Law in Order

I was always one of those students who flip-flopped on the career path they wanted to follow.  I went from wanting to be a veterinarian (because I loved animals) to wanting to be a CIA agent (because I wanted to be a detective like Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew) to political journalism.  I then settled on being a history teacher because I have always loved history and this seemed to be the most logical job for a history major.  This, however, did not fulfill me.  I was excited about learning about history, but not about teaching.  I respect teachers immensely, but I felt that it was not the right profession for me.  Then one day, I watched Laws of Attraction (only because my favorite actor is in it).  Long story short, it is about a divorce attorney finding love for herself while representing someone going through a messy divorce.  I had found my calling: divorce attorney.  As I have stated in a previous blog post, I was a child of divorce and I remember the experience like it was yesterday.  I remember the hurt that I went through, and I know that other children experience that same hurt.  I feel like I am being led to help those children, as well as their parents, through this difficult time.  Today, I will help you discover if the law is the right profession for you.

My first piece of advice is to look into law school.  PLEASE note: Legally Blonde is NOT a correct representation of law school (except for the part about doing your reading, but that applies to undergrad classes as well).  Read blogs or get in contact with someone who is in law school or who has been through law school.  I have had the privilege of talking to a current law school student who told me like it is.  Thank you TFAS for that amazing opportunity (if you want to know what TFAS is, read my previous blog, To Internship or Not to Internship).  If your school has a pre-law advisor, set up an appointment to discuss your interest in the law.

My next piece of advice is to think about the application process.  One of the requirements is taking the LSAT, which is the SAT of law school (insert stressing out here).  If you are not a great test taker (like me), think long and hard if this is something you want to do.  While I hate standardized tests, I want to go to law school more, so I will be spending the summer reading my LSAT practice books.  Another requirement is a high grade point average.  If you are not the most studious person or do not like school, maybe law school is not the right route for you.  For more information on law school, I highly recommend reading The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert by Ann K. Levine. 

I hope this has helped you to decide if the law is right for you.  In the end, only you can fully decide if you were meant to be a lawyer.  Do some soul searching and find the answer that is right for you.