Why Going to Law School is a BAD IDEA. Georgetown University. North Carolina Legal Job Market Rant

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As a fairly successful attorney, even I have faced a tough career path since graduating from a top tier law school, and I would not recommend that anyone go to law school now. Tuition at private law schools is typically over $50,000 a year, even over $65,000 at some schools, regardless of the law school's ranking, bar passage rate, or employment statistics. Even public law schools will cost you over $24,000 a year (UC in-state tuition already exceeds $40k/year), not to mention the lost income opportunities, ridiculously high textbook expenses, miscellaneous school fees, bar application fees, bar exam prep class fees, living costs, and effect on one's psyche.
This is just part 1 in a series of episodes and live stream lawyer shows on the topic of why going to law school is a bad idea, or at the very least requires A LOT of thought & planning before one dives into trying to have a legal career. There is a longer video on this channel about "Why going to law school is a bad idea," in my humble opinion, & a "Should I go to law school?" quiz. Please check out my other videos and subscribe for more legal-related content.
I welcome your constructive feedback and comments. Going to law school sounds like a lofty aspiration, but consider many factors before taking a huge financial risk.
Best regards,
Judy the RU-vid Lawyer
#legaljobs #LSAT #lawschool #georgetownlaw #lawyer #lawfirm #legalcareer #attorney #legalprofession #JD

Опубликовано:

2 июн 2020

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Комментарии : 318

@criminallaw9573 2 года назад

1) The very fact that many people spend 4Y in college, 3Y in law school, take and pass a rigorous 2 day bar exam and NEVER get a job practicing law is reason enough to not even consider law school. 2) "Bi-modal employment" means a very small amount of law students---less than one in 10--get a job with a big firm and a high salary upon graduation, while over 90 percent either get a low paid job, or struggle to get a job at all. Law schools intentionally deceive gullible people considering applying by hyping up the big salaries, while refusing to admit that over 90 percent of all law students will never even get an interview for a summer job with such a firm, never, ever, in their entire lives. It's a con game, don't be a sucker.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

So true. As a law student & recent graduate, I applied to lots of the vault 50 law firms & couldn't even get an interview. When I moved to North Carolina, I couldn't even get a job with any of the bigger regional law firms. I was stuck in low paying jobs for years despite being licensed in 2 states. Most young people cannot afford that risk, being weighed down with tons of debt.

@criminallaw9573 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus I went to law school a long time ago, and when I graduated in the mid 90's the job market for new lawyers wasn't bad. In those days law schools lied too, but they lied about everyone starting out making 6 figures. They didn't lie about getting jobs that didn't exist. Further, the law students of that era were much more serious and sophisticated than modern law students. Back then it was really hard to get into law school, my school only accepted about 30 percent of all applicants. Law students of that era knew what they were getting into, and they knew they were being lied to by their school administration about how their JD was a quick ticket to riches. It was still worth doing, though, as a JD was, in fact, a ticket to a job, without much difficulty, back then.

@criminallaw9573 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Here is the thing: Big law firms tell their clients "we only hire the very top students from the very top law schools, so our work product is superior." It's a marketing tactic, no differen than advertising on TV or with a billboard. The problem is that is ALL it is--a marketing tactic. I would never pay a big law firm to do any legal work for me, under any circumstances, because, instead of "superior work product" you get first and second year lawyers working 70 hours a week on your case. They are grossly inexperienced and grossly overworked, and I am quite sure their work product resembles rotting biological waste material. A client would be infinitely better off with a lawyer with, say, a decade or more of experience who works 40 hours a week than some clown 6M out of law school working at midnight on a Friday night, even if he had "good grades".

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

That's very true. After having practiced for over 20 years, you really see how messed up the legal profession is. First with the oversaturation of law schools galore & the gutted job market. Mega firms overworking young indebted associates & spitting them out in less than 5 years. Bimodal salary distribution. People saddled with hundreds of thousands of student loan debt. Thank you for continuing to share your experiences; several commenters on my livestream about online law school scams are quite angry about what I said, but us oldsters who have seen what it's really like, hopefully, will at least help save a few more people.

@criminallaw9573 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus That is exactly correct. Big law firms like to hire completely inexperienced lawyers, fresh out of school based solely on their grades, which is an awful way to staff a law firm of any size under any circumstances whatsoever. First year lawyers generally have no idea what they're doing, as law school does not teach you how to practice law. By the time they get several years of experience under their belt and start to actually become good at what they do, they are told "you didn't make the Partnership Track, so goodbye!" It is disgraceful. People who retain large law firms have no idea that grossly overworked, grossly inexperienced lawyers will be doing substantive work on their cases.

@Lawyerbaejess 3 года назад

As an attorney, I went to an HBCU where the cost was low and I didn’t take out over 100,000 in student loans. I don’t regret my choice. I am currently working for a federal agency. Go if you can get a scholarship or work your way through. But taking large amounts of loans just isn’t worth it for this profession anymore.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Glad going to law school paid off! Thanks for watching.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

@Juanita - fellow attorney-youtubers at TXC Tells All went to UDC law school. One of them, LaRita, is an attorney for the federal government now. You can try contacting them through their channel. Also, LaRita & another attorney who went to NC Central law (youtuber Debtfree Dad) were both guests on one of my livestream shows last year about how to get a federal gov't attorney job.

@raycarter8070 2 года назад

I agree with you! The tuition is way too high. Love this channel.

@G_Mayorga Год назад

You don’t need to go to a top tier lawschool to be a successful attorney and find a job. Yes the salary isn’t that high when you start out but it is a profession that ultimately helps the society.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@G_Mayorga Here is the problem . . .it is common for people to graduate from law school with over $200,000 in student loans. Sometimes they start law school with debt from college and add greatly to it in law school, where annual tuition of over $50,000 per year for 3 years is quite common, plus books and, oh yeah, 3 years of living expenses. Taking on that kind of debt for a job where "the salary isn’t that high" because you think that the profession "ultimately helps the society" is completely irrational. That debt will follow people around for the rest of their lives. Folks earning over 100K with an Associate's degree, or simply trade school, well, they actually do help society, unlike many lawyers, and they're not in debt for the rest of their lives.

@FairBeautyEssentials Год назад

Honestly, every single industry, every single field every single product is oversaturated. Nurses, Real estate houses, clothes, and shoes. Every single thing on this planet is oversaturated.

