Author Topic: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?  (Read 11538 times)

Bearded Man

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Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« on: September 05, 2015, 01:17:12 AM »
I've seen a few threads on other forums where people considered going to law school so people wouldn't mess with them so much. I've considered it myself. My uncle is an attorney and it really is amazing how afraid people are of attorneys. As someone who has been sued for a frivolous claim before, and won, I will say lawyers do seem to have a lot of power in society.

That said, I've considered going to law school myself. Out of state because it's cheaper; 40K in Montana vs 120K+ in WA. But is it really worth it? I do enjoy legal stuff, and have had tickets dismissed under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, etc. But I wonder is it worth it? Would it not be better to focus on getting rich than just becoming an attorney (which can incidentally make one rich). I think I would earn more money on my IT salary than I would as an attorney. I could be wrong.

But let's say one has a lot of money. One can buy an army of lawyers who are specialists in that dispute. In contrast, no lawyer is an expert in all things, and the person who can afford Ivy League educated lawyers, several of them, has an advantage over the guy went to a vanilla law school.

Thoughts?  I might just take the LSAT and see if a legal career is up my alley, though at coming up on 34, I feel like I'm too old to change careers unless it's for a coasting job. I plan on pulling the plug at 40. But who knows, I might just change careers.


JJNL

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2015, 01:32:34 AM »
I'm a non-US lawyer, but have heard lots of alarming news from your side of the pond about the declining chances in the labour market for law school graduates. See here: http://www.wsj.com/articles/law-schools-fight-bar-association-over-how-graduates-jobs-are-counted-1438280235 universities are even paying to employ extra graduates in order to prop up employment statistics, which are down in the 80 percent (including the fluff). So before you switch, do your research, and do it thoroughly. I would say that the job market for IT people is better and is going to be better than the job market for lawyers. Get rich and hire a lawyer if needed, I say.

EricL

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2015, 01:42:23 AM »
 It used to be becoming a lawyer was a path to riches.  It opened doors to high income judicial, corporate, legal, and political careers. Lawyers had to be really crappy or actively search out non stop pro bono cases to be poor.  But in the last few decades that realization and a law school and law student saturation caused a glut in the lawyer market.  Law, once a profession of a few ethically principled elites is now a feeding frenzy of sleazy ambulance chaser douchebags chasing nickels wherever they can find them .

My advice: go into law if you enjoy it and be one of the principled lawyers. Lord knows we need them. But if it's all about the money there are better, faster, and more fun ways to get it.

Doubleh

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2015, 05:11:52 AM »
OP I'm in a somewhat similar position - on track to FIRE from my current career in the next few years but with some interest in the law. I've also defended and won against frivolous suits - albeit with assistance from professionals courtesy of indemnity insurance.

To be honest going through law school now would likely set you back several years through the cost of tuition, lost income etc, and then you'll be starting at the bottom of the pile. Seems to me like it would be much better to FIRE first then look at law as a hobby which could also be a side hustle. Once you're already FIRE even a low wage is topping up your expenses. Ans because you're not driven by the need to make money you could chose cases you want and really make a difference - pro bono, the innocence project, whatever. I can see that being a great way to do some good while keeping yourself mentally occupied!

scrubbyfish

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2015, 05:51:15 AM »
Best to be wealthy enough to afford endless attorney fees. That way you stay safe while doing a variety of happy activities, including social justice work.

I know lots of lawyers and LOVE all but one. Most I know work hard and honestly for justice, most on behalf of the most marginalized. That's awesome.

But the only lawyer I know that gets "his way" does so not because he's a lawyer and people tremble before that fact, but because he's a jerk. That is, he seems to think he's getting his way because of using lawyer-sounding speeches in his daily life, but he's actually determining things by being a jerk...and losing friends, tenants, companions, and lovers in the process. People who are both lawyers and good don't rely on their law degree to control situations, thus people don't quake before them.

pbkmaine

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2015, 08:01:06 AM »
Ha! My mentor at university refused to write me a recommendation to law school. He said it would bore me silly. Instead he wrote one for business school. He was right. I think the key is to have good lawyer friends, so that if a legal type tries to bully you, you can respond appropriately. That, and an umbrella policy.

