It sucks to know that I am studying for finals and will probably never find a job on this field. It makes it so friggin hard to actually concentrate on the task that is at hand. I have never been good at getting regular jobs, such as fast food, retail and sales, so how the hell do I expect to get a job in law?!
I am so depressed over this and have gotten to the point where I am looking at employment agencies and craigslist for jobs instead of studying. I found one that pays around $30k and I could not help but thinking "I'd love that". Anything, anything is better than this. Why did I go again?
Monday 12 December 2011
Wednesday 7 December 2011
What is reality?
There was once a young lad who had so many ideas about life, yet in reality he knew so little. Life to the young lad was mysterious and exciting. Full of possibilities. There was infinite things that could be accomplished and great time in which to do them. In his mind he could be anything he chose and he was awestruck by this.
One day he was told that there comes a time when one stops dreaming and faces reality. What is this reality? he asked himself. He set in his mind that he would never give up dreaming, that he would never let go of striving to make his dreams come true. He assured himself that others may have given up with life so easily, but he would never do as others did. I am different! he told himself naively. I will always pursue my goals and dreams no matter what others may say. I am my own person! I am to be great!
Life has a funny way of chewing up and spitting out dreams. The young lad refused to let life’s trials pierce his resolve. Instead, the young lad pushed forward, all the while getting a little older, and a little weaker. You see, life sometimes delivers huge blows, such as a permanent disability or a prison sentence. Sometimes life rips a person apart in one move. However, it is often more subtle. Generally, life has a way of slowly tearing a person apart. It is almost invisible. Little things happen over the years as a person moves away from youth and closer to their end that dampens a person’s resolve.
As the trials of life pass, we find ourselves getting through them. However, at the same time we lament that that we did not do it differently. In hindsight we realize we would have done things differently if faced with the same obstacle. This is why people generally get out of ordeals more easily as they repeat. However, it’s that first sting that hurts the most. The pain from that first sting lasts the longest, and as such we tend to let its effects linger in our mind. We lament and feel angst each time the memory is rekindled.
So many obstacles present themselves in a person’s life. Each one breaks the spirit just a little more. We don’t realize it at first. Sometimes we fantasize that everything will be ideal. But more things happen. We grow tired of these trials. If we were to live forever every person’s spirit would be destroyed eventually. One day we would all give up with life. If people lived over a thousand years, I would venture to guess that every person would take their own life. Isn’t that insane? Perhaps that is why we are bestowed with lives ranging from 60-110 years. Maybe anything more would be too difficult to bear.
We are weak creatures. I am not weak like everyone else! The young man cried. His life was going to somehow be different than anyone before him. He felt a little superiority when he said these things. He had an air of pomposity as he spoke. Of course, he was no better than any other person, he just had not realized it yet. In fact, he would one day realize he was actually worse than many.
Life circumstances may not always dictate who a person becomes, but they go a long way. Few people are amazing enough to not let the circumstances of life dictate who they will be. The young lad may have at one time been such an individual. But he gave up one day. He threw in the towel and screamed, I have had enough! Life is a beast. Every year that is added to us we realize exactly how disgusting life can be. The worship of youth, and the fall from that ideal deliver crushing blows. Age coupled with lack of time further coupled with the slow and painful destruction of the spirit combine to create a person who no longer craves that invisible goal that the were one day searching for. The young lad was misguided. He had no clue what it was he wanted, and when he got close to something, he realized it was something he never cared to have. In fact, it was something he feared greatly.
I am like them all! he admitted one day. It was not too hard for him to say. It was something that had been coming for months. He had prepared for it a while. He knew he would have to say it one day though. Each day before he spoke it the reality of it became apparent to him. He knew he would speak those words, and that others would make a bigger deal about it than it actually was.
I am like everybody else! He admitted. Nobody wanted to hear that. Maybe they were misguided themselves to think he was different. Maybe they never knew he would give in. He always said he would not. But his eyes were opened wide by the reality that his quest was always in vain. He could never hope to achieve that which no man in his position could achieve. He had his chance, wasted it, and now, aged and on the verge of natural death had no means to actually obtain it. And so what if he did? He was far too old to enjoy such things, best reserved to youth.
He let the dream die, and smiled. He smiled because he would soon be free (from law school), and he could do whatever he pleased with the rest of his fleeing life.
One day he was told that there comes a time when one stops dreaming and faces reality. What is this reality? he asked himself. He set in his mind that he would never give up dreaming, that he would never let go of striving to make his dreams come true. He assured himself that others may have given up with life so easily, but he would never do as others did. I am different! he told himself naively. I will always pursue my goals and dreams no matter what others may say. I am my own person! I am to be great!
Life has a funny way of chewing up and spitting out dreams. The young lad refused to let life’s trials pierce his resolve. Instead, the young lad pushed forward, all the while getting a little older, and a little weaker. You see, life sometimes delivers huge blows, such as a permanent disability or a prison sentence. Sometimes life rips a person apart in one move. However, it is often more subtle. Generally, life has a way of slowly tearing a person apart. It is almost invisible. Little things happen over the years as a person moves away from youth and closer to their end that dampens a person’s resolve.
As the trials of life pass, we find ourselves getting through them. However, at the same time we lament that that we did not do it differently. In hindsight we realize we would have done things differently if faced with the same obstacle. This is why people generally get out of ordeals more easily as they repeat. However, it’s that first sting that hurts the most. The pain from that first sting lasts the longest, and as such we tend to let its effects linger in our mind. We lament and feel angst each time the memory is rekindled.
So many obstacles present themselves in a person’s life. Each one breaks the spirit just a little more. We don’t realize it at first. Sometimes we fantasize that everything will be ideal. But more things happen. We grow tired of these trials. If we were to live forever every person’s spirit would be destroyed eventually. One day we would all give up with life. If people lived over a thousand years, I would venture to guess that every person would take their own life. Isn’t that insane? Perhaps that is why we are bestowed with lives ranging from 60-110 years. Maybe anything more would be too difficult to bear.
We are weak creatures. I am not weak like everyone else! The young man cried. His life was going to somehow be different than anyone before him. He felt a little superiority when he said these things. He had an air of pomposity as he spoke. Of course, he was no better than any other person, he just had not realized it yet. In fact, he would one day realize he was actually worse than many.
Life circumstances may not always dictate who a person becomes, but they go a long way. Few people are amazing enough to not let the circumstances of life dictate who they will be. The young lad may have at one time been such an individual. But he gave up one day. He threw in the towel and screamed, I have had enough! Life is a beast. Every year that is added to us we realize exactly how disgusting life can be. The worship of youth, and the fall from that ideal deliver crushing blows. Age coupled with lack of time further coupled with the slow and painful destruction of the spirit combine to create a person who no longer craves that invisible goal that the were one day searching for. The young lad was misguided. He had no clue what it was he wanted, and when he got close to something, he realized it was something he never cared to have. In fact, it was something he feared greatly.
I am like them all! he admitted one day. It was not too hard for him to say. It was something that had been coming for months. He had prepared for it a while. He knew he would have to say it one day though. Each day before he spoke it the reality of it became apparent to him. He knew he would speak those words, and that others would make a bigger deal about it than it actually was.
I am like everybody else! He admitted. Nobody wanted to hear that. Maybe they were misguided themselves to think he was different. Maybe they never knew he would give in. He always said he would not. But his eyes were opened wide by the reality that his quest was always in vain. He could never hope to achieve that which no man in his position could achieve. He had his chance, wasted it, and now, aged and on the verge of natural death had no means to actually obtain it. And so what if he did? He was far too old to enjoy such things, best reserved to youth.
He let the dream die, and smiled. He smiled because he would soon be free (from law school), and he could do whatever he pleased with the rest of his fleeing life.
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Food Stamp School of Law
I saw an interesting post on http://butidideverythingrightorsoithought.blogspot.com/:
The University of Georgia students have opened a food pantry. Don't believe me? Look!
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/20/141563700/university-of-georgia-students-open-food-pantry
Well, not to steal the other blog's thunder, but that reminded me of the predicament that I am in (you know, because I may have forgot). I am a law student, but not a rich one. I'm actually collecting food stamps as I go to law school. Why? Because I am poor. Many of my fellow students are wealthy, but I suppose not all are. I feel very out of place in those halls. In those classrooms. When I went a year ago I had this hope that I would be very wealthy one day, not have to rely on the government to feed me. Those dreams are dying though. Those days are almost gone.
