Paralegal vs. Lawyer

[Ninja1]

Paralegal = A job
Lawyer = A career

So wrong.  Paralegals often choose their career based upon the availability/proximity of law schools in the area--sometimes, relocation is not an option, and there isn't a school in driving distance.  They also decide that, while they want to work in law, they want to focus on the practice and not the politics of "making" partner or being on the right "track" for promotion.  Sometimes they enjoy working with the law but are not comfortable speaking in public.  They may like performing research and drafting documents, investigating and organizing, and aren't so much about soliciting business or client management.  And there's also that idea that they'd rather jump in and get their feet wet so that they know what they'll be doing, instead of hauling off to three years of graduate school, only to find out that they HATE the legal profession and would rather spend their time developing herbal remedies for homeopathic uses.  To say that being a paralegal is not a career but a job is an ignorant statement by an uninformed person.

I thought it was spot on myself. Granted, I'm not a paralegal, but I know several, and everything about them adds up to say that paralegals are either people in college that are trying to pay their way (the best reason to be a paralegal I think), are not intelligent enough to be attorneys, are college graduates that can't find anything better, or are just generally failures at life. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there are plenty of exceptions, but that's true everywhere. Even fast food has a couple of amazing people somewhere making burgers that don't know/desire anything better.

As for your reasons why paralegals may choose to be a paralegal over being an attorney, they all sound like excuses to me. Don't like speaking in public? Go be a real estate or contract lawyer. You might have to talk to a judge sometimes, but probably not. Don't want to be concerned with the politics of the office? Don't be. If you're doing good enough work, that should speak for itself. Don't like drumming up business or managing clients? Go into government work, the clients find you, and don't be a paralegal, they often play a part in managing cases. Worried about spending 3 years in law school only to hate law? Well, don't be a paralegal to test drive the beast, it won't be anything like being a lawyer. Only an ignorant paralegal would think that their job is even remotely similar to being a lawyer. Like doing all of the grunt work of law while getting little of the pay and none of the respect? Do we have a "career" for you...

[Poetgirl80]

Paralegal = A job
Lawyer = A career

Worried about spending 3 years in law school only to hate law? Well, don't be a paralegal to test drive the beast, it won't be anything like being a lawyer.


While the job of a paralegal is quite different from that of a lawyer, there is something to be said for spending 1 year and 10K (or less) in a paralegal program to get exposure to Torts, Civil Procedure, Contracts, etc... to determine if that is the sort of material you'd enjoy studying in law school before taking on a 100k debt.

[filet o' fish]

Paralegal = A job
Lawyer = A career

So wrong.  Paralegals often choose their career based upon the availability/proximity of law schools in the area--sometimes, relocation is not an option, and there isn't a school in driving distance.  They also decide that, while they want to work in law, they want to focus on the practice and not the politics of "making" partner or being on the right "track" for promotion.  Sometimes they enjoy working with the law but are not comfortable speaking in public.  They may like performing research and drafting documents, investigating and organizing, and aren't so much about soliciting business or client management.  And there's also that idea that they'd rather jump in and get their feet wet so that they know what they'll be doing, instead of hauling off to three years of graduate school, only to find out that they HATE the legal profession and would rather spend their time developing herbal remedies for homeopathic uses.  To say that being a paralegal is not a career but a job is an ignorant statement by an uninformed person.

I thought it was spot on myself. Granted, I'm not a paralegal, but I know several, and everything about them adds up to say that paralegals are either people in college that are trying to pay their way (the best reason to be a paralegal I think), are not intelligent enough to be attorneys, are college graduates that can't find anything better, or are just generally failures at life. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there are plenty of exceptions, but that's true everywhere. Even fast food has a couple of amazing people somewhere making burgers that don't know/desire anything better.

As for your reasons why paralegals may choose to be a paralegal over being an attorney, they all sound like excuses to me. Don't like speaking in public? Go be a real estate or contract lawyer. You might have to talk to a judge sometimes, but probably not. Don't want to be concerned with the politics of the office? Don't be. If you're doing good enough work, that should speak for itself. Don't like drumming up business or managing clients? Go into government work, the clients find you, and don't be a paralegal, they often play a part in managing cases. Worried about spending 3 years in law school only to hate law? Well, don't be a paralegal to test drive the beast, it won't be anything like being a lawyer. Only an ignorant paralegal would think that their job is even remotely similar to being a lawyer. Like doing all of the grunt work of law while getting little of the pay and none of the respect? Do we have a "career" for you...

This is f-ing stupid.

Honestly, perhaps the stupidest thing I've read on the board. And wrong on just about every point.

