Asperger's, URM, short, T6: Should I pursue law? Forum

[Stockton_Malone]

OP, what are your career alternatives?

My other career alternatives would be to enter a pre med post bacc program or to try to build the background necessary for a Masters in Engineering.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

OP, what are your career alternatives?

My other career alternatives would be to enter a pre med post bacc program or to try to build the background necessary for a Masters in Engineering.

Don't do either law school or med school unless you are sure you want to be a lawyer/doctor. It is a huge amount of $$$, time, and work. Given what you're saying it sounds like you want to be a "professional" and make a lot of money. In that case I would take at least a year off. So many people go both paths and end up very unhappy with tons of debt.

[A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A]

angular jawline or circlehead?

[TaipeiMort]

OP, I've only got one word for you: Tax

And IP, HR/Benefits, bankruptcy.

Also, OP, some firms do not care as much about social skills because they don't think you'll ever be a partner there. There is also an "of counsel" career track for people who don't have the social skills, time, or luck to be a partner, but still are seen as very smart.

It can be a pretty nice deal at some firms.

[Stockton_Malone]

OP, what are your career alternatives?

My other career alternatives would be to enter a pre med post bacc program or to try to build the background necessary for a Masters in Engineering.

Don't do either law school or med school unless you are sure you want to be a lawyer/doctor. It is a huge amount of $$$, time, and work. Given what you're saying it sounds like you want to be a "professional" and make a lot of money. In that case I would take at least a year off. So many people go both paths and end up very unhappy with tons of debt.

Law is my first choice of career definitely ever since I was young, but as I say in my first post, I'm unsure if I have the social skills to make it. Medicine and engineering are my back up plans, because I don't know what else to do beside law.

[cinephile]

Law is my first choice of career definitely ever since I was young, but as I say in my first post, I'm unsure if I have the social skills to make it. Medicine and engineering are my back up plans, because I don't know what else to do beside law.

If you have poor social skills, then I urge you not to go into medicine. Please think about your patients. I know far too many people with zero empathy going to medical school and they're already running into problems dealing with patients in their rotations. It's not fair to you or them.

[sflyr2016]

I go to a T6, and am consistently shocked by the lack of social skills that most of my fellow students possess. I came to law school from finance, dealt with lawyers every day in that capacity, and can assure you that the interpersonal skills needed for other professional services areas are well beyond those needed to practice at least certain types of law. I say this because, if you want to make high six figures in your career and don't see yourself starting a business, biglaw, which still may be challenging, probably has much fewer impediments to success considering your circumstances than finance, consulting, and certainly corporate america. If you are above median at a T6 school you will get a biglaw job, no question (provided you bid correctly). The fact that you are a URM (which is a tremendous asset for recruiting), makes this even more of a foregone conclusion. Some big time firms make hiring decisions almost completely on grades, while others use grades as just one component of their evaluation process. Fortunately there are many firms and many practice areas within those firms, and as long as you are proactive in identifying which of those practice areas and which of those firms fit your skill set, you will have no problem. Would it be easier to break into big law if you were tall, handsome, sociable, and had connections? Obviously. Would this be true in absolutely every other area of life? Most certainly. I think you can find a home in biglaw more easily than you can in industries that offer commensurate pay. You will have to work harder than other kids, you will have to get better grades, you will have to be more proactive in planning your recruiting, but those are the cards you have been dealt, and if you have gotten this far, I am sure you can win at the game of law school. I would strongly encourage you to attend, and I wish you the best of luck.

THIS!

[Tekrul]

Also, with mock interviewing and practice you an essentially squash short person to person interactions necessary for an interview. I'm not suggesting something as strict as having a script ready for every contingency, but short periods of social interaction can certainly be practiced and mastered.

This is only as far as interviewing goes, however.

Maybe we can get someone who's employed in a firm to come in and weigh his opinion on interactions with coworkers/employers.

[laxbrah420]

Law is my first choice of career definitely ever since I was young, but as I say in my first post, I'm unsure if I have the social skills to make it. Medicine and engineering are my back up plans, because I don't know what else to do beside law.

If you have poor social skills, then I urge you not to go into medicine. Please think about your patients. I know far too many people with zero empathy going to medical school and they're already running into problems dealing with patients in their rotations. It's not fair to you or them.

Not all doctors are pediatricians bro. This guy could potentially be a rockstar surgeon or researcher.

[TaipeiMort]

Law is my first choice of career definitely ever since I was young, but as I say in my first post, I'm unsure if I have the social skills to make it. Medicine and engineering are my back up plans, because I don't know what else to do beside law.

If you have poor social skills, then I urge you not to go into medicine. Please think about your patients. I know far too many people with zero empathy going to medical school and they're already running into problems dealing with patients in their rotations. It's not fair to you or them.

Inability to perceive emotion =/= no empathy

Its not like people with aspergers are like a T-800 or Data from Star Trek or something.