I posted a letter from my grandparents a while back about how I should not lose sight of the dream, how I should never give up. They are still trying to get me to continue law school, and I have not replied back to them. I feel bad, but really don't know what to say. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I have all this pressure riding on me to do well. My family honestly believes that I am going to be a rich lawyer. The reality is far from that. One day they will see that I am not (my grandparents might be dead by that time - so that may not matter).
On my facebook, which was deactivated shortly after this was posted: "oh (name) it is good to see you here again. Please don't let ever let your dreams die, you have come so far..... Don't know if you got my last letter but I hope you did. Please write me back, as always, I love hearing from you."
However, the rest of my family will be bewildered. They will say that I did something wrong. And you know what? I don't care. What do I care about, however, is that I was stupid enough to start. I didn't sit down and research it. I went into it balls out telling myself that it would save me and make me wealthy. When you are rock bottom you have delusions of grandeur. I can't stand hearing some of the people at my school, the 2Ls, talking about their bright futures. Are they lying to themselves? How can they be so smug? How can they smile? They have to know what hell it will be coming from a 2nd tier school. They are up against lawyers from tip top schools with a crapton of experience and connections. How can they expect to find a job? How can they have that silly grin on their face?
I don't know what I am going to tell my grandparents. I don't think I will say anything. I think that, honestly, once I find a way out, once I can survive on my own without these loans paying my rent, I am going to flee. I have not studied for my finals, which are in a few days. I don't care to. I know that I can't get anywhere near the top half of my class this semester. Why try? I just hope to pass. I tell myself that I can do better next semester. But does it matter? All the good ships have sailed and I am left with the crappy ones that are posted on http://www.shitlawjobs.com/. And I am going to have to fight, bone, tooth and nail for those jobs.
But as I mentioned to someone the other day: I do not plan on taking the bar. I will probably tell employers I started law school but did not finish, or I will go teach English outside the US, or I will do something else completely. There's a ton of non-law options. However, I blew a couple years of my life so far on this, and that angers me. However, I guess the best thing I can do now is to see it as a learning experience. A very expensive learning experience, but one none the less.
------
This blog is the blog of a law student going to a second tier rated university in the Northeast. He is a tired student, who has been in college way too long. He has almost no real world work experience. He has come from a poor family. He once had big dreams for his life, but as he gets older he sees those dreams die. Such is life. It's a hard lesson, but one that must be learned.
One last dream for our writer: to escape law school.
The University of Georgia students have opened a food pantry. Don't believe me? Look!
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/20/141563700/university-of-georgia-students-open-food-pantry
Well, not to steal the other blog's thunder, but that reminded me of the predicament that I am in (you know, because I may have forgot). I am a law student, but not a rich one. I'm actually collecting food stamps as I go to law school. Why? Because I am poor. Many of my fellow students are wealthy, but I suppose not all are. I feel very out of place in those halls. In those classrooms. When I went a year ago I had this hope that I would be very wealthy one day, not have to rely on the government to feed me. Those dreams are dying though. Those days are almost gone.
I posted a letter from my grandparents a while back about how I should not lose sight of the dream, how I should never give up. They are still trying to get me to continue law school, and I have not replied back to them. I feel bad, but really don't know what to say. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I have all this pressure riding on me to do well. My family honestly believes that I am going to be a rich lawyer. The reality is far from that. One day they will see that I am not (my grandparents might be dead by that time - so that may not matter).
On my facebook, which was deactivated shortly after this was posted: "oh (name) it is good to see you here again. Please don't let ever let your dreams die, you have come so far..... Don't know if you got my last letter but I hope you did. Please write me back, as always, I love hearing from you."
However, the rest of my family will be bewildered. They will say that I did something wrong. And you know what? I don't care. What do I care about, however, is that I was stupid enough to start. I didn't sit down and research it. I went into it balls out telling myself that it would save me and make me wealthy. When you are rock bottom you have delusions of grandeur. I can't stand hearing some of the people at my school, the 2Ls, talking about their bright futures. Are they lying to themselves? How can they be so smug? How can they smile? They have to know what hell it will be coming from a 2nd tier school. They are up against lawyers from tip top schools with a crapton of experience and connections. How can they expect to find a job? How can they have that silly grin on their face?
I don't know what I am going to tell my grandparents. I don't think I will say anything. I think that, honestly, once I find a way out, once I can survive on my own without these loans paying my rent, I am going to flee. I have not studied for my finals, which are in a few days. I don't care to. I know that I can't get anywhere near the top half of my class this semester. Why try? I just hope to pass. I tell myself that I can do better next semester. But does it matter? All the good ships have sailed and I am left with the crappy ones that are posted on http://www.shitlawjobs.com/. And I am going to have to fight, bone, tooth and nail for those jobs.
But as I mentioned to someone the other day: I do not plan on taking the bar. I will probably tell employers I started law school but did not finish, or I will go teach English outside the US, or I will do something else completely. There's a ton of non-law options. However, I blew a couple years of my life so far on this, and that angers me. However, I guess the best thing I can do now is to see it as a learning experience. A very expensive learning experience, but one none the less.
------
This blog is the blog of a law student going to a second tier rated university in the Northeast. He is a tired student, who has been in college way too long. He has almost no real world work experience. He has come from a poor family. He once had big dreams for his life, but as he gets older he sees those dreams die. Such is life. It's a hard lesson, but one that must be learned.
One last dream for our writer: to escape law school.
Too Many Lawyers in the Phone Book
When I was an undergraduate I knew this one girl-a family friend-who was planning on starting college. Of all things imaginable she wanted to be a lawyer. Imagine that huh? Well, I was considering going to law school to supplement my impending Bachelor of Arts degree and thought it would be interesting to see who would end up where. Now, I did not have much respect for this girl at the time. In fact, I doubted she would even go to college. However, she liked to talk big and oooh and awe everyone with her plans of being an attorney.
Well, one day when I was about to take the LSAT she informed me that she was no longer interested in being a lawyer.
"Why not?" I asked, confused at this change in events.
"Well, there are too many in the phone book," she said.
Of course, at the time I was floored by this comment. Like most things this woman said, I could not take it seriously. I wanted to roll around laughing at her. Furthermore, she was obsessed with CSI and like shows and informed me that she was going into "forensics" instead.
Fast forward a few years later. She dropped out of college after half a semester and just married a truck driver. The man owns his own business. She sets up his routes and he goes back and forth delivering vehicles cross country. They just bought a house together. He claims to make over $100,000 a year.
Where am I? 2L. And yes, she was right. There are way too many lawyers in the phone book.
Back in the day my family wanted to set me up to be a plumber's apprentice. I did not want to do such 'dirty work' and scowled at this. I wanted to be looked up to by society, not clean their toilets. However, one is not looked up to when they are unemployed. Plumbers make good money, and such a job is one I would have been smart to take. I could have still went to college had I the desire. I must say I am proud of the things I know due to college. My critical thinking skills are far beyond what they were out of high school. I even enjoy the thinking that I am forced to do with law school. However, there is thinking and there is doing. And I feel that I am in a scary place when it comes to the doing part.
Jobs like being a plumber or a truck driver have serious job security. The rich looks at them as 'jobs of the poor'. There is no elite plumber or truck driving schools. No billionaire brags that his son got into the Harvard of truck driving schools or the Princeton of plumbing. However, when it comes to law, the playing field is the field of the rich. If you are a poor student with no connections you are going to have a hell of a time getting into the legal profession. It's not an easy thing to break into. You may be intelligent with stellar grades, but you are still competing with little Henry, son of a Supreme Court Justice. You are competing with little Marsha, whose daddy paid for her LSAT tutoring course to get her into Columbia. You are competing with Ronald, whose lower Manhattan apartment is paid for by daddy. Father will also make sure Ronald has a job lined up afterwards, because he's either a partner at a huge firm, or his company has connections.
There will always be a need for plumbers as long as people poop. There will always be a need for deliveries. These jobs have security that the law does not have for the average person. Sure, there are slumps. However, if you are smart enough to get into law school, you can probably find your way into a good plumbing or truck driving gig. If you are devoted enough to jump through the law school hoops, I am sure you can get a good apprenticeship and eventually start your own business.
