artificially enhanced bubble that was sustained by collective willful ignorance. A lot of what happened in 2007-2008 was simply the economy righting itself to reflect reality rather than the fairy tale everyone subscribed to. The real economy is going to have to improve beyond mid-2000 levels for that sort of job market to ever exist in a sustainable manner again.

[law4vus]

It will rebound to mid 2000 levels eventually. But taht still doesn't mean paying sticker at Tulane is a good idea. Law school has always been a bad choice for most law students.

Possibly, but the classes of 2007 through at least 2012 are lost.

Do you mean law school graduating classes of 07-12 or entering classes?