Why You Should Go To Law School Forum

[ccs224]

I know this is about three hundred posts late, but:

...as long as we don't screw up our grades their.

Seriously? Their? Seriously?

[ruleser]

I'm going to law school because I cannot remember the last time i dedicated myself to something for this long, and that's just to get the chance to study at a school! I am going to law school because furthering my education will open up doors for me down the road (even if i NEVER practiced law). I am going to law school because to me, it's something I am meant to do. I am going to law school because I will be a kickass Attorney. I am going to law school because you say i shouldn't, and I enjoy proving people wrong. and finally, I am going to law school because I will enjoy sitting in my 2L class knowing Mtal the almighty never made it that far

F*ck yeah!

Best TLS post ever.

[j2d3]

Please tell me this entire post was a joke. And if not, are you aiming to increase the number of d-bags at your future law school?

Hm. No the entire post was not a joke, but parts of it were. You seem to have a hard time telling when I'm kidding and when I'm not. Perhaps it's my fault, but I'm not sure what to do about it.

As far as increasing the number of d-bags at my future law school... I don't even know which law school I will go to, so I'd have to increase the number of d-bags at all the law schools I might possibly attend. However, as far as I can tell, there will be more than enough d-bags at any law school I choose. In any case, if I knew how to increase or decrease the number of d-bags at my future law school, I would opt to decrease it, which should be clear from all my previous posts in this thread. It's possible we disagree over the definition of "d-bag" considerably.

As far as the unnamed examples of people I know doing various things with their JDs, each of them would tell you that he did indeed need his law school experience to get where he is today. Also, I referred only to one "Yalie classmate." She's in "smalllaw" (employment law at a small firm in DC). I think she makes more than $100k and less than $160k - but I'm not sure. She didn't particularly like law school because it was crawling with d-bags (d-bags according to my definition). The others I listed are friends and acquaintances with JDs who came to mind, but they all went to different schools.

[j2d3]

I know this is about three hundred posts late, but:

...as long as we don't screw up our grades their.

Seriously? Their? Seriously?

Hahaha!

I noticed this, too, but I was overwhelmed.

[prezidentv8]

To be fair, he might actually think law students learn useful skills in law school that can be applied in other fields..like um, um...

I just called my cousin and told her to drop out of med school b/c it is likely she will not finish with a set of skills that can used outside of medicine. Alarmed at this revelation, she called her younger brother and advised him to switch his accounting major because he will not learn to fly an airline.

You play to win the game.

Hahahahahahaha I loled.

Well played.

[CE2JD]

Summary of this thread:

You're not cool if you don't go to law school.

Also, peeing your pants is the coolest.

[prezidentv8]

Summary of this thread:

You're not cool if you don't go to law school.

Also, peeing your pants is the coolest.

HOLY SHIT!!!! SOMEONE ELSE QUOTED AN ADAM SANDLER MOVIE?!

MY FAITH IN HUMANITY IS RESTORED!!!!!

[GATORTIM]

You know, we're getting a wacky skewed perspective from tls. This site didn't even exist until recently. My best friend who just finished her jd at Yale in 07 never heard of tls. This site is full of jackass kids ready to tell you where you can and cannot go based on your 2 numbers as well as how much salary you will make when you graduate from whichever school. Its retarded. I know several people with jds from various schools doing a wide variety of things with their educations.... vp's of fortune 500 companies, independent practices,corporate strategy consultants, biglaw, smalllaw, politics, even a venture capitalist who got rich first by starting his own software company. I hope my real life experience provides a more accurate picture of my future classmates than ive found through Tls (with a few exceptions, of course)

+infinity

[adamlippes]

You people are being silly.

Best Case Career Scenario: You get a job that pays 160k.

After taxes and loans, how much are you really taking home? It'll be nice, but not extravagant, especially if you're in NYC or another major market.

The next salary level below 160 is 145, which is still doable, but then it goes off into the sub-100s. Without LRAP, that really isn't doable. When I say you'll be struggling to pay off your loans, I mean it.

People here seem to think that, even at 160k, lawyers have a 14k monthly check to do whatever they want. In reality, you're probably taking home maybe 4k of that? Maybe less? What about paying for apartment rent?

And what's worse is that 160k is pretty much the ceiling for newly minted JDs... and those jobs are much rarer these days.

Some of you mention CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, etc. Those are all great jobs, but usually those aren't open to newly minted JDs. We're talking about jobs open top people who are in law school, and the fact is that those jobs are few and far between. Jobs that pay 160? don't even get me started.

[prezidentv8]

You people are being silly.

Best Case Career Scenario: You get a job that pays 160k.

After taxes and loans, how much are you really taking home? It'll be nice, but not extravagant, especially if you're in NYC or another major market.

The next salary level below 160 is 145, which is still doable, but then it goes off into the sub-100s. Without LRAP, that really isn't doable. When I say you'll be struggling to pay off your loans, I mean it.

People here seem to think that, even at 160k, lawyers have a 14k monthly check to do whatever they want. In reality, you're probably taking home maybe 4k of that? Maybe less? What about paying for apartment rent?

And what's worse is that 160k is pretty much the ceiling for newly minted JDs... and those jobs are much rarer these days.

Some of you mention CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, etc. Those are all great jobs, but usually those aren't open to newly minted JDs. We're talking about jobs open top people who are in law school, and the fact is that those jobs are few and far between. Jobs that pay 160? don't even get me started.

Relative to other professions, law is pretty much a win in terms of salary if you enjoy it.