Truck driving and plumbing, like other similar fields, are not to be scowled at. There are many individuals making great money in these fields. Hell, you have a better chance of making good money if you go into either. Good luck with that sports law career or those space law jobs.
I wish I would have thought hard when she said "there's too many lawyers in the phone book." I should have picked one up and flipped through it. Hell, there's one on the cover, one on the spine, 2 on the inside flap, one on the rear cover. There's even an insert that pops out that has an attorney ad. She was right. There's way too many lawyers in the phone book.
Well, one day when I was about to take the LSAT she informed me that she was no longer interested in being a lawyer.
"Why not?" I asked, confused at this change in events.
"Well, there are too many in the phone book," she said.
Of course, at the time I was floored by this comment. Like most things this woman said, I could not take it seriously. I wanted to roll around laughing at her. Furthermore, she was obsessed with CSI and like shows and informed me that she was going into "forensics" instead.
Fast forward a few years later. She dropped out of college after half a semester and just married a truck driver. The man owns his own business. She sets up his routes and he goes back and forth delivering vehicles cross country. They just bought a house together. He claims to make over $100,000 a year.
Where am I? 2L. And yes, she was right. There are way too many lawyers in the phone book.
Back in the day my family wanted to set me up to be a plumber's apprentice. I did not want to do such 'dirty work' and scowled at this. I wanted to be looked up to by society, not clean their toilets. However, one is not looked up to when they are unemployed. Plumbers make good money, and such a job is one I would have been smart to take. I could have still went to college had I the desire. I must say I am proud of the things I know due to college. My critical thinking skills are far beyond what they were out of high school. I even enjoy the thinking that I am forced to do with law school. However, there is thinking and there is doing. And I feel that I am in a scary place when it comes to the doing part.
Jobs like being a plumber or a truck driver have serious job security. The rich looks at them as 'jobs of the poor'. There is no elite plumber or truck driving schools. No billionaire brags that his son got into the Harvard of truck driving schools or the Princeton of plumbing. However, when it comes to law, the playing field is the field of the rich. If you are a poor student with no connections you are going to have a hell of a time getting into the legal profession. It's not an easy thing to break into. You may be intelligent with stellar grades, but you are still competing with little Henry, son of a Supreme Court Justice. You are competing with little Marsha, whose daddy paid for her LSAT tutoring course to get her into Columbia. You are competing with Ronald, whose lower Manhattan apartment is paid for by daddy. Father will also make sure Ronald has a job lined up afterwards, because he's either a partner at a huge firm, or his company has connections.
There will always be a need for plumbers as long as people poop. There will always be a need for deliveries. These jobs have security that the law does not have for the average person. Sure, there are slumps. However, if you are smart enough to get into law school, you can probably find your way into a good plumbing or truck driving gig. If you are devoted enough to jump through the law school hoops, I am sure you can get a good apprenticeship and eventually start your own business.
Truck driving and plumbing, like other similar fields, are not to be scowled at. There are many individuals making great money in these fields. Hell, you have a better chance of making good money if you go into either. Good luck with that sports law career or those space law jobs.
I wish I would have thought hard when she said "there's too many lawyers in the phone book." I should have picked one up and flipped through it. Hell, there's one on the cover, one on the spine, 2 on the inside flap, one on the rear cover. There's even an insert that pops out that has an attorney ad. She was right. There's way too many lawyers in the phone book.
Thursday 1 December 2011
The difference between a T4 and a T1/T2
What is the difference between a 4th tier and a 1st tier law school? Better employment prospects? I kind of doubt it. It seems to me that people at all the schools are out of luck when it comes to getting jobs.
What are the real differences between a first tier and fourth tier law school?
Prettier Buildings
First tier schools generally have some really good looking buildings. In fact, many of the first tier schools are older schools and it shows in the architecture. Now, this is not always the case, but as you get up in the rankings you'll notice that the buildings get pretty nice. Of course this has nothing to do with what you'll earn or if you'll find a job.
Smarter more distinguished professors
They may not be better paid (fourth tier school professors bring in a lot of money as well), but they have probably wrote more articles and they may have even served as a bona-fide judge! First tier schools seem to have professors who know everything, well, except for how to get a job coming from their school.
Better Lunch Options
Many of the first tier schools are a part of a university, which means that there are many businesses nearby that cater to the students. Also, large universities tend to have many dining options right on site. A stand alone fourth tier school or lesser known school may not have the meals that stack up to the first tier. However, none of this will have anything to do with finding a job. Well, I guess you could invite the law firm recruiter to have lunch with you at your school...
"More" Ladies.
Saying "I go to (well known state school)" vs. "I go to bob's tier four law school" gets you way more women. And there are many more women of all shapes and sizes on a big university campus. Of course, this has little to do with finding a job as well, because, in the end, having a woman costs money, and law school doesn't guarantee that - not even a tier 1.
More Trees
There's generally a lot of trees on those big sprawling tier 1 campuses. And horny law students who are too busy getting any will see all sorts of crazy stuff when they walk by them. Fourth tier schools have some trees, but generally not nearly as many.
Conclusion
So what is the same about a T4 and a T1? The job prospects are almost the same. So are the huge costs. Some 4th tier schools try to charge more money than 1st tier schools, but when people are walking down the aisle at graduation from either school they are shaking in fear. That first tier school diploma may look better on your wall than the fourth tier diploma, but really, it doesn't make as much difference as one would think. Sallie Mae doesn't care, she just wants her money. And there are barely enough jobs for people in the top 14 schools and people with strong connections. What's left over may go to the top 3% on law review with strokes of wild luck. And many of those poor fools will end up offing themselves because of job dissatisfaction.
So, if you value nicer buildings, more diverse women of all shapes and sizes, professors who wrote more books, and more lunch options, then please, choose the first tier school. IF HOWEVER YOU WANT AN ACTUAL JOB THINK THRICE ABOUT GOING IN THE FIRST PLACE!
What are the real differences between a first tier and fourth tier law school?
Prettier Buildings
Better Lunch Options
Many of the first tier schools are a part of a university, which means that there are many businesses nearby that cater to the students. Also, large universities tend to have many dining options right on site. A stand alone fourth tier school or lesser known school may not have the meals that stack up to the first tier. However, none of this will have anything to do with finding a job. Well, I guess you could invite the law firm recruiter to have lunch with you at your school...
"More" Ladies.
Saying "I go to (well known state school)" vs. "I go to bob's tier four law school" gets you way more women. And there are many more women of all shapes and sizes on a big university campus. Of course, this has little to do with finding a job as well, because, in the end, having a woman costs money, and law school doesn't guarantee that - not even a tier 1.
More Trees
There's generally a lot of trees on those big sprawling tier 1 campuses. And horny law students who are too busy getting any will see all sorts of crazy stuff when they walk by them. Fourth tier schools have some trees, but generally not nearly as many.
Conclusion
So what is the same about a T4 and a T1? The job prospects are almost the same. So are the huge costs. Some 4th tier schools try to charge more money than 1st tier schools, but when people are walking down the aisle at graduation from either school they are shaking in fear. That first tier school diploma may look better on your wall than the fourth tier diploma, but really, it doesn't make as much difference as one would think. Sallie Mae doesn't care, she just wants her money. And there are barely enough jobs for people in the top 14 schools and people with strong connections. What's left over may go to the top 3% on law review with strokes of wild luck. And many of those poor fools will end up offing themselves because of job dissatisfaction.
So, if you value nicer buildings, more diverse women of all shapes and sizes, professors who wrote more books, and more lunch options, then please, choose the first tier school. IF HOWEVER YOU WANT AN ACTUAL JOB THINK THRICE ABOUT GOING IN THE FIRST PLACE!
My daddy is a lawyer... and my mommy a prostitute!
It's amazing how many people have lawyers for daddies. I didn't think it would be so common, as after working a couple of internships I ask myself if I really want to do law. However, there's a ton of people at my school with lawyers for fathers (and mothers). Now, I imagine not every one of those sons and daughters of lawyers will get a job, but it is kind of scary when I realize I have no lawyers in the family. I'd be the first, if I become one.
