To Attorneys or those in law school?

Question

Why did you make the decision to go into law?

Answer 1

I went in because it suited my interest in the law, government, analysis and advocacy. Yes, of course, I went in thinking I could help people, but that wasn't a main motivating factor. The truth is most lawyers aren't public advocacy lawyers and private attorneys would like to spend a lot more time than they actually do on "good works". It's a profession, with the added perks and problems.

Answer 2

Michael F said it all.

To me, and many other attorneys, it was never about the "LA Law" lifestyle or the fame that comes with defending a Hollywood star on murder charges. It is about helping the family keep their home, the mother to be able to raise her daughter, and the small business owner to not be taken advantage of by an insurance company.

It is, in the end, about making a difference and helping those in the community who may not be able to help themselves.

Answer 3

Bear with me:

A little girl was walking on a beach when she saw that it was covered with starfish that were washed up and dying. She began throwing the starfish back into the water, one by one. An old man saw what she was doing and chuckled a bit. After a while, he wandered down to the little girl.

"Why are you bothering? You know you won't make a difference. There are thousands of starfish!"

The little girl looked down at the starfish in her hand, then back up at the old man. She gave him a defiant look, and tossed the starfish into the water.

"To that starfish, I made a difference."

Thats why I am a lawyer. Most probably, I won't make a dent in the system. My name will never be in the paper and I'll be lucky if I make the median salary for attorneys. But for each of my clients, I make a difference.

Answer 4

Basically I wanted to go into a profession that was empowering both for my self and for those who I get to help. Inspite of what people think, less than 1.5% of the US population combined are Doctors, Lawyers, or Engineers. Additionally, less than 10% of the country have access (due to either finances, education, local resources) have access to some form of legal representation or advice.

As for myself the degree alone keeps many future career aoptions open to me.

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Answer 5

At a basic level I got sick and tired of people being illegally denied their rights but, because they did not know their rights, being unable to succeed.

At a day-in-day-out level, I love finding the "answer" to any question. I love knowledge, research, writing, and discussing my opinions. In other words, I love the job.

Also, there are perks. I now work part-time, at home, so that I can be a full time mommy. Its embarrasing to say, but by working 10 hours a week I earn about what it takes most people a full-time year round job to earn.

Answer 6

Because I don't believe you can change the system from the outside. If you have a problem with the way our legal system works (and most of us do,) and want to do something about it, than you have to work your way in. To me, the criminal justice system is full of holes. I firmly believe that ours is the best in the world, but theres plenty of room for improvement. If I see that an individual is being unfairly prosecuted, or doesn't have adequate representation, than I want to defend that person myself, not just complain about it to whoever will listen. Without people who actually care about justice sitting at both the Commonwealth's table and the defense table, nothing works right.

Plus, its an incredibly fun and rewarding career. If you can stand the long hours, that is.

Answer 7

Great answers above. It's a trite line from a movie, but changing the world one case at a time is a wonderful reward. The money's not awful, either.

Answer 8

I always beat my parents in an argument, and they said "you should be a lawyer". I replied "well maybe I just will."

Answer 9

I was bored