I Feel Like Just Giving Up Forum

[Anonymous User]

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[traehekat]

There are avenues to legal employment other than OCI, no? I'm a 0L so I'm sure I am like, the last person you want advice from, but after browsing through a bit of Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, there seems to be a number of different ways you can go about seeking employment, depending on where you are, your grades, and what you want to do. No doubt some of it sounds a little far fetched, even for a naive 0L, but some of it seemed like good advice and, frankly, worth doing in light of how much you have invested in law school and how tough the economy is right now.

[Cavalier]

There are avenues to legal employment other than OCI, no? I'm a 0L so I'm sure I am like, the last person you want advice from, but after browsing through a bit of Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, there seems to be a number of different ways you can go about seeking employment, depending on where you are, your grades, and what you want to do. No doubt some of it sounds a little far fetched, even for a naive 0L, but some of it seemed like good advice and, frankly, worth doing in light of how much you have invested in law school and how tough the economy is right now.

[drdolittle]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

[DerrickRose]

I just don't know what happen. I am at a T-14 law school (DGMVPN)

Deeply hidden anti-Cornell trolling?

[let/them/eat/cake]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

Jesus effing Christ. bc he doesn't live in a world of rainbows and leprechauns?

OP, sounds like you've got an IP background? Is that what you want? Have you passed the patent bar?

[KingJames6]

dude, what about engineering? You have a top-notch graduate degree...use it!

[let/them/eat/cake]

I just don't know what happen. I am at a T-14 law school (DGMVPN)

Deeply hidden anti-Cornell trolling?

not very deeply hidden lol but yet still a Cornellian (me) just attempted to help...we are all in the same sinking boat...together (look, a rainbow!)

[traehekat]

There are avenues to legal employment other than OCI, no? I'm a 0L so I'm sure I am like, the last person you want advice from, but after browsing through a bit of Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, there seems to be a number of different ways you can go about seeking employment, depending on where you are, your grades, and what you want to do. No doubt some of it sounds a little far fetched, even for a naive 0L, but some of it seemed like good advice and, frankly, worth doing in light of how much you have invested in law school and how tough the economy is right now.

Ugh, can't wait until August when I'm no longer required to include that disclaimer.

[paratactical]

.

[mallard]

Ugh, can't wait until August when I'm no longer required to include that disclaimer.

Start talking sense this month and you won't need it now, either!

[drdolittle]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

Jesus effing Christ. bc he doesn't live in a world of rainbows and leprechauns?

OP, sounds like you've got an IP background? Is that what you want? Have you passed the patent bar?

No, because he doesn't seem to realize that if you really "love the law" and want to practice, you have to go to law school and put up with whatever happens. Seems pretty simple to me.

[mallard]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

Jesus effing Christ. bc he doesn't live in a world of rainbows and leprechauns?

OP, sounds like you've got an IP background? Is that what you want? Have you passed the patent bar?

No, because he doesn't seem to realize that if you really "love the law" and want to practice, you have to go to law school and put up with whatever happens. Seems pretty simple to me.

stfu.

[drdolittle]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

Jesus effing Christ. bc he doesn't live in a world of rainbows and leprechauns?

OP, sounds like you've got an IP background? Is that what you want? Have you passed the patent bar?

No, because he doesn't seem to realize that if you really "love the law" and want to practice, you have to go to law school and put up with whatever happens. Seems pretty simple to me.

stfu.

Also a lover of the law, huh?

[Lawof_theLand]

dude, what about engineering? You have a top-notch graduate degree...use it!

+1

next year may end up being better, but if not, do the engineering thing for a couple years. A JD/P.E will be much more valuable to a big engineering firm (in-house counsel or early executive level promotion), as well as to a biglaw firm.

[JD4Me]

Stop whining to an internet forum (of wannabe lawyers) and do something besides attending OCIs for employment. You sound like a smart enough dude to find yourself a job.

[let/them/eat/cake]

How can you say going to law school was the worst decision you've ever made if you love the law and would definitely want to practice? It doesn't make any sense.

Jesus effing Christ. bc he doesn't live in a world of rainbows and leprechauns?

OP, sounds like you've got an IP background? Is that what you want? Have you passed the patent bar?

