Pros and Cons of Life as a Lawyer Forum

[joefow91]

Hi all,
I just finished my sophomore year (undergraduate). I've always thought I wanted to be a lawyer. Yet, as I age, I need to make a real decision. What are some pro's and cons of the profession? I've been looking into environmental law, as this is something I feel strongly about. I have talked to many people, but feel that this forum is the best of the best.
Thanks- Joseph

[071816]

I'm diggin' the erroneously placed apostrophes in the thread title.

Edit: Nice ninja edit OP.

[theghostofDrewTate]

What do you feel strongly about in environmental law? What do you picture yourself doing all day as an environmental lawyer?

[TheFactor]

Hi all,
I just finished my sophomore year (undergraduate). I've always thought I wanted to be a lawyer. Yet, as I age, I need to make a real decision. What are some pro's and cons of the profession? I've been looking into environmental law, as this is something I feel strongly about. I have talked to many people, but feel that this forum is the best of the best.
Thanks- Joseph

you missed one

[Roberts]

Pro: You become part of a centuries old profession held in esteem, and become part of a tremendous tradition that plays a significant role in shaping society.

[TheFactor]

Pro: You become part of a centuries old profession held in esteem, and become part of a tremendous tradition that plays a significant role in shaping society.

[thesealocust]

Pro: Raging alcoholism and self-loathing
Con: Raging alcoholism and self-loathing

[Helicio]

Pro: Raging alcoholism and self-loathing
Con: Raging alcoholism and self-loathing

[Helicio]

And I just finished my sophomore year as well, so take this with a grain of salt, but here is what I think:

Pros: You learn how society works, learn how to read, learn how to write, and have the opportunity to help people and stand up for justice (if you so choose...you can also make peoples' lives absolutely miserable). Also, if you slave away long enough you might make a salary large enough to pay off your debt before too many years go by.

Cons: Everyone hates you.

I already go to one of the most hated schools in America, so I'm cool with the cons. But in all seriousness, the pros contain some cons as well. Being a lawyer is a huge decision. Don't decide to go to law school unless you know in your heart that this is what you want to do with your life. It is not a smooth life, not the best (or the easiest) way to make obscene amounts of money, and certainly not right for all people. I'm sure you've researched law a lot, and sometimes law can open certain doors (politics), but make sure you know what these doors are and your liklihood of attaining them before you commit yourself to law.

[rayiner]

Pros:
1) For all the hand-wringing, the legal profession has been insulated somewhat from the dehumanization of corporate America. Big law firms will work you to death, but by and large you'll be treated like a professional. Firms at least attempt to pay lip-service to ideas of collegiality. Cadwalader is widely mocked in the legal profession for it's cut-throat nature, but their behavior is actually par-for-course in many other fields.

2) The work is reasonably interesting. A lot of people go straight through law school and have no idea how truly boring a lot of white collar jobs can be. Even diligence is more interesting than a lot of the stuff people do for a living.

3) You get compensated reasonably for your work. At most firms you get top notch benefits and health insurance, which a blessing in a post-Reagan economy.

Cons:
1) The barriers to entry are high, and law schools do everything they can to obscure what those barriers are.

2) The costs of failure are high, and law schools do everything they can to make them higher.

Things that are commonly considered to be cons but aren't:

1) The work is hard and the hours are long. People romanticize how easy other professions are. A friend, whose works at a telecom services company, regularly works 12 hours a day. Another friend, a chemical engineer, is glued to his Blackberry every holiday and has to deal with crises where things are literally burning down.

2) The work isn't completely meaningless, at least in the big picture. You're overhead, but by and large necessary overhead. Conflicts arise in society and someone has to help mediate them. Agreements are made in society, and someone has to hammer them out. Human endeavors have gotten hugely complex, and lawyers are part of the overhead necessary to manage that complexity.

[071816]

ITT people post oversimplified bullshit about life as "a lawyer."

[Helicio]

ITT people who have never even been to law school post oversimplified bullshit about life as a lawyer.

ITT I cry tears of salty sadness.

[thecilent]

Pros:
1) For all the hand-wringing, the legal profession has been insulated somewhat from the dehumanization of corporate America. Big law firms will work you to death, but by and large you'll be treated like a professional. Firms at least attempt to pay lip-service to ideas of collegiality. Cadwalader is widely mocked in the legal profession for it's cut-throat nature, but their behavior is actually par-for-course in many other fields.

2) The work is reasonably interesting. A lot of people go straight through law school and have no idea how truly boring a lot of white collar jobs can be. Even diligence is more interesting than a lot of the stuff people do for a living.

3) You get compensated reasonably for your work. At most firms you get top notch benefits and health insurance, which a blessing in a post-Reagan economy.

Cons:
1) The barriers to entry are high, and law schools do everything they can to obscure what those barriers are.

2) The costs of failure are high, and law schools do everything they can to make them higher.

Things that are commonly considered to be cons but aren't:

1) The work is hard and the hours are long. People romanticize how easy other professions are. A friend, whose works at a telecom services company, regularly works 12 hours a day. Another friend, a chemical engineer, is glued to his Blackberry every holiday and has to deal with crises where things are literally burning down.

2) The work isn't completely meaningless, at least in the big picture. You're overhead, but by and large necessary overhead. Conflicts arise in society and someone has to help mediate them. Agreements are made in society, and someone has to hammer them out. Human endeavors have gotten hugely complex, and lawyers are part of the overhead necessary to manage that complexity.

tyty

[thesealocust]

Well said rayiner. But you forgot the alcoholism.

[rayiner]

Well said rayiner. But you forgot the alcoholism.

Look up my thread where I drunk-posted on TLS from work. I was an alcoholic before law, man.

[thesealocust]

Let's drunk-post on TLS from work.

Woah woah woah man... maybe like, right before the 4th of July, but hitting the sauce on a random Tuesday? Let's bring it down a notch.