The current national average of an attorney is $40,000. People tend to forget to consider the expenses: massive law school debts and office overhead. And that's IF you can even find a job - there are VERY FEW job opportunities in this vocational field. IF you can find a job, yes, you would have to do "the horse work".
Choosing a career is one of life's most important and difficult decisions.
We simply already have way too many Legal Professionals. AND the legal profession is dramatically changing; it is in absolute CRISIS!!! Job searching in this vocational field has changed >>DRAMATICALLY<< in the last five years. And, every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don't expect the situation to improve in the coming years.....
Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: We are STILL in a World-wide Recession. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<<<<< Even in a Recovery, there are some jobs that just won't return - the field of Law won't make a comeback - too much has changed.
Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This is just not a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many reasons. We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today's graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software in order to get legal work done without the cost of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals - we have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc)
Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do.
The field of Law has a mystique that actually exceeds reality. The field of Law is an overrated career - mostly by television. There are many myths regarding the field of Law: working as a Lawyer is mentally challenging (Actually, most work as an attorney involves routine paperwork: research, cite checking, drafting documents, and document review. Attorneys need to write down and track every activity they do, all day long [in 6 to 15 minutes increments, depending on the billing system] - a painstaking but necessary task), being an attorney is thrilling, high-powered, and glamorous (remember: television is fiction - the fictional lawyers on TV are ACTORS - the majority of work that an attorney does, does not happen in a courtroom), law students think that because they are good at arguing they will become great attorneys (actually being a great attorney is more in one's ability to mediate between differing sides and bringing them to agreement), as a lawyer I can correct injustices (actually legal decisions are more about reaching compromises than about right vs. wrong), guaranteed financial success (actually when salaries are compared, you also need to account for cost-of living expenses [most large law firms are in large cities - the bigger the city, the more cost-of-living expenses will be], payment of debts accrued while attending law school, and time needed to build a client base. Many large law firms require lawyers to work 60-80 hours per week.).
Cost of law school to be lawyer, approx $150,000+. Be prepared to take on a LOT of debt, if becoming an attorney is your "true", ultimate goal!!!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
There are no jobs in this vocational field. My family, coworkers, friends, acqaintances, etc. have been laid off left and right in this vocational field.
Employers (usually law firms) in the field of Law today want employees with degrees from traditional colleges/universities. Those "certificates" you see advertised aren't worth the paper they are printed on - they are generally scams. (>>I found this out the hard way.) Also, the law school's program needs to be accredited by the American Bar Association - if it isn't, you are just wasting your time/money.
Even if you finish law school, you won't be able to find a job when you are done. Since this vocational field is shrinking, many new attorneys/lawyers are, themselves, having to work "down" as Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc, to simply try to keep some of their bills paid <<this would be your competition. And the competition is fierce!!
Now... the law schools know this, but they won't tell you the truth >that the job market/economy is just SATURATED with way too many Legal Professionals. Instead the schools will feed you a fairytale and will LIE to you. The root of the problem is we have too many law schools. We are in a recession, and the schools are fighting for their own survival - they will tell students anything to get to the students' money. (Which is why they won't tell you the truth about the job market for the field of Law.) And these schools continue to recruit and churn out even more graduates.............Remember: law schools are BUSINESSES - their top concern is making money for themselves.
>>>>>THE MOST IMPORTANT THING (and I can't stress this enough>): You ESPECIALLY have to beware of the bogus, inflated law school salary/job stats given out by law schools AND by the U.S. Bureau of Labor!!!*****<<<<<
If you don't believe me, then just do a SEARCH here on Yahoo Answers to see what other posters are saying about the current status of the field of Law. Call some local law firms - ask to speak to the Manager of Human Resources - ask them if they are hiring; ask them what they think about job availability in the field of Law..................
In the book "So You Want to be a Lawyer?" by Marianne Calabrese and Susanne Calabrese (ISBN 0-88391-136-1): "The United States has more lawyers than any other country in the world. About 38,000 students graduate >each year< from the 200+ law schools in the United States. The competition is very keen for jobs and clients." - Even Associate Justice Antonin Scalia (who served on the U.S. Supreme Court for more than 20 years) says there are too many lawyers. (9/14/2008)
Check out these websites: http://informeddecisionmaking.blogspot.com
http://calicocat.com/2004/08/law-school-big-lie.html
http://abajournal.com/news/triplt_bad_news_for_law_students_three_firms_aX_summer_associate_programs/
http://abajournal.com/news/as_rio_tinto_saves_millions_other_corps_will_outsource_too_counsel_says/
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/02/03/dont-try-to-dodge-the-recession-with-grad-school/
http://lawschoolscam.blogspot.com
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/02/another-view-lock-the-law-school-doors/?ref=business
http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2009/09/15/News/Law-Students.Face.Tough.Job.Market-3771810.shtml
http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/
(A link to a website does not constitute endorsement.)
If you want a job when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the fields of: >>>Healthcare, Information Technology, Law ENFORCEMENT, environmentalism, emergency planning, accounting, education, entertainment, utilities, home-car-commercial-industrial repairs, vice industries, clergy, and/or debt collection. I spoke to a career counselor from Jobs and Family Services, and HE told me that these areas are where the jobs are, and future job opportunities/availability....and scholarships.
Good luck.
(This is based on my current knowledge, information, belief, and life experiences. This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice. Please be careful and do your research.)
Source(s):
life
been there - done that
have actually worked in the field of Law for twelve years
also actually am an employee of a law school, so I KNOW and see (too much?!?)
don't have time to watch those TV law shows - the couple that I did watch weren't realistic, at all
TV glamorizes the field of Law - Reminder: TV is FICTION!!! - do your research first! - the field of Law is actually a lot of paperwork and politics - and law school is VERY expensive, so know what you are getting into
wish someone would have warned ME sooner
so now I TRY to warn and help others (that actually want to know, will listen and not get defensive)
I am simply tired of watching students getting ripped off by law schools
so many students have come to me- upset because they could not find employment- I am just trying to warn as many as I can, and trying to fulfill a promise
Answered By: mailaccount63 - 1/19/2010 |
To get the best idea of the average salary of a lawyer just out of a third tier law school, check the employment statistics for the law school(s) you're considering; if it's not on the school's website, ask--all schools keep track of this data.
Now a few more thoughts:
Just because you graduate from a third tier law school doesn't necessarily mean you'll be doing "horse work." Please note that first year lawyers at firms often do similar work no matter where they work; pay and hours may vary greatly.
That said, coming from a lower ranked law school certainly doesn't give you a great start to nabbing a six figure job right out of law school (which are increasingly fewer and farther between), but it doesn't mean you can't get there someday, though, by working hard and lateral moves.
The fact is that large firms *do* tend to hire from top tier on down, but they may consider a strong candidate from a lower tier law school with a strong local reputation. Indeed, many factors go into the type of job you can get after graduating from law school, including the following:
1. Reputation of law school in area in which you want to practice
2. How well you did in law school
3. Your connections in the area in which you want to practice
Overall, though, be aware that the legal job market is really tough and isn't expected to improve too much over the next couple years; be realistic about your job prospects and make sure that the money you're putting into your education (or the debt you're going into) will be worth it in the end.
And please feel free to contact me with any questions through the About.com Law School site.
Answered By: Michelle, About.com Law School - 1/19/2010 |