melissamj1 wrote:So I shouldn't be a lawyer because I want to help people; because I want to change laws that could benefit clients; because if one day, god forbid, I may want to be a judge or a politician? (Yes I realize not all politicians started out in law, but don't you think it'd help if they did? Without a working understanding of laws how in the hell can a politician function well in their position?) I realize how a lawyer works. I know that they are there to defend and represent their clients. I know that a lawyer is there to provide counsel for a client and to act in their best interests. I know they're there to interpret the law and use it as a tool to seek out justice.pancakes3 wrote:Re: other grades
If you have prior non-A grades in addition to your CJ degree you won't have a 4.0, which greatly affects the advice you've received thus far.
Re: your personal views on the law
You should not be a lawyer. Being a lawyer has nothing to do with interpreting the Constitution, changing laws, or benefiting every citizen in the country. Your job as a lawyer is to read, speak, and write on behalf of your client as convincingly as the law and the truth permits, period. If you don't want to do that, you don't want to be a lawyer. This has nothing to do with being a pessimist or an optimist. It'd be like you saying you want to be a banker because you believe every banker has the opportunity to affect the federal funds rate and create jobs for Americans.
This is exactly why the American dream is practically non-existent these days. Don't you dream bigger? I'm assuming you're either in law school already or are a lawyer, don't you dream bigger? Don't you say to yourself I am (or will be) a lawyer, and one day I can and will change the world because I will go beyond being a lawyer? Don't you realize that other doors open with that kind of education? I'll give you an example now; I worked in a hospital for 4 years while I was in RN school. I was friends with everyone, but had 4 close friends that were RN's. Every single one of them went on to further their education. One of them is now administrator over the entire hospital, 2 of them are CRNP's, and one of them is in medical school now. Don't you think that their RN degrees helped them to get into higher positions? Just because they wanted bigger, it didn't mean that they didn't love their profession before their new positions. They took the necessary steps in order to reach their highest potential. I'm taking one step at a time. I'm nearly done with my CJ, I want to be a lawyer to assist those that seek justice, and when I get through I may want to get into politics. Hell I may want to be an astronaut. Does that mean I shouldn't want to be a lawyer too? Absolutely not.
I can do anything I set my mind to. I don't need to be talked out of wanting to be a lawyer, because you can't talk me out of it. I was talked into RN school and talked out of wanting to go to law school years ago. I'll be damned if I let anyone do that to me again (no offense).
UMMMM, What?
1) You went from not being sure about law because of your CJ degree yesterday, to going "I'MA CHANGE THE WORLD." the next.
2) It's not actually about your JD/MBA/MPP that helps you become a politician, it's about your connections. Also, you can't just decide to run for office, you're usually approached.
3) You almost def should NOT be a lawyer if you want to help people. Lawyers help clients, that's it. You might luck out and get a coveted position that actually helps people, but chances are you wont, and if you do it'll pay 35k a year.
4) Lawyers don't change laws. A select few who work in the white house - but they aren't lawyers anymore - might get a chance to change some laws. To actually have a fair shot at changing the law, you need to be a top student, at a top school, work your ass off for shit pay for a while and then pray you get noticed and become a staffer.... all of which you don't need a law degree to do.
5) You really should be looking at MPP's... since that's what it seems you want to do.
6) Almost everyone on TLS is dreaming bigger. Saying "you're just a lawyer" is pretty insulting to a forum dedicated to potential and current lawyers.
7) Dreaming big doesn't mean anything, you need talent, hard work, skill and LUCK - loooots of luck - to make it in any field, especially one as prestige oriented and tough like law, where 1/2 the graduating class doesn't even get a job.
