What made you want to be a lawyer? Forum

[randombetch]

Apologies in advance if this question is cliche and/or over asked.

I'm at a crossroads where I'm not sure if a medical career is worth pursuing. I wanted to pursue medicine because I love science and love taking care of people, and medicine seems like the only career where I can combine those two to have a very satisfying and intellectually challenging career. I do NOT particularly enjoy memorizing stuff though, and it seems like a lot of medicine is just rote memorization .

I also really enjoy constructing arguments using precise logic and would love the "power" (not really power, but can't think of a better term for being able to use the knowledge and practice of law to one's advantage) of being a lawyer. Law seems exciting and incredibly intellectually challenging, and I am also willing to work hard and work long hours.

Money is an important factor to me - actually, one of the primary reasons I've been thinking about going into law is because of my financial situation and law provides faster income...

I tried doing research on this, but I am still unsure what reasons are good reasons for one to get involved in law, and whether law is for me. If you could just state what made you think law was the best field for you, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[calilaw]

You love science. You want to make money. Go to medical school.

[stratocophic]

Apologies in advance if this question is cliche and/or over asked.

I'm at a crossroads where I'm not sure if a medical career is worth pursuing. I wanted to pursue medicine because I love science and love taking care of people, and medicine seems like the only career where I can combine those two to have a very satisfying and intellectually challenging career. I do NOT particularly enjoy memorizing stuff though, and it seems like a lot of medicine is just rote memorization .

I also really enjoy constructing arguments using precise logic and would love the "power" (not really power, but can't think of a better term for being able to use the knowledge and practice of law to one's advantage) of being a lawyer. Law seems exciting and incredibly intellectually challenging, and I am also willing to work hard and work long hours.

Money is an important factor to me - actually, one of the primary reasons I've been thinking about going into law is because of my financial situation and law provides faster income...

I tried doing research on this, but I am still unsure what reasons are good reasons for one to get involved in law, and whether law is for me. If you could just state what made you think law was the best field for you, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Dude, you have completely the wrong idea about law if you think the money is a reason to go to law school. Run, do not walk, back to your medical textbooks.

[randombetch]

Big law lawyers make more than doctors. Can someone answer the original question?

[DieAntwoord]

1 getting harassed by the police

2 i like meticulous things

3 con law class

4 sister telling me about the cases she is working on

[Renzo]

1) non-prestigous undergrad kept me out of banking.

2) worked in healthcare & hated it, so medical school was out

3) didn't realize until too late what a good job it is to be an actuary

[sundance95]

Big law lawyers make more than doctors.

Not true, especially when you consider that the vast majority of biglaw lawyers remain biglaw lawyers for a relatively short period of time.

[homestyle28]

Years of pursuing graduate degrees in the humanities --> skills that translate to law but no job prospects.

[OGR3]

If you love hours of brain-numbing research, writing briefs and memos that no one will read, never seeing your family, are willing to work for far less than the $160,000 salary paid at top firms to graduates of the top schools, all for the purposes of helping giant conglomerate A sue giant conglomerate B for stealing their copyrighted font or to help douchebag A sue douchebag B because A broke his tailbone when he did a cannonball into B's empty swimming pool, then the law is for you.

Seriously OP, don't go to law school if you don't ACTUALLY want to be a lawyer. The legal ranks are already overwhelmed by the dismembered carcasses of those who thought law would be an easy way to become rich, or their parents said they were good at arguing, or they couldn't do anything else with their worthless liberal arts degree.

[Helmholtz]

1) non-prestigous undergrad kept me out of banking.

+1

[randombetch]

Big law lawyers make more than doctors.

Not true, especially when you consider that the vast majority of biglaw lawyers remain biglaw lawyers for a relatively short period of time.

The present value on the money earned by big law lawyers is greater than the present value of the money earned by doctors. Not only do doctors have to go into more debt, they also have to allow the debt to accumulate for several (3-8) years before getting a real paying job. I did a present value analysis on a spreadsheet and compared lawyers starting at 160k and doctors starting at 300k, 7 years after the lawyers (1 more year of school, 3 year residency, 3 year fellowship to get the high starting salary), with their salaries increasing at the same rate (unrealistic - doctor salaries don't go up that much whereas lawyer salaries have the potential to skyrocket) and a reasonable interest rate to calculate the present value of their money - lawyers make more in their careers than doctors do.

I did not, however, take into consideration that big law lawyers remain in big law for a short amount of time. What would you say the expected salary of a Yale law grad is 10 years into his/her career?

[DoubleChecks]

Big law lawyers make more than doctors.

Not true, especially when you consider that the vast majority of biglaw lawyers remain biglaw lawyers for a relatively short period of time.

The present value on the money earned by lawyers is greater than the present value of the money earned by doctors. Not only do doctors have to go into more debt, they also have to allow the debt to accumulate for several (3-8) years before getting a real paying job. I did a present value analysis on a spreadsheet and compared lawyers starting at 160k and doctors starting at 300k with their salaries increasing at the same rate (unrealistic - doctor salaries don't go up that much whereas lawyer salaries have the potential to skyrocket) and a reasonable interest rate to calculate the present value of their money - lawyers make more in their careers than doctors do.

well if you've done a value analysis on a spreadsheet, it must be true im jk. i can agree w/ you on that point, but i think part of the point sundance was making was that most lawyers are NOT biglaw lawyers (or stay biglaw lawyers for long), which is very true. was his comment an accurate response to your first comment about big law lawyers making more than doctors? no, but it seems as if sundance wanted to bring into the equation yrs of working as x profession (so that a biglaw lawyer who drops out after 5 yrs and now works at a much lower paying job...doesn't mean you stop counting him into the value analysis)

[keg411]

If you're biggest concern is making money, go into business. Most (as in 90%) lawyers are not making $160k+; especially not straight out of law school.

