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I'm seeing so many comments from lawyers tonight...
I wish that I had gone to law school (just the first year)... maybe I will do that some day. Would you guys recommend law school to a friend?
And I can't help but wonder - how many lawyers we got in the house?? If you're a lawyer and you know it, clap your hands!
*Clap clap!*
I'd recommend it...now that I'm on the other side. :)
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Just graduated from law school. I'm studying for the bar right now. So "clap clap" from me too!
Another lawyer here. 
I would recommend law school if you are actually interested in practicing law. Others might disagree, but I knew a lot of people who went to law school because they thought the degree would be generally useful and they didn't know what else to do. Now they're stuck working at firms to pay off their loans and they're miserable. I generally like my job and I like being a lawyer, although the hours get to me.
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Another lawyer here - I graduated from law school in 05. Ditto sarah's comments!
I'm not a lawyer, but I am a Reference Librarian at a large law firm. It's another option for a career that is law related, but without the horrible hours and it only requires a Master's degree.
I'm not a lawyer just yet...I'm about to begin law school in about two months though! I'm a little nervous but so excited and can't wait to get started! Although I know my 1L year is going to be something else....seeing that so many bees made it through to the other side...I think I'll be okay. 
@Golden139: Good luck! I didn't find 1L year nearly as terrifying as everyone said it was going to be. It's definitely a lot of work, but you get through it! I hope you get to enjoy this summer. :)
@sarahnyc23: Thanks! That's comforting. My friends have said one of the hardest things about law school is simply not psyching yourself out, and if you can do that, you've already won half the battle.
That is absolutely true. It's the same for the Bar. As long as you don't freak yourself out and start to panic, you'll be fine. For both law school and the Bar, I would also recommend doing as much work as you need to feel like you're prepared, even if it's more or less than other people. Because as long as you're comfortable with what you've done, it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing. :)
another lawyer here :clap clap:
ditto Sarah's comments about law school being worth it or not worth it. You REALLY have to want to do this for the misery that is law school to be worth it.
I'm an almost lawyer! Taking the bar in july. I agree that you shouldn't go to law school unless you are fairly sure you wouldn't mind being a lawyer. It's really expensive! I enjoyed law school (except for 1l year)--made some really good friends, learned a lot, became a smarter thinker. But I'm not sure it was the wisest investment for me, considering that I want to work in the public interest sector.
Another lawyer here! I would recommend law school a whole lot more than actually having to be a lawyer!
I don't know about anyone else, but I had SO much fun in law school! I studied abroad, made amazing friends, partied a lot, went to class a little and met my future husband.
Working in law...not so much fun. :) I'd go back to school in a second.
@missomally: Why do you think I now work at my law school? :)
Another lawyer here. Been "practicing" 8 years now (wow, that went fast!). Call me crazy, but I loved law school. Actually being a lawyer, not so much.
I concur that if you are just going to law school because you are not sure what you want to do and have to incur student loans, really not a great idea. It can be difficult to find other occupations that can pull similar salaries and you are generally stuck paying back big student loans (even if you declare bk). I have numerous colleagues that hate practicing law but are stuck doing so because of their outstanding loans.
*Raising Hand* I'm a lawyer too. Graduated in 2000. My advice to anyone starting law school: Be prepared to read, read, read. I did more reading in my first semester of law school than I did during my entire 4 years of college. Good luck!
I just finished my second year. I worked for a couple years between college and law school, then did a lot of reading and researching before I made up my mind to go. I informed myself about the life of a lawyer and was still pretty sure I could handle it. After two years of law school, I can definitively say that I have NO INTEREST in practicing law whatsoever unless I can get a job at one of a few select government agencies. Any desire to "be a lawyer" that I may have had was driven out of me by the end of 1L.
Like mouse, I love the friends I've made and the things I've learned, and thankfully I didn't have to go into a lot of debt for school (more than I'd like, but still peanuts compared to most people). I'm torn on whether I'd recommend law school to a friend -- completely situation-dependent, I think.
I'm the wife, SIL and daughter-in law of a lawyer. I'm also the wife and DIL of law professors. :) If you are planning on going to law school right now, just know that there aren't a ton of jobs out there right now. Go read Abovethelaw.com and then think about it. That site cracks me up! Also, if you have a niche practice that would help right now. My husband is in IP litigation and it's one of the few areas {knock on wood} that didn't dry up back in the fall. He loves it, but it's hard on our family life. His day trip to another one of his firms offices the other day has turned into a three week trail. I had to FedEx him clothes!