@CheerfullyCynical829 11 месяцев назад

I'd say nurses are wayyyyyyyyy more in demand than lawyers. Schoolteachers even more so.

@aalegalfocus 11 месяцев назад

Definitely. I know of some law school graduates who ended up becoming teachers or substitute teachers.

@MiaBeedo 9 месяцев назад

Except accounting - attrition and lack of pipeline creating supply and quality issues now! (2023)

@danilucita22 4 месяца назад

@@CheerfullyCynical829 the funny thing is that school teachers may make more than attorneys in a lot of instances

@UnboxingJobs 4 года назад

It’s always nice to learn from someone with actual first hand experience that is sincere, thank you 😊

@aalegalfocus 4 года назад

Thank you for watching!

@ECO473 11 месяцев назад

I enjoyed my time in law school, but I always knew I didn't want to practice law. I graduated from law school at age 34 and got myself a job as a college professor shortly thereafter. To this day, that has been the best career decision I ever made. My career advice is simply this: love what you do and do what you love.

@aalegalfocus 11 месяцев назад

Great that you got a job teaching as a professor. Those are hard to get!

@ECO473 10 месяцев назад

@@aalegalfocus Thanks. For me, the fact that I was blessed to get a JD gave me instant credibility to teach tax & business law after ten years as a practicing accountant.

@aalegalfocus 10 месяцев назад

@ECO473 sounds great! With your specialized knowledge, you got to stand out from the crowd of others who only had a J.D.

@justanotherhandle1 Год назад

I appreciate your comments on how hard it is to start a law practice. I once hired a family law attorney who just graduated law school. He was a solo practitioner in a very small office. I, being a graduate from a top university in my state (not law), knew how to read and research. When I questioned him on basic things, he disregarded it and said he'd done it before. Turns out, I ended up being right, judge didn't like his strategy and he ended up delaying my case. Had to pay a lot more money to hire an experienced law firm. I ended up winning my case but the new much older attorney said to me on the phone: "So you want me to come in, in the fourth quarter and hit the game winning shot? I'll need 5,000 tomorrow." I even ran into the attorney at the court house after I won and told him. He was still young so I don't think he cared. Looking back, hiring attorneys just out of law school is a bad idea if you're a client. It's a red flag if they don't specialize in an area of law. It's like hiring a heart surgeon who also does botox.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Or someone who's an aesthetician who has a cosmetology license... Sorry the 1st lawyer didn't do a good job for you. People think it's so easy to have a practice after law school but the truth is, any good client with money is not going to hire someone fresh out of law school.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus The work product of most first year lawyers resembles rotting sewage, and second year lawyers aren't a whole lot better. Part of the problem with law school is that it grossly over-emphasizes grades, while under-emphasizing work experience. An experienced lawyer will smoke an inexperienced lawyer, just about every single time, and saying "but I made Law Review" isn't going to do anything other than get some knowing laughs from lawyers who've been around for a while.

@SciFirstMovieTalk 3 года назад

Awesome video as always.. There is a lot of detail in your videos with information that I would never have thought about. Thanks for sharing your honest advice.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Thanks for watching this! Were you thinking about going to law school? Hope your channel is going well!

@SciFirstMovieTalk 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus No, I'm actually a Pharmaceutical Chemist - just enjoying your content and learning something new!

@choosetoshine2610 2 года назад

Excellent content and delivery! Thanks so much for sharing your honest experience about the law profession. New subscriber. ❤

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Thanks for watching!

@caseycasler5713 2 года назад

I’m so glad you posted this video. Last year in May 2021, I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in History and a paralegal certificate. A lot of people kept telling me that being a paralegal wasn’t enough and I needed to go to law school because I’d make more money as an attorney. But I’m not motivated to go to law school and it seems like it’s a financial burden more than anything. Like I would make about $45k as an associate attorney and have over 100k worth of student loans. I’ve decided that I am going to stick with the paralegal and notary route. I’m about to start prepping for the exam to become a certified paralegal. This video helped me make this decision. Thank you!

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Thanks for watching. It's very risky given the high costs of tuition. Business Insider recently had an article about an unemployed graduate of Seattle University law school & how he had hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Just wanted to add that if you really want to be a lawyer later, why not try, but be sure not to go into much debt if any. It can be a good decision for some people, but it is good to be well-informed; most of the time, you only hear about the successful stories. Best wishes!

@caseycasler5713 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Thank you for the advice! When I graduated from university, I graduated with a 2.8 GPA. It’s not the best or the worst, that makes me a B- student. If I did extremely well on the LSAT then I have a higher chance of getting into a decent law school. Another reason why I’m in no rush to go to law school is because I live in Louisiana. Louisiana is one of the worst states to become an attorney. There’s not a lot of legal work available. If I’m going to do something as big as law school, I’m going to go to law school in a state where I know I can get a job. Colorado and Texas are the two states that I’m considering. Also, I want to work focus my career in bankruptcy. Thankfully I don’t have to be an attorney to work in bankruptcy. I could be a bankruptcy paralegal, bankruptcy petition preparer, or a bankruptcy legal specialist. I’m not going to find that kind of work here in Louisiana, lol. Thanks again and take care!!

@celebrityinterviews3691 3 года назад

Refreshingly honest. Most anti-law lawyer videos are really just veiled boasting. But this one, though probably understated, seems legitimately confessional in nature.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Thanks-- this was unrehearsed and one of my first youtube videos, so I could have stated it better. Are you an attorney? Or thinking about law school?

@celebrityinterviews3691 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus I am definitely not an attorney. Nor did I ever consider becoming one. I run a tutoring agency, and I am currently helping somebody with a property law class. And it is more heinous than anything that can be put into words. I like your video, though. You are quietly carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.

@wueskew169 3 года назад

I appreciate her frank appraisal of the legal job market.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Thank you!

