How to Decide Whether Law School is Right for You

Being a lawyer sounds great, in theory. You make a lot of money. You do interesting work. But for many, being a lawyer isn't what it's all cracked up to be. Not everyone with the title esquire can be Perry Mason. Before putting down thousands on a law degree, learn how to decide whether law school is the right choice for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• LSAT Test books
• Pencils and pens
• Resume and cover letter
• Internet access

1. One of the best ways to gauge whether being a lawyer suits you is to find out what a lawyer does. The easiest way to do this is to consult the Internet. So go online.
2. Depending on what kind of lawyer you want to be; corporate, civil rights, constitutional, will determine how to conduct your research. Because most people envision becoming corporate lawyers, we'll use that as our example. So go to Web sites of major law firms. Some examples include DLA Piper, Jenner & Block and White & Case.
3. Review their white papers. These are documents that lawyers write for clients to read. It will allow you to get a sense of what issues corporate attorneys tackle on a day to day basis, which translates to what they do on a day to day basis.
4. Go out and get some real world experience to see of legal culture is appealing to you after researching firms online. Find local law firms that practice the type of law that interests you.
5. Call them up and ask if they have a program where you could work part-time or even temp for a week, so that you can witness law firm life. Many large firms will refuse you, but smaller plaintiff's or boutique firms might let you sit in for a bit.
6. Begin studying for the LSATs. Keep in mind that the type of knowledge required of you on the test is the type of knowledge required of an attorney.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't get some work at a law firm to get real-world experience, try applying for a job at the firm. Even if you only work there for a few months, some experience is better than none.
• You really must be certain your reasons for going to law school are true. The investment is too great to be unsure.

Who Can Help:

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