Do you hate law?

[Burning Sands]

You may hate the law if: the only class you are looking forward to taking is Critical Race Theory!

Critical Race Theory?  Umm...do you attend my school?

Anyway, I HATE law school.  I'm interning now and although I have to admit it is interesting, I really do not like it.  I hate my law school, I hate the people there, I hate our career services office, I just hate that place.  I am NOT looking forward to returning in the fall.  Sorry to be so negative, but the only reason I'm attending law school is to increase my net worth.  Yep...I think I'm the only law student willing to admit it.  Truthfully, the only thing I really care about is makeup and clothes, but I can't make a living sitting around talking about that on a daily basis.  Oh well, back to work!!!

Man, and you guys thought I was bad? 

I actually like law school and am looking forward to going back in the fall.  I just don't like the idea of working 80 hours a week after law school in order to "increase my net worth." 

[MidWestLawGril]

Jeez.  Would you all like some cheese with your whine?  If you don't like it, do something else.

No one is forcing you guys to go to law school or work in a big firm.  There are plenty of other career paths for lawyers, hundreds probably.

Boo hoo, I'm only making 75k after taxes. And I have to work for it.

Don't get me wrong, I am sure that working in biglaw pretty much sucks @ss.  But I am making that decision for myself and I will take full responsibility for my decisions and not pretend like this is some decision that came down on me from above.

[Grubesac]

I think its time for me to jump back in. There are many things I look forward to with a law degree. Big Law is not one of them. Remember, we are not slaves to the corporations, we have a choice and do not have to work any job we do not want to.

Yes, some jobs require you bill ridiculous hours. But many smaller firm...and be prepared to let go of some of that loot we all have in our eyes.....have much more accomodatable schedules. Billing 1800 hours isn't that bad. I work at Target Corp right now and the guys with "double cubes" and corner offices work at least 50 hours a week. Thats what professionals with "salaries" work. If you work 40 hrs a week, you are a wage earner and probably make less than 40k per year, at least at the beginning of your career.

If new eager law students told biglaw eat sh't, 125k isn't worth it, then one of two things would happen. 1) Law firms would realize that the quality of life (less hours) needs to be improved or 2) Raise salaries even more. But at some point this is not profitable.

Anyway, I'm shooting for a salary when I graduate in the 65,000 - 75,000 range working in a small firm doing litigation (i.e. slightly better hours, more interesting work/hands on with clients, will get to see a court room before I retire).

[Burning Sands]

I think its time for me to jump back in. There are many things I look forward to with a law degree. Big Law is not one of them. Remember, we are not slaves to the corporations, we have a choice and do not have to work any job we do not want to.

Yes, some jobs require you bill ridiculous hours. But many smaller firm...and be prepared to let go of some of that loot we all have in our eyes.....have much more accomodatable schedules. Billing 1800 hours isn't that bad. I work at Target Corp right now and the guys with "double cubes" and corner offices work at least 50 hours a week. Thats what professionals with "salaries" work. If you work 40 hrs a week, you are a wage earner and probably make less than 40k per year, at least at the beginning of your career.

If new eager law students told biglaw eat sh't, 125k isn't worth it, then one of two things would happen. 1) Law firms would realize that the quality of life (less hours) needs to be improved or 2) Raise salaries even more. But at some point this is not profitable.

Anyway, I'm shooting for a salary when I graduate in the 65,000 - 75,000 range working in a small firm doing litigation (i.e. slightly better hours, more interesting work/hands on with clients, will get to see a court room before I retire).

Good plan.

And you're right, this quality of life that has become common place in big law firms would change (even if slightly) if more lawyers demanded more and accepted less BS.  The practice of law did not exist like this 20 years ago.  The 2400 billable hour year is a relatively new phenominon that came about from a large push in the 80's from law firms who cater only to big money clients who will pay by the hour while neglecting their own staff.

Midwest - I don't think anybody here is crying (looking around the room)...ok well maybe IHEARTLS a little bit  , but still to each their own opinion.  But you're talkin like 125k is the end all be all of salaries that just comes form a little hard work at a law firm.  There are too many first hand experiences out there for us to be that naive about what we're getting into.
I'd be curious to hear your perspective on your own comments as a 5th year associate.

[MidWestLawGril]

I'm not planning on being a 5th year associate!  As I stated, I know big law sucks total @ss, but I am choosing to work there for a couple years for the money. 

But if I did somehow become a 5th year associate, I'd have no place to complain about it, since I made the decision myself.

[Burning Sands]

What next after that?

[Burning Sands]

School rankings, grades and billable hour requirements don't mean a thing.

I heard that!!!

Do you guys realize that the entire ranking system is for big law, by big law?  If you're not doing big law, a JD from any school = a JD from any other school.

I have a frat brother who graduated from a 4th tier law school in the midwest, worked for a small midwest firm for a few years and now does his own criminal practice on the east coast by himself. He's been out of law school for about...4 or 5 years now and just last month he bought the new 750 BMW with one payment.  No financing, no payment plan, none of that. 

[jdohno]

Right. But I'm going into biglaw and I know a few people on this board are too. So school rankings and grades do matter. It all depends on what you want to do. I agree the rankings are for the big law firms. They admit as much. It's the only way they know about schools. They're a bunch of risk averise people who don't want to take a chance on someone from a school they have never heard of. It's not right. But that's the way things are.

School rankings, grades and billable hour requirements don't mean a thing.

I heard that!!!

Do you guys realize that the entire ranking system is for big law, by big law?  If you're not doing big law, a JD from any school = a JD from any other school.

I have a frat brother who graduated from a 4th tier law school in the midwest, worked for a small midwest firm for a few years and now does his own criminal practice on the east coast by himself. He's been out of law school for about...4 or 5 years now and just last month he bought the new 750 BMW with one payment.  No financing, no payment plan, none of that. 

[alg6]

from what I can gather from this board, many others, and the literature I've read on the subject, the moral of the story is this: if you are just in it for the money, DON'T BOTHER!
Sure, 125K is great.  My parents raised me and my sister on way way less. Lawyer money is good, but to someone who got into this/ is looking to get into this just for the money, save yourself the heartache and go get an MBA.  Money is entirely too cheap to spend 70hrs a week doing something you hate.
However, if a person likes the law, likes the work, likes the way lawyers approach problems, it cannot possibly be the hell on earth many of you describe.

[MidWestLawGril]

What next after that?

First 3-4 years = big law
Next 3-6 years = inhouse or govt work or small law firm
After that = solo practictioner specializing in tax, real estate and wills, trusts and estates.