Career In Law?

Question

Im thinking of becoming a lawyer, but im not sure im cutt out for the hectic work schedule. Plus people have me pretty worked up about the cut throat enviornment I will have to face day to day. Are all careers in Law like this? Are my friends just scaring me off???

Answer 1

The short answer to your question is no. But in law school, you will be pushed to excel and to drive toward the highest paying job you can obtain. Plus, you will likely rack up some impressive debts through both student loans and possibly credit cards. So its very tempting to take that large firm, blue-chip civil position as an associate when it is offered.

There are alternatives, but some are scary and risky (going solo for example and yes, I know attorneys who started out solo and have done extremely well and they don't kill themselves working) or maybe a public interest position where the workload is high but the personal satisfaction may be higher.

Anyway, you're going to end up going with the highest paying associate position you can get (trust me, you will). Let's say you start out at somewhere from $115K to $145K. That's a lot of money and the law firms need to make it back. They are going to want you to bill 2100+ hours a year. And man, that is long, long hours if you are legitimately billing the time. It's often two full weekends a month. And you are going to be competing with other associates who are gunning to impress the partners. Some of the work is going to be gritty like flying out to Chicago in the dead of winter for two weeks every month for six months where you'll be sorting through box after box of documents, ancient documents, looking for certain sudden and accidental events or whatever is the key fact in your kind of practice. And you'll skip lunches and you'll skip sleep and you'll bill your first 80+ hour week and you'll feel fuzzy.

If you have a family, you will kiss your kids when you come home (they'll be asleep) and you'll kiss your kids when you leave in the morning (they'll be asleep). In about 7 years, you'll be trying for partner and you'll notice that the young 8 or 9 year attorneys who have just made partner (the very few attorneys who made partner) are still working their asses off.

But it doesn't have to be that way. For example, go with a small to mid-size firm, go with transactional work, and you'll make 70 to 80K to start and you'll bill around 1600 to 1750 hours a year. This is much more reasonable. Or go with a city attorney position or maybe do a federal clerkship for a year.

The life can be fun. But it can also grind you down and you have to have a pretty clear vision of what you want to do and pursue it with vigor or you'll end up marching to someone else's tune.

Answer 2

My moms a defense attorney and she has taken me with her to court a few times and it's not exactly what I would call a "cut throat enviroment"...and no, not all careers are because I've been introduced into many people in th law system and witnessed there jobs and so if you have a passion for law persue it, but if you only want to do it because you think you'll be making a lot of money don't, because lawyers unless they get a good job at a law firm don't get paid to well. I hope that helps. =]

Answer 3

do you have a passion for the law or merely an interest? try paralegal studies-it is a good indicator of whether becoming a lawyer is for you. Is being a lawyer cut throat-it depends on your speciality.
Do you have a good memory for LOTS of detailed information? Do you have the ability to fight for a case you do not personally believe in?
Can you defend someone you find personally repugnant?
Can you prosecute someone you don't think is guilty?