Stupid stuff strangers, family and friends have said when told of your plans:

[Stacie]

I've gotten a rash of friends/family asking me for legal advice, as though my admission to law school somehow endows me with the knowledge (and license) to offer it.

I've started replying with: "You know who makes the most dangerous lawyer? Someone who has been admitted to law school."

Ive had a lot of my friends wanting me to be their lawyer when I am done...makes me wonder what those hooligans plan on doing...

i've gotten that a lot too. it's usually a joke, but it's still a little sad that the popular view of a lawyer is either the law and order, criminal defense type, or the ambulance chaser who has late night ads asking, "have you been injured?"

[Law-Man]

I've gotten a rash of friends/family asking me for legal advice, as though my admission to law school somehow endows me with the knowledge (and license) to offer it.

I've started replying with: "You know who makes the most dangerous lawyer? Someone who has been admitted to law school."

Ive had a lot of my friends wanting me to be their lawyer when I am done...makes me wonder what those hooligans plan on doing...

i've gotten that a lot too. it's usually a joke, but it's still a little sad that the popular view of a lawyer is either the law and order, criminal defense type, or the ambulance chaser who has late night ads asking, "have you been injured?"

I have just the opposite, people who once listened to my unprompted legal advise now tell me that they'll wait until I am actually a lawyer.

[MrSmittie]

I go to the dentist with a toothache (haven’t been in a while because my last experience involve multiple root canals and lots of pain). One of my root canals (performed by different dentist) has gone bad because I never had it capped.

Receptionist: “So, I hear you guys are moving.” (we live in a small town and my wife/kids go to the dentist regularly)

Me: Yes

Receptionist: “When are you leaving?”

Me: “Not sure, depends on job, selling house… blah blah blah.?”

Receptionist:  “Where is it that you are going again?

Me: “Las Vegas.”

Receptionist: LAS VEGAS!?!  Why would you want to move there?

Me: “Well…I’ll be going to school.”

Receptionist: “Oh yeah, Law School, Right?”

Me; “Yes, that’s right.”

Receptionist: “Huh…well, congratulations I guess.”

Me: “Thanks, I’m looking forward to it.”

Receptionist: “(pregnant pause)…So, what kind of law do you want to practice?”

Me:  (as seriously as possible) “Dental malpractice”

Receptionist: (SILENT)


Cost to have the tooth fully repaired: $887.00

Cost to have the tooth extracted: $58.00

The look on the receptionist’s face at the end of above encounter: PRICELESS!

[Gary Glitter]

hahah ballsy - you are to be commended

[Guerito]

Older, very conservative family member:  What kind of law do you want to practice?

Me:  I'm thinking environmental law...

OVCFM:  Oh well.. maybe you'll do something good, too.

[jewfro]

The only response from my family about my decision to attend law school came from my brother, who, when I said I was considering the University of San Diego, replied, "Of all the cities in America, why do you have to go to school in my city?" I haven't spoken to any of them since. I'm the only member of my family with a college degree and I think it bothers them. I never went home during college vacations because I just got *&^% from everyone for being "edu-ma-cated."

My friends and SO, on the other hand, are supportive and think I will do well.

[Monarch heels]

I've been getting positive responses from my family in the US, but usually just get dead silence and a blank look when I tell my collegues here at work in Austria.  That might be because the US lawyers that dominate our legal department here are notorious for being rude, self-centered, and downright mean.

[mobo]

this thread has made me laugh out loud about seven times.

the questions i get tired of:

them: why don't you go to TTT law school?
them: how can you afford it?
them: are you sure that's a good idea?

and finally...any sentence that starts with "you should..." from someone who hasn't gone to law school. because it isn't like i haven't researched all this *&^% to death or anything.

[Monarch heels]

samesongtwice- that must have been REALLY frustrating, especially coming from your grandmother. How did you respond?  Or did you...?

[mobo]

samesong...i hope you take this the right way but that made me laugh out loud all over again...only because it was a perfect example of what i was talking about!

(there is a bright side to it though...which is that at least your grandma had a clue about the process. i am the first in my family, immediate and extended, to grad from college, and the first to apply to any kind of grad school. so no one really knows how to advise me, or how much effort the whole process has taken. the downside is that i am alone in the effort, the upside is that any success i have is completely and unequivocally mine.)