What to do when you realize you hate law school? Forum

[Danger Zone]

The person who frequently declared he was going to law school not because he wanted to be a lawyer but because he didn't know what else to do figures out he hates law school? Shocking.

I didn't know that being a lawyer would be so serious. I thought I was getting into something that was a bit more casual honestly.

[DaRascal]

Haha maybe. I dunno I haven't really thought about that. How do I find out if I'm bi-polar? Do I have to ask my doctor about that?



I can't just quit right now... I've gotta keep grinding... I've gotta power through... I think I know how George Clooney felt riding his tugboat in a hurricane. What should I be doing now? Should I be applying to jobs on the side? I've never heard of an English major burn out finding a solid, secure $50k job out of thin air in 2015. Maybe I can buck the odds.

[A. Nony Mouse]

The person who frequently declared he was going to law school not because he wanted to be a lawyer but because he didn't know what else to do figures out he hates law school? Shocking.

I didn't know that being a lawyer would be so serious. I thought I was getting into something that was a bit more casual honestly.

Laying it on way too thick. You don't want to lose control of the persona now, when you've lasted this long.

[DaRascal]

The person who frequently declared he was going to law school not because he wanted to be a lawyer but because he didn't know what else to do figures out he hates law school? Shocking.

I didn't know that being a lawyer would be so serious. I thought I was getting into something that was a bit more casual honestly.

Laying it on way too thick. You don't want to lose control of the persona now, when you've lasted this long.

Ah no one believes me anymore! I mean to say that I knew that the profession was serious because everyone wears suits and gets fired all the time, but I'm starting to think the actual work is really hard from what I've seen so far. I thought law school was just going to be three hard years and then you could ease into a nice profession and not have to hit the grindstone anymore. There HAVE to be legal jobs like the ones I have in mind. Please let me know what I should be doing. I'm just a kid who got caught up in the confusion.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Why should anyone expect you to start listening now, when you've ignored everyone who told you all along you were approaching this all wrong?

(Apart from the entertainment value.)

[DaRascal]

Why should anyone expect you to start listening now, when you've ignored everyone who told you all along you were approaching this all wrong?

(Apart from the entertainment value.)

I listened to everyone, I just wasn't completely convinced haha. I have no choice but to listen now. It's not that I'm lazy or spoiled, I just don't think my personality is meant for hard work like the kind that lawyers have to do.

[Johann]

If you don't like thinking, law is actually the right career for you. It's a pretty easy job. I multitask while doing literally everything I do and my work product is excellent.

If you're on a full ride, I think the correct response is to chill on the reading of the cases and just read online summaries. The reading is largely unnecessary. You just need a decent outline for exams.

As far as answering the questions when you are cold called, just say you don't know or arent prepared. I did it all through law school and got fine grades.

I think you'll be a good lawyer and should stick it out. Law school and being a lawyer are nothing alike.

[DaRascal]

Haha that's so funny that you mentioned that Johann. I've literally done everything you just posted except that I've done all the reading so far. I haven't briefed a single case or contemplated an outline yet. I was going to wait until November and find some beast outlines.


Ok so stick it out you say? I don't mind cold calling at all because I always feel prepared, but I just don't agree with the professors asking such deep questions on cold calls. You're supposed to help your students not try to expose the ones who didn't read carefully!

[CardozoLaw09]

i nominate darascal for best flame account in the history of these fora

DaRascal pre-law school/LSATprep was a lot more entertaining than DaRascal in law school

Step your game up, son

Game stepped UP

DaRascal delivers yet again.

There HAVE to be legal jobs like the ones I have in mind. Please let me know what I should be doing. I'm just a kid who got caught up in the confusion.

What kind of legal jobs do you have in mind?

[Johann]

Don't read the cases at all or brief them. Look the cases up on Westlaw and use their headnotes. Or just read wikipedia summaries. The takeaways in any court case can usually be summed up in a couple sentences.

You really don't have any options better than law school right now with an english degree. People that get into law to be rich are doing it wrong , but people who get into law to hit the middle class 50/60k are absolutely doing it right. Plus JD advantage jobs are very much a thing these days, so even if you hate being a lawyer, you'rel ooking at lots of corporate jobs that would not be available to an english major without a JD. 90% of the people I graduated from law school with hated law school. But people are pretty content now. Lots of people in pseudo JD jobs that are very cush. Even the people working for firms and stuff don't mind it because law school is nothing like practicing.

