I'll be beginning law office study in California Forum

[Fark-o-vision]

I mean, if you have a guaranteed in (as in, Uncle or Pop owns a firm) then why not go this route? Assuming they're willing to put into this time sink and not just send you to Whittier Law school on a full ride.

[Fark-o-vision]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

[Protoman2050]

Hi!

I'll be beginning the California State Bar Law Office Study Program, under my family friend, who has the distinction of assisting in the defense of Phillip Morris. We're still discussing the exact specifics of our study program, but she nevertheless believes I'm quite capable of succeeding at this difficult course of study.

Funny, the First Year Law Students Exam should be required for ALL law students in California, as it will certainly weed out the non-committed and unprepared from wasting theirs and the law school's money.

Anyway, I'd like some general advice on beginning law studies. If I succeed, I'll be an attorney by the time I'm 22-23 years old. I hope to set up my own solo practice, and focus in admiralty law.

Thanks,
Doug

no one's gonna take you seriously if you don't actually go to law school

The named partner of my friend's law firm didn't go to law school, and neither did several prominent attorneys, like UCLA Professor Gary Blasi. It's been done for centuries, why not continue to carry on a tradition.

[Mr. Matlock]

The named partner of my friend's law firm didn't go to law school, and neither did several prominent attorneys, like UCLA Professor Gary Blasi. It's been done for centuries, why not continue to carry on a tradition.

100% correct. You'll be fine. Good luck!

[TTH]

TITCR

[danquayle]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

No really, if an established small firm is willing to put in the time to do this, and willing to give you a start as far as clientele, then why wouldn't this work? I know people (0Ls-1Ls) on this site prefer to being douchetastic to providing legit answers and criticisms, but there are certainly situations where I imagine this could work... particularly if you intend on solo practice. The primary function of a law school is to credential you enough to get into a firm or other legal establishment... if that's not your goal, then why not?

Its not as if the risk of failure is all that high... especially compared to trying to start a solo practice after throwing hundreds of thousands into a law school.

He'd have just as much credibility as a Cooley grad, and there are certainly Cooley grads that do just fine as solo practitioners...

[Protoman2050]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

I wholeheartedly agree with danquayle

If you've passed the bar exam, and can demonstrate your competency, I don't see why someone won't do business with you. A law degree is just a piece of paper.

I don't care HOW my lawyer passed the bar, I just care that he can effectively do what I'm paying him for.

I'm not going to advertise the fact I passed the bar without a law degree. I'm just going to put "Passed California State Bar on [date]", and then talk about what I can do for my clients.

There's a Vermont Supreme Court Justice who doesn't have a law degree.

And my Dad can certainly help me find clients, as he works in the industry I want to provide legal services for, shipping and insurance. I already have a decent working knowledge of shipping and insurance law. I'm also okay with doing small-time business law (structuring businesses, drafting contracts, etc.), personal injury law (car accidents, workplace injuries, etc.), and criminal defense law (DUIs, thefts, etc.)

[danquayle]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

I wholeheartedly agree with danquayle

If you've passed the bar exam, and can demonstrate your competency, I don't see why someone won't do business with you. A law degree is just a piece of paper.

I don't care HOW my lawyer passed the bar, I just care that he can effectively do what I'm paying him for.

I'm not going to advertise the fact I passed the bar without a law degree. I'm just going to put "Passed California State Bar on [date]", and then talk about what I can do for my clients.

There's a Vermont Supreme Court Justice who doesn't have a law degree.

Yeah, but you also have to accept that many people equate your school with your competency. It's idiotic, but really when people do prelim research on whether to hire you, can you blame them for using the most obvious method of selecting? If all you know is person A went to Harvard and person B went to People's College of Law, who isn't going to assume person A is smarter. And keep in mind, that Blasi guy you keep bringing up got a masters from Harvard, so its not like he didn't have some institutional academic clout to legitimize him.

All I'm saying is its not impossible to succeed this way, but your goals had better be very specific, and the circumstances had better be ideal. Just realize that a lot of people, particularly in the legal field, are going to react precisely as this forum has. No law firm or business will touch you unless you've established decades of credibility on your own.

[Protoman2050]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

I wholeheartedly agree with danquayle

If you've passed the bar exam, and can demonstrate your competency, I don't see why someone won't do business with you. A law degree is just a piece of paper.

