The "D" Word

Debt. A nebulous, but sobering reality that has been consuming my thoughts lately. Plus, the recent stats about law school don't help.

"The average law school indebtedness of 2012 law school graduates with debt was $108,293 [each]," according to a US News and World Report article. 

But I'll easily make it all back right? Well, actually the average starting salary for about half of new lawyers is between 45,000 to 65,000, but loan payments usually range from the $500-$1000 which hurts the take-home salary quite a bit. Throw in the fact that roughly only half of law school graduates from any given school (unless it's Harvard or Yale) graduate and get a job that requires a law degree anyway. 

The numbers are depressing. Most blogs you read on the internet are fairly negative about law school and about the job prospects for lawyers. 

So I have to ask myself, is going to law school worth it?  


I can't really know until afterward. It is a risk, but one I'm willing to take in order to achieve what I want to do. Law school isn't a "I have no idea what I want to do with my life, so i'll just go to law school" option for me. Law IS what I want to do. So, I'm just going to work hard and use every opportunity available in order to not be another sad statistic. 

But if you're unsure about whether you want to go to law school, all the experts say, "Don't!" It's a big decision and comes with financial risk. 

Lawyers in the Limelight

Taking a break from the serious (and sometimes stressful) application process, I thought I'd confess something. . . I love legal TV shows. Don't worry, I'm not basing a career decision on the glamour of TV, but I do thoroughly enjoy watching shows involving lawyers. So, without further ado, here are my favorite law shows:

1. Law & Order: If you have never seen an episode of Law & Order, you must not own a television because one thing you can always count on in this fickle world is that somewhere, on some channel, Law & Order re-runs will be playing.

2. Ally McBeal: This is a Netflix guilty pleasure. It's a very odd show, featuring a very odd girl who always gets into some sort of trouble, but at the end of the day it usually ends up okay. Featuring great 90s outfits and life lessons at the end of each episode, this is an entertaining show.

3. Franklin and Bash: This is what my brother always suggests as a role model for my future legal career...not so much. But, the show is hilarious and clever, although slightly far-fetched with how much they get away with being idiots, funny idiots, but idiots in the courtroom.

4. Jag: A military law show that had me at one point seriously considering military law. . . until my 10-year-old self realized you had to actually join the military too. Great show with great characters and plot twists. If only THIS show were on Netflix. Caroline McKenzie was my hero (gotta love a strong female lead), and Harm might have been my first crush.

5. Matlock: Throwback to my TV land and Hallmark days with my grandma. This is classic TV at its finest.

6. Fairly Legal: This show features a strong female lead and shows an alternate way of looking at law. She works as a mediator to try and resolve conflict for both sides. She is a realistic character, with many flaws, but overall the show was fun to watch. Sadly, not many other people thought so as it was cancelled after only 2 seasons.

7. Suits: I've only just started watching this (also courtesy of Netflix), but it's very interesting. The guy on the left is incredibly smart, and ends up lying his way up the legal ladder. It's very interesting and the quick-wit of the show always keeps you on your toes.

Let me know if you have seen any of these, and if so what is your favorite?

Visiting is Vital

One thing the experts emphasize is visiting the school before you make a final decision. I couldn't agree more. A school could look really nice on paper, but it's the intangibles that can really make or break a decision.

Tips for Visiting:

• Call ahead and set-up an official time
• Leave early 
• Dress professionally
• Come with questions
• Talk to the students
• Take time to explore the surrounding area if possible
• Write thank you notes after the visit 

My Visiting Experience:

I went on one law school visit and was considering it as a viable option. But from the very beginning the tour was unorganized and the building looked like a prison (not somewhere I want to spend 3 years of my life in!). The library was small and did not have much study space available, and the overall impression did not make me want to add it to the top of my pro/con list. But if I hadn't gone and visited I would not have been able to see all those factors because they weren't available online.

Likewise, I've had great experiences as well. One in particular I thoroughly enjoyed because not only was the visit day organized superbly, I ended up making a friend. I happened to be getting there last minute (because surprise, I got lost) and sat towards the back next to this girl. We got to talking during a break, and ended up having a lot in common! If I decide to go to that law school, I could even have her as a potential roommate now. I was also able to talk with students that day and get their impressions of the school, things they liked and internships they had as well as getting to talk with some of the faculty.

One thing I've realized throughout this is that I'm not alone. Friends and family are eager to help me with the process. For example, I had one friend mention she had a friend who went to a law school I was considering. She talked with him, and I was able to meet up with him when I visited the school and get a good feel for the school from a student's perspective (who was not a paid tour guide). Use those connections whenever possible because they can offer valuable insight! Likewise, I hope to be able to return the kindness everyone has shown me someday to prospective law students.

You Have to Start Somewhere

So I plan on going to law school, but how do I get there?

Well first, as any good journalism student, I interviewed people. I talked to friends of friends who were in law school. I talked to professors at school in the History and Government program, I talked to other students wanting to be lawyers, and I talked to actual lawyers. This whole interviewing process was very helpful. I was able to make some great contacts and get a variety of helpful advice and opinions.

Second, I job shadowed. Before I made this kind of huge career commitment, I wanted to make sure I would like it. I shadowed a variety of lawyers in different areas of law. My favorite though was when I shadowed a judge (who was a woman btw). I looked forward to getting up early (which if you know me is unusual) every week to go and observe, learn and help out. It solidified my decision to pursue law school, particularly in criminal law.

Third, I took the LSAT in June before my senior year. SO glad I did that. I started preparing in late January of that year, but was able to still have an entire month to devote solely to studying once I was done. I took it again in October and regretted doing that 1) because I had mono and 2) because it was more out of pride than out of necessity since my first score was good.

Finally, I sought the wisdom of the written word. I went to our school’s library and checked out all the books remotely related to law school (and one about the first women lawyers for inspiration). It was an obscene amount, requiring an extra bag just to carry them all. But they helped. Now, don’t go thinking I’m some super star. I didn't actually read them all, just specific chapters. I also looked at blogs and official websites like LSAC as well as websites of schools I wanted to apply to.

The end result? Well . . . come back soon to find out!




Next Week: Join me as I go more in-depth into the steps of the application process.