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Weekly Law School Thread: Charleston

WFU03 said:
I'll say no to law school unless a few criteria are met:
-It's a top 10ish school OR it's a top 25ish school in the region you want to be in
-You are really, really sure you want to be a lawyer. As in, you've been a paralegal for a year or two and you really like it.
-You usually get very good grades and have a very good work ethic. Getting good grades because you're smart doesn't count. If you go to a good school, everyone will be smart.
-You don't have to pay for it (either through parents, scholarships, or whatnot)

If all of those are met, then law school seems like a good choice. If you're missing any of them, then I wouldn't recommend it.
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I think this is pretty harsh. There are good graduates coming out of Georgia State and finding jobs at good firms in ATL, and it isnt top 50. Its also a public school in a major city that (i) doesnt cost an arm and a leg and (ii) has connections to firms in a big market. I really only know ATL, but I expect there are similar circumstances around the country (Hastings in San Fran, etc.)

Ovbs, getting into a top 50-75 law school and doing well there will help your chances greatly. Cost vs. what you have to finance is a huge consideration.

What is lost on a lot of law grads though, is that once you get to the job market, not just in law, but in any profession, you have to be a decent, personable, engaging person that also doesnt look like you've been living under a bridge for the last 5 years. Law grads think that they are entitled to a job because they forked over a bunch of money, did well on some shitty tests designed by people who by and large couldnt hack it as practicing attorneys, and now have a professional degree.

You not only have to have decent credentials, but you have to be someone that people want to work with. Numbers on piece of paper isn't enough in this market.
 
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Sounds like the answer is pretty clear...
 
TheTwinAndreBen said:
You not only have to have decent credentials, but you have to be someone that people want to work with. Numbers on piece of paper isn't enough in this market.
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Yeah, I think a lot of kids are under the mistaken impression that people are just lining up to have lawyers do work for them when people do everything they can to accomplish as much as possible without involving a lawyer.

Good lawyers, who make great money, almost always have great interpersonal skills and are either directly or indirectly bringing clients in the door.
 
I left the office to drive home at 7:00 pm tonight to try and see my kids before they went to bed. The moment I hit the door of my house I got a call from a partner that is currently out of town. He has an emergency and needs a research project/motion/supporting memo done immediately so he can file it tomorrow morning. I am now back in the office and will probably be here until dawn. At that point I will go home, get a shower and drive 3 hours to Wake County for a motion hearing.

Think hard about your decision. There are easier ways to make a living.
 
My impression, as an incoming 1L is to avoid debt at all costs so long as you can get into a first tier law school. I was well aware of the legal climate when I decided to head to law school, but the combination of getting into a solid school (Alabama) and having no tuition was too difficult to pass on. It was between Bama and Emory for me, but with the money Emory was offering the difference was about 20k a year so I went with Bama. With a different economic climate I may have been willing to take on 75k+ debt and head to Emory anyway, but with the way things are, Bama was an easy decision for reasons previously stated.

To the OP: unless you're going to a t14 school, I would not take six figure debt on. At all. Retake the lsat and minimize debt if you're set on law school would be my admittedly uneducated recommendation.
 
HeavyPetter said:
Yeah, I think a lot of kids are under the mistaken impression that people are just lining up to have lawyers do work for them when people do everything they can to accomplish as much as possible without involving a lawyer.

Good lawyers, who make great money, almost always have great interpersonal skills and are either directly or indirectly bringing clients in the door.
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I disagree with your last paragraph. Many rainmakers I know are practically aspergers; or they are sociopaths.

As for Andre, he's always apologizing for the profession with his half measured rah rah. If I were graduating out of Ga State right now, Andre, my asshole would be puckered tighter than a tick.
 
Eagles_Legendz said:
My impression, as an incoming 1L is to avoid debt at all costs so long as you can get into a first tier law school. I was well aware of the legal climate when I decided to head to law school, but the combination of getting into a solid school (Alabama) and having no tuition was too difficult to pass on. It was between Bama and Emory for me, but with the money Emory was offering the difference was about 20k a year so I went with Bama. With a different economic climate I may have been willing to take on 75k+ debt and head to Emory anyway, but with the way things are, Bama was an easy decision for reasons previously stated.

