The (perhaps running) quitting journalism and going to law school thread

Sportschick and I have been discussing this for the past day or so, and it's something I've definitely been considering for close to a year now, but with the state of the journalism industry, I'm sure we're not the only ones.

I thought this would be a good place to discuss going back to school for three years, running up 100k-plus worth of debt and selling out to Corporate America so we can afford the suits Jones' publication keeps trying to get us to buy.

Web sites, anecdotes, horror stories, dos, don'ts, LSAT and Bar exam commiseration, whatever -- this is the place.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

Given the state of this industry, it's impossible to criticize this decision...

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

I might get out, but it won't be to go to law school. I make Elle Woods seem positively geniuslike.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

As I said on a different thread, law school would be cool, but then you have to go out and be a lawyer.

My own mother has been pushing me to go to law school because my brother did. But now that he's out, he feels like the rat in the proverbial race.

He doesn't like what he does, but he does like the money. One of his friends still is school is making $2,700 a week as a summer intern with a firm in Chicago.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

My brother attended a very prestigious law school and then practiced for three years. Despite his success, he couldn't stand being a lawyer and got out. He's much happier now and doesn't wish the profession on anyone.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

What kind of law did he practice?

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

Check your PMs

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

I did a lot of research on this topic and took the LSAT and was accepted into Pepperdine Law...but I decided against it because I knew about a dozen lawyers pretty closely, from a small town all-around attorney to one of the most famous in LA (who has the entire floor of a highrise in Century City) and not one of them was leading a life I wanted to lead. They were either very much in debt or working literally 18 hour days.

I know lots of journalists and for the most part they like their jobs (again, for the most part!) but I didn't know one lawyer who liked being a lawyer.

Of course you don't have to become a lawyer just because you went to law school.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

I've considered law school as recently as last week, but I haven't taken the time to look into it. The first drawback is that the transition period could be tough, particularly for someone with a family. There's also cost to consider. It's not cheap, and you could be paying through the nose when all is said and done.

As for actually working as an attorney, it seems to me that the type of law you choose and the breaks you get play a big part in determining whether it's a positive experience. I think that makes it a gamble, and I'm not ready to take such a gamble.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

Thing is, HM, you don't get to choose the type of law that you practice. I went with my brother to his law school orientation and they were very clear about this. It all depends on where you land your summer internship after (usually) your second year. That firm is the most likely to hire you full-time once you graduate. And you generally don't pick the firm that you intern for, they pick you. So whatever law they're into (family, health, employment, etc.) is the type you'll practice.

Of course, that doesn't extend to those who want to go into public defending or clerking for a judge and things like that, but my understanding is those positions are not common. It's like the three students who go into sports journalism from journalism school.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

As many here on the board know, I'm a lawyer. Went to the fancy law school and worked at some of the biggest firms in the country over the years. I'm recently (3 weeks) out of private practice and practicing at a major financial services organization.

For those who are considering the leap, my only advice is to think it through. Law is a tough business. You usually start out with a lot of debt. The number of lawyers is growing every year and the billable hour is a very tough master. If you are lucky enough to get a job at a big firm, they often work you to death and you usually don't get a lot of practical experience. If you aren't working at a big firm, jobs don't pay that well and you are often making enough to pay down your debts. In addition, you will rarely get very rich doing the job.

I was lucky in that I really like my chosen field and through some excellent mentors, I was able to get tremendous experience when I was a junior lawyer. At my last firm, I put in some very serious hours, including a majority of the weekends and more 18+ hours days than any rational human should work. For the past few years, I was dying to leave the law firm life, especially after my wife was pregnant. It was hard to make equity partner at a big firm and certain market pressures forced my rate to the sky (I billed at $80/hr when I started, and was nearly 8 times that when I left the law firm life). Also, it is not a glamorous life. In order to do the job well, you need to spend a ton of time doing mundane tasks well and giving up your personal life for real or imagined emergencies.

If anyone wants to PM me, I'd be glad to provide whatever advice I can.

 

Re: (Perhaps running) Quitting journalism and going to law school thread

If you start now, you're liable to step into another labor glut in the legal field in 4-5 years. Is I understand, there's currently more people going to law school than future demand is gonna have spots for. And technology (as well as increasing competition from things likethe new do-it-yourself type internet sources) is gonna increasingly diminish the number of associates that firms need to hire to do the work they're doing now.

Can't blame you for considering leaving Journalism, but you might wanna consider alternative career options before exercising the knee jerk law school option. There's tons of other careers out there that value critical thinking, research and writing ability, and many in industries that are actually growing where young employees actually know what a real weekend feels like (which does not apply to any young lawyers I've known).