[Freak]

Paralegal = A job
Lawyer = A career

So wrong.  Paralegals often choose their career based upon the availability/proximity of law schools in the area--sometimes, relocation is not an option, and there isn't a school in driving distance.  They also decide that, while they want to work in law, they want to focus on the practice and not the politics of "making" partner or being on the right "track" for promotion.  Sometimes they enjoy working with the law but are not comfortable speaking in public.  They may like performing research and drafting documents, investigating and organizing, and aren't so much about soliciting business or client management.  And there's also that idea that they'd rather jump in and get their feet wet so that they know what they'll be doing, instead of hauling off to three years of graduate school, only to find out that they HATE the legal profession and would rather spend their time developing herbal remedies for homeopathic uses.  To say that being a paralegal is not a career but a job is an ignorant statement by an uninformed person.

I thought it was spot on myself. Granted, I'm not a paralegal, but I know several, and everything about them adds up to say that paralegals are either people in college that are trying to pay their way (the best reason to be a paralegal I think), are not intelligent enough to be attorneys, are college graduates that can't find anything better, or are just generally failures at life. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there are plenty of exceptions, but that's true everywhere. Even fast food has a couple of amazing people somewhere making burgers that don't know/desire anything better.

As for your reasons why paralegals may choose to be a paralegal over being an attorney, they all sound like excuses to me. Don't like speaking in public? Go be a real estate or contract lawyer. You might have to talk to a judge sometimes, but probably not. Don't want to be concerned with the politics of the office? Don't be. If you're doing good enough work, that should speak for itself. Don't like drumming up business or managing clients? Go into government work, the clients find you, and don't be a paralegal, they often play a part in managing cases. Worried about spending 3 years in law school only to hate law? Well, don't be a paralegal to test drive the beast, it won't be anything like being a lawyer. Only an ignorant paralegal would think that their job is even remotely similar to being a lawyer. Like doing all of the grunt work of law while getting little of the pay and none of the respect? Do we have a "career" for you...

Not to feed the troll, but the time, energy & money required to become an attorney vastly exceeds what it takes for a paralegal degree. This alone is a good enough reason not to become an attorney.

Oh and I know all about it, I am an attorney.

[lgllgl2atty]

It is amazing to me the amount of arrogance and lack of common sense associated with the last few posts (Freak excepted).  "Careers" are not all about the money always.  You've made sweeping generalizations about a population of people who, currently, likely have much more experience and knowledge of the law than you currently possess.  Good luck in law school.  You'll need it.

[Ninja1]

So, we've established that the only reason to be a paralegal over an attorney is that a given person is too lazy to do the work required to be an attorney? That's something to hang your hat on...

And yes, careers are not always about money, but the money sure does help.

This is f-ing stupid.

Honestly, perhaps the stupidest thing I've read on the board. And wrong on just about every point.

Though, you refute none of the points.

[Freak]

So, we've established that the only reason to be a paralegal over an attorney is that a given person is too lazy to do the work required to be an attorney? That's something to hang your hat on...

And yes, careers are not always about money, but the money sure does help.

This is f-ing stupid.

Honestly, perhaps the stupidest thing I've read on the board. And wrong on just about every point.

Though, you refute none of the points.

In fact, we've established that the cost benefit analysis doesn't always favor attorneys over paralegals.

[hawvaad2008]

Do what you gotta do.  If you've got the balls to hang in there and become a successful attorney, make it happen...the cost-benefit nonsense only applies to people who don't step it up in law school and finish top 30%.  If you think you're capable, then make the leap.

[Freak]

Do what you gotta do.  If you've got the balls to hang in there and become a successful attorney, make it happen...the cost-benefit nonsense only applies to people who don't step it up in law school and finish top 30%.  If you think you're capable, then make the leap.

Not so much. If you have a family, they will suffer & perhaps even financially if you have insufficient savings. Additionally, if you invest the $100k + the additional money you earn in 3yrs, you could do quite well.

In fact, pursing law purely for money is idiotic - go start a business because if you're smart enough to graduate top 30% you're smart enough to start a successful business.

[Thistle]

Paralegal = A job
Lawyer = A career

Worried about spending 3 years in law school only to hate law? Well, don't be a paralegal to test drive the beast, it won't be anything like being a lawyer.


While the job of a paralegal is quite different from that of a lawyer, there is something to be said for spending 1 year and 10K (or less) in a paralegal program to get exposure to Torts, Civil Procedure, Contracts, etc... to determine if that is the sort of material you'd enjoy studying in law school before taking on a 100k debt.

lol NOBODY enjoys studying that *&^%