@ECO473 10 месяцев назад

I've been out of law school 25 years since graduation, and as I see it, the two single biggest problems connected with law school are the oversaturated legal job market and the almost prohibitive tuition. In the mid 90s, the tuition at the school I went to (I won't say where) was $15,000 per annum for in-staters and $18,000 for out-of-staters (which I was). Those were reasonable amounts back then and I damn near bankrupted myself to pull it off even then. At my alma mater now, the in-state rate is $31,000 per annum for in-staters and $40,000 per year for out-of-staters. No wonder perople are finishing law school with $150-$200k in debt. If I were 31 years old now contemplating law school as compared to 1995, I can't say that I'd do it again, and I absolutely loved law school. There's absolutely no way that I'd have $200k in law school debt working a $70,000, 90 hours per week job chained to a desk doing nothing but document review. I'd be ashamed to call myself a lawyer if that was all I did. It's just too costly now.

@aalegalfocus 10 месяцев назад

Totally agree!

@TatianaMarie 4 года назад

I've definitely heard mixed reviews about law school and working at a firm. I don't think I could ever do it but it's neat hearing your story. I wish you the best of luck and happy to see you being resilient!

@aalegalfocus 4 года назад

Thank you. Going to law school is not the right decision for many people. I see you at lot of young women in particular on RU-vid all excited about going to law school, but then it turns out they either dropped out or later are not working as attorneys. Thank you for watching this video.

@MrFrankBullitt 3 года назад

Thanks for this. I was looking into part- time law schools as a career change. But it sounds even riskier considering the top jobs are probably not even accessible to these grads. Another thing is personality. Do I really fit into the lawyer archetype? Not really.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Not all lawyers have to be loud & argumentative, but you are right to be concerned about the likelihood of law school paying off. At least those who go part-time don't give up their regular jobs to attend. Thanks for watching this!

@ritamix33 3 года назад

i like how this was packed with info but succinct. perfect 6 minute video.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Thanks, although this was one of my first videos for RU-vid & not well-presented. I have a longer version of this plus a livestream with a quiz, Should I go to Law School, which explains a lot more in depth the pros and cons. Appreciate your taking the time to watch this!

@ritamix33 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus absolutely! and i will look for the longer video you recommended. thanks!

@LogicallyMinded94 3 года назад

Thank you for this candid honesty.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Thank you for watching!

@LogicallyMinded94 3 года назад

I’m really interested in getting a joint degree (JD/MBA) once I’m done undergrad next year. But, I’m mostly afraid of the cost and I don’t plan on practicing law. I want to continue working in Human Resources, and maybe own my own full service HR consulting company. With that said, I think both a legal and business education would be incredibly valuable, but I don’t want to pay for it. My aim is to do really well on the GMAT/LSAT to get a full ride at a T100 school. Thoughts on this plan?

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

@@LogicallyMinded94 it doesn't sound like getting a JD/MBA would be necessary to work in the HR industry. Some sort of master's degree sounds more appropriate. I have a friend who makes more than many attorneys in HR for a major corporation; she got a Ph.D. from a state school in something like Industrial Psychology. But if you really want a JD, definitely trying to get a full scholarship would be the best way to go about it. Good luck no matter what you do!

@aaphroditegoldenrich Год назад

Thank you for your realistic feedback it’s important to hear these points

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Thanks for watching. Are you in law school?

@rvegas81 3 года назад

I love your videos! I agree with you. Law school is way too expensive. People don't really that it seems like my classmates have been struggling to find good jobs.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

What law school did you attend, if you don't mind my asking? I have a friend who went to a top 25 law school and after moving, could not find a real attorney job at all. The person wound up having to do document review for $20 an hour and now does not practice law. I also have friends who worked for big law firms for a few years but then got laid off. It is a real struggle with no sense of job security for most people.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus You just hit the nail on the head. People strive and work so hard--very, very hard--to get one of those coveted jobs with a big law firm, with a big annual salary and with an annual bonus--but, all too often, they are laid off a few years later, and that is it. In most professions, normal professions, landing a prestigious, high paying job opens doors to even more prestigious, even higher paying jobs in the future. In the culture of large law firms, though, it's more like, well, you've been hear 5Y, you aren't on Partner Track, and we are an up-or-out law firm. . .so you are out. I have personally encountered people who used to work in large law firms for six figure salaries doing low-paid "temporary document review projects" afterwards, to earn enough to keep a roof over their head.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Agreed. It is sad when people don't make partner and have a big drop in income.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus The overwhelming majority of associates don't ever become an Equity Partner. In facT, the average tenure of a first-year associate at a large law firm is 4Y. Imagine, 7Y of education--4Y college 3Y law school, 2-day bar exam---for a job that lasts 4Y on average, less for some, more for others. A job that, at 190K/70 hours a week, only pays about $50 per hour, pre tax. I literally won't get out of bed for less than $200, as a solo practitioner, in fact the Public Defender's Office pays "panel attorneys" at leas $60 per hour, usually $75.

@pep590 Год назад

Congratulations to you Judy! I'm very impressed!

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Thanks!

@chen471 2 года назад

Thank you for your honest review about the job prospects for new lawyers. I agree that a JD degree is not a guarantee of having a job right after graduation. It's very competitive now. Unless you really love law school, and many do, I would suggest people to consider other degrees more rewarding both professionally and monetarily.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Thank you for taking the time to watch my video and commenting. Did you go to law school? I think law school is a totally different experience from actually practicing law. It is definitely an oversaturated job market, where many people, even the ones lucky enough to get real attorney jobs upon graduation, are no longer practicing after 10 years. Hope things are going well for you.

@alvertosb.p.9424 Год назад

Thank you for sharing.

@Ry-fw6or 2 года назад

I’ve been thinking and considering go to Georgetown Law school part-time. But after reading all the comments and my own research. I’m not sure anymore ☹️thank you for the video!

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

There's a part-time Georgetown law student on youtube with some videos, Drea Jackie. You might be interested in her take on it. Not sure if she has a job lined up. Best wishes no matter what you decide to do!

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus I personally know a guy who graduated high in his class from Georgetown who barely managed to scrape his way into the Public Defender's Office in one of the most violent cities in America. His cases are called Last, the Judge makes a point to call Private Counsel first, to get these important, successful lawyers out of the courtroom and back to their office ASAP, and the Public Defender cases are all called at the end of the docket. APD's are routinely insulted by their own clients, called "Public Pretender" "Public Offender" and told "I'ma fire you and get me a real lawyer". As a successful lawyer, I would rather work as a garbageman in a wealthy county of my state than as an Assistant Public Defender in murder central. I would earn more money, and get much more respect in my community slinging cans into the stench of the dump truck. I also would not get insulted by my own clients, and looked down upon by everyone in the courthouse, where the janitors earn more than Assistant Public Defenders do. Think very carefully before you make a big mistake, Ry.

