Law School: The Final Frontier

I'll tell you when I get there.

Right now I'm supposed to be studying for my LSAT instead of browsing the forums.

 

Are you planning to apply, Restraint?

 

Law School: The Final Frontier

I went to paralegal school and worked as a paralegal for several months before deciding to apply to law school. My experience, both in school (I graduated ranked first in my class) and at work led me to believe I had the necessary skill set for law school as well as a love of the subject, which was a big part of why I decided to apply and put myself through three years of what I thought would be grinding work. My experience in law school, however, was that it's less about perserverance and dedication than preparation and skill set. When I first considered going to law school, I already knew I was an analytical person with excellent writing skills and an extraordinary memory (not photographic, but very close), and thought they might be helpful in law school. They were. Despite knowing I probably had the skills I needed to get through law school--and the undergrad grades to get in--I left nothing to chance. I took an LSAT prepatory course. I think the prepatory course was kind of like Dumbo's feather in that I felt relaxed and well-prepared going into the exam, and my scores reflected that. I scored in the 97th percentile, which went a long way toward getting me a seat in school though my application was rather last-minute.

Despite my skills and whatever confidence I had developed, the first year was hell. I felt inadequate much of the time and scared shitless the rest of it. I probably over-studied, outlining every class and spending hours reading and dissecting every case assigned. I even rented a hotel room during "reading week," the prepatory time off just before exam week, so that I could study without the distraction of family life (I had two toddlers and a rather demanding husband). By the end of the first year, I had won the American Jurisprudence Award, given for the highest score in any one class, in both Torts and Contracts and I was ranked 3rd in my class of 300. By this time professors who were mentoring me, strongly urged me to transfer to Yale, Harvard or Georgetown and go into teaching after graduation. Would that I had listened to them, but I felt it was asking too much to uproot my family and move them halfway across the country, so I accepted an endowed scholarship and continued on at the excellent private (but second-tiered) school where I was.

The next two years I relaxed somewhat, though I was able to maintain my grades and class rank. I was invited to join the Law Review, I did a lot of writing, and I loved it all. At the end of the second year firms and government agencies interview students to hire as summer interns from which they choose their future employees. It's hard to get even an interview without a class rank in the top ten percent. For people like me there was a lot of wining and dining; for people below that ten percent cut-off, there was a lot of humiliation. It's one of the worst aspects of law school. While I had my pick of firms, I chose a mid-sized firm that claimed to be "family-oriented," meaning they didn't have a minimum billable hours expectation of 70 hours/week.

To make a long story even longer, I went into corporate law and found it as tedious as watching paint dry. Worse, it was a cookie-cutter world and I definitely did not fit the mold. On the other hand, a good friend of mine who did much less well than I did grade-wise, did much better after graduation. She knew from the get-go that she wanted to go into criminal defense work and so the "meat market" at the end of our second year bothered her not at all. She opened her own firm on a shoestring, learned the ropes (which you don't learn in law school; you learn theory) by experience and today is a happy, well-respected member of the defense bar.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for, but there it is.

 

Thanks for posting this thread. I kind of feel like my effort to go to law school was a failure, like so many other things I've tried to do but failed at. I studied very hard for the LSAT and got a high score. I got scholarships to law schools, I got a seat in a good school and everything, but then... I got divorced. You're not supposed to work for your first year of law school, but even with the scholarships, I would not have been able to afford to live - not to mention I had no place to live when I left. So, will I go back? I'd like to someday, but I've been in financial peril pretty much since then, so I don't know that it's likely. I almost have my MBA in Nonprofit Management, but at the last minute, I realized that I didn't want to get typed like that. Plus, my nonprofit years left me severely suicidal because I couldn't help everyone although I wanted to so badly. I really loved them all - and felt like I failed each person because I couldn't handle their pain. Anyway, since that awful period(s) of my life, I just concentrate on taking care of myself, and providing encouragement for those who maybe can achieve their dreams. In the meantime, I work as hard as I can, and try to learn better financial management skills. I feel sad about losing out on law school, but I just think there are other paths out there--hopefully even one for me.

 

Law School: The Final Frontier

You are a remarkable woman and I don't think you failed at law school. There's no way to survive the first year and the disruption of a divorce. I made the choice to stay in an abusive marriage for the three years it took me to graduate because that was my ticket out for me and my kids. You made a different--and maybe wiser--choice.

As for the non-profit thing, my roommie/partner of 15 years is the executive director of a nonprofit. The stories I hear over the dinner table sometimes drive me nuts. She cares and works tirelessly, but she's a "T" instead of an "F" and that may help her deal with all she deals with every day.

You'll find a path that's uniquely yous; I have no doubt of it.

 

Thank you Anica. That was so kind, I don't really know what to say. But thank you.

As for the path you took, I think we all make the best choices we can see at the time. Later on, we see that maybe we could have made different or better options, but we didn't see that at the time, so there's no use beating ourselves up about it. I don't think that came out right, but you have really impressed me with just being so kind. Thank you.

 

I decided for the hell of it I would try for the dual degree program at the university I am interested in attending. They offer a JD and MSW program over four years. Of course, that means I have to take both the GRE and the LSAT, and I have not studied for either as of yet. You probably won't see much of me after December 13th, because my plan will be to study my ass off for the 4 weeks I get off of school for winter break. My course of action will depend upon whether I can get fellowships or scholarships, and that will highly depend upon the scores I get on the tests.

 

I think you would make a great lawyer! Good luck with all of this on your plate!

 

?

 

Inside joke. Sorry, TDHT *smooch*

 

Ah. Okie dokes

 

I just applied to law school this past December. I studied linguistics as my undergrad and love thinking analytically, but I'm still worried law school may not be for me. I've read that INFJs are usually unhappy as lawyers (although everyone is different), and although I'm fascinated by legal philosophy and history, I feel like law school won't teach you to question the system, it will just train you like a trade school would. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

I think you already have a pretty good idea whats involved...it can be restrictive

If you can get through law school however there could be good applications for law for an INFJ for example: human rights law

If i had my time again i would probably try to stick out law school instead of switching course and then go into human rights, land reform or environmental law and try and make a difference that way

Those could be pretty tough areas though as i'm sure it would feel like trying to move an immoveable object....i'm sure there are battles worth fighting though

Also a lawyer can also offer free or reduced advice as part of a voluntary social programme to help those that are otherwise priced out of good legal advice

In the end though if it doesn't feel right it probably isn't right...go with your heart because you have to think about your own health and happiness as well

 

For me, the ideals just never matched up. I like Law, history, language, etc. but my applications for it would be the more "Idealist" ones; Human Rights, Non-Profit, Animal Rights and so on. Problem is, Law School would cost in the neighborhood of around $200,000 with student loans, materials and extra fees. The jobs I would fully enjoy would be either pro bono or for minimal paying non-profits.

If money was not an issue, I'd go to Law School in a heartbeat - I've even made it through the admissions process at one point. But the only way to survive the tuition costs of law school is to become a blood-sucking vulture (Read "Rainmaker" and think "Bruiser Stone") afterwards. That definitely isn't the field for me...