Any other law graduates feel hopeless?

neoimperialistxxi

You should have asked me first and I'd have told you. I've been an attorney for 21 years next month, and not a day has gone by that my whole existence hasn't been a savage struggle for mere survival. I've done it all; big firm, small firm, solo, civil, criminal, state, federal, public interest, you name it. Jobs were never plentiful in the legal profession, but just now they are drying up very quickly indeed. Too many law schools pumping out too many lawyers every year is the main reason. A legal education is a lousy investment in terms of your future employability.

If you had asked me before you started, I would have told you to go and design a video game or something, because that kind of thing stands to make you a lot happier than practicing law ever will. Practicing law of any kind will alter your world view and give you a terribly negative opinion of people. That is, if you have any emotional depth to you. If you don't then just disregard what I am saying because you'll likely be as happy practicing law as doing anything else.

You sound really bright, so please, go do something more useful with your life than running around in that soul destroying rat's maze of courtrooms and committee chambers.

Anyway, if I had it all to do over again, I doubt very much if I would have studied law. The emotional toll aside, there are just too many lawyers out there chasing too few paying clients. The truth is that I know people with law degrees who are driving taxi cabs.

Get out while you still have your soul.

Cocoa Dusted Love

I'm in the exact same position, except I went on to do a master after my law degree and have no idea what to do now. I'm not unemployed but working a crappy job that I am way too overqualified for. At the moment I feel like such a failure and have no idea how to go on... I applied to so many firms after my degree but got no offers for even an interview! (the swines...) How did you finance your GDL? I'm thinking of doing the DLP next but have no idea how to pay for it... :-(

B. O. B.

Its tough for us engineers too. Employers seem to want candidates who are all things to all people. They seem to want to have their cake and eat it! They seem to only see things from their own point of view.

I feel like having a rant too!!!!!!

Aaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

MotÃ¶rhead Fan

if you law graduate doesn't work out, you can always start the next weatherspoons chain (as that is what a Law Graduate did in 1979)

go_dawgsj

Maybe I'm dense, but I have no idea what GDL and TC stand for. I'm assuming you have a JD? Have you passed the bar?

I graduated in December of 2005 and didn't even start looking for a job until June of 2006. The job search was tough. I probably sent out 100 resumes, had maybe 10 interviews, and only 2 offers. I went on informational interviews and networking lunches with many attorneys. It was definitely a lot more difficult than I expected. I found it MUCH easier to get interviews after I'd taken the bar. Many firms simply aren't interested in hiring someone if they can't start work right away because they have to study. Some firms aren't even interested in talking to someone until they have their bar results, as they don't want to risk hiring someone who isn't going to be able to jump right in practicing law. So, if you are waiting on bar results, I think you'll have a lot more luck once you have passing results.

I'm not sure how a criminal lit and forensic science class are going to help you get a job. I think it's a waste of your time and money. I think you should get some sort of job (any kind) to pay the bills (assuming you need an income), and then work in volunteer legal jobs. I did a lot of volunteer work with legal aid and a couple other public interest firms, and they were always looking for help. Are you admitted to the bar? If so, see if you can get on any court appointed lists. I know attorneys who are able to support themselves just doing court appointed criminal and juvenile work.

Don't give up. The two biggest things are gaining experience and networking. Network with all attorneys in your city who graduated from your law school. Network with attorneys in any practice areas that interest you. Ask them questions about their job, and ask them to look over your resume for any suggestions. Unless you are in a city with a terrible market, you have terrible grades from a terrible school, or you didn't get any useful hands on experience during law school with clerkships or clinics, you should eventually find something.

By the way, I love practicing law. I don't regret this decision at all, and it makes me sad to hear negative things about the profession like the earlier poster. First, you have to get your foot in the door and get some sort of job. Then you can start thinking about what you enjoy, and if you aren't happy, move to a different type of practice. There are so many career options in this field (public interest, big firm, small firm, in house, government, and tons of different practice areas).

Good luck!

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