@mukeshazad8358 2 года назад

Thank you so much

@loro1rojo 3 года назад

I attended a tier 1 and my wife attended a top 4 law school. Totally agree with this video.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

How did it work out for you two? Was it difficult finding a job?

@loro1rojo 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus I couldn't find a job at first. Had no choice but to do doc review. I was humiliated. Eventually, I went to private practice starting at $40k (9 years ago). After years of slugging it out now I'm making $100k. My wife became a public defender, and then a federal clerk. She's now in private practice making about as much as me. I don't mind the practice of law but my wife hates it. Combined we took out $310k in loans. We've already paid half of it off and the rest should be paid off within 2 years. She can't wait to pay off her loans to quit being an attorney. The practice of law is a grind. Most people don't get that. Overall I think it's going to work out for us. However, it could have easily been a total disaster. Can't count how many law schools friends never found jobs and never practiced law. Whether employed or not, you still owe the $$. Would not recommend to most people.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

I agree. When people ask me about law school, I try to dissuade them unless they can get into a top 6-10 school. One friend didn't seem to appreciate my candor (I was raining on her parade), but she still didn't go to law school & seems to have a good job for a major corporation now. Even going to Georgetown law wasn't as promising as I'd thought it'd be, and most people, if even able to get such jobs, hate working for big law anyway & are fired or leave within 1-5 years. With the low pay of many attorney positions, why go into so much debt to make less than people without a college degree? Glad you are paying down the debt & things are ok now for you & your wife. Thanks for watching this too!

@barexampasser 2 года назад

I truly never cared about the money. I grew up working class, so even as a public defender, I’d be making more than any of my family members ever did and I would consider myself a success. I guess success really is relative. A 50k a year job and pslf after 10 years is a steal to me.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

I've had clients working for the postal service or people with community college degrees making more than I did at the time ($75k+). They weren't saddled with debt from higher ed. Glad things will work out for you, & thank you for being a public defender.

@BeKam777 3 года назад

Thanks for the content! Based on your experience and your network, is this the trend in all areas of law (tax, appellate, etc.)? Which areas tend to do better?

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Hi- I'm not in those areas of practice but judging by the number of unemployed or underemployed attorneys I know, I think it's tough all around. Thank you for watching this.

@legallydiy-trademarks 3 года назад

I wish more people would talk about this! I feel exactly the same way

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Are you an attorney? This topic isn't really discussed much because people want to seem successful. I appreciate your taking the time to watch this!

@legallydiy-trademarks 3 года назад

Yes, 2 years an attorney now and I’ve realized it’s a pretty sour deal. Best case scenario is you get the nice big law job and make 6 figures while giving up your life to sit behind a desk for 14 hours a day. Then on the other end, a quick indeed search will show positions advertising 50k a year for attorneys with 5 years of experience. We all know this and ignore it. Law school is not the safe bet it may once have been.

@criminallaw9573 3 года назад

@@legallydiy-trademarks A truck driver with 1Y of experience will make much more than 50,000 per year. . .

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

So will a mail carrier starting out. In fact, I know of a former attorney/law school graduate who did document review and is now a mail carrier -- with great benefits & making more than many attorneys now.

@nzubeemeka7470 Год назад

Well, I’m glad he/she has a good-paying job. But I’m certain that (former) attorney wouldn’t want to tell their alumni about the job

@mike5523 2 года назад

What are your thoughts on working as a paralegal before fully committing to the law profession by taking the LSAT and applying to law school?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Great idea, so you will have a better idea of what it's like to be a practicing attorney. Good luck!

@mike5523 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Thank you for the timely response 😊

@Essays4College 2 года назад

Wall Street Journal has an article today about a Georgetown Law grad with more than 1/4 million in debt and working at a homeless shelter.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

I'll look for it. Thanks for the info!

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Good article but the stories of the law grads were barely discussed. I hope to contact them to see if they'll be guests on future livestream shows. Thanks again.

@torstenheling3830 2 года назад

Wouldn’t surprise me.

@teddmented 2 года назад

Spread the word. Too late for me.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

What happened after you graduated? Did you have difficulty finding an attorney position? Thanks for watching this video.

@DrSevTalksMoney 4 года назад

I had to click on the video after seeing that title. :-) Thanks for sharing this insight. I totally understand. My sister is a practicing attorney in California. She eventually went the solo route also. You have a new sub. Interesting content.

@aalegalfocus 4 года назад

Thanks so much! Going to law school is not any direct path to riches and often saddles young people with tons of onerous debt. I appreciate your support and also look forward to watching more on your channel too!

@cameronfiske4208 3 года назад

There are a lot of issues. In BigLaw it is rare to make it. Midlaw is a mini big law with often as bad hours. In small law you will get real experience. You will go to appeal courts and do trials. But good luck making serious money. It is a rare rare person who truly makes it in the profession. Yet, despite this, I still enjoy it. But it is damn hard.

@SharedCookies 2 года назад

Do you think the job market is still tough for local DA offices? I would imagine those office would have more openings because they pay less... just curious

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Depends on each office. They may or may not be hiring in the first place, & competition for attorney jobs in general is fierce. E.g. one opening can get 150 applications.

@farmcat3198 8 месяцев назад

I'm another NoVA to RTP transplant. The daily commute in NoVA was a real bummer. The job market in this area sucks for me, too. NC State pumps out tons of people in my field. It's difficult to compete here. I'm thankful my wife does well.

@aalegalfocus 8 месяцев назад

Happy Thanksgiving!

@farmcat3198 8 месяцев назад

@@aalegalfocus Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!

@anomalyarcane8771 Год назад

So a little while ago (okay, maybe a long time ago 🙂 ) I got my BA in Paralegal Studies (I based my major change on doing job searches at the time, and let me tell you from 2006 - 2008 they were hiring paralegals left and right, both public and private sector!) - I graduated at the height of the recession, and I could not for the life of me figure out why I couldn't even land an interview anywhere to even get my career started. Eventually, I was able to land some temp legal assistant positions, and then I discovered JD underground (a now defunct forum for law school grads) where I saw post after post after post of JD's who also could not find attorney jobs. It then dawned on me that I was literally competing against actual lawyers for paralegal and legal assistant positions. The legal field was that bad, and I don't see it getting any better now. even now in my current job in a related field, I keep seeing JD's working as legal assistants- and trust me, you can't repay law school debt on legal assistant pay. I cannot imagine the irreversible damage that would have been done to my life had I gone to law school.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Thanks for sharing your experience. True, some lawyers/JDs wind up trying to get even paralegal jobs.