Tetsuya Hondo

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2015, 08:10:12 AM »
It doesn't sound like you're that passionate about it and going to law school so that "people won't mess with you" sounds like a colossal waste of time and money.

And unless you're going to a top school, don't expect much money or prestige. Law schools and lawyers are a dime a dozen.

DoubleDown

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2015, 08:30:23 AM »
OP, you might look into "reading" the law in order to obtain a degree. In certain states, if you can find an attorney willing to mentor you, you can simply read/study the law and obtain a degree without ever attending a class. Each state has different requirements, but it is possible to obtain a degree and pass the bar exams (and, needless to say, become knowledgeable) without paying a cent in law school. You can do it at your own pace and schedule.

Left

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2015, 08:48:58 AM »
dont pick a job because you think it provides you with "respect", that still needs to be earned. i have no problems treating them like used car salesmen if they act like it, like those tv claims ones.

pick a job you think you will like because you will spend a long time doing it. rarely do lawyers retire early, like doctors and dentists and pharmacists, the school takes long enough that they dont want to work 10-15 years then quit

Bearded Man

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2015, 09:00:18 AM »
In WA you can become an attorney without a law degree, but I would imagine I'd be a better lawyer after 3 years of formal study. My uncle is.an.ambulance chaser, but one of the honest ones. I have heard about declining cost of tuition as demand for law school has dropped. But eventually there will be a shortage again.
 

totoro

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2015, 09:16:48 AM »
You are considering becoming a lawyer just so people won't mess with you?   

You could hire quite a lot of legal representation for the cost of law school and the lost opportunity costs of spending your time in law school and working your way up given that you already have a profession that pays well.  Have you done the math? 

If you are planning on retiring in six years why do it?  How does the benefit even come close to the cost? Keep working for an extra couple of years and put the savings into your legal defence fund if this is of significant concern.  Becoming a lawyer is not the most rational way to protect yourself from a theoretical future frivolous lawsuit. 

fa

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2015, 09:37:23 AM »
It doesn't sound like you're that passionate about it and going to law school so that "people won't mess with you" sounds like a colossal waste of time and money.

And unless you're going to a top school, don't expect much money or prestige. Law schools and lawyers are a dime a dozen.

+1.  The OP does not show any passion for law.  It reads to me more like burn-out in the current profession.  Plus, judging by the large malpractice premiums for practicing law, it sounds to me like lawyers are very afraid of each other rather than feeling powerful.

mrshudson

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2015, 10:45:30 AM »
Law school has currently a lawyer glut problem. I concur with the previous couple of posts. It seems like you are feeling insecure, and worry that people will mess with you. Better off to address that first. Being sued once is just law of averages catching up with you. Why do you believe people necessarily will mess with you? Why do you feel currently no one respects or is afraid of you in the lawyer like way, and why is that important to you?

And believe me, you can get legal representation for a fraction of your FIRE stash that you won't even notice the cost disappearing.

I would not go to law school in the current environment for any reason*. Law schools are completely out of touch with market reality and charge $100,000 plus for a degree.

* except if I had a full scholarship or if my employer would pay for it.

iamlindoro

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #13 on: September 05, 2015, 11:00:23 AM »
But seriously, why are you so worried about people messing with you? The fact that lawsuits or harassment are a major concern of yours points to larger issues that may be worth addressing.

The totality of the OPs posts paint a fairly disturbing picture, frankly.  Between wanting to intimidate people into "not messing with" him, and a malevolent approach to landlording, I am left with a feeling that he is in a very toxic place.

OP, I don't say this to antagonize you-- I genuinely believe mustachianism is about happiness, and you can't get there on the path I get the impression you're on.

clarkfan1979

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #14 on: September 05, 2015, 11:12:23 AM »
There are always exceptions, but lawyers typically work a lot of hours. If you don't want to work massive hours, I would try to start your own practice, if possible. If you work for a typical organization, I think the standard work load is 250 billable hours/month when you start. If you make mistakes and cannot bill some hours it might work a little more than 250 hours. Once you get good at it, you might be able to bill 250 hours, but only work 225 hours/month.

LouLou

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #15 on: September 05, 2015, 12:39:53 PM »
I really like being a lawyer.  But based on this post alone, you would hate it.

