$alary Range query

[dta]

to be a little lawyerly corleone - good reasoning skills, the ability to think logically, and good writing skills are necessary conditions for being a good lawyer, not sufficient conditions. That you possess these traits in no way assures you would be a good lawyer. Also, my mother always tells me how handsome I am. However, as much as she may indeed believe it to be so I (and even my wife) know she's stretching the truth a bit on that one. Point being, those close and dear to you will say flattering things to you - take them w/ a grain of salt, not absolute proof of ability.

I'm not saying you won't be a good lawyer and won't do well in law school, but the "born and bred" argument does not seem persuasive. Honestly, not trying to be acrimonious, but your stated reasons were just too 'out there' to let pass uncontested.

[Phillip79]

   I'm not sure that i can rationalize 3 more years of arduous schooling to secure a $45,000 a year job that i less than love.  I can make that kind of green in sales right now.. and if not right now than definitely after 3 years of putting all my efforts into the same.  I will say however, that asertaining a certain quality  of life for myself and my future family far excedes any monetary compensation received for services rendered.    p.s. thanks for your input Revenant

Regardless of salary considerations, I don't think you should go to school for 3 years to get a job that you don't particularly love.  That's true even if you get into Yale or Harvard.  A lot of people get into law for the wrong reasons, and they find out that money and "prestige" aren't everything. 

Having said that, you need to set realistic expectations for yourself. 

I'm not going to sugar-coat this, I'm just telling it like it is:  If you go to a Tier 3-4 school, the odds of you getting "rich" (i.e. six-figure salary) are pretty low.  The lower ranked your school is, the more pressure you will have to be in the top 5-10% of your class just to have any chance of making a decent salary. 

If you're going to law school because you love the profession (and especially if you want government / public interest), then go for it.  But if you're dreaming of a $125,000 salary, and you only applied to Albany Law School, I think you're setting yourself up for huge disappointment. 

[corleone]

If you're going to law school because you love the profession (and especially if you want government / public interest), then go for it.  But if you're dreaming of a $125,000 salary, and you only applied to Albany Law School, I think you're setting yourself up for huge disappointment. 

   Point taken!

[nathanielmark]

I read his remarks and I don't think he was in any way trying to put you down C.

I think most of what he said was true.  IMO, you would be better off getting a dose of reality now rather then after you threw away 3 years and 80K. 

it is probably unreasonable to expect much more then the median salary at any school.  If being highly compensated is your chief objective, you should do whatever you need to do to get into a school with an acceptable median salary.

[nathanielmark]

Ok - You got me there.  I was being argumentative.

Kerry 1, Bush 0 ;'

[jrmadtown]

We better watch out or we'll get moved to the Haterade board.

[nathanielmark]

Im still waiting for the response from ivy-hopeful regarding his 250K IT job, lol. 

[nathanielmark]

O and Jrma, thats very impressive about your CPA. you plan on doing anything in law with it?  I would think you would be a natural for tax law.  from what i understand, tax is big bux, and very solid, not many people want to and are capable of doing that type of work.  i am considering tax myself, but i dont have the background you have.

[jrmadtown]

Nah.  I've never practiced tax accounting and don't even like doing my own even with preparation software. 

I'd like to take it and go for large firm or corporate law and eventually migrate towards government service.  I've tended to work in that area of accounting services most of my career and politics is a hobby.

[jrmadtown]

My brother is in the IT field and I'm darn sure that despite making good money, he'll never see $250,000.