2 answers
Tatiana
Student
Lowell, Massachusetts
1
Question
Asked
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What is something that you wish you had known before deciding to become an attorney/lawyer? #Spring26
I am thinking of going to law school after I finish undergrad and would like to know what to expect. Right now, I am a senior in high school and am planning on studying politics next fall. #Spring26
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2 answers
Bob Echols
Retired lawyer and ethics officer--current blogger and author of the For Our Friends the Animals quartet.
37
Answers
Fairhope, Alabama
Updated
Bob’s Answer
Hi, Tatiana!
Congratulations on your fine questions(s) and your interest in attending law school. I detect two questions from your post, one about law school and one about being a lawyer, and as they call for different answers, allow me, as we layers like to say, to address them seriatim.
What do I wish I'd known before attending law school? The experience of law school will differ markedly from what you will come to know as an undergrad. Law school is far more intense, requires far more reading, writing, and analysis, far more hours of effort, and simply places far more of an organizational burden on you, and that's the key.
What I wish I'd known was the need to have a plan of organization from day 1. I learned this only in my second semester: each night review and reorganize my notes, be certain I understood the main points of that day's classes, identify any unanswered questions for further analysis and clarification, try to link each day's learning to the previous day. While your school will undoubtedly have a few geniuses as your fellow students who don't need all this organization to succeed, most of us simply have to put in the time and work to do well, so be prepared to do so.
Now, what I wish I'd known before becoming a lawyer.
Almost invariably being an attorney means assisting people who have problems and/or questions. Law school barely, if at all, prepares you for that situation; those are skills you must develop on your own.
So two ideas for you:
Read and learn all you can about human behavior, why we do what we do, our motivations, hopes, dreams, and fears. Second, learn and work or volunteer at agencies or jobs that allow you to deal with people, asking them questions, ferreting out information, learning how to provide answers and guidance or assistance, even those answers your clients may not want to hear.
Being a lawyer is essentially about helping other people get on with their lives, providing them actionable information that they understand and can make use of.
That is an ability most schools can't or won't teach, so go out and acquire it yourself.
Tatiana, being a lawyer is a great vocation. I wish you all the success in the world.
May God bless you!
Congratulations on your fine questions(s) and your interest in attending law school. I detect two questions from your post, one about law school and one about being a lawyer, and as they call for different answers, allow me, as we layers like to say, to address them seriatim.
What do I wish I'd known before attending law school? The experience of law school will differ markedly from what you will come to know as an undergrad. Law school is far more intense, requires far more reading, writing, and analysis, far more hours of effort, and simply places far more of an organizational burden on you, and that's the key.
What I wish I'd known was the need to have a plan of organization from day 1. I learned this only in my second semester: each night review and reorganize my notes, be certain I understood the main points of that day's classes, identify any unanswered questions for further analysis and clarification, try to link each day's learning to the previous day. While your school will undoubtedly have a few geniuses as your fellow students who don't need all this organization to succeed, most of us simply have to put in the time and work to do well, so be prepared to do so.
Now, what I wish I'd known before becoming a lawyer.
Almost invariably being an attorney means assisting people who have problems and/or questions. Law school barely, if at all, prepares you for that situation; those are skills you must develop on your own.
So two ideas for you:
Read and learn all you can about human behavior, why we do what we do, our motivations, hopes, dreams, and fears. Second, learn and work or volunteer at agencies or jobs that allow you to deal with people, asking them questions, ferreting out information, learning how to provide answers and guidance or assistance, even those answers your clients may not want to hear.
Being a lawyer is essentially about helping other people get on with their lives, providing them actionable information that they understand and can make use of.
That is an ability most schools can't or won't teach, so go out and acquire it yourself.
Tatiana, being a lawyer is a great vocation. I wish you all the success in the world.
May God bless you!
Stacey Grooms
Attorney
8
Answers
Cookeville, Tennessee
Updated
Stacey’s Answer
You can usually qualify for law school with any undergraduate degree - political science is a good degree but not required. Many of my classmates decided law was not right for them and did not complete law school. I recommend choosing an undergraduate degree that you would want to have as a second career option in case your career goals change.
I highly recommend working at a law firm before deciding on law as a career. Even if you volunteer a few hours a week, the real life experience of the day-to-day aspects of a legal practice will be invaluable before you commit your undergraduate time and effort (and dollars) to a profession.
I highly recommend working at a law firm before deciding on law as a career. Even if you volunteer a few hours a week, the real life experience of the day-to-day aspects of a legal practice will be invaluable before you commit your undergraduate time and effort (and dollars) to a profession.