Another (ex-)lawyer here. I also graduated in 2000. Would I recommend law school to a friend? It would depend on the friend. I totally agree with the comments posted here.
Like missomally, I had a blast in law school (and I loved studying law), but didn't enjoy practicing. I worked at a big firm and it just wasn't for me. Went back to school and did a Ph.D. in the humanities. Practicing law part-time and on contract during summers in grad school gave me a certain level of financial comfort. I had substantial support from scholarships and awards, but what's considered substantial in the humanities is hard to compare to a lawyer's salary.
I admire lawyers (especially female lawyers) who like/love their jobs. It can be a tough profession. It certainly taught me a lot, and I have no regrets about the educational and professional choices I've made.
Another lawyer here! I actually have my own practice and I love it! I would definitely recommend law school - but only if you really have a passion for it. It really is a lot of work and you have to be willing to do it.
I'm starting law school this fall at U Chicago. My fiance is finishing up medical school in NY during my 1L year. I feel like after seeing him go through medical school I feel much more confident that law school can't be THAT bad.
I'm a lawyer too, working in a small practice (one other atty plus me) on Maui. Unlike many of you, I HATED law school with a passion, although I met some great friends there. The thing that I continue to hate about it - LOANS! Seriously, my job is ok, but I'm working just to pay debt and that's no fun. I do love doing litigation though!
**Clap, clap** - I'm a non-practicing attorney. I did well in law school, didn't love it, but got through it, passed the bar on my first take and then...couldn't find a job in my area that I wanted! Truthfully, I think I don't really want to practice law in the traditional sense - so I've been holding out for a great position ever since I got sworn in. It's a little more complicated for me because my DH and I live on an island in Lake Erie with a population of 400 which has no courthouse, no mail delivery, etc. In order to really take a job at a firm, I would have to move away from him...boo!
I agree with PP's about the difference between going to law school and actually practicing law. Whether I would recommend law school to someone would really depend on that someone! :)
I am a proud member of the bar. To those of you thinking about law as a profession, I would say follow your dreams . . . to thy own self be true . . . Go into a profession because you love it. If you love it, everything will fall in place. To quote Burke from Grey's Anatomy: I am not the best or the brightest, I simply practice!!!!
I actually liked law school too! I mean, first year was a ton of work, but I made some of my best friends in lawschool. I worked like a dog first year, and then by third year I more or less was working part time and doing clinics, so not as much studying.
I hate to say [sorry Miss Mouse] but I think studying for the bar was far worse than 1L year...thank god its only a few months!
I really liked law school too. Especially if you spent time in the workplace before starting school, which I did, ENJOY your time as a student! I loved having "free" time in the middle of my days and I have made the most of it. Being in school is sooo much better than working! :)
My advice for those out there who are about to start 1L year is that you balance your life. Don't let the other students freak you out. Make sure that you make time for things that you enjoy. For me, it was exercising, watching TV and getting a puppy my second semester of 1L year. Even though people all around me were bragging about all their hours in the library, they were unhappy about it and consequently in my opinion, didn't do as well in school. Don't get me wrong, I worked harder my 1L year that I have ever worked at anything EVER, but I balanced all that reading and writing with fun stuff in between. It's all about quality, not quantity, when it comes to studying! Good luck!
Another lawyer here! I'd do law school all over again to avoid studying for another bar exam: I don't know how you bar-taking Brides do it! Although I do think that law school made wedding planning easier for me!
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I am a lawyer (and this is my first post here). I am a first year at a major law firm with a not-wedding-planning-conducive billable hour requirement. It is past 8 pm and I will be at the office a few more hours. Sadly, this is not uncommon for me.
My advice- go somewhere that offers financial aid! I went to a ivy league school. It was a great experience and good for my career but I wish I was not tied down by loans.
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I am a lawyer (and this is my first post here). I am a first year at a major law firm with a not-wedding-planning-conducive billable hour requirement. It is past 8 pm and I will be at the office a few more hours. Sadly, this is not uncommon for me.