Are people less likely to file a frivolous lawsuit against me? Sure! But defending a frivolous lawsuit (by studying to represent yourself or hiring an attorney) is much cheaper than going to law school.

Other pointers:

1) Except for the top few, law schools are very regional.  So if you go to law school in Montana, you better be willing to practice in Montana.

2) As others have mentioned, there are way more law graduates than lawyer jobs. The profession is under a major change, caused by differences in the way businesses spend on legal issues and technological disruption.  Do not enter unless you're going for free, and don't mind your FIRE date being pushed back for years.

3) I think it's hilarious that people think of lawyers as all powerful! As a junior lawyer, the following groups of people completely control my life: (a) attorneys senior to me at my firm; (b) the clients; (c) the judges. Thankfully, my firm is very reasonable but I have spent some long days at the office because of the other two groups!

Since you plan to quit working soonish, don't spend three years getting any sort of degree.  Instead, consider watching trials at your local courthouse or spending your FIRE years as a judicial assistant.

It used to be becoming a lawyer was a path to riches.  It opened doors to high income judicial, corporate, legal, and political careers. Lawyers had to be really crappy or actively search out non stop pro bono cases to be poor. ... Law, once a profession of a few ethically principled elites is now a feeding frenzy of sleazy ambulance chaser douchebags chasing nickels wherever they can find them .

This is not quite true.  There were, and still are, rich lawyers.  They are rainmaking partners at large firms (a position which usually takes at least 20 years of hard work to achieve) and highly skilled and successful plaintiff's lawyers ("ambulance chasers").  For most other lawyers, the profession was and is the path to a comfortable middle to upper middle class life depending on location.  Judges have lots of prestige, but make less than they would in private practice. In-house counsel also  typically make less than they would in private practice.

Keep in mind that many states used to actually prohibit lawyers from advertising at all.  Now that we can advertise, plaintiffs' attorneys have commercials, billboards, and the like. That could be feeding the impression that there are more plaintiffs' lawyers than before.

powskier

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #16 on: September 05, 2015, 12:45:56 PM »

[/quote]

But seriously, why are you so worried about people messing with you? The fact that lawsuits or harassment are a major concern of yours points to larger issues that may be worth addressing.
[/quote]

+1

johnny847

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #17 on: September 05, 2015, 12:59:14 PM »
You are considering becoming a lawyer just so people won't mess with you?   

You could hire quite a lot of legal representation for the cost of law school and the lost opportunity costs of spending your time in law school and working your way up given that you already have a profession that pays well.  Have you done the math? 

If you are planning on retiring in six years why do it?  How does the benefit even come close to the cost? Keep working for an extra couple of years and put the savings into your legal defence fund if this is of significant concern.  Becoming a lawyer is not the most rational way to protect yourself from a theoretical future frivolous lawsuit.

You could also hire a lot of large men with no necks with names like "Knuckles" for that price.

But seriously, why are you so worried about people messing with you? The fact that lawsuits or harassment are a major concern of yours points to larger issues that may be worth addressing.

If you look at how BeardedMan runs his rentals, you'll find part of your answer.

marty998

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #18 on: September 05, 2015, 05:03:29 PM »
Being sued once is just law of averages catching up with you.

My pet hate. It's the called the Law of Large Numbers.

Sorry for the interruption. Carry on.

Mr Dorothy Dollar

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #19 on: September 07, 2015, 08:50:59 PM »
Attorney here. Every idiot that could not figure out how to monetize their undergrad thinks that getting a law degree will get them ahead in the socioeconomic stratification of America. While you may gain some bully skills through schooling and practice, gaining skills for appearance sake or to be a bully is not a good return on investment.

I would never recommend law school. However, I would not dissuade anyone who is using law school to augment an undergrad degree into a highly profitable field (IP Law and niche law areas). 

chesebert

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #20 on: September 07, 2015, 11:39:19 PM »
There are always exceptions, but lawyers typically work a lot of hours. If you don't want to work massive hours, I would try to start your own practice, if possible. If you work for a typical organization, I think the standard work load is 250 billable hours/month when you start. If you make mistakes and cannot bill some hours it might work a little more than 250 hours. Once you get good at it, you might be able to bill 250 hours, but only work 225 hours/month.

