Part I: Unsavory ClientsWas law school the worst three years of your life?
No. My undergrad days were worse. Law school is not that hard. It involves a crushing workload and some sleepless nights, but the student who reads every case carefully and gives some thoughtful consideration to the overarching themes will be fine. Once you get past the first year, it gets to be exciting and fun. If you are not ready to do massive amounts of tedious work, you are not going to make a good lawyer.
Does the 1L year crush your soul?
The 1L year is tough because law school demands a totally new way of thinking. For this reason, I strongly recommend the aspiring lawyer to at least take several Philosophy classes. I also recommend taking a year or two to live and work and pay taxes and get health insurance in the "real world" between undergrad and law school. Treating law school as an extension of undergrad is not a good idea.
How did you deal with 1L stress?
I opted to make up dirty law-related puns with my study group instead of hitting up Thursday-Saturday Bar Nights. If your mom was water, we'd all have Riparian rights...I adversely possessed your girlfriend last night...Law students do it in their briefs...Lawyers do it with pre-trial motions. Go on, it's fun. Property terms are especially fruitful, you filius nullius.
How important is law review, anyway?
Important. It is a requirement for some employers. You should spend your 1L year getting as high a GPA as possible. With most journals, you always have the option of writing-on. If you do not make it, write and submit your writing on your own to other publications. You need to have at least one work of refined legal scholarship with a 2:1 text:footnote ratio under your belt. Remember that while journals are only for the top 10%, the other 90% still get jobs.
Isn't law review boring?
A lot of it is, yes. As a 2L member of a journal, I spent 10 hours/week combing through footnotes and more if I was on a deadline. As a 3L editor, it got more fun: I got to edit entire articles, not just the citations, and mentor 2L members. Law review is not designed to be fun. Think hazing: painful and sometimes stupid, but it earns membership in an exclusive club. (That's my impression of hazing, at least - my school did not have sororities. It was a sorority.)
Is the Socratic method scary?
Unfortunately, more and more professors are softening or abandoning this method. I suspect it is due to the large number of Precious Snowflakes hopped up on "self-esteem" who fill the lecture halls these days. Even if you make an absolute idiot out of yourself, don't worry. For one, you will do it at least once, so get over it. For another, grading is based solely on one final exam, and is anonymous. Finally, it is easier to make mistakes in front of a professor than a judge.
How can a college student prepare for law school?
Choose a writing-intensive major. Law is 90% writing. If you don't like to write, you will be unhappy. Do not major in "pre-law." Law schools will teach you the law. They do not have time to teach you how to write or think. Major in anything. Law schools prefer a variety of majors. I strongly recommend an English or Philosophy major. Keep up with your sciences, too. And take a part-time job in a law office. Even if you are just scanning and copying, you will see how legal practice actually works. Hint: it's not Law & Order. In fact, you might not be able to watch the show anymore.
I like to argue and people say I'm good at it. Would I make a good lawyer?
Lawyers need strong reasoning and analytical skills. Some lawyers will never set foot in a courtroom, and most of law practice - even for litigators - is writing and research. At least on the civil side, trials are increasingly rare. Due to the high expense of going to trial, the vast majority of lawsuits settle. Some lawyers spend more time arguing with BrickBreaker than anything else.
I'm really passionate about X. Would I make a good lawyer?
Those who attend law school specifically for one reason or political viewpoint tend to make for poor students and poor attorneys because they are resistant to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Have your goals, but be open-minded.
Is being a lawyer exciting?
Sometimes, but it depends on what you mean by "exciting." Lawyers spend most of the day reading, writing, and researching. Some of the work can be painfully tedious, as can some of the clients and adversaries.
What is law school like socially?
High school with alcohol.
Do I have to know Latin?
No. Most states are embracing plain-English writing and tossing out Latin and other forms of legalese.
When will I be able to impress friends and family?
After one semester, and you get one year to be annoying and gloat. Then it gets old.
Will I be rich?
Depends. A shareholder at a large urban firm will do well. A lawyer at a non-profit or government agency will make less. Some six-figure positions actually work out to pay less than minimum wage due to the hours.
Other advice?
1. Be sure to socialize with non-law people. Crash a med student party. Study at the coffee shop near a business school. Hit up a bar frequented by contractors.
2. Get any mental health or substance-related issues under control before law school. The rate of depression and alcoholism among lawyers is astronomical.
3. Get one good suit for interviews instead of three cheaply-made suits. A good tailor is your best friend: a poor-fitting cut ruins high-quality wool.
4. You are not that Special just because you go to law school. If you are a Precious Snowflake, you need to repeat this every time before mingling with those not in law school.
5. Don't be surprised if legalese becomes a part of your everyday vocabulary. You will accuse your boyfriend of negligent infliction of emotional distress when he forgets your birthday, or tell your wife she fails the Reasonable Person standard when she wants you home by 10pm.
Please note that nothing here is to be construed as legal advice. This post does not in any way establish an attorney-client relationship.
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