@travelseatsyellowlab 5 месяцев назад

With you having graduated from Georgetown, I figured your ticket was written from the day you received your law degree. I know that your state's first lady, Kristin Bernhardt Cooper, is a Campbell graduate. She works as a guardian ad litem, but I'm unsure what her career path was before that. Listening to this video brings a perspective that lets me know to weigh the pros and cons of a legal career and really figure out what I want to do.

@aalegalfocus 5 месяцев назад

Thanks for watching!

@mukeshazad8358 2 года назад

I’ve spent 15 years in the corporate world with fortune 100 corporations after my engineering and MBA. But, I feel my passion is into social justice space. I recently finished my law school in India. And I’ve zero debt. Can you guide on the following: 1. Is it better to go law schools such as Baylor, Liberty or Regent Where there will be lesser fee or perhaps I may end up continuing as zero debt person or better will be to go like Harvard or Yale or Georgetown etc where I might get under loads of debt. I hate debt as value from my parents. 2. How’s parttime program prospects from both of the aforementioned law school categories? 3. What’s your suggestions for me? Thank you so much!

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Congratulations & thanks for watching this video. I would not go to those lower-ranked law schools. You will already be at a disadvantage coming from another country. Harvard or Yale would be worth it if you get in. I don't know much about the evening program at Georgetown or other schools. Try contacting recent alumni from those schools via LinkedIn or post something on the reddit lawyers or lawfirm forums. Good luck!

@buffymcmuffin5361 3 года назад

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of lawyers.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Truth!!

@qdp03 2 года назад

Would you say it's worth going to law school if you can do it debt free and want to become a prosecutor?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Sure, that makes a big difference if you're not going to be saddled with loans. You should still try to talk to people who work at the DA's offices you're interested in. Not all will be hiring when you need a job. Good luck!

@qdp03 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Thanks for the advice!

@habby7635 3 года назад

Hello i am interested in going to law school. i know in America law school tuition is through the roof. But where im from its about 20k a year not including living expenses. Do you think its worth going to law school for people who dont live in america?

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

It depends on what the job market is where you are. What country are you in?

@habby7635 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus i live in Canada mid-west prairies. The #1 ranked law school's tuition is 40k a year which is peanuts compared to any ivy league tuition. i dont live in a big city. idk about the job market. but i do know a lawyer who runs his own firm in the city with 14 other lawyers including himself. I do not know the salaries they are getting.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

@@habby7635 you should try talking with some young attorneys who graduated from the school(s) you might attend or post a query online to a place like the reddit "lawschools" forum-- people with this specific knowledge will be able to give you a good picture of whether law school could be worth it. Best wishes!

@patb2582 3 года назад

@@habby7635 hey! I just graduated from a top Canadian law school. If you really want to be a lawyer, do it. But if you want law school because you think you will be making tons of money then I'd advise against it.

@LeaEspinoza12345 2 года назад

@@habby7635 I think recent law school graduates in Canada are underpaid. Don’t expect to make money for the first few years fresh out of law school. You’ll make more money after you gain years of experience and are more desirable. Tbh I think there are too many lawyers in most countries. As a deft free lawyer, I don’t even think the trouble of law school exams and the time it consumes of your precious youth is worth it. Even worse if you’d be in debt. So many other careers out here that you can make the same amount of money as a lawyer or more and you’d be out of school faster and with less stress and burnout

@jassingh9417 2 года назад

What legal writing software lawyers use?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

I don't use any legal writing software, but most attorneys use Westlaw or Lexis for legal research. Thanks for watching!

@9doggie12 2 года назад

Jd advantage careers are underrated like risk management

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

True- there are some good jobs with nice quality of life, like working for banks. Thank you for watching!

@adelehastings6152 2 года назад

Hi I’m a current nursing student at a fairly well known university. I deeply regret my major given the dire state of nursing and healthcare right now and would do anything to go back in time and do a prelaw History degree. I’ve been told by professors and teachers over the years that I have a gift for writing and analysis. I’m starting to think that law school would be right for me, but I’m scared of all of the horror stories I’ve been hearing about not being able to get a job. However, I am also in a very fortunate position in life. My family is quite wealthy and would pay for my law degree in full. I also have connections in the legal field as one of my relatives is a partner at a major law firm. Would you recommend going to law school for someone in my situation? I’ve been doing very poorly in nursing school clinicals and writing is one of the few things in life that I have truly excelled at.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

That's good that you wouldn't have to worry about law school debt, but ultimately you still want to be able to get a good job after graduating. I'd say only go if you got into a top 25 law school or the best law school in your state. If you know people in your area who are in the profession, ask them for their honest opinion. Good luck!

@rembo183 Год назад

You should talk to lawyers in government jobs too. Visit offices and interview some attorneys. Careers in Public Defender and Prosecution offices are exciting and pay is ok. You can’t expect big money of course but the work is great if you’re interested.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@rembo183 Where I practice you would have a much better chance of smashing through a brick wall on a scooter than getting so much as an interview at the State's Attorney's Office (prosecution) or OPD (Office of the Public Defender) these days. Many of the people who have those jobs keep them as a career, and put in decades at those offices, so openings are quite rare, and hundreds of resumes come in for them. Please understand that the legal job market is so horrific right now that law students fight hard for the chance to work full time, for no pay whatsoever, at private law firms, a practice that is exploitive and factually illegal.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

It's been a while, but I remember an experienced lawyer was not even able to get a job with my local public defender's office. There were no openings. Years ago, I applied several times to my state's attorney general's office and couldn't even get an interview.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

@@aalegalfocusOne of the old sayings about law school is "if I get bad grades, I can always get a job at the Public Defender's Office". I am old enough to say that was literally true after I graduated from law school, and I considered it. The problem with the job of last resort, though, is that it is, in fact, the job of last resort, so I decided not to start my career working there. That said, these days getting a job at the PD's office, the DA's office, the AG's office--for most lawyers that just isn't gonna happen, and yes, you probably won't even get an interview. Far too many candidates chasing far too few jobs.