I wonder if schools give a boost to a child who states that his or her parent is a lawyer. After all, that individual will have a better chance of getting a job most likely, which will boost the school's rating. I don't know if this has been something that has been researched, but it would be interesting to find out. Of course, the schools try so hard to not let the students and prospective applicants privy to this information. However, there's ways of finding things out. A rogue admissions officer, an evil ex dean, an ex professor who was on the admissions committee gone evil. These people are hard to find. Many have offed themselves no doubt. Others lay low, hoping nobody will ever find out about their sordid past.
I realize that even though a father may be a lawyer, it does not guarantee that student a job. Daddy may have not the needed power at the firm to allow his son or daughter to suck the firm's teat. In fact, he may be just a intern himself, having never found a paid gig. In fact, Daddy may be working pro bono because he never ever was able to find a paid job. Of course, this will not put food on the family table, so mother picks up a few hours as a prostitute on the side, or pole dances, or maybe just does a truck stop lap dance for some extra money. It pays the bills at least, and there are low barriers to entry. In fact, one does not need to take out loans, apply for grants, scholarships, or worry that they will be able to pay back Sallie Mae. In fact, after hours of research I can pretty much say with a 0% margin of error that there are no student loans available for prostitution! Isn't that great?
Of course, there are things that a working woman may want to buy, such as those platform shoes that guys seem to love, some silky leggings (crotchless: my favorite), or nipple tassels. I have always, myself, liked to see the nipples, so the tassels would not do it for me, but that's another story.
However, mother could still buy those items, after a bit of work. One thing that I have learned from undergrad business courses is that some business necessities may come after starting the business and bringing in some money. Of course, it's hard to start a law firm with $200k of debt, so maybe mother could use her earnings to become a venture capitalist.
Of course, I don't know of anyone who would bring up such an idea to their mother. I can imagine the looks of horror on her face, and her voice growing low, with father breathing into the other phone line, hoping nobody can hear him listening in, as mother says: "don't all lawyers make $100,000 a year minimum? Your law school packet they sent states that 98% of students get jobs, and the average is $160,000."
Of course, father is still breathing like crazy in the opposite line, wanting to...
You know what, I think I've said enough.
I wonder if schools give a boost to a child who states that his or her parent is a lawyer. After all, that individual will have a better chance of getting a job most likely, which will boost the school's rating. I don't know if this has been something that has been researched, but it would be interesting to find out. Of course, the schools try so hard to not let the students and prospective applicants privy to this information. However, there's ways of finding things out. A rogue admissions officer, an evil ex dean, an ex professor who was on the admissions committee gone evil. These people are hard to find. Many have offed themselves no doubt. Others lay low, hoping nobody will ever find out about their sordid past.
I realize that even though a father may be a lawyer, it does not guarantee that student a job. Daddy may have not the needed power at the firm to allow his son or daughter to suck the firm's teat. In fact, he may be just a intern himself, having never found a paid gig. In fact, Daddy may be working pro bono because he never ever was able to find a paid job. Of course, this will not put food on the family table, so mother picks up a few hours as a prostitute on the side, or pole dances, or maybe just does a truck stop lap dance for some extra money. It pays the bills at least, and there are low barriers to entry. In fact, one does not need to take out loans, apply for grants, scholarships, or worry that they will be able to pay back Sallie Mae. In fact, after hours of research I can pretty much say with a 0% margin of error that there are no student loans available for prostitution! Isn't that great?
Of course, there are things that a working woman may want to buy, such as those platform shoes that guys seem to love, some silky leggings (crotchless: my favorite), or nipple tassels. I have always, myself, liked to see the nipples, so the tassels would not do it for me, but that's another story.
Of course, I don't know of anyone who would bring up such an idea to their mother. I can imagine the looks of horror on her face, and her voice growing low, with father breathing into the other phone line, hoping nobody can hear him listening in, as mother says: "don't all lawyers make $100,000 a year minimum? Your law school packet they sent states that 98% of students get jobs, and the average is $160,000."
Of course, father is still breathing like crazy in the opposite line, wanting to...
You know what, I think I've said enough.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
"Don't drop out..."
Information leaked to my family that I was seriously considering dropping out of law school. Now, keep in mind I do not get any financial help from my family. Many of them are unemployed right now. My grandparents are on the brink of retiring and collecting SSI for the rest of their life. My mother is being forced out of her home and her fiance lives in a camper because the commute to his job is around 3-4 hours. My father has been unemployed for going on two years. So when I mentioned that I was considering dropping out of law school they were frenzied.
Immediately I got an e-mail from my grandparents:
"You mentioned you were thinking about quitting school. I hope you decide not to because you have so much time invested in it and you are almost at the finish line. You may look back and really regret it later on if you quit now. Sure there are people out there that just see gloom and doom but if you have the will to succeed, and Lord knows you do, the right position will be there for you . It sounds like you have been doing real good and getting internships so you must be doing something right. You have a really good, smart head on your shoulders so I know you will really give it some very serious thought.
Now, I felt bad that they heard of my idea of quitting school, and e-mails like this make it really hard to do that. Not only do I have to worry about where I would get funding to afford my apartment and bills while looking for work. But, I would have to worry about my family thinking of me insane. They are under the belief that all lawyers are rich people who drive fancy cars and have fancy women (or men if they are a lady). However, I did not know what to say to this, so have not replied yet. I don't want to say: "well, I'll give it another shot," even though I will probably at least stick with it through Spring and see if I can line up real work while doing school. But, at the same time, I am not going to say, "I am going to quit after Spring if I find a good job."
Part of me would like to find a good job and quit and use the job as an excuse. However, the reality is that I am probably not going to find one, hence me going to law school in the first place. Either way, it's something else to think about as finals approach.
Immediately I got an e-mail from my grandparents:
"You mentioned you were thinking about quitting school. I hope you decide not to because you have so much time invested in it and you are almost at the finish line. You may look back and really regret it later on if you quit now. Sure there are people out there that just see gloom and doom but if you have the will to succeed, and Lord knows you do, the right position will be there for you . It sounds like you have been doing real good and getting internships so you must be doing something right. You have a really good, smart head on your shoulders so I know you will really give it some very serious thought.
Now, I felt bad that they heard of my idea of quitting school, and e-mails like this make it really hard to do that. Not only do I have to worry about where I would get funding to afford my apartment and bills while looking for work. But, I would have to worry about my family thinking of me insane. They are under the belief that all lawyers are rich people who drive fancy cars and have fancy women (or men if they are a lady). However, I did not know what to say to this, so have not replied yet. I don't want to say: "well, I'll give it another shot," even though I will probably at least stick with it through Spring and see if I can line up real work while doing school. But, at the same time, I am not going to say, "I am going to quit after Spring if I find a good job."
Part of me would like to find a good job and quit and use the job as an excuse. However, the reality is that I am probably not going to find one, hence me going to law school in the first place. Either way, it's something else to think about as finals approach.
Thanksgiving Break
Man, I really enjoyed my Thanksgiving break. I didn't even think much about law school except having to actually go back on Monday. And here I am, waiting for class to start. I thought about skipping this one, as I actually read the stuff (except the last case) but I think I will go, mainly because I have right about the max amount of absences.
I got some comments on my last post which really gave me something to think about. I am considering going and teaching English outside the US. Sure, it's not great money, but it's better than this. I have a lot of research to do, but it would probably be better than sitting around in class all day worrying that:
1) I will get called on.
2) and if I get called on I will have not read the case.
3) or, I will have read the case, but be tricked,
4) or, will be asked something about a past case that I did not read which relates to this case.
5) or that I am wasting my time, and will not be able to find a job after this.
6) or that I could be doing something more worthwhile such as playing Farkle on my ipod.
---
Update: I was called on! And guess what, it was the case from LAST CLASS that I did not brief. I guess I did not realize we were still behind. I scrambled like a lunatic trying to remember the case, and looked around through my underlined notes like a bat out of hell. I was able to parse things together as the professor fired question upon question at me in military fashion. My palms were entrenched with sweat, my eyes were glazed in hysteria. From the back corner of the room I plunked out answers in fury, clenching my pen and book, flipping through my notebook to past cases that she may try to compare. Her gaze had me frozen as her lips barked forth words that had become mush in my brain over the Thanksgiving break. I knew she was thinking: "did you not review and study over the break?"
Finally, when she asked me the holding, and the glorious light at the end of the tunnel beckoned, I screwed it up. I went blank. I forgot what the holding was. And then, it came to me! And I was wrong. She corrected me and talked for a moment. Her words turned into white noise as I stared at the pages, ready to answer yet another question, but none came. It was over...
