You shoulda been a.... North Dakota Oil (Wo)Man

You thought law school was gonna pay six figures.  You thought you would be big and bold, a figurehead in your community.  You imagined climbing out of a late model European car and walking into a fine building in a large city.  Perhaps the building was called something like The Commodore.  Or perhaps The Dakota. Perhaps a door man would hold the door open, and greet you by name.  Upon walking in, a man would hand you your mail and also greet you by name, asking you how you were.  You would take an elevator up to your apartment, which overlooked some site that you found worthy, whether that site was a seascape, a city skyline, or mountains looming in the distance.  You would look through your mail, looking for that ABA law journal article that you were mentioned in.  Laying back on that soft over-sized sofa, you would take in the view from that freshly cleaned larger-than average apartment that you called home.

This is the only Dakota you thought you'd live in before law school.

Of course, it's now time to face reality.  You are online looking through scamblogs wondering why you are not actually living that fantasy above.  Perhaps you thought your fourth tier school's degree alone would bestow you with endless riches.  Perhaps you wish you could turn back the clock on those student loans.  Maybe you have heard of a place that was once only spoken in whispers.  And you have noticed those whispers have gotten louder, because the entire country is now being made aware that North Dakota is where the modern day gold rush is taking place. 

One person on JDUnderground stated that: 

I've been reading about all these jobs in the oil industry in North Dakota. I'm so desperate for a job that I'd gladly move to North Dakota. I obviously have no experience in this line of work and wouldn't know what it even involves. Has anyone looked into this at all?

There has been somewhat of a flood of news about the oil industry in North Dakota, in fact, some of it is almost crazy sounding.  In fact, The New York Times ran a story on the North Dakota Oil Boom and the camps that have emerged around them.

They are called man camps — temporary housing compounds supporting the overwhelmingly male work force flooding the region in search of refuge from a stormy economy...

In fact, there is somewhat of a shortage of housing in North Dakota.  The article also states:

That concern, that people are still arriving despite the housing shortage, is shared by some local leaders, including law enforcement officials who warn that people could die if they try to live in vehicles or other makeshift facilities through the North Dakota winter. But the large paychecks, often totaling more than $100,000 a year, mean that some undoubtedly will take the risk. (source:  New York Times - Camps of Men in ND)

If you look like this, you may not fit in with the oilmen of ND.

While the pay for such a job seems good, you may be thinking it's not as clean as sitting in a big office with a sultry looking secretary.  In fact, you may think that the only women who would work on an oil rig are manly looking ladies with warts that have hair.  And you may wonder how you fit in with a bunch of oil covered men grunting over issues of playboy between shifts.  After all, you went to law school, and you think yourself more civilized than these blue collar brutes.

If you look like the "man" to the left, you may want to visit that salon you frequent and ask them to make you look "oil-ready".  And by that I don't mean they slick down your hair.  And while North Dakota gets pretty cold in the winter, you might want to lose that scarf. I don't think there's a Starbucks down there either.

CNN recently ran a story about the oil rigs and the companies in North Dakota.  Believe it or not, a place exists where companies are hiring like crazy, and you can make $15 an hour serving tacos, $25 an hour waiting tables and $80,000 a year driving trucks. (CNN Money - North Dakota Jobs) If you can get a law degree, you can learn to drive a truck.  Of course, magazines and media outlets like CNN money tend to exaggerate the truth (many still claim lawyers make over six figures on average).  However, it is something to think about. 

If you are heading to North Dakota, you may want to hit up City-Data forums and see the best route to take.  As a law grad you should know how to read a map, but in case you don't, and if you're coming from Tennessee, this might help you out some:

I imagine your long out from your visit in TN by now, Should be all smooth sailing for you,mostly all flat land once your a little farther north, Were getting a lot of rain up here in MN but shouldnt affect U. word of caution watch your speed thru Iowa. there Anal. Theres a great short cut coming out of the south you may already be taking but once your around St Louis youll be taking 27 /218/380/218/18: to 35w going north then your about 20 miles from the MN border in IA. You kind of have to watch close for the changes of 218/ to 380/ then back to 218 or you will be taking a little unnessary Detour. Ive done it more than once. for a good place to rest theres a good rest area 5 miles before the mn border on 35w in IA. might be exit 5. But you can crash out there as long as you would need. right in the same lot there is a gas station with food a huge hotel and a big Casino with great Buffet. Called Diamond Jo's Casino. From there your only about 8 to 9 hrs from Bismarck,ND 2hrs north on 35 pickup 94 in Minneapolis down the street from where i live and its a straight shot to Bismarck. (http://www.city-data.com/forum/north-dakota/)

Maybe you are one of those environmental law kids and think oil is just plain dumb.  Of course, you would never involve yourself with nasty ol' black oil.  Instead you want to rid the world of it.  Did it occur to you that your shoes are made out of oil?  And what about that law book you cling onto so tight on the subway?  Did you know oil helped deliver it.  If you think that a job out in the oil fields isn't going to help anyone, you sir are dead wrong.  In fact, oil men keep the country moving forward.  If you think the only way to help someone is to practice family law than you are living a bigger fantasy than the one posted in the first paragraph.

***

McMullen now works as a nanny in exchange for housing. Her husband, who worked on behavior management programs for a school system in North Carolina where he took home about $1,600 a month, found a job working in the oilfields where he makes that same amount of money in one week -- adding up to an annual salary of about $77,000.

"We want to be debt-free, so we came here to play catch-up," said McMullen. "But when I came here, I thought I was on Mars. It's just so crazy that the rest of the country has no jobs, and here's this one place that doesn't have enough people to fill all the jobs." (http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/28/pf/north_dakota_jobs/index.htm)

If you think you'll be the only lawyer out there, you might be surprised.  However, many are saying leave that shiny JD off your resume and try to fit in.  The last thing these oil men want to hear is that you think you're smarter than them.  In fact, if you keep your head down and use that same noggin' that you've been using to land that Law Review position, you should do fine out there. 