@killerfrank8974 2 года назад

When it comes to the legal job market at the end of the day it all comes down to simple economics; too much supply and not nearly enough demand. WAYYYY too many have gone to law school over, eh, I'd say the past ten years because too many people thought it'd be their ticket to wealth or in the wake of the great recession they didn't know what else to do with their lives. Those are terrible reasons to go to law school. When all is said and done law school is something that only a select few should ever undertake. I'm glad that you were able to ultimately find success in the legal profession, though.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Thanks for watching & commenting. Are you an attorney? If so, how did your career go?

@killerfrank8974 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus I wanted to be a lawyer once upon a time but for a variety of reasons decided not to. I'm very familiar with all the hoops you have to jump through to be a lawyer, though and the over saturation of folks with law degrees is a major factor why I decided against the idea of going the law school route. Maybe if law school didn't cost six figures and maybe if there was an actual need for lawyers I'd take the plunge. For me, though, I work as a manager in the retail industry at the moment and I just got accepted to an MBA program so I'm going to do that part time and to top it off I'm going to help paying for it from the government through the GI bill. For me that route makes far more sense than doing three years of law school.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Makes good sense! I once had a client who was a manager of a department store at the mall. He made more than I did as a lawyer, & had better benefits too. Good luck with your career!

@killerfrank8974 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus "Good luck on your career." Thank you, much appreciated.

@khalidsmadi8339 Год назад

I am almost out of the service and given that I will be qualified for 100% gi bill, I will not only graduate debt free but will also be entitled to monthly compensation for housing allowance, thus allowing me to study full time without having to worry about money. Believe me it's worth it, just give 3 years of your life to the army and not only will it get you through school debt free but also will give you veterans preference when it comes to searching for a job

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Good luck! Thanks for your service.

@purposebydesign Год назад

I agree. I went to school full-time, using my GI Bill, after I left active duty. Also, I just got back home to Texas to find out Texas vets who enlisted (and reside) in Texas are entitled to 150 hours to use at any state college/university. I'm thinking about law school so...150 hours will come in handy. #thehazlewoodact good luck all 🙂🙂 we can do this

@gregorymanuel2267 Год назад

The GI Bill is absurd. Its delayed gratification at its finest. Go serve 3 years active duty and save yourself 30 years of payments. It's a no brainer.

@independentchic8458 Год назад

My big question is , how much do you may now as a solo practitioner?

@aalegalfocus Год назад

That isn't anything I would tell people on youtube, but I make more as a solo than I did working for small law firms.

@independentchic8458 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus that's great

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Yeah going solo & having my own practice has kept me in the profession & sort of helped keep me sane. Most people don't stay with the same firms after a while anyway.

@tiffanyvinci-cannava5966 2 года назад

I heard you say the reputation of your law school matters. What about the reputation of your undergrad?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Yes to a lesser extent. I've known of many people who went to lower-ranked undergrads yet still got into T14 law schools because of their high GPAs.

@tiffanyvinci-cannava5966 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus so what would you say is the best way to get a big law job?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Top 6 or 10 law school or if you're able to be in the top 2-10% of a lower-ranked law school. Good luck!

@howardjay9658 3 года назад

Thanks for giving a view of LS I had a few friend who had pass the BAR in Bay Area but ended up teaching, insurance ,city security guard because jobs weren't there,lots of Volunteer but we all need to eat and make a living. all Asians(BTW)

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Yeah, the job market is terrible except for the ones from the very top schools and some lucky ones from the lower ranked schools. For a sizeable percentage of all law students, going to law school doesn't pay off.

@howardjay9658 3 года назад

Govt job is the best these days, pension, medical for life and job security. I work for the Govt, no shortage of work and never laid off a single employee. Also last jobs with a safe union.

@strikeforce2943 Год назад

What about starting your own Personal Injury firm solo, that's very highly lucrative ?

@aalegalfocus Год назад

That something people could try doing after, say, working somewhere else for at least 4-6 years and assuming the person has money to front the costs & pay for advertising/overhead. It's tough to break into the market and get the good cases.

@Bleyluige 11 месяцев назад

Even if you go to a top school, it does not mean you would make good cash

@aalegalfocus 11 месяцев назад

Exactly.

@Jestfoster 2 года назад

I think I’d only go on a full ride or something near that value. The debt as a first generation student would suppress me. Law seems intellectually interesting, but impractical market wise.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Good idea. Most law schools are not worth the huge tuition costs. Best wishes!

@tropicalbeach9225 3 года назад

I like your video and thanks for sharing. The ugly reality is that people are unaware about law schools, the ranking and status of your law school matters ( which the average joe has no clue and is unaware, many people have the preconceived notion that a lawyer is a lawyer and a judge is a judge, but reputation and status matters in law). You are not going to get the top jobs or make high salary unless you graduate from an Ivy-league law school. Going to a low ranked or unaccredited law school is just a bad idea and a death sentence all together unless you have massive connections through nepotism, aristocracy, inheritance or bribery.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

There are always some people from lower ranked schools who manage to get great jobs, but it is a huge gamble when most private law schools charge over 50k-66k a year. Thank you for watching this! Are you a lawyer?

@tropicalbeach9225 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus I'm about to be, waiting for the upcoming June Bar exam. For me, law school was a breeze because acroynms and mneomics were my method of remembering all the rules, elements and information. How many years have you been in the profession?

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

21 years! Good luck on the bar exam. How's the job situation for you & your classmates?

@tropicalbeach9225 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus many people are applying to and hoping for the top law job ::Rolls Eyes::: others have been applying to fortune 500, corporations, government, and some want to start up solo practice. for myself, I was suppose to go into private practice with a partner. In law school, you meet a lot of interesting people because so many of them already have careers or businesses established and just attend law school in order to further their knowledge of the law. One guy owned several houses, apartments, and commercial areas ( already an established millionaire). Out of curiosity, asked him "Why do you want to be a lawyer?" what's the point?, if you are already rich and have a stable income. He stated that is was a pre-requiste to further his knowledge of the law and gain better understanding because throughout his career, he paid lots of money to lawyers to sign contracts, memos and to close on properties and businesses.

