Reasons NOT to go to law school

1. I'm a liberal arts major, and I don't know what else to do with my degree.

Law school is not supposed to be a dumping ground for wayward liberal arts majors. Admittedly, it often is, but many of these folks end up unhappy with their career choice down the road. Don't repeat their mistake. Law is not the only suitable career for a liberal arts major. Also, if you want a legal career, consider one that does not require the expenditure of three years and thousands of dollars in tuition: a paralegal or legal assistant, perhaps.

2. My parents want me to go.

Pressure from one's parents is a reason many students choose law school. Chances are your parents want to know that you can take care of yourself and get yourself properly settled so that don't have to worry about you so much anymore. Parents typically believe that law school is a ticket to security—good money, prestige, and all that. The only trouble is, it's not true. Law school and a legal career are no guarantee of money, prestige, or happiness.

Parents want their comfort level increased, and they're entitled to that after all those years of taking care of you. But not at the expense of you taking a job that you will not be happy with, or that does not provide what you want and need from a career. Your parents will understand this argument. In the long run, most parents don't really want their kids to be lawyers, or doctors, or anything specifically. They simply want their children to be happy and successful. If you choose the right career, for the right reasons, you'll be doing both them and you a favor.

3. I have always wanted to go to law school/be a lawyer.

Okay, but why? List 5 reasons, right now. Can you? Often, students use this belief as a short cut—they have always believed this, and therefore it must be true. Not necessarily. If you can't articulate why you want to go, then you need to do some homework, as noted above. Remember, you need to make an informed decision about whether to attend law school.

4. I have always been fascinated by the law. It's intellectually stimulating.

Most law students find that law school is fascinating and intellectually stimulating. Many lawyers find law practice stressful and unfulfilling.

5. I want to change the world.

Lawyers don't change the world. From time to time, famous cases and lawyers emerge—true enough. But there are hundreds of thousands of lawyers in this country, and lightening strikes only a few of them. (How many famous lawyers can you name?) Moreover, there is a whole body of social science literature suggesting that using the legal system to change society doesn't work, or at least causes as many problems as it solves. If you want to change the world, you can do so equally well in another profession, or if you pursue a career that leaves you some spare time to do good things.

6. I like to argue and debate, and I'm good at it.

What is the connection between your fondness for arguing and your desire to do it professionally? Remember, litigators (trial lawyers) are engaged in an adversarial process. You had better like that component of practice, because that's what the arguing and debating boils down to. A talent for argument and debate may make you a good litigator, but it doesn't answer the question of whether you should or want to be one.

7. Everyone else in my family is a lawyer.

See response to no. 2, above.

8. I did well on the LSAT, so why not?

Law school means three years of your life, plus thousands of dollars in tuition, for a job that you might not like. Remember, the LSAT measures one thing only—your ability to succeed in your first year of law school. It’s a poor indicator of your career choice.

9. I want to make a lot of money.

The graduates of the top law schools who go to the top firms in the biggest cities make very good money. In exchange, they bill over 2,000 hours per year, which means they often work long hours, seven days per week, with no guarantee of making partner (in 7-10 years). For the rest, salaries aren't appreciably higher than other professions. If you want to make a lot of money, start a business, become a broker or an investment banker, or pursue an information technology career.

10. Law School is so versatile. I can use it as a stepping stone to something else, like business or politics.

If you want to go into business, go into business. Law schools train lawyers. They place students in legal jobs. Their career and placement offices are geared to this result. If you want your law degree to be multi-purpose, you will bear pretty much the entire responsibility for turning it into a multi-purpose degree. Keep this fact in mind when deciding whether to go to law school.