I got some comments on my last post which really gave me something to think about. I am considering going and teaching English outside the US. Sure, it's not great money, but it's better than this. I have a lot of research to do, but it would probably be better than sitting around in class all day worrying that:
1) I will get called on.
2) and if I get called on I will have not read the case.
3) or, I will have read the case, but be tricked,
4) or, will be asked something about a past case that I did not read which relates to this case.
5) or that I am wasting my time, and will not be able to find a job after this.
6) or that I could be doing something more worthwhile such as playing Farkle on my ipod.
---
Update: I was called on! And guess what, it was the case from LAST CLASS that I did not brief. I guess I did not realize we were still behind. I scrambled like a lunatic trying to remember the case, and looked around through my underlined notes like a bat out of hell. I was able to parse things together as the professor fired question upon question at me in military fashion. My palms were entrenched with sweat, my eyes were glazed in hysteria. From the back corner of the room I plunked out answers in fury, clenching my pen and book, flipping through my notebook to past cases that she may try to compare. Her gaze had me frozen as her lips barked forth words that had become mush in my brain over the Thanksgiving break. I knew she was thinking: "did you not review and study over the break?"
Finally, when she asked me the holding, and the glorious light at the end of the tunnel beckoned, I screwed it up. I went blank. I forgot what the holding was. And then, it came to me! And I was wrong. She corrected me and talked for a moment. Her words turned into white noise as I stared at the pages, ready to answer yet another question, but none came. It was over...
Thursday 17 November 2011
Skipping Class...
So, I've been skipping class. Why? I don't know. I just can't get myself to be in the mood to go. Last year I was on top of it all now, and now this year I feel like "what's the point"? I realize, though, I need to put my teeth to the grindstone and get my rear in gear, and back to class I shall go.
But I imagine I am not the only one. You know, back in my first year of law school, very few people seemed to miss. Now, as finals approach in 2L, everyone is missing classes, doesn't care, and is lethargic it seems. The competitive cut-throat environment of 1L is lost. Now there is just fear of not finding a job. Fear of not doing good. And half of us are too scared to even try.
So, what are my plans for Thanksgiving you ask? Study for finals, I say. But in reality I know I won't be doing that. I know that in reality I'll be lamenting that I am not studying for finals while doing something else entirely, be it eating, drinking egg nog, hanging out with friends, or hell, even playing:
All of it sounds a lot funner than studying for finals.
Oh, and I skipped class today to post this blog (I should be in class right now).
So, what are my plans for Thanksgiving you ask? Study for finals, I say. But in reality I know I won't be doing that. I know that in reality I'll be lamenting that I am not studying for finals while doing something else entirely, be it eating, drinking egg nog, hanging out with friends, or hell, even playing:
All of it sounds a lot funner than studying for finals.
Oh, and I skipped class today to post this blog (I should be in class right now).
Monday 14 November 2011
When people ask you about law school...
So I was telling an old friend of mine that I was in law school. He asked me what I was doing with my life and I was trying to figure out a way to say "I'm in school still..." without looking like a bum. To be honest, part of me wishes I was out of school and doing something with my life. You know, using this great legal education to further my own ends. But that is not the reality. Of course, he was impressed by this and was like "wow, isn't law school tough?" I was not really in the mood to talk about it, but stated, "it can be."
I think the hardest part I have with law school is the fear that once I get done that all that effort will be meaningless. Who knows if I will get a job, and if I do, will it be one I like? Will the people I work for be respectable human beings, or will they be people I hate working with. Part of me wonders if I even want to work in law. Maybe I could start my own business instead. But what? There's so much going through my head when I start talking about law school.
Two years ago I was thrilled at the idea of talking about law school. People seemed so impressed by it and I was thrilled to have it asked. Wow, how things change in such a short time.
I have been going to a lot more blogs on here, which are very interesting. I can't say I agree with everything they say, but they do paint a harsh picture of the reality we are not made aware of when filling out that law school application and sending application fee after application fee away to different schools. I wonder, would have I even applied after reading the stuff I read now? Maybe they should have a 1L or pre 1L course where one studies the inner workings of the law school system. In fact, I think a high school course where one studies adult professions and how competitive it is to get into them, and how many actual spots are open in them would do wonders. Maybe that kind of thing is taught in economics. I would not know though, as I did not take economics in high school. Either way, there's way too many schools now and way too little positions for graduates. What's a person to do?
That's where I have got the idea of starting my own business. Yet I came from a family that told me that when I grow up, I get a job and work for someone else. That's the big reason I went to law school. I figured if I am going to work for someone else I am going to earn a lot. Now I see that I might end up someone's slave for a small pittance. And all the while the person I am working for would be reaping the fruits of my labor. I don't think that's what I want. So, I have decided I would like to start my own business. What? I don't know. I thought about law, but realistically I would need a few years at least of solid law experience before going in for myself. What else then? A bakery, a plumbing supply company? A car dealership? Any of these things would probably make me more money than I can expect to learn from law school, and all those things require no college. Kind of crazy to think about...
I think the hardest part I have with law school is the fear that once I get done that all that effort will be meaningless. Who knows if I will get a job, and if I do, will it be one I like? Will the people I work for be respectable human beings, or will they be people I hate working with. Part of me wonders if I even want to work in law. Maybe I could start my own business instead. But what? There's so much going through my head when I start talking about law school.
Two years ago I was thrilled at the idea of talking about law school. People seemed so impressed by it and I was thrilled to have it asked. Wow, how things change in such a short time.
I have been going to a lot more blogs on here, which are very interesting. I can't say I agree with everything they say, but they do paint a harsh picture of the reality we are not made aware of when filling out that law school application and sending application fee after application fee away to different schools. I wonder, would have I even applied after reading the stuff I read now? Maybe they should have a 1L or pre 1L course where one studies the inner workings of the law school system. In fact, I think a high school course where one studies adult professions and how competitive it is to get into them, and how many actual spots are open in them would do wonders. Maybe that kind of thing is taught in economics. I would not know though, as I did not take economics in high school. Either way, there's way too many schools now and way too little positions for graduates. What's a person to do?
That's where I have got the idea of starting my own business. Yet I came from a family that told me that when I grow up, I get a job and work for someone else. That's the big reason I went to law school. I figured if I am going to work for someone else I am going to earn a lot. Now I see that I might end up someone's slave for a small pittance. And all the while the person I am working for would be reaping the fruits of my labor. I don't think that's what I want. So, I have decided I would like to start my own business. What? I don't know. I thought about law, but realistically I would need a few years at least of solid law experience before going in for myself. What else then? A bakery, a plumbing supply company? A car dealership? Any of these things would probably make me more money than I can expect to learn from law school, and all those things require no college. Kind of crazy to think about...
Tuesday 8 November 2011
I thought I'd share...
I found a really interesting and scary site known as http://www.shitlawjobs.com/. Man, what an eye opener. I'd actually rather close my eyes and pretend I didn't see that. The premise is simple. The blogger posts about legal jobs that he finds around the internet. Most that I saw were from Craigslist.
They look like this:
Downtown general practice firm seeking NEW YORK ADMITTED attorney to make court appearances. Bankruptcy, immigration, and landlord/tenant experience a plus.
Strong work ethic, positive attitude and superior organization skills required.
Please note that this is an unpaid internship with the potential for a paid position in the future for the right person.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/lgl/2695588397.html
Anyway, this is scary. I would like to share this with some of the people in my classes, but I know what they would say. "Those jobs are for the bottom feeders, or for people who don't go to this school." But imagine, being admitted to the bar and working for FREE?! And he asks for a positive attitude on top of it? I honestly think that this man is looking for his own personal slave. I guess there's a lot to be said about going into practice for yourself. Slave labor these days is easy to take, and I'm sure a position like this is getting some applicants. I can just imagine people at the interview stating that they would love this position and that they would treasure and cherish the experience.
They look like this:
Downtown general practice firm seeking NEW YORK ADMITTED attorney to make court appearances. Bankruptcy, immigration, and landlord/tenant experience a plus.
Strong work ethic, positive attitude and superior organization skills required.