@jihyelee7140 3 года назад

Would you say that depending on the practice area one may have better luck with employment upon graduation?

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

I'm not sure-- all around there are far too many J.D.s graduating each year fighting for the same jobs. The main thing is to not get in too much debt, if any at all, when/if going to law school and only go to the top ones. Even within Tier 1 law schools, only the top percentage of the class has a good shot of getting a well-paying, actual attorney job. Thank you for watching this. I know it was not well-produced; it was one of the earliest videos I made for RU-vid this year.

@jihyelee7140 3 года назад

asianamericanfocus i think you could say that about a lot of fields, but I can see that reducing law school debt is a smart way to go. No worries, thank you for creating this content! I still plan to go to law school because I want to study the law :)

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

@@jihyelee7140 Sure, it definitely works out for some people. But you need to go to as good of a school as possible, preferably top 6 or top 10 in the nation. Otherwise, I recommend going to your in-state school so you don't have to pay as much tuition ( and hopefully have a shot at getting in the top 10% or 5% of the class to increase your chances of getting a real job). There are too many predatory private schools charging over $55,000 a year, which is ridiculous. Wishing you the best of luck!

@jihyelee7140 3 года назад

asianamericanfocus thank you!

@chriswood4960 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Your comment should be plastered on every high school and college career advising office's front door. Your point there needs to be repeated more and more!

@rph8704 2 года назад

I didn't think you would be into rock & roll lol

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Haha, I thought that music captured the feeling of stress and chaos.

@criminallaw9573 Год назад

One of the things prospective law students should be aware of is that deciding to attend Law School is a REALLY big decision that will permanently alter your life. If you are Considering law school because you liked the movie Legally Blond, for example, DON'T. This may seem like very basic advice, but young people (and some not-so-young people) sometimes make huge decisions for very foolish reasons. Please do some research and "look before you leap". When you apply to law school, and talk to admissions folks, are you getting the "hard sell"? Then walk away. Do folks at the law school you are considering boast about their "On Campus Interview" (OCI) and promise you that it's a great way to get a job? Then please, first, understand that nationwide only about 10 percent of all law students get a job through OCI. This means that while 25 to 30 percent of the class may get such a job at a top ranked law school, mathematically that means that perhaps 5 percent of all students will get it at an average law school, like the one you are probably considering.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Thanks for your insightful comments.

@StevenZagaris Год назад

I heard the spring 2022 California Bar pass rate was ~26%.....can you imagine!?

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Whoa, that's terrible. There are too many law schools, especially in California, & some will let in anyone with a pulse. Are you an attorney?

@StevenZagaris Год назад

@@aalegalfocus No I dropped out of law school to sell and manage real estate in 2005. I keep considering going back but I'm realizing the end goal might not be worth losing 5-6 years of my life.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Might not be worth it if you'd miss out on several years of income, spend over $150k (or go into debt) to attend a school that isn't highly ranked, plus then possibly face employment discrimination as an older law school graduate. It might be helpful to talk to some recent graduates of the school you're thinking of attending, and see what the local job prospects are. Best wishes!

@hernandayolearyallda 2 года назад

Why run a business in a lower income southern state like NC?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

I had to move due to my ex's job.

@hernandayolearyallda Год назад

@@aalegalfocus O, was there a reason you couldn't move out afterwards like back to DC? Like did you have a kid with your ex?

@rileyfox4001 Год назад

Are there people who have the "title" partner at a firm but actually don't make serious money as it appears they are fooling around on social media all day every day?

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Yes. Some people are "partners" but not equity partners. They probably have an eat what you kill arrangement with the firm. People lie/exaggerate on social media, including some of the "lawyers" on youtube.

@lydds4403 Год назад

I highly recommend people avoid this profession if they can and if they aren't someone with a burning passion for law. I think it's probably one of the worst professions out there if you combine saturation rates with the personalities of most very successful lawyers (aggressive, arrogant bullies) you will likely work under if not a solo practitioner and the type of work involved (tedious legal research and writing ). I had no debt so graduated but pivoted afterwards to another industry. I think law school matriculation rates will go down in coming years because the field has lost its prestige and GenZ+ do not have the reverence for the field that once existed and are aware of its drawbacks. Even biglaw attorneys are not becoming truly wealthy unless they are partners (and most biglaw attorneys burn out or are iced out before they become partners) and at the firm for 15+ years so please don't go into law school thinking you're going to become a hotshot millionaire.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

I totally agree with your comments. What kind of work did you do after law school? The amount of misery, struggle for good jobs, & bad personalities in the legal profession is palpable. I can't believe I've managed to stay practicing all these years. Thanks for watching this and commenting.

@lydds4403 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus thanks! I’m in banking now on the business side. It’s good you’re doing solo practice - that seems way more comfortable than being at the whims of senior attorneys at a firm and not being able to work on your own terms.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

Definitely. Being solo has made this profession more tolerable. Hope you continue to enjoy your career.

@chriswood4960 3 года назад

There are some important points in here. The ethos is that if one goes to a top school and does decently in the grades department, then one will get a decent paying job afterwards. This may have been the case at one time, but not now.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

If you don't mind my asking, are you a recent law school graduate? How's the job situation for you and your classmates?

@chriswood4960 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Hello! I am not a recent law school graduate. I was however seriously considering making a mid life career change and going to law school. However, after doing research about the job prospects and what life is like for people with a law degree I have decided against it. That's why your videos are so vital, you explain what you've seen and experienced. That's huge!

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

@@chriswood4960 glad you really did your research. It is a huge gamble when some people take out over $100k in loans to go to some mediocre law school, or worse yet, a bottom-tier one. Thanks for watching my videos, and I wish you the best of luck whatever you do as a career.

@lovedaddy1582 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus As a follow up, I want to highly encourage you to keep doing videos about this subject. People who are interested in possibly going to law school need to know what you've got to say. You can possibly help lots of people dodge a not-so-great choice by going to law school.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

@@lovedaddy1582 thanks for your comment. Law school works out well for some people, but it's sad when about 50% or even more of law school graduates nationwide cannot find full-time attorney positions after graduation, or many older graduates are underemployed or wash out of the profession. Even the dean of Hasting law, which is an above-average law school, said in a special report about the legal job market that 50% of his students would not have jobs upon graduation.