I don't care HOW my lawyer passed the bar, I just care that he can effectively do what I'm paying him for.

I'm not going to advertise the fact I passed the bar without a law degree. I'm just going to put "Passed California State Bar on [date]", and then talk about what I can do for my clients.

There's a Vermont Supreme Court Justice who doesn't have a law degree.

Yeah, but you also have to accept that many people equate your school with your competency. It's idiotic, but really when people do prelim research on whether to hire you, can you blame them for using the most obvious method of selecting? If all you know is person A went to Harvard and person B went to People's College of Law, who isn't going to assume person A is smarter. And keep in mind, that Blasi guy you keep bringing up got a masters from Harvard, so its not like he didn't have some institutional academic clout to legitimize him.

All I'm saying is its not impossible to succeed this way, but your goals had better be very specific, and the circumstances had better be perfect. Just realize that a lot of people, particularly in the legal field, are going to react precisely as this forum has. No law firm or business will touch you unless you've established decades of credibility on your own.

Lol, my attorney friend says she worked with someone from Harvard, and she told me that lady could not write for beans. So much for Harvard.

My attorney friend was pretty supportive.

[danquayle]

Uh, I disagree. No FIRM will take you seriously. Probably not even any business. People, though, will likely see you as some kind of genius. People are stupid.

I wholeheartedly agree with danquayle

If you've passed the bar exam, and can demonstrate your competency, I don't see why someone won't do business with you. A law degree is just a piece of paper.

I don't care HOW my lawyer passed the bar, I just care that he can effectively do what I'm paying him for.

I'm not going to advertise the fact I passed the bar without a law degree. I'm just going to put "Passed California State Bar on [date]", and then talk about what I can do for my clients.

There's a Vermont Supreme Court Justice who doesn't have a law degree.

Yeah, but you also have to accept that many people equate your school with your competency. It's idiotic, but really when people do prelim research on whether to hire you, can you blame them for using the most obvious method of selecting? If all you know is person A went to Harvard and person B went to People's College of Law, who isn't going to assume person A is smarter. And keep in mind, that Blasi guy you keep bringing up got a masters from Harvard, so its not like he didn't have some institutional academic clout to legitimize him.

All I'm saying is its not impossible to succeed this way, but your goals had better be very specific, and the circumstances had better be perfect. Just realize that a lot of people, particularly in the legal field, are going to react precisely as this forum has. No law firm or business will touch you unless you've established decades of credibility on your own.

Lol, my attorney friend says she worked with someone from Harvard, and she told me that lady could not write for beans. So much for Harvard.

My attorney friend was pretty supportive.

This comment does reek of flame...

But eh...why not. Reputations are stubborn - hard to develop, hard to lose. I could meet 100 idiots from Harvard and I'd still assume the 101st is a smart guy. I've met plenty of competent Cooley grads, but I'm still skeptical of any new ones I meet.

But if you're really content with just doing things like DUI defense... I don't think your lack of a law school pedigree will be much of an impediment. You're going to have to be snake oil salesman anyway.

[TTH]

IBSomeoneMentionsLincoln

[Kohinoor]

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

[tadams86]

I know someone trying to pull this off. All I have to say is have fun sitting for the baby bar, which is much harder than the actual bar exam. Honestly if you have someone willing to let you be their shadow/bitch for a few years, why not? Goodluck

[A'nold]

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Me lovey Kohinoor.

[Fark-o-vision]

My point still stands. If someone wanted you to be Attorney A+ why wouldn't they just send you to Whittier?

Edit: A'nold is still FAIL despite the cool ass he kisses.

[Duralex]

Because they wouldn't get 4 -5 years of indentured servitude by paying his way through Whittier (except maybe part time?) Even when it was the norm, from the historical depictions "reading law" doesn't sound like more fun than LS (probably less.) But I have always found it interesting (as in "neat, I'll watch from over here, behind the splatter guard.")

I have to agree with the above: you'll have a hard time getting hired, and possibly an even harder time starting solo than an LS grad would (which is already a pretty vertical challenge.)

All I can say is that if you do this make sure (SURE!) you spend a lot of time at court, watching motion hearings etc, so that you don't wind up coming off like an autistic savant who somehow passed the bar but has no idea how lawyers act or talk.