Let me guess: when you think of a lawyer, you think of Elle Woods.
Don’t EVEN try to deny it! As much as we love Elle, we wanted to spotlight what it’s really like to be a lawyer. If you’ve thought about pursuing this career, you’re not alone. I even took the LSAT in college (I’m actually serious). For those of you who are dead-set on this prestigious journey, Blush has found three amazing girls who each took different paths to becoming a lawyer. Curious? So are we! Let’s get started with some good ole law school advice.
The Breakdown:
Career: Law (Public and Private)
Median Salary: $54.58/hour, $113, 530/year
Number of jobs: 759,800
American Bar Association Members: 400,000+
Licensing Exam: Bar Exam
Tracks: Litigation (think court cases, Social Network/Erin Brockovich) and Transactional (think contracts/mergers, like Philip, the lawyer from Pretty Woman..but ignore his butthead personality)
Fields: Bankruptcy, Real Estate, Tax, Corporate (Business), Civil Rights, Criminal, Entertainment, Environmental, Family, Health, Immigration, International, Intellectual Property, Employment (Labor), Military, Personal Injury
Burea of Labor Statistics, American Bar Association, Brown University
The Lawyers:
CC COPELAND
Age: 26
Degree: B.A. Psychology, B.A. Spanish, Current law student
Law Practice: Employment Law in Dallas, Fall of 2014.
Classification: Private
LYNNE BROOKS
Age: 26
Degree: B. S. Advertising, J.D.
Law Practice: Business Litigation in Fort Worth
Classification: Private
AMBER AHMED
Age: 27
Degree: B.A. Political Science, M.A., Communication Studies, J.D.
Law Practice: State Litigator in Austin
Classification: Public
Blush: Ok law ladies, tell us about the blood, sweat, and tears you put into school. Did it prepare you?
CC: I am convinced there is no magic undergraduate degree that prepares a person for law school. There are trends; awhile back it was Political Science, now the joke is English and Philosophy. I recommend choosing a major that really interests you. Bask in a GPA that reflects your excellence in an area! Don’t suffer through an economics degree because you think it will give you an edge in law school admission or performance, only suffer if you LOVE it. There are a few exceptions–Patent Lawyers tend to have technical degrees because they need to know specific information. As for the rest, you’ll learn it as you go!
Lynne: I loved my Advertising degree. It did not prepare me for law school, but I wouldn’t recommend anything different! Advertising made college interesting because it involves creativity, business and marketing. Law school is BORING, so major in something fun!
Amber: My degree (Political Science) definitely helped me–understanding policy behind law is helpful. Sometimes I do wish I had gotten a degree that focused on teaching hard skills–like economics or environmental science, because that relates specifically to what I do.
Blush: Job description, please. Right now the only lawyer example we have is Elle Woods…help!
CC: I am a day student at SMU, which follows the typical three year plan. School is a full time job! 2-3 classes a day, 5 times a week, studying constantly. My university also offers a night program, which takes four years. After I graduate, I will take the bar exam, and God-willing, be an Employment lawyer!
Lynne: I do business litigation, which means there is some sort of lawsuit involving business issues between people and/or entities. It can get pretty “juicy” sometimes! (Nice!)
Amber: I am a litigator for the state. Think of me as the Jack McCoy for violators of environmental regulations.
Blush: Ha, nice girls. Let’s talk about your typical day.
CC: 1L (First Year) is very different from 2L or 3L. During my 1L year I was on campus from 9am-9pm every day, which was hard on my four legged child! (Yes, I love dogs). Now this does not include finals…where I was locked in the library everyday from open to close. Once I made it to my 2L and 3L year, I had much more freedom. I still spend anywhere between 3-6 hours on campus everyday, but then I can study from home and I have Fridays off. You won’t write that Pulitzer Prize-winning novel your 3L year, but you will get to go on dates with your fiance (Yes…she just got engaged!)
Lynne: I am at the office from 8:30am-6pm every day, and I also tend to work a few hours on the weekends. Lawyers solve problems, that’s what we do on a daily basis. It’s a lot of research and a lot of writing!
Amber: My 8am-6pm in a nutshell: Get to work. Drink coffee. Check the news. Drink more coffee. Draft petitions. Argue with people in hearings about why they should just accept their penalty. Write memos. Argue with other people over email about why they should just accept their penalty. Leave.