Please note that this is an unpaid internship with the potential for a paid position in the future for the right person.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/lgl/2695588397.html
Anyway, this is scary. I would like to share this with some of the people in my classes, but I know what they would say. "Those jobs are for the bottom feeders, or for people who don't go to this school." But imagine, being admitted to the bar and working for FREE?! And he asks for a positive attitude on top of it? I honestly think that this man is looking for his own personal slave. I guess there's a lot to be said about going into practice for yourself. Slave labor these days is easy to take, and I'm sure a position like this is getting some applicants. I can just imagine people at the interview stating that they would love this position and that they would treasure and cherish the experience.
Monday 7 November 2011
So Much Anger
My last internship was an experience in itself. I can't help but find myself thinking back to it with no good thoughts. Just thoughts of if that is what practicing law is like, then help me please. I guess, that's what they call sh*t-law. It was a solo practitioner who worked in an office with an actual firm. Part of me was happy to not work for the actual firm, because the people who worked there were full of hate. Lots of yelling in that office. And the guy I worked for had no clue how to deal with people. He thought he was pretty much the smartest man imaginable. I wish I found out where he went to law school, because he didn't hang his diploma in his office (the people in the other firm went to Harvard, U.C. Berkeley, and the like) but this guy, mystery law school (maybe it was New York Law School, as he hired a lot of people before me from there).
Anyway, he'd say one thing and then blow up at me for doing it the way he said to do it. Every day, no matter what I did, it was wrong. "Fax a letter to this other attorney," he'd bark, then he'd hiss "We should have called instead. You should have called!"
He was constantly on the phone with his new wife, yelling at her over something, or pouting because she would not have dinner ready for him. Oh yes, and he whined. This actually confused me, because why would a grown man whine at his intern? He had no people skills what-so-ever. Excuse me for ranting, but man, the whole thing was hell. He was a shady player in the law game and one that I would not want to be in business with. I can tell now why he practices on his own and why he can't keep an intern (I think I worked for him the longest, half a semester).
One thing I have noticed about this profession is that there is so much yelling, so much anger. I see no need for it. Could one not be cool and composed? Instead they seem to take on so much and let their own greed overtake them. I have never met a calm attorney. Well, one, but he was the slave of another angry one and I think he was about to have a nervous breakdown. Poor man. I hope that's not me one day. I have nightmares though, sometimes, that it will be me. I'd rather work in fast food though than deal with that. I'll go learn a trade or something if it comes down to it. Anything, just please, not that.
Anyway, he'd say one thing and then blow up at me for doing it the way he said to do it. Every day, no matter what I did, it was wrong. "Fax a letter to this other attorney," he'd bark, then he'd hiss "We should have called instead. You should have called!"
He was constantly on the phone with his new wife, yelling at her over something, or pouting because she would not have dinner ready for him. Oh yes, and he whined. This actually confused me, because why would a grown man whine at his intern? He had no people skills what-so-ever. Excuse me for ranting, but man, the whole thing was hell. He was a shady player in the law game and one that I would not want to be in business with. I can tell now why he practices on his own and why he can't keep an intern (I think I worked for him the longest, half a semester).
One thing I have noticed about this profession is that there is so much yelling, so much anger. I see no need for it. Could one not be cool and composed? Instead they seem to take on so much and let their own greed overtake them. I have never met a calm attorney. Well, one, but he was the slave of another angry one and I think he was about to have a nervous breakdown. Poor man. I hope that's not me one day. I have nightmares though, sometimes, that it will be me. I'd rather work in fast food though than deal with that. I'll go learn a trade or something if it comes down to it. Anything, just please, not that.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Why I went in the first place.
If anyone reads this, they might want to know why I went to law school in the first place. Maybe when I get out I might want to know that, as I may forget. Being crammed Property and Torts makes you forget a lot of stuff that once was important.
I wanted to be a lawyer. That's all I can think of. Okay, I also wanted to make the most money possible. I saw these lawyer types, looking all professional and smart, with their briefcases and their fancy cars, and their big condominiums and homes and got a bit of a lust in me heart over that. Oh, and I imagined them having hot women, even though I rarely see male lawyers with women. In fact, the whole profession may not be very good for being in a relationship, even though there's a whole lot of dating at my school. Best to get that out of your system before you get in practice.
Now, I started law school a bit later than most. I'm in my late 20's whereas many in my class are younger. I'm not the oldest, but I wish I did this earlier. Actually, I take that back. I wish I got a degree in food science or animal husbandry. Anything else. Why did I have to major in Celtic Studies?!?!? What the hell did I expect to get out of that? My adviser, of course, told me that would be a 'different' major that graduate students would see as a boon. And I went to a fine undergraduate school. So, now that I got that out let me think, why else did I go to law school?
Oh, yes, I did think I'd end up with a lot of ladies, however at the time I was in a nice relationship (had to break up when I moved, and she was upset about that, and yes, another mistake I think about every day when I am listening to a lecture about the felony murder rule or the substantial factor test.
I can't think of any other reason why I went to law school other than those above. I think the biggest reason was to get a better degree. Something with substance. I wonder if a degree in which about a 100,000 or so other people are going for each year will have much substance, or if in the end my Celtic Studies degree will be more valuable. I guess we'll have to see, as I have not even tried to put the latter to work yet.
I wanted to be a lawyer. That's all I can think of. Okay, I also wanted to make the most money possible. I saw these lawyer types, looking all professional and smart, with their briefcases and their fancy cars, and their big condominiums and homes and got a bit of a lust in me heart over that. Oh, and I imagined them having hot women, even though I rarely see male lawyers with women. In fact, the whole profession may not be very good for being in a relationship, even though there's a whole lot of dating at my school. Best to get that out of your system before you get in practice.
Now, I started law school a bit later than most. I'm in my late 20's whereas many in my class are younger. I'm not the oldest, but I wish I did this earlier. Actually, I take that back. I wish I got a degree in food science or animal husbandry. Anything else. Why did I have to major in Celtic Studies?!?!? What the hell did I expect to get out of that? My adviser, of course, told me that would be a 'different' major that graduate students would see as a boon. And I went to a fine undergraduate school. So, now that I got that out let me think, why else did I go to law school?
Oh, yes, I did think I'd end up with a lot of ladies, however at the time I was in a nice relationship (had to break up when I moved, and she was upset about that, and yes, another mistake I think about every day when I am listening to a lecture about the felony murder rule or the substantial factor test.
I can't think of any other reason why I went to law school other than those above. I think the biggest reason was to get a better degree. Something with substance. I wonder if a degree in which about a 100,000 or so other people are going for each year will have much substance, or if in the end my Celtic Studies degree will be more valuable. I guess we'll have to see, as I have not even tried to put the latter to work yet.
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Overheard
Lately I have been keeping notes of what I overhear at law school. I wish I started this sooner, because I heard some really crazy crap being said during my first year of law school, but there has been some interesting stuff said.
For example, I was at an internship and I saw a letter of resignation from a co-worker who had quit saying, "I hope to come back to work for you in a few years, maybe after I make partner at a firm."
I almost bust up laughing. It's pathetic that some people think that they are going to make partner at a firm within a couple of years from my school. And no, it's not a top 25 school. It's closer to top 50. To be honest, when I got in, I felt really smug. I thought Here I am, going to a school that's in the top fourth of all law schools. I felt like a regular bad ass. I flaunted it to everyone. Of course nobody heard of my school, but when I told them about the U.S. News and World Report ranking I felt smug. Of course, most lay people don't care one bit about that, nor do they know much about it, nor do they understand how much stock employers give to those cursed numbers.
I didn't really use www.top-law-schools.com during my first year. But I feel I did OK. Above the median at least. Not great though. Not good enough for law review. I wonder if I used all those law school tips and tricks they use, you know, like type really fast and remember your outline verbatim, or make flash cards and use them in your study group and do leews. I wonder if I did all that crap if I would have made law review. I did law school by just trying to study my butt off and rereading cases over and over. I didn't buy the outlines or the hornbooks. I didn't join a study group. I didn't read outside books such as "Winning Law School" or whatever it is called. I just put my head to the books and thought I would to better based on how much time I spent studying.
Of course I constantly get to hear about someone's internship. How they secured summer employment. One guy was pretty smug about it, but didn't want to share how much he was earning. In his words "it's not the pay that's important, it's the prestige." Let me tell you this now kid, if they are not paying you much, there's probably not a lot of prestige. Sometimes it's hard to not laugh at this stuff.
