Advice For 0L Not Interested in Biglaw Forum

[MC2DC]

I'm wondering if anyone could provide me some advice on law school/career considerations. I am a 0L planning on submitting applications this Fall. I have a 3.7 GPA and scored a 166 on the LSAT.

I'm really not interested in working Biglaw-- I think I'd be much happier working personal injury or something in general practice. With that being said, what should I be considering when applying to schools?

I appreciate the help.

[Clemenceau]

You should be aiming for full rides at law schools in the market where you want to practice. Also, try to get a more definitive shape of what you want to do with your career before diving in.

[star fox]

Good luck at OCI!

[Abraham Lincoln Uni.]

Hello There!

I hope all is well.

Even though it’s ok for students to have a general idea of what you want to do, it’s smart to spend your time figuring out whether being an attorney is going to be what you want to do on the day to day level, whether it’s through information interviews, shadowing an attorney or just digging in finding ways to get experiences such as through volunteering and interning. There is such a variety of legal employers – whether big or small law firms, government agencies, non-profits, etc.—so it’s hard to generalize what day to day work is like, but in general, you will be expected to work very hard and be very competent at what you do for any client. A big law firm is an acknowledged launch pad for a young attorney in the profession because it tends to provide training and the most opportunities. Also, other legal employers may want to hire attorneys out of the big law firms, especially for in-house counsel or even government positions. However, there are legal jobs where the employers are not going to be as interested in hiring out of big law firms– typically if the employer cares more that the employee is invested interest-wise or passion-wise in the work or is looking for a set of marketable skills that is different than what big law firms typically have.
If personal injury or worker’s compensation is something that appeals to you, maybe volunteer or intern, even for a short time, at a small but well-known firm dealing with those types of legal issues or shadow an attorney….it will eventually be useful for your personal statement topic as well.

Best of luck!