Law School? . . . Why?

Perhaps you’ve experienced the phenomenon that occurs when a child asks, “Why?” The first “why” often leads to a string of four or five more questions of, “Why?” Perhaps you did this to adults when you were young. If you are a future law student and lawyer, you should go back to that kind of unfettered inquiry, as such a string of “whys” is a valuable tool you should use to determine whether the path to law is right for you. The pursuit of a law degree requires a significant investment of time, energy, and resources. If I asked you to give me $100,000 (being conservative) and three years of your time, you would probably have a few questions for me. Why should the decision regarding law school be any different? Take the time to ask A LOT of questions. Ask yourself why you want to pursue this path, but also ask law students why they are in law school and ask lawyers why they practice law. Get a complete picture of the realities of law school and law practice. Moreover, get an understanding of their passions and motivations, so you can identify and fully develops yours, and then decide if law school and law practices align with your passions and motivations, or is necessary to realize them. Don’t head down this very special, yet extremely challenging, academic and professional path without personal context or based on unsubstantiated opinions and incomplete information. Ask, “Why” . . . and then keep on asking.

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