why does everyone want to be a lawyer?

[juniorgrrl]

Because I am a masochist.

Seriously, though, I feel very strongly about the field of Intellectual Property and Information Technology law. There are some pretty badly written laws out there that basically take away all rights of the consumer when it comes to digital media (The Digital Millenium Copyright Act is just a horrid, biased piece of legislation written by people with zero IT knowledge). I was already going for an undgergrad in IT, so I figured why the hell not?

Also, both of my parents are attorneys, as are my mom's sister, and two of my dad's brothers (and some of their kids as well). Its a world I've always been exposed to, and that I feel comfortable with.

[DeltaSig]

I've always wanted to be a lawyer and will die trying. I love the research and dedication behind becoming one and applying it in future situations. I've always been a thinker and heavy arbitrator, love law and politics as well. Looking at law school in Boston, and planning to go into mergers and acquisitions.
1 year from law school and getting ready for the LSAT....Question for anyone who has already taken the LSAT?...what's the best way to prepare, because I'm just using kAPLAN and Princeton Review's study guides.

[Eupolis]

Originally posted by DeltaSig
I've always wanted to be a lawyer and will die trying. I love the research and dedication behind becoming one and applying it in future situations. I've always been a thinker and heavy arbitrator, love law and politics as well. Looking at law school in Boston, and planning to go into mergers and acquisitions.
1 year from law school and getting ready for the LSAT....Question for anyone who has already taken the LSAT?...what's the best way to prepare, because I'm just using kAPLAN and Princeton Review's study guides.

I took it more or less cold and did pretty well, but I have a tendency to do well on standardized tests. I probably would have done better had I worked through a lot of example problems first. That was in 1998. I hear they might be changing the test format soon, but that's just rumor. Of course, I don't keep track of it anymore.

People who took the test more than once might have a different view on it than I do.

I think that URL=http://mowabb.com/ai/archives/2002_09_04.html#000886]this person[/URL] is probably on the mark as far as study courses go.

The very first thing to do if you want to start learning a bit about the test is to grab an application packet for the LSAT, even if you're not going to take it in this year's testing cycle. Your school's career services office probably has them. There are sample questions in there.

The LSAC would love to sell you even more sample questions, but I bet that there are plenty of sample questions in the review books.

Review books usually contain some of the questions that have been released by the testing organization, but the bulk of the questions are probably test questions that they made up to emulate the harder test questions that the testing organization is more hesitant to release.

I would say to spend a bit of time familiarizing yourself with the kinds of questions they ask and the different processes you can take to solving the questions they present. Learn their tricks. When you've learned what to watch for and what kinds of approaches you can take, you've done about all you can.

Most people find that the hardest part of the test is the logic / problem-solving section.

Most law schools use a composite of the LSAT score and the undergraduate GPA as their starting point for admissions considerations. There is usually a way to find out just what weight law schools give to each of them -- not all law schools treat them equally. I don't remember where that information is, but I remember it being out there.

Finally, try not to stress about it too much. Focus, but don't stress. This is a 3-5 hour aptitude test. This ain't the bar exam (which is a knowledge and skills test that takes 12 to 18 hours or so of actual test time, depending on the state). For the LSAT, you should spend some time learning your way around the kinds of questions and learning what their tricks are, but you shouldn't make it your life.

Good luck to you!

[ny_lawyer]

Maybee its in thing these days lol .

[justabeachbrat]

Three lawyers in the family: a brother and two cousins.
My brother first went the corporate route mainly handling my dad's company legal matters. After my dad died, my brother opened a solo practice in a poverty area. He barely squeaks by, but is happier.

1 cousin was a deputy DA in a major crimes division, after years of that he has taken a timeout and is off sailing.

2nd cousin lawyer: actually just finished law school, wants to focus on consumer law and landlord-tenant rights, favoring tenant.

None made or will make the big bucks, my brother was, but he found he wasn't happy amid the country club set.

Those family members entering school are being encouraged to become doctors and shrinks, to deal with the rest of us.

[als463]

EUpolis,
I really liked the information you gave. I was hoping you could give me some more info, as well. Anyone who is willing to give great info. would be GREAT!

1.) I graduated from a Big Ten university with a "B-" average....apparently not good enough for my top choice law schools (not Harvard or anything....Rutgers, Temple, etc.)

2.) My LSATs weren't stellar. I am taking them again-eventually.

3.) I decided to go back to college for my Graduate Degree (once again-at this same said Big Ten university)....and work part-time. Once I get my degree (depending upon where I am living at the time because my boyfriend is transferring to another school for Biology) I am probably going to just work full-time.

4.) If you look at my majors (Sociology and History) you will see that many of the Sociology courses at my university melt into the Criminal Justice degree. I've recognized that I am technically 4-5 classes away from getting my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice.

5.) Now-my question. Will having military, sorority, and community service experience help me with getting into law school (my better choices) if I have a Graduate Degree alone or should I get my graduate degree and go back for my third bachelor's degree and get a better GPA? What would you-or anyone on here-suggest? I'm hoping to do better on my LSATs but, I am confused. Thank you.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by als463

EUpolis,
I really liked the information you gave. I was hoping you could give me some more info, as well.

Given that EUpolis provided that info in September 2002 and hasn't posted anything since December 2002, I doubt he'll be giving any more info.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by als463

EUpolis,
I really liked the information you gave. I was hoping you could give me some more info, as well. Anyone who is willing to give great info. would be GREAT!

1.) I graduated from a Big Ten university with a "B-" average....apparently not good enough for my top choice law schools (not Harvard or anything....Rutgers, Temple, etc.)

2.) My LSATs weren't stellar. I am taking them again-eventually.

3.) I decided to go back to college for my Graduate Degree (once again-at this same said Big Ten university)....and work part-time. Once I get my degree (depending upon where I am living at the time because my boyfriend is transferring to another school for Biology) I am probably going to just work full-time.

4.) If you look at my majors (Sociology and History) you will see that many of the Sociology courses at my university melt into the Criminal Justice degree. I've recognized that I am technically 4-5 classes away from getting my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice.

5.) Now-my question. Will having military, sorority, and community service experience help me with getting into law school (my better choices) if I have a Graduate Degree alone or should I get my graduate degree and go back for my third bachelor's degree and get a better GPA? What would you-or anyone on here-suggest? I'm hoping to do better on my LSATs but, I am confused. Thank you.

Law schools pretty much just care about grades and LSAT scores. Obviously if you have some crazy unique circumstance like your dad is George Bush or Bill Gates or you are an asylee because Hitler murdered your family or something they will pay attention to that, but otherwise it's really just LSAT and grades.

That being said, do not keep going back to school hoping to get a good enough GPA to get into law school. That's crazy debt and you'll just accumulate more when you go to law school. A third bachelor's wouldn't help much. You need to do really well in your graduate program and much better on your LSATs.

Showing interest in the schools when you apply really helps. At my school borderline applicants who come to tour and ask to do a student interview and meet faculty sometimes get the bump because the school is pretty sure they'll attend.

Also, you need to keep in mind that there are a lot of people applying to law school every single year. I think a lot of people get discouraged because they think "Oh, I got a 155 on my LSATs, that puts me at the 50th percentile" but what you need to realize is that is 50% of the people who took the LSAT, not 50% of the people who will later apply to law school. Personally, I think if you get less than a 150 you might not be the best candidate for law in general, but that's easy for me to say as a third-year student.

[MandyPepperidge]

If you are removed from undergrad, as in you've already graduated, law schools will look more at what you've done in terms of employment and your LSAT score and less at your GPA.

The GPA is more heavily considered if you are applying right out of college.