Oh, and the girl who was going to Hawaii, well, she must have went, because she missed every class this last week. It must be nice to have your future secured for you. I overheard (due to her sitting in front of me during my Evidence class) that she has a daddy that is a partner at some law firm I've never heard of. No wonder she can look at Crate and Barrel websites during class on her brand new Macbook Air and jet set at her leisure, missing class and not giving a damn.
And yet, here I am, no connections. No job. Daily going to Simplicity and looking for work. Maybe I'll get something that pays $10 an hour. That way I can scrape by this summer and get ready for 3L. Hell, maybe when I get out of law school I can bump that up to $12 or $15 an hour. I best not get too greedy though.
For example, I was at an internship and I saw a letter of resignation from a co-worker who had quit saying, "I hope to come back to work for you in a few years, maybe after I make partner at a firm."
I almost bust up laughing. It's pathetic that some people think that they are going to make partner at a firm within a couple of years from my school. And no, it's not a top 25 school. It's closer to top 50. To be honest, when I got in, I felt really smug. I thought Here I am, going to a school that's in the top fourth of all law schools. I felt like a regular bad ass. I flaunted it to everyone. Of course nobody heard of my school, but when I told them about the U.S. News and World Report ranking I felt smug. Of course, most lay people don't care one bit about that, nor do they know much about it, nor do they understand how much stock employers give to those cursed numbers.
I didn't really use www.top-law-schools.com during my first year. But I feel I did OK. Above the median at least. Not great though. Not good enough for law review. I wonder if I used all those law school tips and tricks they use, you know, like type really fast and remember your outline verbatim, or make flash cards and use them in your study group and do leews. I wonder if I did all that crap if I would have made law review. I did law school by just trying to study my butt off and rereading cases over and over. I didn't buy the outlines or the hornbooks. I didn't join a study group. I didn't read outside books such as "Winning Law School" or whatever it is called. I just put my head to the books and thought I would to better based on how much time I spent studying.
Of course I constantly get to hear about someone's internship. How they secured summer employment. One guy was pretty smug about it, but didn't want to share how much he was earning. In his words "it's not the pay that's important, it's the prestige." Let me tell you this now kid, if they are not paying you much, there's probably not a lot of prestige. Sometimes it's hard to not laugh at this stuff.
Oh, and the girl who was going to Hawaii, well, she must have went, because she missed every class this last week. It must be nice to have your future secured for you. I overheard (due to her sitting in front of me during my Evidence class) that she has a daddy that is a partner at some law firm I've never heard of. No wonder she can look at Crate and Barrel websites during class on her brand new Macbook Air and jet set at her leisure, missing class and not giving a damn.
And yet, here I am, no connections. No job. Daily going to Simplicity and looking for work. Maybe I'll get something that pays $10 an hour. That way I can scrape by this summer and get ready for 3L. Hell, maybe when I get out of law school I can bump that up to $12 or $15 an hour. I best not get too greedy though.
Thursday 13 October 2011
What's a good law school pick up line?
I sit, scared to death, hoping that my professor does not call on me. I admit it. I did not do the reading. I don't know why I didn't. I had plenty of time. I was in front of the computer all morning with the book wide open in front of me. I just could not keep my eyes on the page. I started to read and before I knew it I found myself day dreaming or thinking about something else. It's getting colder out now and I thought, I can't believe I wasted all my whole fall in class. But then again, I missed a ton of class. And the truth of the matter is, I can't be called on. I was called on last week and didn't do the reading. I looked like a fool. All eyes were on me for a few moments. And every day since then I half-assed the reading, hoping that if I got called on, by a stroke of luck I'd wiz through it and that would be it. The semester is almost over, and I am but one of a handful of people left to be called. I am scared to death.
Why can I not focus on my work? Why is it so hard to just read the forty eight pages for Federal Income Taxation? It's not like the material is that hard. Last year it would have even interested me. But now I feel what they call 2L burnout. The mounting stress of having no summer job prospects ahead of me. The mounting stress of soul crumbling debt. It's all sometimes too much for me to bear.
I could keep chugging along, hoping and praying that I get some good job. Sadly, I have been reading what people are saying: the market is bleak, the job prospects are awful. During 1L I didn't believe them. Now I'm in my second year, with a little experience under my belt, and I am starting to see that there is indeed trouble brewing. But what alternatives do I have? A worthless undergraduate degree? Like that will secure me a job! Ha! And I'm already sunk deep in graduate school debt. It's either finish this up and have a graduate degree, or find a job in this depressed economy with loan payments coming due.
I try to not blame the system for the wrongs that are my fault. I should have took people more seriously when they said "don't go to law school unless you are going to the top 25 schools," or "get a degree in engineering or in science." Yes, it is indeed my own fault for not doing those things. I look around my class room now, as I type, while my professor talks about deductions. People are on Facebook or buying crap for their dorms, and I can't help but wonder "are they scared too, or is this just a joke to them?" I see the people on the law review in the library, with their big smiles talking about their future plans. "I'm going to Hawaii for Christmas," one girl spouts. I feel jealousy. I know I won't be going there anytime soon. I hope and pray I find a job that will allow me to pay for a trip to Hawaii within the next five years. I wonder if I got a degree in engineering if I would be on my way to some tropical locale right now?
I have friends who went to college for computer science. I used to think that was a fad that would end when the bubble burst. How wrong I was. One friend is making well over $100,000 and the other, well, he's not too far behind. Both younger than me. Both just getting married. Wow, must be nice. What's a good law school pick up line? "Hey baby, I almost made law review?" I doubt that will go over too well. Most non-law school students have no clue what law review is. It's actually quite amazing how little non-law school students know about the law. And then again, it's pretty amazing how happy many of them seem to be to not know it. I won't be able to say I will know too much about deductions. Maybe it won't be on the test. Maybe I won't be called on. Who knows. Maybe this blog will be therapeutic to me. Maybe it will at least give me something to focus on instead of going to Facebook or spending my loan money to spruce up my dorm.
Why can I not focus on my work? Why is it so hard to just read the forty eight pages for Federal Income Taxation? It's not like the material is that hard. Last year it would have even interested me. But now I feel what they call 2L burnout. The mounting stress of having no summer job prospects ahead of me. The mounting stress of soul crumbling debt. It's all sometimes too much for me to bear.
I could keep chugging along, hoping and praying that I get some good job. Sadly, I have been reading what people are saying: the market is bleak, the job prospects are awful. During 1L I didn't believe them. Now I'm in my second year, with a little experience under my belt, and I am starting to see that there is indeed trouble brewing. But what alternatives do I have? A worthless undergraduate degree? Like that will secure me a job! Ha! And I'm already sunk deep in graduate school debt. It's either finish this up and have a graduate degree, or find a job in this depressed economy with loan payments coming due.
I try to not blame the system for the wrongs that are my fault. I should have took people more seriously when they said "don't go to law school unless you are going to the top 25 schools," or "get a degree in engineering or in science." Yes, it is indeed my own fault for not doing those things. I look around my class room now, as I type, while my professor talks about deductions. People are on Facebook or buying crap for their dorms, and I can't help but wonder "are they scared too, or is this just a joke to them?" I see the people on the law review in the library, with their big smiles talking about their future plans. "I'm going to Hawaii for Christmas," one girl spouts. I feel jealousy. I know I won't be going there anytime soon. I hope and pray I find a job that will allow me to pay for a trip to Hawaii within the next five years. I wonder if I got a degree in engineering if I would be on my way to some tropical locale right now?
I have friends who went to college for computer science. I used to think that was a fad that would end when the bubble burst. How wrong I was. One friend is making well over $100,000 and the other, well, he's not too far behind. Both younger than me. Both just getting married. Wow, must be nice. What's a good law school pick up line? "Hey baby, I almost made law review?" I doubt that will go over too well. Most non-law school students have no clue what law review is. It's actually quite amazing how little non-law school students know about the law. And then again, it's pretty amazing how happy many of them seem to be to not know it. I won't be able to say I will know too much about deductions. Maybe it won't be on the test. Maybe I won't be called on. Who knows. Maybe this blog will be therapeutic to me. Maybe it will at least give me something to focus on instead of going to Facebook or spending my loan money to spruce up my dorm.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Bad Law School Grades
There is nothing as disheartening as finishing 1L and thinking you did alright only to log onto your law school's web portal and realizing your grade(s) are smack-dab-jab-pow-slam-bam awful. There are two thoughts that go through a law student's head (other than suicide) when this happens: poker facing it to 2L or dropping out. There are some big choices to be had if you are in this predicament.