[laxbrah420]

Law is my first choice of career definitely ever since I was young, but as I say in my first post, I'm unsure if I have the social skills to make it. Medicine and engineering are my back up plans, because I don't know what else to do beside law.

If you have poor social skills, then I urge you not to go into medicine. Please think about your patients. I know far too many people with zero empathy going to medical school and they're already running into problems dealing with patients in their rotations. It's not fair to you or them.

Inability to perceive emotion =/= no empathy

Its not like people with aspergers are like a T-800 or Data from Star Trek or something.

Pretty sure they're actually incredibly linked.

[cinephile]

If you can't perceive your patients' emotions and don't have the social skills to deal with them, you don't belong in medicine. You don't belong in any profession where you have to deal with people. I don't say that to be mean, but when people are vulnerable they need people who are sensitive to their emotional needs. And we all have different skill sets, you can't be good at everything.

[mephistopheles]

you can't be good at everything.

speak for yourself.

[A → B ⊨ ¬B → ¬A]

they need people who are sensitive to their emotional needs.

speak for yourself.

[Danger Zone]

You don't belong in any profession where you have to deal with people.

Speak for yourself.

[NYstate]

Also, with mock interviewing and practice you an essentially squash short person to person interactions necessary for an interview. I'm not suggesting something as strict as having a script ready for every contingency, but short periods of social interaction can certainly be practiced and mastered.

This is only as far as interviewing goes, however.

Maybe we can get someone who's employed in a firm to come in and weigh his opinion on interactions with coworkers/employers.

Plenty of people here are employed by firms. I think his level is severe and if he can't read facial expressions- he will struggle to find a job.

I don't know anything about what compensatory steps he may be able to implement.

[Lumieres]

It would be interesting to meet you, OP.

You should learn how to code, and be a computer guy.

[TrialLawyer16]

thread title of the year contender

For sure.. I thought it was a flame initially.

OP - the best advice you could receive here would probably be from people who actually work at a biglaw firm to see if they know similar people who are successful in certain positions. None of us have actually met you, so we can't tell the severity of your "lack of social skills". We're just going off of your posts, which could be exagerrated due to cold feet. You could maybe post this in the employment thread or maybe better yet speak directly with some biglaw lawyers via telephone.

FWIW, I work in the finance sector for a huge company at the moment and there are guys who have certain positions where you don't see them anywhere except the bathroom. These guys are complete brainiacs, who have some of the most important jobs in the entire company. Their lack of desire for social contact actually helps them because they literally get locked in an office and crunch numbers all day long - something that would drive most people insane. I'm sure there are positions like this in almost every field, including law. A trait that is generally regarded as a weakness in many areas can be a great strength in other areas.

I'll leave you with this, OP:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein

[laxbrah420]

That Albert Einstein quote is stupid. Both in its meaning and in the context of this thread. Noone was calling this guy dumb.

[TrialLawyer16]

That Albert Einstein quote is stupid. Both in its meaning and in the context of this thread. Noone was calling this guy dumb.

If you can't grasp either of those things I think you need to reconsider what, or better yet who, is stupid


ETA: Nvm. I just looked at your most recent post -

Can we discuss DUIing strategies? Some people are way nicer at it and confident in their abilities than me. I was scared shitless from seein shit while working for the ambulance, but realistically, tons of people on the road are drunk. I hit cruise control and take back roads but there must be some other stuff?

And everything makes sense now.

[Stockton_Malone]

None of us have actually met you, so we can't tell the severity of your "lack of social skills". We're just going off of your posts, which could be exagerrated due to cold feet.

Hey guys, I'd like to make it clear to everyone that I'm not exaggerating, and that I tried to present my difficulties as matter-of-fact as possible.

[bananapeanutbutter]

None of us have actually met you, so we can't tell the severity of your "lack of social skills". We're just going off of your posts, which could be exagerrated due to cold feet.

Hey guys, I'd like to make it clear to everyone that I'm not exaggerating, and that I tried to present my difficulties as matter-of-fact as possible.

why don't you just ask a lot of questions? you may be overrating this. odds are your personality will be preferred to someone obviously phony given the relative intelligence of the people making these decisions. i can't relate to not wanting to look at people's faces when i talk to them but why don't you just practice it.

[Stockton_Malone]

None of us have actually met you, so we can't tell the severity of your "lack of social skills". We're just going off of your posts, which could be exagerrated due to cold feet.

Hey guys, I'd like to make it clear to everyone that I'm not exaggerating, and that I tried to present my difficulties as matter-of-fact as possible.

why don't you just ask a lot of questions? you may be overrating this. odds are your personality will be preferred to someone obviously phony given the relative intelligence of the people making these decisions. i can't relate to not wanting to look at people's faces when i talk to them but why don't you just practice it.

I look at a person's face when I'm talking to them, but I can't read it. It is incredibly hard for me to detect emotions or decipher what a person is thinking from facial expressions.

[3ThrowAway99]

You should learn how to code, and be a computer guy.

ding ding ding!

[stillwater]

I wouldn't let Einstein pack my lunch.