Terrible, terrible advice. Every potential law student needs to do a serious cost/benefit analysis of the debt they are going to take on plus lost wages while in law school vs. the amount of money they will make afterwards. Don't be fooled by many schools salary numbers. Ask the schools for percentage numbers of response rates on their salary numbers! Debt is no joke, be honest with yourself about the decision you are about to make.
3Lof NY9:23PM April 22, 2009
Yes, and $120,000 of debt later, anyone can -- indeed -- attend a fourth tier private law school, just barely get employment as a public defender, and then have trouble even keeping the lights on in a lackluster apartment with a $30,000 per year salary.
Public service is one thing if it's someone's lifelong goal; it's an entirely different subject, however, if a law graduate is forced into this path because they were fed endless doses of "law school is for everyone" rhetoric, which is generally the life story for most public defenders these days. Unfortunately, this means a disservice is done both to the law graduate (who feels mislead) and to his/her clients (who find that their court-assigned attorney is less than passionate about their situations). We should not shy from honesty in acknowledging that a formal legal education really only helps those of us who present the best academic background. For the rest, it is both more economical and, perhaps, more meaningful to pursue a legal education by reading the curriculum independently.
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Anonymous of AL 1:22AM April 23, 2009
3L of NY 9:23PM April 22, 2009
Yale 08 of CT 8:46PM April 22, 2009