First, I want to remind everyone who is not yet in law school that you are almost guaranteed to be graded on a curve at any law school you attend. This is a ranking system that shows how well you did in comparison to others in your class based on graduation year. You will notice that this is the second big prestige issue you have come across in your law school career (the first being which school you attend). Prestige is a HUGE thing in law school. In fact, that's only the beginning of it. You will have to deal with prestige for the rest of your life.
When you are faced with law school grades there are a couple of options. First, you can suck it up to bad circumstances (or bad luck) and trudge on. Or, you can drop out and consider doing something else with your life. Dropping out requires you have a back up plan. Can you move back in with your parents?
I will explore both options in further detail below.
As far as for me. I had awful grades during my second year of law school even though I did very well during my first year. I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. In my third year of law school I got a good paying legal internship that didn't even ask me about my grades. I have the opportunity to continue to work with the firm after I graduate, even though I will probably relocate to the west coast.
Continuing law school after bad midterm or final grades.
Many people do bad during their first semester or year with law school and decide to continue. Many of these people believe that bad grades are a result of bad luck. For example, a test could have taught on something that the student just didn't study. "How was I to know that the rule against perpetuities would be on the exam?" you may ask. You might also find that your computer shuts down during the exam and you honestly believe that having to write the exam by hand hurts your grade. There are many reasons why bad grades may happen. The reality is that bad grades hurt. I have had horrible grades and have considered dropping out myself. It's not a fun thing to do.
I don't recommend dropping out of law school just because you have bad grades. Instead, you should ask yourself if law is something you really want to do. If it is, go for it. First year grades are important, but you will be able to improve your grades over time. The reality is that law school grades are only a part of the equation. Getting legal experience is just as important, if not more important than law school grades. After your first legal job, especially, employers are going to ask what you did employment wise and not what kind of grades you got in law school.
How to Drop Out of Law School
I don't recommend dropping out of law school unless you are sure you want to drop out. It is your choice. Do not be scared due to negative information that you see on the internet or in the news. Those sources have their own pecuniary interests and want to scare you. Scaring people is one way that the media brings people back to read more. However, if you want to drop out of school, then by all means, that is your choice, and your choice only.
There are a few ways to drop out. The first and easiest way you could do it is just to stop going (not recommended). There are a lot of mix ups with financial aid and such to keep in mind. Of course, you could just run overseas or join the military. However, the best way to drop out is to fill a form out that says, "I'm dropping out." I remember looking at that form with tears in my eyes, thinking that it was my only option. I wondered what I would do, how I would survive. I could not move back in with my parents. I needed the financial aid checks to pay my rent and food. I had no outside job. I had no real world experience. In short, I really felt that I needed law school.
If you are serious about dropping out, don't be afraid to go talk to someone. The dean will probably want you to stay. In fact, everyone will probably tell you to not leave. After all, the school makes money off you. But, if you want to do something else with your life, it is YOUR life. However, DO NOT listen to people who failed. They are NOT YOU. Everyone's life turns out different, even people who do the exact same thing. Opportunities may come your way that others had no chance of getting. You are a unique individual, and even with bad grades, you may have the work ethic to be different than those who failed at getting a legal job -- even those who failed to get a job with top grades from higher ranked law schools.
First, I want to remind everyone who is not yet in law school that you are almost guaranteed to be graded on a curve at any law school you attend. This is a ranking system that shows how well you did in comparison to others in your class based on graduation year. You will notice that this is the second big prestige issue you have come across in your law school career (the first being which school you attend). Prestige is a HUGE thing in law school. In fact, that's only the beginning of it. You will have to deal with prestige for the rest of your life.
When you are faced with law school grades there are a couple of options. First, you can suck it up to bad circumstances (or bad luck) and trudge on. Or, you can drop out and consider doing something else with your life. Dropping out requires you have a back up plan. Can you move back in with your parents?
I will explore both options in further detail below.
As far as for me. I had awful grades during my second year of law school even though I did very well during my first year. I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. In my third year of law school I got a good paying legal internship that didn't even ask me about my grades. I have the opportunity to continue to work with the firm after I graduate, even though I will probably relocate to the west coast.
Continuing law school after bad midterm or final grades.
Many people do bad during their first semester or year with law school and decide to continue. Many of these people believe that bad grades are a result of bad luck. For example, a test could have taught on something that the student just didn't study. "How was I to know that the rule against perpetuities would be on the exam?" you may ask. You might also find that your computer shuts down during the exam and you honestly believe that having to write the exam by hand hurts your grade. There are many reasons why bad grades may happen. The reality is that bad grades hurt. I have had horrible grades and have considered dropping out myself. It's not a fun thing to do.
I don't recommend dropping out of law school just because you have bad grades. Instead, you should ask yourself if law is something you really want to do. If it is, go for it. First year grades are important, but you will be able to improve your grades over time. The reality is that law school grades are only a part of the equation. Getting legal experience is just as important, if not more important than law school grades. After your first legal job, especially, employers are going to ask what you did employment wise and not what kind of grades you got in law school.
How to Drop Out of Law School
I don't recommend dropping out of law school unless you are sure you want to drop out. It is your choice. Do not be scared due to negative information that you see on the internet or in the news. Those sources have their own pecuniary interests and want to scare you. Scaring people is one way that the media brings people back to read more. However, if you want to drop out of school, then by all means, that is your choice, and your choice only.
There are a few ways to drop out. The first and easiest way you could do it is just to stop going (not recommended). There are a lot of mix ups with financial aid and such to keep in mind. Of course, you could just run overseas or join the military. However, the best way to drop out is to fill a form out that says, "I'm dropping out." I remember looking at that form with tears in my eyes, thinking that it was my only option. I wondered what I would do, how I would survive. I could not move back in with my parents. I needed the financial aid checks to pay my rent and food. I had no outside job. I had no real world experience. In short, I really felt that I needed law school.
If you are serious about dropping out, don't be afraid to go talk to someone. The dean will probably want you to stay. In fact, everyone will probably tell you to not leave. After all, the school makes money off you. But, if you want to do something else with your life, it is YOUR life. However, DO NOT listen to people who failed. They are NOT YOU. Everyone's life turns out different, even people who do the exact same thing. Opportunities may come your way that others had no chance of getting. You are a unique individual, and even with bad grades, you may have the work ethic to be different than those who failed at getting a legal job -- even those who failed to get a job with top grades from higher ranked law schools.
Tuesday 8 February 2011
The Going Rate
I came across a 2010 legal fees survey conducted by Canadian Lawyer's Magazine (see here). I found it quite fascinating to go through, and wondered if it might be a useful resource when meeting with clients - especially when they are asking for estimates or quotes for various legal services.
I was a little surprised to see the fee ranges for some legal services. For example, a civil action trial (2 days) runs from $18,185 to $62,843 (avg $26,444). I noticed that fees for small firms (1-4 lawyers) were often lower. For some services fees were higher in the Western region than in Ontario, but the opposite for other services. I wonder why?
I was also quite impressed to see that our firm's rates were on par with average fees across the board. That's pretty amazing since we kind of came up with them on our own. However, we do try to base fees on the actual work involved in the service.
Saturday 5 February 2011
Tips for lawyers re-qualifying in Canada
| Read about re-qualifying as a lawyer in Canada here (Lawyer's Weekly). |
Law School in Canada vs. USA
"For students who have had their hearts set on going to law school since childhood, David Segal's recent New York Times article, "Is Law School a Losing Game?" offered a familiar but oft-ignored warning: law school is difficult and expensive; proceed with caution.
In his article, chronicling the overwhelming debt and the unforgiving job market faced by an estimated 44,000 hopeful American JDs each year, Segal argues that the decision to pursue a legal degree should not be taken lightly, since, contrary to the statistics being published by the schools themselves, it's an investment that doesn't necessarily offer great returns..." read more here.LU Law School coming soon
A proposed law program at Lakehead University is being recommended by an approval committee for law programs in Canada. Read more here.
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