@brideesq: I'm intrigued...How do you think law school made wedding planning easier?
Seeing as law school can be so time-consuming--I would have thought it was the exact opposite! Please share as I will be doing the exact same thing!
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i had a love/hate relationship with law school. the hardest part was being back in school while my friends all moved on with their lives and i was stuck back in our college town...
ALMOST!!!!! I am actually starting my last year of the four-year part time program. I also work during the day as a law clerk for the State. Thankfully, this is my first summer off in the three years I have been in law school. We are having the wedding in October & everyone ask me why not when you are out of school - THE BAR!!!!!!! So I am enjoying this summer being that next summer I will be totally tied down. But it's really exciting b/c we have something to look forward to celebrating!
It's never too late to go back to school Mr. Bee & others - consider evening programs if they are available in your state - however remember its lots of time management, being that I work and go to school during the week - so I have study on the weekends.
My FH is an attorney - actually how we met was I was his legal assistant ( he he) but I clearly advised in my first interview I was leaving to law school the following year, which FH admitted he had heard before but never seen someone actually do it - and I did - had our long distance that year & then I transferred to a school in Miami and its all history!
Props to all the lawyers ladies! And to the upcoming law students - if your full time it's easier than having to work so I cant give much advise but make sure you are responsible and not listen to others talking about there time in the library blah blah - but do what works for you - but get ready to work & FOCUS!!!!!!!
I'm a lawyer :) Love it. I am actually clerking for a federal judge now and although the hours aren't so far off of my law firm gig, it's intellectually stimulating. I agree with sarahnyc. I loved law school and I would recommend it if you want to practice. If you have money to blow, its also an amazing educational experience! YAY LAWYERS!
And for law students, don't let school get you down. Embrace the educational experience and seek out classes/people/mentors that interest you. Have fun!
If all else fails, post on Weddingbee and us older gals can help you out.
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PS I summered at my firm again AND studied for the NY Bar in 2007. Oh and I passed. So yes, you can do it! Good luck in these next few weeks.
So I WAS a lawyer (law student = lawyer?) at Baylor in Texas. Pretty well respected private law school in Waco. I was Miss Smarty Pants in undergrad, came to Baylor got the wind knocked out of me by how brilliant my colleagues were, studied my ass off every single second of every day, wore pajamas to the library, ACED my 1st and 2nd semesters and then... dropped out.
I just.... hated it. To me it was like the worlds longest, suckiest, most boring, book report EVER. I hated the research, hated the Shepardizing, hated Lexis, hated it all. It was so dry and vacuous to me. I thought being a lawyer was like being on Law & Order and, given the TINY percentage of cases that go to trial these days, its not at all! Most of your time is spent out of court.
I just wasn't prepared for the reality of what being a lawyer really is. I got out with only $30K of loans against me, which seems manageable after reading what other people have. I'm working as an elementary teacher now and I love it so much.Summers off, home at 4PM. Its wonderful, and I won't feel like I'm juggling my time so much when I have children. I was so worried about being at the firm until 9 PM on a weeknight and never seeing my kids!
It was hard to leave because I didn't want to feel like a quitter, but I really think that I was one of those people who went to law school because I didn'nt know what else to do! I thought, well I'm smart, I'll be a good lawyer! But I didn't like the substance of being an attorney.
Just my two cents, I admire all the female attorneys I meet now. I know how much hard work they put in to get where they are going!
Another lawyer here! Graduated in 2008 and I've been working at a small firm for a year. Law school? Not that bad! It was just as hard as people say, but I honestly didn't mind the work. I loved the people I met and I think that I'll be life-long friends with them.
Being a lawyer? Meh. I was one of those people who didn't know what else to do so I figured a law degree would be useful. Yea um.... a whole bunch of loans later and I kind of HAD to be a lawyer! I'm holding out hope that I might like it better when I've been working longer and can run my own cases... but I'd be lying if I said I didn't dream of being able to quit the lawyer gig someday.
As an almost-lawyer (ha), NO I would not recommend law school to ANYBODY. Not unless you have a real, serious and deep love of the discipline of the law. Because I didn't, and now with the economy hurting lawyers pretty badly (and law schools constantly raising tuition), law school really has zero redeeming qualities.
i was actually a stenographer for four years... does that count?! it's a great career to have in my back pocket....
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