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Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of looking up facts and details in order to come out on top through legitimate logic(and make the other party feel like an idiot while I'm at it).

I quit school when I was young and will need to finish that off before I were to even start to realistically consider this path. But I feel it's worth looking into because I am not going to be one of those people that blows their life savings and ends up in debt over a career path that was never going to work out for them.

What I would like to know is, what kind of strengths are required to pursue this career path and why.

Tolerance for extremely large amounts of paperwork and legal research combined with the ability to put up with everyone's shit.

A robust sense of self-loathing and/or a sense of self-worth bordering on the delusional are probably the main things.

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of looking up facts and details in order to come out on top through legitimate logic(and make the other party feel like an idiot while I'm at it).

I quit school when I was young and will need to finish that off before I were to even start to realistically consider this path. But I feel it's worth looking into because I am not going to be one of those people that blows their life savings and ends up in debt over a career path that was never going to work out for them.

What I would like to know is, what kind of strengths are required to pursue this career path and why.

You probably don't want to if you have to ask this question

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of looking up facts and details in order to come out on top through legitimate logic(and make the other party feel like an idiot while I'm at it).

I quit school when I was young and will need to finish that off before I were to even start to realistically consider this path. But I feel it's worth looking into because I am not going to be one of those people that blows their life savings and ends up in debt over a career path that was never going to work out for them.

What I would like to know is, what kind of strengths are required to pursue this career path and why.

being super argumentative is a terrible quality.

also if youre really worried about the debt you shouldnt go.

TheUnicornHunter wrote:A robust sense of self-loathing and/or a sense of self-worth bordering on the delusional are probably the main things.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Oh and speaking from experience, once you're in law school you can go from the latter to the former very easily.

Capitol_Idea wrote:

TheUnicornHunter wrote:A robust sense of self-loathing and/or a sense of self-worth bordering on the delusional are probably the main things.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Oh and speaking from experience, once you're in law school you can go from the latter to the former very easily.

Yah, I added the and at the last second because, on reflection, the two aren't as mutually exclusive as they initially seem and plenty of lawyers are able to vacillate rapidly between the two.

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine.

You would probably be a terrible law school classmate and coworker.

Bildungsroman wrote:

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine.

You would probably be a terrible law school classmate and coworker.

yea this was my first thought after reading the first sentence too.

Just to pile on, being argumentative is a character flaw. Not a desirable trait for someone wanting to be a lawyer.

dont become a lawyer because you like winning arguments

Become a lawyer because you like making privilege logs

While the answers were all pretty serious, I'm going to move this to Ask a Law Student/Grad, since that's probably a better place for this than the lounge.

I also agree that wanting to be a lawyer because you love winning arguments and making the other party look like an idiot is really not a good thing. You would be the kind of lawyer that everyone hates.

If you're a litigator, enjoying constructing arguments can be a good thing. But being in it for the winning is a bad idea.

Jim Jones wrote:

Bildungsroman wrote:

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine.

You would probably be a terrible law school classmate and coworker.

yea this was my first thought after reading the first sentence too.

I detest attorneys who fight me on every little thing during plea bargaining.

If OP is super argumentative and enjoys it, please don't become a lawyer.

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of looking up facts and details in order to come out on top through legitimate logic(and make the other party feel like an idiot while I'm at it).

Seriously? This is a legitimate trait of yours?

Please, do not go to law school.

If this is your personality, you will develop very few friendships/connections and likely end up in a bad spot.

A. Nony Mouse wrote: I also agree that wanting to be a lawyer because you love winning arguments and making the other party look like an idiot is really not a good thing. You would be the kind of lawyer that everyone hates.

If you're a litigator, enjoying constructing arguments can be a good thing. But being in it for the winning is a bad idea.

Everyone hates me now, at least as a lawyer I'd have money.
How would being in it for the win as a lawyer ever be a bad thing? I highly doubt your clients would want pesamistic representation.

A@M_or_bust wrote:

Lazarus102 wrote:Winning arguments has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of looking up facts and details in order to come out on top through legitimate logic(and make the other party feel like an idiot while I'm at it).

Seriously? This is a legitimate trait of yours?

Please, do not go to law school.

If this is your personality, you will develop very few friendships/connections and likely end up in a bad spot.

Also, it will likely be you that is feeling like an idiot for at least a little while.

Lazarus102 wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote: I also agree that wanting to be a lawyer because you love winning arguments and making the other party look like an idiot is really not a good thing. You would be the kind of lawyer that everyone hates.

If you're a litigator, enjoying constructing arguments can be a good thing. But being in it for the winning is a bad idea.

Everyone hates me now, at least as a lawyer I'd have money.
How would being in it for the win as a lawyer ever be a bad thing? I highly doubt your clients would want pesamistic representation.

Actually, they kind of do - one of the functions of the lawyer is to figure out the worst case scenario and warn their clients of risks.

But it's not like I said you should hate winning or not try to win. Like I said, if you like coming up with arguments, litigation could be a good fit. The thing is that you don't have a lot of control over the material you have to work with, and you may well lose. A lot. Through no fault of your own. And winning at all costs - especially by making the other side look like idiots - may not actually always be in your client's best interest.

Basically, if you're in it for the emotional high of winning and humiliating people, you probably won't be the best advocate.

A. Nony Mouse wrote: Basically, if you're in it for the emotional high of winning and humiliating people, you probably won't be the best advocate.

Could be a good Halo player though

Nebby wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote: Basically, if you're in it for the emotional high of winning and humiliating people, you probably won't be the best advocate.

Could be a good Halo player though

Too bad they don't pay $160k for you to do that 60-80 hours a week.

Lazarus102 wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote: I also agree that wanting to be a lawyer because you love winning arguments and making the other party look like an idiot is really not a good thing. You would be the kind of lawyer that everyone hates.

If you're a litigator, enjoying constructing arguments can be a good thing. But being in it for the winning is a bad idea.

Everyone hates me now, at least as a lawyer I'd have money.
How would being in it for the win as a lawyer ever be a bad thing? I highly doubt your clients would want pesamistic representation.

Have you considered not being that way? Then people might like you. And you'll still have opportunities to make money.

Law school blows. I've heard being a lawyer sucks even more. Save your soul, do something else

OP, do you feel like an idiot yet?

eagle2a wrote:Law school blows. I've heard being a lawyer sucks even more. Save your soul, do something else

Devil's advocate, great movie.

TheUnicornHunter wrote:OP, do you feel like an idiot yet?

Not really. I didn't come into a forum that caters to a job title often obtained by some of the smartest people out there thinking that I'd be the smartest one on the thread. That would be stupid.

Lazarus102 wrote:

eagle2a wrote:Law school blows. I've heard being a lawyer sucks even more. Save your soul, do something else

Devil's advocate, great movie.

Yeah, suits is a great show too! Follow your dreams!!!!!