@allsportsexpert 2 года назад

How does that compare to medical schools of 4 years and 3 -6 years of post-grad training working 100+ hours/week with less than minimum wages/hour? It is all up to the individual to make it.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

I don't think law school can be compared to medical school anymore, as the income potential and median income from these 2 professions have become so vastly different. A doctor might get paid somewhat low wages for 2-4 years of residency/ fellowship, but then their income trajectory is likely a lot better than that of the average lawyer. Plus, since low-ranked law schools will accept just about anyone, there are people with J.D.s who can't even pass the bar and will never work as attorneys. The medical profession has done a much better job protecting their profession from being flooded with unqualified, unemployable or underemployed people. The mean salary of a doctor (MD) is $313k; the mean salary of a lawyer is about $120k -- and that's of J.D.s who actually become working, licensed lawyers.

@allsportsexpert 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Most doctors after finish their residencies and fellowship will be well into their 30s, add a couple to a few more years before they can buy into the partnerships. Top lawyers make double to triple digit millions while top doctors make low double digits million in their lifetime, unless they invent something.

@sleepn_on_me2473 2 года назад

All this video did was reinforce the notion that artifacts of the slave nation(which arguably still exists today) and mobility in America is still a problem to this day Unfair to say the least

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

It is unfair that law school tuition has skyrocketed as jobs have decreased & pay has not kept up. No one should be taking out over 200k-300k of debt to go to law school. Thanks for watching this.

@sleepn_on_me2473 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus your perspectives give me a lot of insight Thank you

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Thanks for your kind words.

@sleepn_on_me2473 2 года назад

@@aalegalfocus thank you for going out of your way to make a video with useful information and perspective.

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

Are you thinking of going to law school or already in law school?

@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941 Год назад

Are you Hmong by chance?

@aalegalfocus Год назад

No, my parents came to the US from Taiwan. Thanks for watching!

@neomatrix4412 8 месяцев назад

does being asian differ

@MSneberger 3 года назад

Think of it this way. Take a guy who is a great football player in high school. Perhaps 1 maybe 2 kids from a large high school might get a scholarship to play football in college - probably 0-1 at a Division 1 college. Then usually one, maybe two on rare occasion college football players at a Division 1 school get drafted into the NFL each year, and not all of them make a team. So if a great football player in high school's goal is to make big bank in the NFL his chances are SO LOW of that ever happening. The chances of getting a big law job starting at $205k/year are roughly the same, and pretty much nil unless you went to a top 14 law school. Don't go to law school for $$$.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Yes-- and even only the top students at T14s get biglaw. It's crazy that some people will take out over $150k or even over $300k of loans just to go to a below avg. law school. Thanks for watching!

@MSneberger 3 года назад

@@aalegalfocus Yes: T14, Order of the Coif, Law Review, and had a connection and got a federal clerkship. I say if you get admitted to a top 20 school and can either afford it without borrowing or get a full scholarship then law school sounds great, but T20+ and have to pay for it = no go. So basically, unless you are a desired diversity candidate, unless you can write a 170 on the LSAT you might just move on to some other graduate program.

@dathunderman4 2 года назад

Such toxic “advice.” Plenty of ppl with sub-170 scores do fine. You can get into a fine law school + financial aid without a 170. And LSAT isn’t a perfect indicator of law school outcomes. With this type of reasoning you display, I’m scared for your clients. Btw, I say this as someone who got a 17X score so my comment isn’t out of personal offense. I just genuinely think you’re incorrect.

@MSneberger 2 года назад

@@dathunderman4 "With this type of reasoning you display, I’m scared for your clients." With personal attacks like this from you on someone you do not even know . . . well I will just follow "Grandma's Rule" and not say anything about you but rather ask do you tell clients they can win and unwinnable case so that you can bill another $50,000-$100,000 instead of setting them straight and getting it settled? I bet not, so why give a rosy picture of going to law school. I scored a 165 on the LSAT and did fine in a top-20 law school, but that was when my tuition was only $8,500/year and you did not have to borrow a ton of money to go to law school. That meant that you could make it work without a Big Law job. But now it is going to be hard to make $3,000/month student loan payments on a public defender or non-law starter salary. On the other hand, if you can write a 170+ on the LSAT you have a really good chance of getting scholarship money and making the numbers work.

@EasyMoneyGoat Год назад

I just got accepted to Harvard law. After watching this, I am withdrawing my acceptance. This video scared the absolute dog brown stuff out of me.

@aalegalfocus Год назад

A lot of top students are going into consulting or technology fields instead. Harvard is impressive though. Good luck!

@aalegalfocus Год назад

I think the person was joking. I'm nit going to spend 10 minutes writing an insightful response to an anonymous person who might be joking.

@EasyMoneyGoat Год назад

@Z Malek I am confused. So this video doesn’t apply to T5 schools? PS. I am not joking. I did get accepted to HLS ‘26

@aalegalfocus Год назад

It really depends on whether you'd need to borrow over 100k to attend, what your career options/potential would be doing something else & what your goals/interests are. Best wishes to all.

@EasyMoneyGoat Год назад

@@aalegalfocus I need over 100k to attend. I didn’t get a partial or full scholarship. This will all be out of pocket but I was told if I can be fortunate to clerk for a justice, I can make 6 figures coming out of HLS and get up to a 400k signing bonus from some law firms afterwards.

@taracampbell5996 3 года назад

I feel terrible that this was your experience but it seems that your situation is just that, your situation. You said you were not from a wealthy family or in the top 20 in your class. And you had little life experience. I mean...that sounds very specific to me. Also who borrows that level of money? You could have purchased a rental property and retired.

@aalegalfocus 3 года назад

Actually, I did come from a somewhat wealthy family and I did not borrow anything to go to law school -- my parents paid for everything. Yep, everyone's outcome is his/her own outcome. If you are in law school, I hope you have a great outcome. Thanks for watching.

@EvilMandark13 2 года назад

30,000 a year from Georgetown law? The average salary for a Georgetown law graduate is 180,000. What aren’t you telling us?

@aalegalfocus 2 года назад

That was a base salary not including commission, & I graduated 21 years ago. $180k plus starting salary would be for the small percentage who get big law jobs.

@williamricks4552 Год назад

@@aalegalfocus gulc admitted student here. The data I see online says even the 25th percentile income for gulc grads is well over 100k. Thanks for making the vid!