No, because he doesn't seem to realize that if you really "love the law" and want to practice, you have to go to law school and put up with whatever happens. Seems pretty simple to me.

stfu.

thx. i was going to go with something like:

"loving the law" and legal education = 10 points on the arbitrary value-added-to-my-life scale
bone-crushing povery and no viable legal job = negative bajillion points.
so just because he loves and wants to practice doesn't mean that-- for this OP, if things don't pan out--the decision--subjectively, for him--wasn't the worst he ever made.

but stfu will do just fine.

[Anonymous User]

OP Here... drdolittle: The statement about loving the law, but thinking that perhaps going to law school is the worst decision that I have ever made DOES make sense. For example, this past spring I had an interview with a firm that dealt with corporate law issues only. At the time of the interview, I was desperate to just get some legal experience (no matter what it was) under my belt. The interviewer took one look at my resume and said basically that with my background that I would be basically wasting my time at the firm and suggested that I take the patent bar. Basically, before I had even set foot in the door, she had already had her mind made up about me. For me, that experience has been common. By looking at my resume, people assume that I am patent law guy. And to be honest, patent law is my first choice. But as I try to branch out to other fields, people really don't want to hear it.

As for doing the engineering for while, I could do that; however, many people have told me that it is really difficult to break back into law after having gone the non-legal route just because you don't have any substantive legal experience on your resume...

Also, I am not from Cornell...

[traehekat]

Probably not the most intuitive thing to do, but have you considered toning down the engineering component of your resume so you don't come off as strictly a patent law guy? Perhaps emphasize some other things instead?

Seems silly you are being ruled out just because of your background.

[let/them/eat/cake]

OP Here... drdolittle: The statement about loving the law, but thinking that perhaps going to law school is the worst decision that I have ever made DOES make sense. For example, this past spring I had an interview with a firm that dealt with corporate law issues only. At the time of the interview, I was desperate to just get some legal experience (no matter what it was) under my belt. The interviewer took one look at my resume and said basically that with my background that I would be basically wasting my time at the firm and suggested that I take the patent bar. Basically, before I had even set foot in the door, she had already had her mind made up about me. For me, that experience has been common. By looking at my resume, people assume that I am patent law guy. And to be honest, patent law is my first choice. But as I try to branch out to other fields, people really don't want to hear it.

As for doing the engineering for while, I could do that; however, many people have told me that it is really difficult to break back into law after having gone the non-legal route just because you don't have any substantive legal experience on your resume...

Also, I am not from Cornell...

We know you're not from Cornell; the point whoever said it was making was that it was funny you didn't include that one letter in the list lol

i mean, that anecdote you just related to us is telling: people expect that of you, given your background, and you should use that to your advantage, preferably a year ago but better late than never. perhaps you really do have an interest in corporate law as well, but you certainly won't be able to pursue it w/o a foot in the door. pass the patent bar this summer and go from there (from what i understand from someone who just started studying for it, a person with your background can prob study and get it done fairly quickly?--i heard it's like the GRE, you can sit for it whenever you want...).

[let/them/eat/cake]

Probably not the most intuitive thing to do, but have you considered toning down the engineering component of your resume so you don't come off as strictly a patent law guy? Perhaps emphasize some other things instead?

Seems silly you are being ruled out just because of your background.

ITE, at median, that engineering background is the best play he has right now...

[dresden doll]

stfu.

thx. i was going to go with something like:

"loving the law" and legal education = 10 points on the arbitrary value-added-to-my-life scale
bone-crushing povery and no viable legal job = negative bajillion points.
so just because he loves and wants to practice doesn't mean that-- for this OP, if things don't pan out--the decision--subjectively, for him--wasn't the worst he ever made.

but stfu will do just fine.

But didn't anyone tell you that where there's a will there's a way?!

[b1ue]

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[jmhendri]

Stop whining to an internet forum (of wannabe lawyers) and do something besides attending OCIs for employment. You sound like a smart enough dude to find yourself a job.

yeah, you didn't describe much of a valiant effort OP. Why are you so discouraged already? Wait till you can't find a job after offering your first born child to everyone that knows every person you know before acting like this.

[mallard]

It's all well and good for 0Ls to say "do something!" but it's really only helpful if you say what that sort of thing might be.