How To Reluctantly Go To Law School
A lot of people go to law school because they don't know what else to do. A few people are different. They wanted to go to law school for many years. They know what type of law they want to practice. They have their plan figured out.
This article isn't for those people.
It is for those of you who went to law school because you didn't know what else to do. Now that you're in law school, perhaps you're thinking that it may have been a mistake. This isn't about whether you should or shouldn't drop out.
I'm going to assume that you're going to stay in law school - reluctantly - and I'm going to offer my best advice for how you can do that.
If you're reluctantly in law school, there is a good chance you'll be at least reluctant to practice law. More likely, you'll hate it.
Assume the Worst
Most lawyers who end up hating their career end up practicing at mid- to large firms. They realize after about 3-6 years that they hate it and they want out. Assume that will be you.
Create Optionality
Once you assume the worst, your approach to law school should change. You may not be as concerned about taking a class just because it is taught by an adjunct who is a partner at a prestigious local firm. You may not need to take as many trial advocacy type classes to prepare for a career as a litigator. Instead, ask yourself: what can you do now in law school to prepare yourself for your inevitable decision to leave the law?
Optionality should be your primary objective. As Derek Sivers says, "the best plan is the one that lets you change your plans."
Take the Bar (and Pass!)
You may think I'd recommend against taking the bar. After all, why waste all that time and money studying for the bar if you're not going to be practicing in a few years? Nope. Taking the bar (and passing) creates optionality. You will have fewer options coming out of law school if you forego the bar exam. (And don't assume you can just take it later. You'll never know more law than you will after three leaves of law school and then studying for the bar over the summer. Don't take time off.) Some places may be unwilling to hire you if they see that you went to law school and didn't take the bar. Why foreclose yourself from opportunities with those places? It is easier to pivot to a nonlegal role from within a company than it is to get hired as a new employee.
This article isn't for those people.
It is for those of you who went to law school because you didn't know what else to do. Now that you're in law school, perhaps you're thinking that it may have been a mistake. This isn't about whether you should or shouldn't drop out.
I'm going to assume that you're going to stay in law school - reluctantly - and I'm going to offer my best advice for how you can do that.
If you're reluctantly in law school, there is a good chance you'll be at least reluctant to practice law. More likely, you'll hate it.
Assume the Worst
Most lawyers who end up hating their career end up practicing at mid- to large firms. They realize after about 3-6 years that they hate it and they want out. Assume that will be you.
Create Optionality
Once you assume the worst, your approach to law school should change. You may not be as concerned about taking a class just because it is taught by an adjunct who is a partner at a prestigious local firm. You may not need to take as many trial advocacy type classes to prepare for a career as a litigator. Instead, ask yourself: what can you do now in law school to prepare yourself for your inevitable decision to leave the law?
Optionality should be your primary objective. As Derek Sivers says, "the best plan is the one that lets you change your plans."
- Take classes in new or emerging areas of the law because those have more potential for growth than more traditional areas of law. For example, take data privacy over estates and trusts. The same is true for anything tech-related. Lawyers are notoriously slow to adopt new technologies, so familiarity with tech and legaltech may open some doors.
- Think twice about a journal. Journals - particularly law review - look great on a lawyer's resume. But unless you've gone to law school, nobody knows what it means to be on a journal or what it entails. A journal can help you get a law firm job, but has limited value beyond that.
- Less litigation. Litigation is one of the most restrictive practice areas. It is harder for litigators to transition to other practice areas, let alone transition out of law. If you are a litigator interviewing for a nonlegal position, your interviewer will assume you are Jack McCoy from Law & Order.
Take the Bar (and Pass!)
You may think I'd recommend against taking the bar. After all, why waste all that time and money studying for the bar if you're not going to be practicing in a few years? Nope. Taking the bar (and passing) creates optionality. You will have fewer options coming out of law school if you forego the bar exam. (And don't assume you can just take it later. You'll never know more law than you will after three leaves of law school and then studying for the bar over the summer. Don't take time off.) Some places may be unwilling to hire you if they see that you went to law school and didn't take the bar. Why foreclose yourself from opportunities with those places? It is easier to pivot to a nonlegal role from within a company than it is to get hired as a new employee.