To the OP: unless you're going to a t14 school, I would not take six figure debt on. At all. Retake the lsat and minimize debt if you're set on law school would be my admittedly uneducated recommendation.
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Solid? Bama is about as solid as your drunken uncle arnie's morning shit; but at least you're
going for free. Fuck some hot coeds while you're at it.

Not worth the 60k in the hole to attend Oymory, that's fo' sho'
 
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If you have an interest in attempting to practice law, and can get into a tier 1 law school and go for free, I think that's tough to pass up. Not saying Bama is USC, but I wanted to go to law school, got into a school in the top 40 for free, and have no problem practicing in Alabama, so that's what I'm doing. We'll talk in 8 years about the awful decision I'm making moon.
 
Eagles_Legendz said:
If you have an interest in attempting to practice law, and can get into a tier 1 law school and go for free, I think that's tough to pass up. Not saying Bama is USC, but I wanted to go to law school, got into a school in the top 40 for free, and have no problem practicing in Alabama, so that's what I'm doing. We'll talk in 8 years about the awful decision I'm making moon.
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I have no problem with your decision since you are going for free and plan on staying in Bama. My issue is with fools who go 90k in the hole to attend bama.

You'll be fine coming out with no soul crippling debt.

I have no doubt.
 
Marquee Moon said:
I have no problem with your decision since you are going for free and plan on staying in Bama. My issue is with fools who go 90k in the hole to attend bama.
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Agreed there. I hope to agree with the other part of your statement down the road.
 
I could have gone to NYU, Georgetown, or UF. Everybody told mento go to NYU because it is far and away the best program. But it would have been at least 70k in debt versus 30k. Not worth the difference in my opinion. We will see how I feel in a year.
 
DeaconCav06 said:
I could have gone to NYU, Georgetown, or UF. Everybody told mento go to NYU because it is far and away the best program. But it would have been at least 70k in debt versus 30k. Not worth the difference in my opinion. We will see how I feel in a year.
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You made the right call, Cav. UF has a great program and I just don't see you being foreclosed from any opportunities by going there over NYU or G'town, particularly since you ideally would like to stay in the Southeast.
 
inspectah said:
I'm a lawyer. You should not go to law school.

I wish I could talk you out of it. It's hard to overstate how bad things are right now. There are tens of thousands more lawyers coming out of school every year than there are available jobs. It's really a crisis. There are so many more valuable things you can do. And you can always go to LS later if the economy/job market improves.

Don't believe what any LS tells you about job or salary prospects. They are being highly deceptive at best or outright lying at worst because they want your tuition dollars. That's ALL they care about.
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This, in general. And specifically, do not go to Charleston law and do not take out meaningful debt to go to any law school. There are long term structural issues that will depress employment in the legal profession even after we finally get out of this recession, if we ever do.
 
BillBrasky said:
Manifest Destiny got like a half scholarship to Charleston but decided not to go. Isn't newly accredited, kind of like Charlotte?
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Ehhem full scholarship. Don't you dare insult me on this board.

And to the OP - Don't do it! That congress thing sounds sweet and you'll never know what contacts you can make there. Go that route!
 
Do you have a burning desire to be a lawyer? If so, go! this is a great profession, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my last 32 years in practice. The negativity on here is difficult for me to understand.
 
meandmyuncleDeac said:
Do you have a burning desire to be a lawyer? If so, go! this is a great profession, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my last 32 years in practice. The negativity on here is difficult for me to understand.
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Wait, really? As someone who has been practicing for 32 years, I would assume you understand what is going on in the industry.

Have you not read any of the hundred articles on the legal profession for recent grads? I feel like there's a new article in the Journal every week.
 
I've read them for sure. So the high-ass end firms aren't hiring. Grow some balls and hang out a shingle. Do a public defender gig for a while. Work in a DA's office for a while.

If you pay your dues, work hard, and love it, you will one day be wealthy.
 
meandmyuncleDeac said:
I've read them for sure. So the high-ass end firms aren't hiring. Grow some balls and hang out a shingle. Do a public defender gig for a while. Work in a DA's office for a while.

If you pay your dues, work hard, and love it, you will one day be wealthy.
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And you'll also get a close-up look at bankruptcy court, furthering your legal knowledge.
 
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