Should I try? Forum

[BiologyMajor]

Hi, everyone.

I'm currently a rising junior biology major at a large state flagship in the South.

Long story short, I worked with physicians part-time in the emergency department here in town. During my time there, I saw many cases with medical and legal consequences (e.g. severe domestic violence, nursing home abuse, etc.)

Seeing these patients was gratifying, but I found myself more concerned and interested in "what came next" legally for them than the medical treatment they received.

So, I'm interested in criminal law and legal representation of patients, but I'm left wondering if law school is right for me, particularly given the nature of the legal job market.

I haven't taken the LSAT or any practice tests, but my GPA is 4.0 unweighted, 4.245 weighted (counting A+s, that is.)

Can I answer any additional questions for you, or do you have any advice for me? Thanks very much!

[Ramius]

Do you actually want to be a lawyer, or did those situations you saw at the ER just make you feel bad about perceived injustice? I'm not saying it is inherently bad, but you have to cut through to your goals. What would you ideally do with your JD? How important is that goal to you?

Without an LSAT, but with a fantastic GPA, you're in a good position. If law school is really what you want, and more importantly, a career in the legal field is really what you want, then keep your grades up, focus on dominating the LSAT and you'll be in a fantastic position to make a successful legal career.

[Nomo]

Jobs in your areas on interest are likely to start out somewhere in the 40-50k range. Many top out around 65k. Though some jobs, like prosecutors, can end up making 100k. None of the jobs you are interested in are easy to get. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go to law school.

What it does mean is that you need put a lot of time into getting the highest LSAT score you can possible get. You need to get a school with good employment numbers and you need to have lass than 50k debt at repayment at whatever school you go to. Sadly, there are few schools with good employment numbers (you can find reliable employment data here http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/re ... e-Reports/). You've got a great GPA and that's very helpful. But you still need to rock the LSAT.

[BiologyMajor]

Do you actually want to be a lawyer, or did those situations you saw at the ER just make you feel bad about perceived injustice? I'm not saying it is inherently bad, but you have to cut through to your goals. What would you ideally do with your JD? How important is that goal to you?

Without an LSAT, but with a fantastic GPA, you're in a good position. If law school is really what you want, and more importantly, a career in the legal field is really what you want, then keep your grades up, focus on dominating the LSAT and you'll be in a fantastic position to make a successful legal career.

Great question. I do think I would like to represent clients to obtain the most favorable outcome for them. But how can you be 100% sure before you work as an attorney every day?

On a spectrum, I would say my interests lie more towards representing those harmed by negligence, unsafe products/drugs than prosecuting crimes. I realize PI tends to be feast-or-famine. That said, I'm new to thinking about a legal career, and I'm open to different areas... I'm just ignorant, and I'm not sure I have a grasp on what different practices or areas tend to deal with!

Thanks again, guys.

[Ramius]

Do you actually want to be a lawyer, or did those situations you saw at the ER just make you feel bad about perceived injustice? I'm not saying it is inherently bad, but you have to cut through to your goals. What would you ideally do with your JD? How important is that goal to you?

Without an LSAT, but with a fantastic GPA, you're in a good position. If law school is really what you want, and more importantly, a career in the legal field is really what you want, then keep your grades up, focus on dominating the LSAT and you'll be in a fantastic position to make a successful legal career.

Great question. I do think I would like to represent clients to obtain the most favorable outcome for them. But how can you be 100% sure before you work as an attorney every day?

On a spectrum, I would say my interests lie more towards representing those harmed by negligence, unsafe products/drugs than prosecuting crimes. I realize PI tends to be feast-or-famine. That said, I'm new to thinking about a legal career, and I'm open to different areas... I'm just ignorant, and I'm not sure I have a grasp on what different practices or areas tend to deal with!

Thanks again, guys.

From personal experience, if you want to elicit change for the people being mistreated, you'd be far better served as a biology major if you enter medicine and realize the other side of that care. You can affect so much good by being a good doctor and treating those that need you. If you feel strong levels of compassion for these people, strive to give them the best care possible.

