Top Law Schools

An attorney friend of mine and YLS grad asserts that if someone is truly interested in studying law, and can do so without bringing on financial hardship, they should attend law school even if they have little or no interest in a career as a lawyer.

Thoughts? Illustrative images collected from Google image searches?

I would attend YLS even if I had no interest in practicing law as well. With how awesome YLS's LRAP program you could get shitfaced off popov vodka, fall under a dumpster for 10 years, wake up, and your student loans would have repaid themselves.

why would the study of law be actually that interesting if you had NO intention of using it?

if it is, then there's probably a zillion things you find interesting or just find wonder in every day life. if that's the case, then whoopee for you, you will always be happy

underdawg wrote:why would the study of law be actually that interesting if you had NO intention of using it?

if it is, then there's probably a zillion things you find interesting or just find wonder in every day life. if that's the case, then whoopee for you, you will always be happy

Until someone gets fed up and chokes you out.

Oh well of COURSE he'd say that. He went to Yale. An above commenter said it perfectly. Debt? Yalies don't know the meaning of the word.

amazing. amazing that this is even a question.

Awesome responses in this thread, especially the popov vodka dumpster comment.

Yeah, I'm with underdawg on this one. It seems illogical that if you did not want to do anything law related that you'd find law school interesting....if you want to be an attorney and you like an intellectual, competitive, stimulating environment, hell yeah go to law school. I really like ls so I may be in the minority on this one.

Close Diamond wrote:An attorney friend of mine and YLS grad asserts that if someone is truly interested in studying law, and can do so without bringing on financial hardship, they should attend law school even if they have little or no interest in a career as a lawyer.

Thoughts? Illustrative images collected from Google image searches?

In my studies, career as a lawyer has very little interest in me!

Has no one here ever studied something out of interest and with no intention of pursuing it as a profession (even though it still may aid you in your career)? This doesn't seem too uncommon. In fact, one of the PS examples on this very website is written by a person who wants to go to law school in order to help him run his business. I would consider that situation a case of going to law school with no intention of practicing law.

Close Diamond wrote:Has no one here ever studied something out of interest and with no intention of pursuing it as a profession (even though it still may aid you in your career)? This doesn't seem too uncommon. In fact, one of the PS examples on this very website is written by a person who wants to go to law school in order to help him run his business. I would consider that situation a case of going to law school with no intention of practicing law.

I bet people closely related to oil barons did this! The rest of us, not so much. If it's not uncommon, you hang out with too many trust-funded career-students.

edgarderby wrote:

Close Diamond wrote:Has no one here ever studied something out of interest and with no intention of pursuing it as a profession (even though it still may aid you in your career)? This doesn't seem too uncommon. In fact, one of the PS examples on this very website is written by a person who wants to go to law school in order to help him run his business. I would consider that situation a case of going to law school with no intention of practicing law.

I bet people closely related to oil barons did this! The rest of us, not so much. If it's not uncommon, you hang out with too many trust-funded career-students.

How could one practice law and still have time to play on my segway polo team? Hmm? Answer me that. And you think I'm not in touch with the common person.

In truth, I do believe that there are very real professional opportunities that can come with a JD that do not include being an attorney.

In truth, I do believe that there are very real professional opportunities that can come with a JD that do not include being an attorney.

In truth, you lie.

Hey, Edgar, how are transfer students doing at Notre Dame? I know it's hard w/ the economy but I'd definitely be applying to transfer if they were more transfer friendly. Do you know any transfers and what their numbers might have looked like? Thanks.

Veyron wrote:

In truth, I do believe that there are very real professional opportunities that can come with a JD that do not include being an attorney.

In truth, you lie.

You mean to say that I don't believe what I say, or do you mean to say that I'm simply incorrect? If the former, then you presume to know too much about me. If the latter, you may be right. That's why I started the thread. Care to explain why a JD wouldn't provide opportunities other than in practicing law?

Lawl is professional not academic

Close Diamond wrote:Has no one here ever studied something out of interest and with no intention of pursuing it as a profession (even though it still may aid you in your career)? This doesn't seem too uncommon. In fact, one of the PS examples on this very website is written by a person who wants to go to law school in order to help him run his business. I would consider that situation a case of going to law school with no intention of practicing law.

there's this thing called business school

emilybeth wrote:Oh well of COURSE he'd say that. He went to Yale. An above commenter said it perfectly. Debt? Yalies don't know the meaning of the word.

They also don't know the meaning of grades. No debt, no grades? There's zero risk in that situation. And if you're only 22-25 years old, that's a no-brainer. Heck, that's a no-brainer at almost any age, really. Why not add "Yale Law Graduate" to the resume?

A law degree is extremely versatile. In fact, this is the reason for the not too uncommon MBA/JD.. Understanding the law is helpful in many areas, and especially in business - just ask Mitt Romney, who used his education to make Bain Capital into a money making machine. He never practiced law.

PigNipple wrote:A law degree is extremely versatile. In fact, this is the reason for the not too uncommon MBA/JD.. Understanding the law is helpful in many areas, and especially in business - just ask Mitt Romney, who used his education to make Bain Capital into a money making machine. He never practiced law.

Ugh. These points fucking drive me crazy.

A slim number of extremely capable and connected people get JDs, never practice law, and have lucrative careers. The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of people who get JDs, even from top law schools, face the tragic choice upon graduation of practicing law, or falling back on a career for which the JD either does not help or is actively detrimental.

The 'versatile' JD is a myth perpetuated by a few compelling anecdotes. As long as it's either practicing law or something you could have done without a JD, a JD will help you do it

A'nold wrote:Hey, Edgar, how are transfer students doing at Notre Dame? I know it's hard w/ the economy but I'd definitely be applying to transfer if they were more transfer friendly. Do you know any transfers and what their numbers might have looked like? Thanks.

PM'd. PM me anyone else if you are also interested in my answer.

disco_barred wrote:The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of people who get JDs, even from top law schools, face the tragic choice upon graduation of practicing law, or falling back on a career for which the JD either does not help or is actively detrimental.

False.

PigNipple wrote:

disco_barred wrote:The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of people who get JDs, even from top law schools, face the tragic choice upon graduation of practicing law, or falling back on a career for which the JD either does not help or is actively detrimental.

False.

Yeah, it's a false dichotomy. JDs don't help for the practice of law either.

Close Diamond wrote:Has no one here ever studied something out of interest and with no intention of pursuing it as a profession?

Only a YALE law student would do something do this (at least in the realm of law school).

Here's the bottom line- if you somehow manage to get accepted to YLS and have no interest in pursuing law, and feel like frolic'ing around for a few years, then go. Otherwise forget about it.

Your YLS friend lives in typical academic ivory tower fantasyland.

You want to learn law? Go pick up the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence. Read them. Then come back to this forum and tell me you want to pay money to learn law for three years with no intention of practicing.

edgarderby wrote:

Close Diamond wrote:An attorney friend of mine and YLS grad asserts that if someone is truly interested in studying law, and can do so without bringing on financial hardship, they should attend law school even if they have little or no interest in a career as a lawyer.

Thoughts? Illustrative images collected from Google image searches?

In my studies, career as a lawyer has very little interest in me!

176