Why are most politicians lawyers?

[aey4l]

I'm really trying to work on building a strong personal statement at this point because I think it'll be the making or breaking point of my app because of my mediocre LSAT score (my goal is Georgetown). Initially I wanted to write something about how my interest in the law has evolved over the course of the last few years, but I was reading in How to get in to the top law schools that this is a bad approach for undergrads trying to go straight to law school. So then my idea became that I should write something about how I want to be a politician and I think a legal background will benefit this. I also would like to point out that I am very interested in being a lawyer too (in other words my sole purpose in going to law school is not to be a politician, in fact I would be happy to just be a lawyer)--so I'm not sure if this approach will be bad because it'll make me look like I'm not really interested in a JD. But if you think it will work what do you think the main reason is that most politicians are lawyers.

Some reasons I have so far:
-lawyers are taught to argue a side, politicians are similar
-lawyers are taught about the law, politicians pass/write the law

I think I can write some on those two topics, but I just want to see what other people out there think about this?

[pross1492]

because political life is founded in law.  youre either making them, executing them, or interpeting them.  personally, i think most politicians are lawyer because they start out working with laws that are already written and argued.  practicing law, you work within an established construct.  the only way to actually change that construct, which is, i think, a seperate discipline within the practice of law, is to get elected.

[swifty]

Lawyer = excellent stepping stone into the political arena.  Notable exceptions, Reagan, and
the governator of CA.

[jgruber]

Reagan was a lawyer?


Many political aspirants go to law school as a stepping stone to politics.

[swifty]

No, Reagan nor Arnold were lawyers.  That's why I listed "notable Exceptions"  However, Reagan, now that I think of it, may have been a lawyer, don't think so though.

[nathanielmark]

if you want to go to georgetown you will need to retake the LSAT.

I'm really trying to work on building a strong personal statement at this point because I think it'll be the making or breaking point of my app because of my mediocre LSAT score (my goal is Georgetown). Initially I wanted to write something about how my interest in the law has evolved over the course of the last few years, but I was reading in How to get in to the top law schools that this is a bad approach for undergrads trying to go straight to law school. So then my idea became that I should write something about how I want to be a politician and I think a legal background will benefit this. I also would like to point out that I am very interested in being a lawyer too (in other words my sole purpose in going to law school is not to be a politician, in fact I would be happy to just be a lawyer)--so I'm not sure if this approach will be bad because it'll make me look like I'm not really interested in a JD. But if you think it will work what do you think the main reason is that most politicians are lawyers.

Some reasons I have so far:
-lawyers are taught to argue a side, politicians are similar
-lawyers are taught about the law, politicians pass/write the law

I think I can write some on those two topics, but I just want to see what other people out there think about this?

[Ginatio]

another exception...

[jgruber]

G, that is so phunnie.

[The ZAPINATOR]

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