[randombetch]

Big law lawyers make more than doctors.

Not true, especially when you consider that the vast majority of biglaw lawyers remain biglaw lawyers for a relatively short period of time.

The present value on the money earned by lawyers is greater than the present value of the money earned by doctors. Not only do doctors have to go into more debt, they also have to allow the debt to accumulate for several (3-8) years before getting a real paying job. I did a present value analysis on a spreadsheet and compared lawyers starting at 160k and doctors starting at 300k with their salaries increasing at the same rate (unrealistic - doctor salaries don't go up that much whereas lawyer salaries have the potential to skyrocket) and a reasonable interest rate to calculate the present value of their money - lawyers make more in their careers than doctors do.

well if you've done a value analysis on a spreadsheet, it must be true im jk. i can agree w/ you on that point, but i think part of the point sundance was making was that most lawyers are NOT biglaw lawyers (or stay biglaw lawyers for long), which is very true. was his comment an accurate response to your first comment about big law lawyers making more than doctors? no, but it seems as if sundance wanted to bring into the equation yrs of working as x profession (so that a biglaw lawyer who drops out after 5 yrs and now works at a much lower paying job...doesn't mean you stop counting him into the value analysis)

Anyone have data on median lawyer salaries of HYS grads 7/10/15 years into their careers?

[randombetch]

If you're biggest concern is making money, go into business. Most (as in 90%) lawyers are not making $160k+; especially not straight out of law school.

Money's not my biggest concern, but thanks.

[stayway]

Anyone have data on median lawyer salaries of HYS grads 7/10/15 years into their careers?

why? you think you can get into HYS?

[randombetch]

Anyone have data on median lawyer salaries of HYS grads 7/10/15 years into their careers?

why? you think you can get into HYS?

Maybe?

[AreJay711]

The same underlying reason we do anything....I think I will have more sex as a lawyer and better pass on my genes to the next generation.

[ohlawl]

I like making things fit together and asking questions.

[DoubleChecks]

Anyone have data on median lawyer salaries of HYS grads 7/10/15 years into their careers?

why? you think you can get into HYS?

Maybe?

i think you sound like someone w/ a very pragmatic view of the world. im okay w/ that, because that is how i am as well. if you can get into HYS, then yeah, definitely consider it over med school. i recommend doing some volunteer work in both settings to know what you would like about either.

for me, law is a job in a field i find interesting and challenging...but you said that applies to both medicine and law for you...so no dice there. really will just have to see for yourself. medical school is a lot of hard work (more than law school imo) and focuses a lot on memorization (i hear). law school does too but not in exactly the same way.

either way, it shouldnt be the graduate schools you focus on...thats just a few yrs of your life. it should be about the career. cant help you too much there; check back w/ me in 8 yrs.

[randombetch]

Anyone have data on median lawyer salaries of HYS grads 7/10/15 years into their careers?

why? you think you can get into HYS?

Maybe?

i think you sound like someone w/ a very pragmatic view of the world. im okay w/ that, because that is how i am as well. if you can get into HYS, then yeah, definitely consider it over med school. i recommend doing some volunteer work in both settings to know what you would like about either.

for me, law is a job in a field i find interesting and challenging...but you said that applies to both medicine and law for you...so no dice there. really will just have to see for yourself. medical school is a lot of hard work (more than law school imo) and focuses a lot on memorization (i hear). law school does too but not in exactly the same way.

either way, it shouldnt be the graduate schools you focus on...thats just a few yrs of your life. it should be about the career. cant help you too much there; check back w/ me in 8 yrs.

Hey, I appreciate your advice. Thanks.

[randombetch]

The same underlying reason we do anything....I think I will have more sex as a lawyer and better pass on my genes to the next generation.

True that is the main reason we do anything.

[crEEp]

lol i dunno i just love the law

[vamedic03]

Apologies in advance if this question is cliche and/or over asked.

I'm at a crossroads where I'm not sure if a medical career is worth pursuing. I wanted to pursue medicine because I love science and love taking care of people, and medicine seems like the only career where I can combine those two to have a very satisfying and intellectually challenging career. I do NOT particularly enjoy memorizing stuff though, and it seems like a lot of medicine is just rote memorization .

I also really enjoy constructing arguments using precise logic and would love the "power" (not really power, but can't think of a better term for being able to use the knowledge and practice of law to one's advantage) of being a lawyer. Law seems exciting and incredibly intellectually challenging, and I am also willing to work hard and work long hours.

Money is an important factor to me - actually, one of the primary reasons I've been thinking about going into law is because of my financial situation and law provides faster income...

I tried doing research on this, but I am still unsure what reasons are good reasons for one to get involved in law, and whether law is for me. If you could just state what made you think law was the best field for you, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Go into the real world. Work for a few years. There are too many burned out lawyers and physicians in this world. DON'T GO TO A PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE THAT PROFESSIONAL. $200k is a lot of money to spend.

[20160810]

A law school scholarship, a sometime way with words, and a general lack of superior viable options.