If you're single with no family and a lot of debt, it may be worth making your way over to North Dakota right now.  If you are working a dead end job and are unhappy with your life and want to mix things up, you could do a lot worse than the oil fields and towns of North Dakota. 

A gorgeous North Dakota winter.

I, myself, have traveled through North Dakota (on the Greyhound Bus on my way to moving to the city where I would attend law school), and while I never thought it was the prettiest state, there was a nice bowling alley/diner in Dickenson, ND and I must say they had some goooooooood tastin' french fries with buttermilk ranch.  When you're living on a small income you kind of learn to appreciate things like that. 

Oh, and one other thing.  Just as there is "BigLaw", there is "BigOil" so to speak.

"Talking to people who were already working, making $80,0000 to $100,000 a year, it was common to hear them taper off the description of their job, and their rate of pay with, "But what I'd really like to get into is wireline."

It's understandable.
Wireline operators in the Williston, North Dakota area start at about $120,000 a year and can reasonably expect to make $200,000 annually. I heard one guy say he expected to make $300,000, but $120,000 is the norm." (It's Yahoo news. I know, almost 0 credibility..)

Put that gun away, you still got a chance... 
 

Pros to working in the ND oilfields	Cons of working in the ND oil fields
Better money than most law positions	Middle of “nowhere”
A chance to try something new. An adventure if you will.	Some people may not be as intellectual as you are used to.
Non-permanent work that can help you pay down your loans.	Friends and relatives may wonder why you went to law school.
A chance to learn new skills.	For men: lack of females could present a problem for those who need their presence.
You would be employed and possibly out of your parent's basement	Housing is expensive, small, and you would be forced to drive everywhere.
A chance to get in shape and make huge lifestyle changes.	Long hours of work, little 'playtime'
If it doesn't work out, you will probably still come out ahead.	You may find returning to law later on very challenging.

You shoulda been a.... Teacher!

When people think about what they want to do after college, two things often come to mind.  The first is get married, the second is have kids.  Well, as a lawyer the idea of kids may mean baby goats if you head out to Nebraska to represent farmers in cow tippin' court.

Another way in which you could have got some time with children is by being a teacher.  Not only that, but you would even have time (and money) to make some of your own.  The truth is, many lawyers eventually become teachers, but with enough debt carried over to create a tumor.  Why not just consider teaching from the get go and save yourself the hassle (and debt)?

Not everything is wonderful about being a teacher.  For example, not everyone likes kids, and high school students can be rough.  There are people in this world who can not fathom having to hear about Justin Beiber and Twilight all day long, but for $45-50,000 starting salary in some cities, it's not bad.  It sure beats having a law firm partner breathing down your neck.

Then there is that whole summer vacation thing.  Imagine, having some time off every year to spend in whatever location you so desire.  I didn't do too well in my tax class, but there might be a way to write off the vacation if you went to gather information for the classroom (I'm probably wrong). 

The cost of being a teacher is a lot lower than going to law school.  There is a teach grant which gives an undergraduate and graduate student a decent chunk of change to teach in a high need area for a few years.  Further, you can start teaching right out of undergrad in some states.  That means while you are graduate school you can work full time AND go to college.  Imagine pulling in a full time income, going to class part time AND getting a grant on top of it.  Doesn't seem too bad. 

Teacher: What a great summer, I just got back from paradise and I am ready to start work again.
Lawyer: Paradise? Summer?  I forgot what those words mean.
Teacher: You mean you did not get a vacation?  I got at least two months off!
Lawyer:  I got to drive to Jersey to pick up a client.  Does that count?

You may be thinking that being a teacher sounds dumb.  It's no where as prestigious as BigLaw.  Well, I have news for you, prestige is overrated.  So what, you'll miss out on getting your shoes shined every day.  Teachers generally enjoy a high position in their communities.  If you want to live in a small town, you can really make a name for yourself as a teacher.  Teachers are almost like demigods in small towns.  Especially the ones that coach on the side.  Of course, some teachers struggle.  There is no profession that is free of people who don't do well, but every school needs teachers.  Face it, people are having kids and someone has to teach them.  And there is no sign of high school and elementary teaching being outsourced any time soon. 

But I hate kids

You hate kids huh?  Well, you might realize that some of your clients may act like children or worse.  Are you prepared to get a phone call at 3:00AM from an angry spouse telling you all about what his husband/her wife did?  Some people hate kids, others hate to work, but you are going to have to do the latter in order to make money unless you are connected or have the winning lottery ticket in your back pocket. 

My friend was a teacher and she hated it. 

My friend hates Brussels Sprouts, does that mean I should have never tried them?  I'm glad I did try them, because I actually really like them.  My cats hate getting a bath, but I enjoy it.  Just because someone hates something, does that mean you will?  Do you like the idea of $150,000 debt?  How about a job where you can sit back and read Charolette's Web to a bunch of sleepy 1st graders?  If you go into BigLaw you won't have any time to read anything so "voluminous" on the side.   You'll be lucky if you even get to use the bathroom.



I want to help other people though.  I just gotta be a lawyer!

Yeah, because law is the only profession in which a person can help another.  I forgot, teachers don't do anything of value for society.  They just teach children how to read and write.  Wrong!  A teacher can make a huge difference in many people's lives.  Good teachers are remembered by their students forever.  I have a friend who is 31 who STILL talks about his elementary school teachers on a regular basis.  How many people fondly speak of their lawyer 25 years after having seen them last?