Not sure which state you are practicing in, but billing more than you worked (i.e., defrauding your client, unless you are on a contingent fee basis, in which case hours then become moot) could lead you to be reprimanded by your state bar. Not a good idea!

« Last Edit: September 07, 2015, 11:41:32 PM by chesebert »

chesebert

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #21 on: September 07, 2015, 11:48:50 PM »
I've seen a few threads on other forums where people considered going to law school so people wouldn't mess with them so much. I've considered it myself. My uncle is an attorney and it really is amazing how afraid people are of attorneys. As someone who has been sued for a frivolous claim before, and won, I will say lawyers do seem to have a lot of power in society.

That said, I've considered going to law school myself. Out of state because it's cheaper; 40K in Montana vs 120K+ in WA. But is it really worth it? I do enjoy legal stuff, and have had tickets dismissed under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, etc. But I wonder is it worth it? Would it not be better to focus on getting rich than just becoming an attorney (which can incidentally make one rich). I think I would earn more money on my IT salary than I would as an attorney. I could be wrong.

But let's say one has a lot of money. One can buy an army of lawyers who are specialists in that dispute. In contrast, no lawyer is an expert in all things, and the person who can afford Ivy League educated lawyers, several of them, has an advantage over the guy went to a vanilla law school.

Thoughts?  I might just take the LSAT and see if a legal career is up my alley, though at coming up on 34, I feel like I'm too old to change careers unless it's for a coasting job. I plan on pulling the plug at 40. But who knows, I might just change careers.

Take the LSAT and see if you have the aptitude for law. Anything 170+ and you can start doing the math and come back for more advice.

Btw, you will not be respected as a "young attorney", period; rather, you will be subject to the most demeaning work for the amount of schooling you plan to undertake. You will likely get yelled at, asked to cancel your vacation and work 24-48 hours straight. But if you can tough it out for 8-10 years, you might get some respect from clients and other attorneys. Also, as a practicing attorney, you will have no time to sort out your own legal matters, which means you will end up hiring other attorneys to represent you in any case (which in any event is much better than representing yourself whether you a lawyer or not).

obstinate

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #22 on: September 08, 2015, 12:12:51 AM »
People don't mess with you all that much in life unless you invite it. I wouldn't spend $40k to eliminate all the ways people have messed with me over the course of my life, to say nothing of the opportunity cost.

Drifterrider

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2015, 04:48:41 AM »


It is better to be a rich attorney :)

CorpRaider

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2015, 12:20:33 PM »
MMA school and a Mohawk would be cheaper and much, much more intimidating. 

Tabaxus

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #25 on: September 08, 2015, 12:56:21 PM »
Well. This is one of the more ridiculous posts I've seen about someone thinking about the legal field.

LiveLean

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #26 on: September 08, 2015, 01:44:13 PM »
Attorney here. Every idiot that could not figure out how to monetize their undergrad thinks that getting a law degree will get them ahead in the socioeconomic stratification of America. While you may gain some bully skills through schooling and practice, gaining skills for appearance sake or to be a bully is not a good return on investment.

I would never recommend law school. However, I would not dissuade anyone who is using law school to augment an undergrad degree into a highly profitable field (IP Law and niche law areas).

Therein lies the problem. Too many people spend four years partying of undegraduate work and give no consideration to exploring a career they might actually like or be able to monetize. So they prolong the decision for three years with law school, believing it's the road to riches. So we end up with a glut of lawyers. I went to undergrad with a lot of these folks. Some make decent cash, though not all. Few seem happy.

Chris22

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #27 on: September 08, 2015, 01:51:05 PM »
Attorney here. Every idiot that could not figure out how to monetize their undergrad thinks that getting a law degree will get them ahead in the socioeconomic stratification of America. While you may gain some bully skills through schooling and practice, gaining skills for appearance sake or to be a bully is not a good return on investment.

I would never recommend law school. However, I would not dissuade anyone who is using law school to augment an undergrad degree into a highly profitable field (IP Law and niche law areas).

Therein lies the problem. Too many people spend four years partying of undegraduate work and give no consideration to exploring a career they might actually like or be able to monetize. So they prolong the decision for three years with law school, believing it's the road to riches. So we end up with a glut of lawyers. I went to undergrad with a lot of these folks. Some make decent cash, though not all. Few seem happy.

