I am thinking of going into law because I am fascinated with human rights and international affairs, but am wondering, is law school and the profession in general as cutthroat and stressful as portrayed by the media? How do you like working in law, and how intensely intelligent are most law students... So to say, if I am in the top 10% of my high school but not necessarily the top 1%, will I be in over my head?
Thanks!
2007-11-29 11:46:06 · 5 answers · asked by Caroline 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I am currently in law school and enjoying it. Yes it is very competitive and difficult. As for cutthroat I will say that it is anything but cutthroat. Students are willing to help each other do well. As for the students most are your regular students that you grew up with. Hopefully if you are at a good law school there is a different atmosphere that the students have then during undergrad or high school. But for the most part no student is so intelligent and out there that you feel intimidated. If there is someone who intimidates you on your first day they do not tend to last that long or rank that high. The really intelligent ones are in med school anyways.
As for how you will do. That is all up to you. I have seen people who are at the top of their class up until law school and could not handle it and had to drop. Law school is more about you and hard or easy you want to make it. If you are smart you can get by in the middle of your class fairly easy and get into public interest law like you seem to want to be in.
If nothing else go for if that is what you want. I was not in the top 10% of my high school class but the top 25% in college and feel that I am suceeding in law school. Good Luck
2007-11-29 15:24:33 · answer #1 · answered by dennis_evans2003 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure whether you're in the US or the UK and this may affect the answer. I'm a law student at Cambridge in the UK. Law at university here is treated very much as an academic discipline and not the cut throat money making exercise as often portrayed in the media. The course is hard work but not necessarily stressful. The cut throat image is also associated with the money making commercial law profession and if it's international law and human rights that you're interested in, then the industry will be no where as competitive as you fear. I hate to say it, but the competitive hardliners in law are normally concerned with one thing - money! Human rights and international law (in the UK at least) do not compare with commercial law on a financial scale and as such they are much less competitive.
I was in the top 10% at my high school but I was not the smartest person there. If you have a genuine interest in the law then I would advise you to go for it.
2007-11-29 12:41:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anna B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I found that law school was extremely competetive, but not cutthroat at all. Most students were more than happy to help, share notes, form study groups and offer support even though everyone was seriously working for good grades. Students tend to bond very quickly and I formed friendships there that I still enjoy today. There was a good mix as far as intellect was concerned. There was a small group of superstars that were extremely intelligent, but the bulk of my classmates seemed bright, but by no means on a genius level. Practicing law is stressful, there is no getting away from that. But it can also be very rewarding. And after you have a bit of experience, it's possible to fashion a career that suits you. I started in a larger firm and found out that it just wasn't for me. I went out solo after a year or so, and now I have my own small firm that's very low key in the office, and we dont work crazy hours. It's what you make it. Don't let fear stop you from pursuing your dream, and good luck!
2007-11-29 12:53:48 · answer #3 · answered by J P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Law school is intensely cutthroat and competitive, but that's because almost everyone wants to get the top grades, make law review, and be hired straight out of law school to be a clerk for a Supreme Court Justice or go to a huge law firm and earn bazillions a week.
If you want to, though, you 'can' take law school fairly easy, pass your degree and hang your own shingle doing simple real estate work. you won't make much money, but you won't have much pressure either.
Richard
2007-11-29 11:52:16 · answer #4 · answered by rickinnocal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you will not be over your head. My passion and dreams along with the fear of failing drove me through and I was not in the top 20% of my H.S. class, nor was I in the top 20% of my college graduating class. Keep your dreams alive!
The law profession is only cutthroat in a few small areas of practice. Most other areas, lawyers try and do help one another.
2007-11-29 11:54:14 · answer #5 · answered by J. Jude 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