Thinking About Going to Law School?
Word count: 875 / Read Time: 6-8 minutes
The number one, most important thing to consider…
Soon after people find out I am an attorney I get a ton of questions ranging from how to get into law school, to what happens after you graduate. I try to be as specific as possible when I can because although most questions have a direct answer, others, like whether YOU personally should go to law school, require a lot more analysis.
Before I reveal what is truly the most important thing to consider when deciding if and where to go to law school (hint), I would like to share a little bit of my story.
I started off my law school career as a part-time student while working at a law firm part time. After a very brief leave of absence (one semester), I came back as a full time student and continued working for another year. My last year in school however I finally quit my job to focus solely on my classes, maximizing my credit hours for the whole year. This gave me a wide range of experience that I can speak to because I lived it. What I learned was that perseverance is key, a strong support system is equally as important, and that you have to make hard decisions and sacrifices now to secure a better future.
First, you should consider whether you’re truly passionate about getting your Juris Doctor degree. The Juris Doctor can help accelerate any career goals you may have (but most commonly the next step is to take a state bar exam and become an attorney). People who go to law school with a very clear purpose usually fair better because they can tap into that purpose when times get tough. I can assure you even the smartest most enthusiastic person went through some stress at some point in their journey. It definitely helps to be able to hold on to whatever drives you during those trying times.
Second, be both realistic and flexible with your current life situation and determine how you will accommodate everything around law school. From your living situation, to family, relationships, and jobs, they all come second to your studies. Timing is everything and if you can’t dedicate the time, save yourself unnecessary stress and heartache. I don’t say this to deter you, but it is an honest truth, everything and everyone in your life will have to understand that 95% of your time will be dedicated to getting through your studies. Some of you may have real family obligations or situations that would not allow you to be able to focus. I will say that ordinary life situations like having a family, or successful career will not prevent you from achieving your law school goals when there is a strong support system.
And lastly, the most important thing to consider when thinking about going to law school? LOCATION!! say what? Yea I know, it seems kind of trivial. But let me explain.
Choosing where to go to law school is just as important as deciding why you want to go. You will make a ton of connections in school and the surrounding community that will open up the doors for you in major ways when looking for a job upon graduation. Keep in mind one way around this is to do a summer internship in a law firm that is located in the city you want to live. Again the goal is to place yourself where you want to practice law because you are building your reputation from the first day of school. The connections you make with students, professors, staff, judges, other attorneys, etc. will be imperative. Not only that, while in law school you learn the laws and procedures of your state which will help you get a head start to make sure you’re following all of the rules in your jurisdiction. For instance, I went to law school in Florida but then soon after graduation I moved to New York. The laws and court process could not be on more opposite ends of the spectrum in both these states. I found this to be difficult to pick up quickly because all I knew was the way to do things in Florida. It was a little bit of an extra hurdle to get accustomed to the practices in New York. For this reason, it would have been helpful if I went to a law school in New York because I would naturally learn specific laws and nuisances special to the state that I did not learn while in school in Florida.
And there you have it, three very important things to think about if you’re considering law school. Other factors that may be specific to you include:
Your financial situation and affording law school;
Whether you are willing to be disciplined enough to study and read more than you ever have in your life; and/or
How you intend on using your law degree, whether that be in a non-profit organization or public policy sector, options are limitless.
Do you have any additional questions you would like answered? Leave a comment below and I will be happy to give my insight!
With love,
KayaDejure