In my family, there are three lawyers, all barred, and none work as traditional lawyers.  One is an in-house counsel, one works for the Federal gov't, and one works for a state gov't.  One of them was once in a traditional big-law job ($175k+ out of law school, 100 hr work weeks, etc) and hated it, and went to work for the Feds.  All three love their current roles.  None went to top schools (one did do a specialty that was top-ranked at a lower-tier school) and all graduated in the last 10 years.  All three have/had massive debt loads, however, but are paying them back with various degrees of success (2/3 are working for jobs that will eventually have the loans forgiven in return for time spent working).

iwasjustwondering

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #28 on: September 08, 2015, 04:40:00 PM »
If you love the law, then it's better to be an attorney.  Who cares about being rich?

milesdividendmd

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #29 on: September 08, 2015, 04:41:26 PM »
Rich.

Anything is better than being a lawyer.  People are afraid of leeches too.

Kashmani

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #30 on: September 09, 2015, 02:38:44 PM »
Being a lawyer can be a good moneymaker, but there is a price to pay. If you become a corporate lawyer, there are opportunities to move in-house, but if you become a litigator and don't want to litigate any longer, there are not many options other than becoming a judge. While there are government jobs, they are subject to affirmative action, which means when the majority of private-practice women realize after 3-5 years that they hate their new life, it is hard a a man to outcompete them for government jobs. As such, law probably closes more doors than it opens.

Keep in mind that litigation is zero-sum. I win, you lose, and vice versa. I am a pretty decent litigator, but there are certainly days when I wish I had stayed in a technical job and could be working 9-5 for some municipality deciding which sewers to fix. The money is excellent, but the bullsh***ing and constant posturing that comes with the job is emotionally quite draining. A teacher gets paid to teach. I basically get paid to be an a**hole.

Shiernian

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #31 on: September 09, 2015, 04:28:11 PM »
Being a lawyer most likely won't make you rich.  Those that are rich are often working many many hours. That said, if you really want to go to law school I think you should (regardless of what your end salary is). Law school will teach you a different way of thinking, speaking, and prepare you for thinking on your feet in a different way than you would otherwise learn. You will also learn how to stand up to pressure better. However law school is expensive and really may not pay off. Why don't you take the LSAT, see how you do, and take it from there? I graduated with a lot of debt (paid off now) but I still don't regret going (and I only practiced a short while - took an alternative law career path). You can also always wait to see if you get a scholarship. Lots of law schools have promotional materials which show the likelihood of your acceptance (and maybe financial aid) based on your LSAT and undergrad gpa. You should also volunteer at a law clinic or law office to see what it's really like - law school is intellectually satisfying, practicing can be very different. I have to say though if you are arguing based on the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine without a degree - I think you are a good candidate based on your level of interest. Your comment made me smile. :-) but with unemployment low, you have to determine how much you want it. LSAT is a good first step.

chesebert

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #32 on: September 09, 2015, 10:20:38 PM »
Being a lawyer most likely won't make you rich.  Those that are rich are often working many many hours. That said, if you really want to go to law school I think you should (regardless of what your end salary is). Law school will teach you a different way of thinking, speaking, and prepare you for thinking on your feet in a different way than you would otherwise learn. You will also learn how to stand up to pressure better. However law school is expensive and really may not pay off. Why don't you take the LSAT, see how you do, and take it from there? I graduated with a lot of debt (paid off now) but I still don't regret going (and I only practiced a short while - took an alternative law career path). You can also always wait to see if you get a scholarship. Lots of law schools have promotional materials which show the likelihood of your acceptance (and maybe financial aid) based on your LSAT and undergrad gpa. You should also volunteer at a law clinic or law office to see what it's really like - law school is intellectually satisfying, practicing can be very different. I have to say though if you are arguing based on the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine without a degree - I think you are a good candidate based on your level of interest. Your comment made me smile. :-) but with unemployment low, you have to determine how much you want it. LSAT is a good first step.

Not sure why you would need to use evidence rules in a traffic court - not to be nasty and all but are traffic crt admin judges/magistrate even familiar with rules of evidence? 

totoro

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #33 on: September 10, 2015, 12:58:47 AM »
law school is intellectually satisfying, practicing can be very different

YMMV - I found the exact opposite.  Law school was pretty boring, practice is not.