My advice to you is ride out the free JD. Try to do the best you can, but don't stress over it. If you don't want to read a case, dont. Look up the summary online. If you get nervous when cold called, just tell the prof you aren't prepared and they'll move on. You're a grown ass man and you don't have to answer to some boomer like they know you. Get some outlines from classmates or online. Read the outlines and prep using that. If you do well, cool. If not, also fine. Corporations don't care about grades which is where I see you ending up. Graduate. Get corporate job making 50k with 5 weeks vacay and 9-5.

[DaRascal]

What kind of legal jobs do you have in mind?

I was thinking maybe something that has me proofreading legal documents, doing some talking, and maybe writing up some things. It also has to be 9-5. I can't work insane hours. Is there anything like that?

[CardozoLaw09]

^ For your situation you probably won't get better advice than that imo

[rpupkin]

What kind of legal jobs do you have in mind?

I was thinking maybe something that has me proofreading legal documents, doing some talking, and maybe writing up some things. It also has to be 9-5. I can't work insane hours. Is there anything like that?

Yes, many government attorney positions fit your requirements. But those positions often require strong grades, so get to work!

In fact, I suspect you'll need especially good grades, because your softs (e.g., gambling, stalking) aren't a great fit for most government jobs.

[Johann]

while bigfed is hard to get, this board way plays up the degree of difficulty of getting state and city govt positions. plenty of TTT graduates with sub 3.0 gpas work in state and local govt. id venture its more of the rule than the exception.

[rpupkin]

while bigfed is hard to get, this board way plays up the degree of difficulty of getting state and city govt positions. plenty of TTT graduates with sub 3.0 gpas work in state and local govt. id venture its more of the rule than the exception.

Yeah, that sounds right. Based on what I've observed from friends who've gone the TTT-->local gov't route, they owe their jobs more to connections (e.g., interning/externing at the agency during their summers and during the school year) than to grades.

[chalky]

Post removed...

[DaRascal]

What kind of legal jobs do you have in mind?

I was thinking maybe something that has me proofreading legal documents, doing some talking, and maybe writing up some things. It also has to be 9-5. I can't work insane hours. Is there anything like that?

Yes, many government attorney positions fit your requirements. But those positions often require strong grades, so get to work!

In fact, I suspect you'll need especially good grades, because your softs (e.g., gambling, stalking) aren't a great fit for most government jobs.

Do government jobs find out about those kinds of softs? I feel my softs aren't gonna be a problem so long as there isn't a casino near the place of employment and one of my coworkers isn't a single, hot blonde who I just have to make some moves on.

[rpupkin]

In fact, I suspect you'll need especially good grades, because your softs (e.g., gambling, stalking) aren't a great fit for most government jobs.

Do government jobs find out about those kinds of softs? I feel my softs aren't gonna be a problem so long as there isn't a casino near the place of employment and one of my coworkers isn't a single, hot blonde who I just have to make some moves on.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I would love to be the government investigator doing DaRascal's background check.

[zot1]

What kind of legal jobs do you have in mind?

I was thinking maybe something that has me proofreading legal documents, doing some talking, and maybe writing up some things. It also has to be 9-5. I can't work insane hours. Is there anything like that?

Federal government

[eagle2a]

I'm at SMU. You guys think I could land one of these local govt or magical corporate jobs if I'm around median? I have absolutely no motivation to study

[rinkrat19]

I'm at SMU. You guys think I could land one of these local govt or magical corporate jobs if I'm around median? I have absolutely no motivation to study

nope.

[Johann]

I'm at SMU. You guys think I could land one of these local govt or magical corporate jobs if I'm around median? I have absolutely no motivation to study

yea for sure

[zot1]

I'm at SMU. You guys think I could land one of these local govt or magical corporate jobs if I'm around median? I have absolutely no motivation to study

Bro, I know law school isn't necessarily fun. But think about it this way, you give up three years of your life and be the best that you can be and then hopefully, all that hustle will translate into a decent job and you'll be set for the rest of your life. Doesn't it seem worth it to grind it out now?

Keep pushing. Three years fly by.

[seashell.economy]

Work hard and finish the semester. Then take an official leave of absence. Use that time to reassess your priorities and to look for jobs to see what you can get. Maybe you'd just be fine working in a courthouse as a counter clerk, accepting filings and such. They might hire you, and it would be a county job so it comes with benefits.