[BiologyMajor]

From personal experience, if you want to elicit change for the people being mistreated, you'd be far better served as a biology major if you enter medicine and realize the other side of that care. You can affect so much good by being a good doctor and treating those that need you. If you feel strong levels of compassion for these people, strive to give them the best care possible.

I don't know though. A doctor is only as good as his support staff, and tons of nurses, techs, phlebotomists, etc. drop the ball, ruining your best-made plans/orders. Assuming everyone works together and doesn't make a litany of mistakes, you may be right. I just know I would be frustrated by others' errors costing lives.

If you don't mind answering, how is law, from your experience, a bad way to effect good for clients?

[Skool]

From personal experience, if you want to elicit change for the people being mistreated, you'd be far better served as a biology major if you enter medicine and realize the other side of that care. You can affect so much good by being a good doctor and treating those that need you. If you feel strong levels of compassion for these people, strive to give them the best care possible.

I don't know though. A doctor is only as good as his support staff, and tons of nurses, techs, phlebotomists, etc. drop the ball, ruining your best-made plans/orders. Assuming everyone works together and doesn't make a litany of mistakes, you may be right. I just know I would be frustrated by others' errors costing lives.

If you don't mind answering, how is law, from your experience, a bad way to effect good for clients?

Wait until you have a client who insists on posting incriminating evidence to the internet, or opposing counsel who holds back exculpatory evidence. Lawyers don't work in a vacuum and aren't completely in control, either. The real question is what are your skills and your interest and how are you best able to make a difference.

The law can be a mixed bag of highs and lows, especially public interest. Before you make any hasty decisions, get an internship at your local da office or family/women/childrens legal advocacy clinic or a practice doing malpractice or plaintiff side drug safety/ liability work. Then see if you think they're doing good work you want to be a part of.

[dabigchina]

You are a bio major with a 4.0 unweighted GPA.

Have you taken the premed weed out courses? If so, why are you not becoming a doctor? Why are you on this forum instead of studying for the MCAT. If you want to help your fellow man go to medical school and go treat Ebola patients in Africa.

[BiologyMajor]

From personal experience, if you want to elicit change for the people being mistreated, you'd be far better served as a biology major if you enter medicine and realize the other side of that care. You can affect so much good by being a good doctor and treating those that need you. If you feel strong levels of compassion for these people, strive to give them the best care possible.

I don't know though. A doctor is only as good as his support staff, and tons of nurses, techs, phlebotomists, etc. drop the ball, ruining your best-made plans/orders. Assuming everyone works together and doesn't make a litany of mistakes, you may be right. I just know I would be frustrated by others' errors costing lives.

If you don't mind answering, how is law, from your experience, a bad way to effect good for clients?

Wait until you have a client who insists on posting incriminating evidence to the internet, or opposing counsel who holds back exculpatory evidence. Lawyers don't work in a vacuum and aren't completely in control, either. The real question is what are your skills and your interest and how are you best able to make a difference.

The law can be a mixed bag of highs and lows, especially public interest. Before you make any hasty decisions, get an internship at your local da office or family/women/childrens legal advocacy clinic or a practice doing malpractice or plaintiff side drug safety/ liability work. Then see if you think they're doing good work you want to be a part of.

Point taken. I guess I've always assumed shadowing/internships are rare for pre-law students when compared to pre-med students; that is, it seems "testing the water" is rare.

I'm on my phone, so it's a bit challenging to reply, but yes, I have taken all prerequisites except physics. I'll pass on Ebola.

[BiologyMajor]

Necroupdate: After much thought and soul-searching, I took the MCAT, applied to medical school, and will be attending next year on scholarship! When I wrote the original post, I was halfway through college, and a mix of different experiences were pulling me away from going to med school.

At the time, I figured I could get into a very prestigious law school -- and in three short years after undergrad, with degree in hand, go make the bad guys pay.

Thanks to TLS forums for putting the breaks on that naïve enthusiasm and encouraging me not to make a hasty switch to law. (Here's hoping I feel the same way when I'm 10 years out of undergrad and still not an attending physician.)