Is anyone NOT in it for the money?

[wustl3l]

I posted this in another thread (http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,4012932.msg5148038.html#msg5148038) but I would guess that of my friends in school only about 20% are in law school because they actually love the law. Most of the others just didn't know what else to do and/or were drawn to the money and/or to the prestige and/or because they thought it would be like on law and order. I'm certain a good portion will stick it out despite it not being their dream job but I am already seeing (I just graduated) people starting to second guess going into practice or already trying to figure out their exit strategy.

[brianwithani]

You know what I find incredibly annoying?  Your sensitivity.  It's a figure of speech, grow up.    

I admit, I am but a lowly 0L, and probably don't know "my ass from a hole in the ground" but you being in a position to fully understand ought to lighten up and chalk it up to "aspiring law student ignorance".  

Your biglaw connection in no way aligns you with Satan...your soul is safe, relax.  

[Susan B. Anthony]

You know what I find incredibly annoying?  Your sensitivity.  It's a figure of speech, grow up.    

I admit, I am but a lowly 0L, and probably don't know "my ass from a hole in the ground" but you being in a position to fully understand ought to lighten up and chalk it up to "aspiring law student ignorance".  

Your biglaw connection in no way aligns you with Satan...your soul is safe, relax.  

enjoy your self righteousness - i'm sure it will serve you well.

[brianwithani]

Back at ya...

[Ninja1]

I'm not in it for the money, but I sure won't complain if someone throws stacks of cash at me.

I have no real desire to make a difference in the world or anything like that, I just think that I'll be a good lawyer and it's something I'll enjoy doing (relative to most everything else).

[->Soon]

$$ is nice, but changing the world is better...

[princealberto]

I am not in it for the money, I want to do animal welfare or environmental law, and speak for those that cannot speak for themselves.  I don't plan on having a husband or children (don't believe in that sort of thing), so I am pretty sure that I will be able to live comfortably as a lawyer not working at some big firm.  I mean, I live below the poverty line now and on food stamps and I am doing great!
As far as loans go, the best investment you can make is in yourself, and unlike a house or a car, they can never repossess your degree, so go for it! 

You "don't believe in" "having a husband or children"?

"I don't believe in" is an unfortunate phrase since it's only truly applicable to things like the tooth fairy when read literally. But people often use it to mean "I don't think that X is a good/proper/acceptable thing (to do, be, etc.)". For example, "I don't believe in the two-party system" doesn't mean you doubt it exists, it means you disbelieve that it is a good thing.

Therefore, since we know you believe husbands and children exist, we arrive at the conclusion that you meant that you disbelieve that "having a husband or children" is a good thing. You wish nobody had children. Are you glad you exist? If you answered yes, then you didn't even intend the common WRONG meaning of the phrase.

I think you meant you "don't believe having a huband or children is right for you". It's a much more clear way of expressing that idea. I'm not a grammar or spelling nazi, but considering where we are, it's a worthwhile distinction.

[catmommy]

I'm not in it for the money either.  I'm in it to do passionate work as a steward of the planet and the animals.  I thought that working for the USEPA would make a difference, but 20 years as a "grunt engineer" in this very political government agency has shown otherwise.  I need, to the very core of my being, to do so much more - in my second career as an attorney for Earth.

[Ninja1]

I'm not in it for the money either.  I'm in it to do passionate work as a steward of the planet and the animals.  I thought that working for the USEPA would make a difference, but 20 years as a "grunt engineer" in this very political government agency has shown otherwise.  I need, to the very core of my being, to do so much more - in my second career as an attorney for Earth.

You could just join the ELF. Just a thought.

[catmommy]

FYI - the ELF is an eco-terrorist group whose efforts are not constructive (IMHO):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Liberation_Front

The work I want to do is with organizations like Earthjustice (http://www.earthjustice.org/), Sierra Club (http://www.sierraclub.org/), NRDC (http://www.nrdc.org/), and Defenders (http://www.defenders.org/index.php).  They keep the Administration's feet to the fire with their lawsuits.  Time and time again, I have seen EPA forced to do the right thing (and abide by their own statutes and regulations) because they lost a lawsuit.  I also have a friend who is a lawyer for Best Friends (http://www.bestfriends.org/) and was instrumental in getting anti-dogfighting legislation (post-Vick) passed in Georgia.  Pretty impressive to me...

P.S.  In case you didn't know, if Michael Vick had set up his dogfighting operation in Georgia, he would not have been in violation of state laws at that time.