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(More customer reviews)As its cover suggests, this book was written for the BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER (law school) folks. Although it will add value (and confirmation) to many people in the DURING and AFTER crowd, the book (I think) is most critical for those in the BEFORE crowd.
No one can argue with the book's observations that (a) law school is extremely expensive and (b) many (if not most) law students have no idea what attorneys really do day-to-day. Moreover, soon after law school, many graduates learn that (i) they do NOT like what attorneys really do day-to-day (often an odd mix of boring work and stressful consequences) and (ii) they NEED to be a "big law firm attorney" in order pay off their school debts. This realization is tough to digest (particularly since the student was told so many times in the past that "there is so much you can do with your law degree").
Although there certainly are "options" to the big law firm life (and this book is good at helping the BEFORE, DURING and AFTER reader to try to discover his/her options), there do not seem to be enough "real options" out there . . . given one's debt and the big law firm salaries. Thus, there is a sense of "I'm trapped."
It's true that with a lot of work (and a lot of sunk costs and lost time) one can find a "real option" and get out of the "trap" -- it is also true that some attorneys find an area of law and a law firm that they really do like or have a great "next step" that happens (and, yes, it is also true that all jobs probably "suck" in some way). However, rolling the dice with three years of your life and $100k plus (and lost income), is really pretty crazy -- and certainly not very "big firmmy" -- even though many (if not most) entering law students do seem to do this.
I do not know if working at a law firm for a year or so (before law school) would really give a prospective law student ENOUGH information to know whether law school (and being an attorney) is the right thing for him/her. However, I do think that Self-Assesment and such an experience (and other research into what you will really end up doing upon graduation) should become the "norm" -- I think this book will help make that happen!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Should You Really Be A Lawyer: The Guide To Smart Career Choices Before, During & After Law School
Are you making the right decision to get into--or remain--in law? Whether you're a prospective law student, a current law student, or even a practicing lawyer, the decision to enter--or remain--in law ranks among the biggest career decisions you'll ever make. From the latest research on decision-making, authors Deborah Schneider and Gary Belsky have written a unique career-building guide that will help you evaluate and answer the most basic question facing you now: Should you really be a lawyer?
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