Can you go to law school but not be a lawyer? I know that I have excellent reading, writing, and analytical skills, but I'm not interested in trying cases. What are all the options out there?
Can you go to law school but not be a lawyer? I know that I have excellent reading, writing, and analytical skills, but I'm not interested in trying cases. What are all the options out there?
laaa, laaa, lalala wrote:
Can you go to law school but not be a lawyer? I know that I have excellent reading, writing, and analytical skills, but I'm not interested in trying cases. What are all the options out there?
Why not put your skills to use finding the information yourself, genius?
Hmmm... I guess I was trying to explain my situation-- that I feel qualified for law school but not necessarily for being a lawyer.
Perhaps you would feel less threatened by this statement: Random person wants to go to law school. What are the person's options for post-graduation?
not all lawyers try cases. many never see a courtroom their entire career - lawyers doing corporate, real estate, etc. i'm not sure, however, why one would waste the time and money on going to law school if one knows going in one doesn't want to be a lawyer. a law degree gives you plenty of options outside the law but i wouldn't call it a good move to go to law school without the intention of doing something with the law. the other non-legal stuff you can do with a JD can be accomplished better choosing another path.
politics
a quality, concise response from chuck with which i completely agree.
i'd like the OP to clarify though what s/he means by not wanting to be a lawyer. do you just mean you don't want to be like jack mccoy on law and order? or do you mean you don't ever want to practice law in any context? if the latter is true, you might be thinking of going into consulting, investment banking, university administration, politics, etc.
I'm in a similar situation. I think I could do well in law school but I dont necessarily want to be a lawyer due to the bad reputation they sometimes get. I've heard that all lawyers go to hell. Obviously this isnt true but is there any true basis behind the generalization?
sum yung gai wrote:
I'm in a similar situation. I think I could do well in law school but I dont necessarily want to be a lawyer due to the bad reputation they sometimes get. I've heard that all lawyers go to hell. Obviously this isnt true but is there any true basis behind the generalization?
No, it's true. All of us go to hell. It's part of our bar exam prep materials. But, it's worth it.
And everyone thinks they'd do well in law school until they get there, and realize that no matter how well you do, the system's stacked against you.
Until you sign your go to hell pledge. Then it's easy.
Is there anyone on here that is a paralegal (or legal assistant). What was the schooling like? Do you enjoy it? Can you make a decent living?
FBI...
laaa, laaa, lalala wrote:
Can you go to law school but not be a lawyer? I know that I have excellent reading, writing, and analytical skills, but I'm not interested in trying cases. What are all the options out there?
sum yung gai wrote:
I've heard that all lawyers go to hell. Obviously this isnt true but is there any true basis behind the generalization?
i saw this in a movie once, so i know it's true. the devil's advocate.
I forget the percentage but I know it's less than 50% that ever see the inside of a courtroom. I think it's more like 1/3.
A lot of corporations hire attornies and companies that need to be in compliance with regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley act.
Don't skip on law school because you don't want to be a litigator. If you're good at the thought process and interested in the law, do it.
John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems, has a JD from West Virginia university in 1974. He completed an MBA the next year from Indiana University and then went to work for IBM in technology sales.
M&A, bay-bee!
Goldam Sachs would take you (well, assuming a good law school)--you would not even have to take the bar!
scatmandu wrote:
M&A, bay-bee!
Goldam Sachs would take you (well, assuming a good law school)--you would not even have to take the bar!
chuck d's point, which i completely agree with, is that there are far better routes to being an investment banker than 3 years of law school. if you want to do legal work at an investment bank, then go to law school (and you would have to take the bar). if you want to be an investment banker, yes, some lawyers transition into that, but it's far easier to do so more directly. get into the investment/finance world after college and go get an MBA at a top program.