If there are any lawyers on Y!A, please answer me this question.?

Question

I am an English major and I have recently learned that one of the job opportunities for majors such as me is lawyer. My mother has been constantly pushing me to be a lawyer (she's not crazy about it, though; she thankfully allows me the freedom to choose my career path) and though I agree it is a noble profession, I also understand that at times it is not so noble.

It's not really the public speaking, or the endless hours of investigation and research and memory work that intimidates me. What DOES scare me is that at times lawyers have to defend the wrong people and make it seem as though they are in the right, all for the sake of cash. That is the one thing that I find unattractive about being a lawyer.

So for all the lawyers who frequent Y!A, I'd appreciate it a lot if you could give me AT LEAST 5 very good reasons why a person should become a lawyer despite this "risk", aside from the usual "pay is good" or "it's a noble profession" answers.

Thanks. :)

Answer 1

1. As a lawyer you can continue to work (and make money) even if your employer forces you to retire, down sizes you out of a job, sends your job off shore, or terminates you.

2. A law degree and passing the bar exam is considered a large plus on a resume. Many of the upper managment in corporations have a law degree although they have never actually practiced law.

3. The study of law gives a person insight to certain facts. Like you comment about defending a 'wrong person'. In the study of law you will learn that no one is 100% right or wrong. We are are shades of grey, people who want to do the right thing, but sometimes just don't. You will be trained that a lawyer's job is not to judge but to provide justice for clients, even the clients who appear unsavory.

4. Being a lawyer provides you with the largest range of choices of any profession. You can teach, you can practice law in big firms - small firms - your own firm, you can work for a company, you can work in the government and still be called 'lawyer'.

5. Being a lawyer allows a person to stand up for what is right and good, not just by words but with actions. A lawyer can have a large voice in fixing unfair situations, representing the forgotten people, and standing up for those who can not stand up for them selves.

As for pay is good, maybe. ABA says the average pay is $40,000 per year in the US.

As for representing a person that the lawyer believes is 100% wrong. It does happen. Many times good people find themselvs in situations where they make the wrong decisions. Those people really need a lawyer who will be honest with them and help them get out of the problem.

Answer 2

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't.

The financial burden alone should be enough to discourage you. Yes, scholarships and grants are available, but usually only to a narrow class such as Desert Storm veterans in the infantry. If you were a Desert Storm veteran in the Air Force, you are out of luck for a scholarship.

It's easy to sign the dotted line on the promissory notes, but how many of us really think about what we're doing? What we are signing is essentially another mortgage. Furthermore, the loan cannot go away in bankruptcy - public or private.

Expect loan payments of $400-$1000 a month. That will include undergraduate loans and other private ones taken out. Do that for the next 30 years and see if you're still smiling when you write that check. Chances are, you're not saying that you're grateful for that piece of paper hanging on the wall.

Ethically, your instincts are correct. Law is a business and if the price is right, you will be doing things against your moral compass.

With respect to job prospects, there is no demand for lawyers. So many graduate in law school each year, and so few positions are open that it's almost better to be a professional poker player.

Credential inflation is also a problem. The law degree is the new bachelor degree. Every job you apply for will involve competition with someone who also has a law degree and law license. It sadly may come down to who has the nicest body or who can kiss the most rear ends.

Don't be fooled also into thinking that a law degree opens doors. It only opens doors after 10-20 years of law practice. Then an employer would be confident to hire that person. I have learned that employers aren't interested in recent law graduates because of the perception that the candidate will leave after he finds a job with a law firm. Employers who don't understand the legal system always wonder why someone with a law degree would want to do anything else other than practice law. The excuse that "the market is saturated" won't fly. Such a statement would make the candidate sound underachieving.

You have the potential to find your dream career right where you are. You can waste three years and tens of thousands of dollars, and your possibilities will be limited even more. I failed to heed the warning of someone who gave me this exact advice years ago. For many lawyers, it's a thin line between a successful law career and unemployment. There is hardly a good fallback plan.

Answer 3

First of all, there are many types of lawyers. Many lawyers do strictly transactional work and do not defend or litigate at all. Lawyers work in all types of positions from consulting to risk assessment. It is an inaccurate statement to say that lawyers defend the wrong people only for the cash. While this may be true for a small number of lawyers, it is not true for the vast majority. A lawyer is an advocate, not a judge. Our system is an adversarial one where the vigilance of defense attorneys helps to prevent abuse by the government and private litigants.
Here are 5 reasons why a person should become a lawyer (in no particular order):
1) a wide-array of job opportunities
2) continuing demand for legal professionals
3) great job satisfaction
4) better understanding of our legal system, our government, and our society
5) many opportunities to serve others

Answer 4

There are lots of different kinds of lawyers. Far from all lawyers are defense lawyers.

Answer 5

Hi!

From what you have said, I think the legal profession is not for you!