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I have a friend who is thinking about a law career. He is definitely an idealist, and he got his undergrad degree in art and literature. He's been working for the past few years in a program at the local college, helping students that are the first in their family to go to college succeed and graduate. He loves it, and is very good at it. He goes to law school this fall.
There are years before a decision needs to be made, of course, but it's fun to think about. What kind of law careers are there that are (1) useful to mankind/society, (2) the lawyer can see the usefullness himself, and (3) pay enough to support a family?
There is the following: 1. prosecutor - his reasonings are much the same as Dag's 2. Some sort of "Lawyers without Borders", helping people start businesses in environments where there is a lot of red tape. (He speaks Spanish.)
posted
Oh, geez. I don't have time to go into it right now. Bump this over the weekend if I haven't gotten to it.
Short answer: his law school almost certainly has a public service center that will have lots of ideas. I'm glad he's already considering both litigation and transactional type work - it show's he's got a grasp on the range of possibilities.
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Hmm...defense attorneys have to defend people and try to get them off even when they know they are guilty. You can't really pick your clients. I don't think he wants to do that. I wouldn't, actually.
It would be great to have a "Poor and Innocent Only" sign on the window, but I don't think you can.
Dag: Thanks. I know there are other resources available to him - Hatrack is my personal Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
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I know two lawyers in this area who are United Methodist Church and Community Workers (a category of missionary). Basically they operate free law clinics for people who cannot afford a lawyer and their salary and expenses are paid by the church. One of them specializes in immigration issues, I’m not sure about the other one.
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What about a joint library/law degree and be a law librarian? That career choice has become really popular for good reasons.
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"(1) useful to mankind/society, (2) the lawyer can see the usefullness himself, and (3) pay enough to support a family?"
Well... despite the plethora of lawyer jokes out there, lawyers are useful to mankind/society. It's more a matter of finding something you love. I've seen miserable lawyers who defend children against child abusers and blisfully happy attorneys who do mergers and acquisitions, and it isn't the salary that makes the difference. It's finding the one thing that you know how to do and that you love to do that few others, due to lack of said love, can do as well.
Law without borders is somewhat challenging because... well... Anglo-American law is rather unique, although the LDS church does have lawyers working around the world. A friend of mine from BYU J. Reuben Clark law school interned in Buenos Aires with the Church.
Also, consider that you can always represent indigent people, even if it isn't the sole focus of your practice, and if it *is* the sole focus of your practice, this is not for the faint of heart. Money issues aside, you can't screen your clients as well. Paying clients you can part ways with - it's a business decision. Indigent clients don't tend to see it that way.
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Has your friend considered moving to a small town and buying a struggling bowling alley that he would then turn around into the cultural center of town?
That would be useful to the town, and he could bowl for free!
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In Australia we have the Aboriginal Legal Service - working in remote communities with indigenous communities. Not sure if there's an American equivalent.
Both pay, not amazingly, but enough to lead a modest life. More than enough to co-support a family.
Of course, there's always international law.
- because I personally believe its a useful form of law that can be used effectively to make a positive difference. But I know not everyone shares that view. Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Belle: What about a joint library/law degree and be a law librarian? That career choice has become really popular for good reasons.
Great suggestion Belle. Law librarians at large law schools get paid the same salary as professors (100k+);and unlike professors, librarians do not have the pressure to publish.
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posted
He likes working with people directly and seeing the project through a great deal - I doubt he'd be interested in being a librarian.
quote:Well... despite the plethora of lawyer jokes out there, lawyers are useful to mankind/society. It's more a matter of finding something you love. I've seen miserable lawyers who defend children against child abusers and blisfully happy attorneys who do mergers and acquisitions, and it isn't the salary that makes the difference. It's finding the one thing that you know how to do and that you love to do that few others, due to lack of said love, can do as well.
Very good point. I guess that's what internships and experience is about - to get to know the possibilities.
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I know there are other resources available to him - Hatrack is my personal Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
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- because I personally believe its a useful form of law that can be used effectively to make a positive difference. But I know not everyone shares that view. 