Shiernian

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #34 on: September 10, 2015, 09:12:41 AM »
Other thought is maybe you could get ahold of a couple of commercial legal outlines, first year subjects like criminal law or civil procedure and see if it makes you want to take the LSAT. The whole process is a lot of work, so just tread carefully when figuring it out.  Good luck!

sunday

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #35 on: September 10, 2015, 11:02:59 AM »
Would you be rich if you were not an attorney? Are those the only choices?

northernlights

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #36 on: September 10, 2015, 12:03:38 PM »
Not sure why you would need to use evidence rules in a traffic court - not to be nasty and all but are traffic crt admin judges/magistrate even familiar with rules of evidence?

In Wisconsin many are...most larger cities have attorneys serving as their municipal (traffic) court judges and first offense drunk driving is heard in these courts.

I don't think the OP should go to law school. People "mess with" lawyers all the time because they think it's fun.

Shor

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #37 on: September 10, 2015, 05:58:01 PM »
Let me try to put it this way, your conception of people "not messing with you" because you are a lawyer is misplaced.

People can't mess with you when you understand the rules. Know them backwards and forwards. Study them, and understand the existing precedence, when it is applicable and when it isn't. All of this knowledge, understanding, and then the application of it: that is not granted by going to law school or by completing an exam. It's not given to you by being part of a certain group, or scoring X on a certain test.
That is earned by studying the material, knowing it, learning it. You don't need law school to do that. The information is freely and publicly available for you to pursue.

So if you don't want people to legally screw with you, then study your ass off and know the topic.
As an example for how that fits to other areas in life:
To an engineer, you study the technical specifications and understand not just the content but why it has been designed that way. How it works and why at every level.
For a renter or landlord it would be knowing renter rights and when a case is applicable. What can be held up in court and what people are just blowing smoke about.

You don't get to "show this off" to people. You don't say "Well I am a lawyer so that means you can't do XYZ". There is no burn moment where your qualification gives you final say on the matter (unless you are the authority figure i.e. judge, leo, governing official). You stand by what you know, and let the ruling authority determine who is correct (if it ever actually comes down to it), and ideally you worked hard enough at understanding the topic in question that you are the correct one.

Finally, just because you are technically correct does not make everything you do pure gold. Trying to flaunt it and be a huge jerk about it does not make you a good person, and some decisions (for example, in the office environment) are not 100% based on correctness. Merit and faith can play a big role in affecting people's decisions.

I don't know the entire situation behind wanting to "not be messed with" but I don't think going to law school will be what solves the problem (unless the problem is that you want to be made partner in a law firm or something.. )

GatorNation

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #38 on: September 10, 2015, 07:32:13 PM »
Attorney here.  My fiance is also an attorney.

My fiance and I graduated from top law schools (top 5 law schools) and I would not recommend you attending law school.  We both have jobs (I'm starting a solo practice and she's a public defender) but I do know that most attorneys are not as fortunate as us.

As an attorney, you will be constantly fighting with opposing counsel, clients and judges.  You still have to deal with annoying clients who will do everything possible to avoid paying you but still expect for you do fight for them at 100%.  Opposing counsel will get nasty, judges will threaten you with contempt, and you will lose sleep over upcoming trials.

If you graduate law school and then decide to get a non legal job, then good luck.  That juris doctor will make you overqualified for most non legal jobs and you will be unhirable. 


I would recommend the profession to certain people, but not to you. 

aFrugalFather

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #39 on: September 10, 2015, 09:18:44 PM »
I'd also add to all that has been said, most likely if you do get sued even as an attorney you will not want to represent yourself.  More likely than not you will not want to get a specialist to defend you, it would be a rare chance of events for you to be sued and also be a specialist in the area you are being sued for.  Attorneys often hire attorneys. 

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #40 on: September 12, 2015, 12:16:11 AM »
Is it better to be an attorney or to be a landlord?

Jeremy E.

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Re: Is it better to be rich or be an attorney?
« Reply #41 on: September 12, 2015, 01:11:32 AM »
This is the stupidest thing I've read all week.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!