[MTal]

You know, we're getting a wacky skewed perspective from tls. This site didn't even exist until recently. My best friend who just finished her jd at Yale in 07 never heard of tls. This site is full of jackass kids ready to tell you where you can and cannot go based on your 2 numbers as well as how much salary you will make when you graduate from whichever school. Its retarded. I know several people with jds from various schools doing a wide variety of things with their educations.... vp's of fortune 500 companies, independent practices,corporate strategy consultants, biglaw, smalllaw, politics, even a venture capitalist who got rich first by starting his own software company. I hope my real life experience provides a more accurate picture of my future classmates than ive found through Tls (with a few exceptions, of course)

+infinity

Ostrich. Head. Sand.

[adamlippes]

Oh, I will agree that relative to other fields, law is pretty much "booming," but that isn't saying much in this economy.

[hayman]

You people are being silly.

Best Case Career Scenario: You get a job that pays 160k.

After taxes and loans, how much are you really taking home? It'll be nice, but not extravagant, especially if you're in NYC or another major market.

The next salary level below 160 is 145, which is still doable, but then it goes off into the sub-100s. Without LRAP, that really isn't doable. When I say you'll be struggling to pay off your loans, I mean it.

People here seem to think that, even at 160k, lawyers have a 14k monthly check to do whatever they want. In reality, you're probably taking home maybe 4k of that? Maybe less? What about paying for apartment rent?

And what's worse is that 160k is pretty much the ceiling for newly minted JDs... and those jobs are much rarer these days.

Some of you mention CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, etc. Those are all great jobs, but usually those aren't open to newly minted JDs. We're talking about jobs open top people who are in law school, and the fact is that those jobs are few and far between. Jobs that pay 160? don't even get me started.

160 should bring in around 10k/mo , no?

[Kohinoor]

I'm going to jump on the 'No Law School' bandwagon here. I just wrote an 18 page memo and am running on sleep dep. We're tallking caffeine pills and 5 Red Bulls. I. look. crazy. This would of course be the morning where they grab me for our yearbook picture.

[adamlippes]

160 should bring in around 10k/mo , no?

I guess I was alluding to my situation. After city and state taxes in NY, take-home comes out to about 8k. I plan to my off my loans aggressively, so I'm thinking 4-5k a month on that. That leaves me around 3k or so for an apartment. It'll be a long time before I become a buyer.

[Kohinoor]

You people are being silly.

Best Case Career Scenario: You get a job that pays 160k.

After taxes and loans, how much are you really taking home? It'll be nice, but not extravagant, especially if you're in NYC or another major market.

The next salary level below 160 is 145, which is still doable, but then it goes off into the sub-100s. Without LRAP, that really isn't doable. When I say you'll be struggling to pay off your loans, I mean it.

People here seem to think that, even at 160k, lawyers have a 14k monthly check to do whatever they want. In reality, you're probably taking home maybe 4k of that? Maybe less? What about paying for apartment rent?

And what's worse is that 160k is pretty much the ceiling for newly minted JDs... and those jobs are much rarer these days.

Some of you mention CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, etc. Those are all great jobs, but usually those aren't open to newly minted JDs. We're talking about jobs open top people who are in law school, and the fact is that those jobs are few and far between. Jobs that pay 160? don't even get me started.

I also laugh at these filthy proles who think earning 4-5 times what their parents make is worth a three years investment. Those fools.

[adamlippes]

...

[Bronte]

You people are being silly.

Best Case Career Scenario: You get a job that pays 160k.

After taxes and loans, how much are you really taking home? It'll be nice, but not extravagant, especially if you're in NYC or another major market.

If you get market paying job, you can pay off a 7%, $200,000 loan in five years, with the following after tax, after payment incomes:

Year 1: 64,500
Year 2: 71,500
Year 3: 82,000
Year 4: 99,500
Year 5: 113,500

After that point, you will be debt free. This assumes market pay scale (which increases annually) but no bonuses, which are sometimes granted for the specific purpose of paying down debt.

[akowis]

.

[BeastCoastHype]

Law school sucks, kids.

+10000000000000000000000000000000

I know, reading is so hard. I just want to sleep all day! Life could not suck worse in fact. Life at a law school is definitely worse than doing nighttime track work for the subway system, or working in a grocery store, or sitting in an office in an accounting firm, or any other truly difficult or ultra boring job. Whiny, spoiled brats are the only thing that I dislike at all about law school.

[DannyJames]

Unfortunately, popular culture veered in the wrong direction when people thought that earning a JD is license to print money. Not true. At all. Even more unfortunate is that a good chunk of people here still seem to think it.

Read my last post...a good chunk of people don't mention money in their reasoning. the fact that people are saying "don't go to law school" based on projections down the road (that they themselves haven't done the research for) seems pointless. what are people supposed to do until the economy turns around? well, many doubters suggest going to get another job that will pay decent but doesn't require a higher degree. where are these easy to acquire jobs that pay me 65-85K, because i would gladly go scoop one up so i can bide my time until the economy is ready for me to go to law school. bottom line is, it's tough everywhere. if i'm going to be part of the rat race, it's going to be for something i WANT to be doing.

[04102014]

You play to win the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk5sMHj58I

Never gets old

[adamlippes]

...

[adamlippes]

To current 1Ls posting in this thread:

We get it, you're now too cool for school (I think this is a genuine phase of TLSers in law school: as 0Ls, they are all cute and optimistic. As 1Ls, they are all jaded and it becomes cool to say, "law school sucks.")

[elsboiler]

At the risk of sounding bright eyed and bushy tailed: I am in law school, I love law school - I went to a T2 because I will have zero debt. I have a summer job and a permanent job when I am done if I want it. The work load is a lot and sometimes I feel like I am in over my head, but thats OK I knew what I was signing up for. So what, you take a risk and you go to law school, if it is something that you truly enjoy and want to make a career out of who cares what other people think.