Blush: Brutal. What do you love about your career?
CC: I love the subject matter. After you close your eyes and free-fall through 1L year, law school really is enjoyable. You get to choose classes that interest you, so it becomes less of a grind. I also love the diversity that I’d wager exists at most law schools. I have classmates from all walks of life and all over the world, and learning their perspectives enhances my own life views.
Lynne: I really like my employers. They are incredible mentors, and they love being attorneys. That in itself is very important. I enjoy the feeling of solving problems, it’s very rewarding. And lastly, it gets competitive against the other side. Can’t beat that.
Amber: I really like the work I do. I have a lot of control over my cases, and have my own docket. The office culture promotes continuing education, and there are a lot of mentors available.
Blush: So what’s not so great about law?
CC: I do not love the time crunch…but…I feel like I might bring that on myself. I usually feel ten steps behind, because organization and planning are just not part of my makeup. I compensate with determination and locking myself in study carrels a few days before deadlines. There are different ways to tackle law school, and everyone is capable. So don’t be discouraged if you’re a right-brained, artsy-fartsy, vegetarian procrastinator like me. The most important law school tool is not organization, not any degree, not even intelligence–it’s work ethic.
Lynne: It can be frustrating when you can’t find the answer to a problem you’re trying to solve. Plus, the hours are longer than most other jobs, big stakes are often at play, and people don’t love lawyers!
Amber: Working for the state involves a lot of bureaucracy and not a lot of cash. There are also limited resources for doing the job. Competition over best phones and office chairs can be fierce. (She wins.)
Blush: Tell us about your inspiration or your end goals. What’s driving you?
CC: My story is one for the books! I started law school in 2011 and didn’t have a clue what I wanted. I was drawn to the “touchy-feely” fields…you know–environmental, family, and animal law. Areas that helped humanity! However, during On Campus Interview season, I found myself taking interviews with big corporate firms, because that is the law school culture. Most of the jobs were highly coveted, and I knew I was doing it simply because I was supposed to–big bucks, you see. I accepted two summer offers, and before they even began I took a leave of absence. I acted, wrote novels, moved to LA, and participated in a Yale film program. Although it was one of the best experiences of my life, it made me realize that I wanted to go back to school and study Employment Law. It’s people oriented, it helps others, and it allows me to experience the big firm life I was drawn to before. I reenrolled at SMU, and am on track to be working for a Dallas firm in the fall. I am PUMPED!
Lynne: My goal is to be a great litigator who can balance religion, a social life, family, and hobbies!
Amber: I’ve always loved that Teddy Roosevelt quote, “the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” So, the end goal is more along those lines. (Um..did she read our Blog? Love.)
Blush: Ok girls, give us some wisdom for aspiring lawyers!
CC: Take time off between college and law school. I know it’s tempting to go straight through, but I learned more in my year and a half off than I ever did during school. Talk to other attorneys and see what they ACTUALLY do. Their answers are a lot different than what you think. Make your resume stand out–highlight anything that makes you unique. Intern at firms over the summer. Join Law Review. Don’t buy the extra supplements, you can’t read all of it. Stay off Facebook in class (I mean it!). Volunteer when you can, get outlines from students in grades above you, take bar courses, and get a dog for sanity (not two…that was actual insanity).
Lynne: Talk to other attorneys–all different kinds. There are countless areas of law, so it is very important to get a taste of the different areas that may interest you. Also, try to intern at firms before school and definitely during school. Law school is a huge commitment and very expensive, so it’s good to make sure it’s for you before you begin. Try to keep a balanced life as much as possible while you’re in school and working!
Amber: Don’t force yourself to adhere to an artificial timeline. Have goals and vision, but leave yourself open to new opportunities. It’s not a career ladder, it’s a jungle gym.
Thank you to CC, Lynne and Amber for sharing their stories with Blush! We hope all of you learned a little bit about what it’s like to actually be a lawyer, but more importantly, why Miranda Hobbes is a total boss. To the future lawyers out there, this one’s for you. Cheers.
Remember–Blush offers career coaching! Sign up today and we’ll help you get to where you want to be.
BY VIKTOR HANACEK
Original article and pictures take joinblush.com site
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий