How true is it that law schools try and push students into pursuing big law?

[PzabbytheLawyer]

13 hours ago, Rashabon said:

Maybe. I think it’s probably overblown. I really think the way in is what I said. A guy from my year followed that path and after articling and spending a few years at Fasken jumped to the stereotype of what people think international human rights law is. As far as I’m aware he didn’t have any particular background beforehand, didn’t speak the languages (at least at first) of where he was stationed and isn’t connected. But he was a brilliant guy, super well liked and he volunteered and spent his energy on pro bono and international human rights related matters.

Yeah. I think at the 4-5 year mark, a lot is possible if you've succeeded at your career, and you've spent time "on the side" doing work related to certain niche areas, such as this.

While I don't want to be an international human rights lawyer anymore, I still hope it's true for some far away dreams of mine 🙂

[LawstudentinCanada]

On 5/24/2023 at 3:56 PM, citysymphony said:

I have been reading more about the culture of law schools and it seems that there is coercion happening to push students towards big law. Not just for the bigger paychecks but to increase the reputation of the university as well. How true is this in your opinion?  

I think its true. Once you walk in - for some reason many students tend to feel lost and its almost like a fish in a school of fish. You lose a sense of identity, because the legal field is so tightly knit and you start identifying yourself with the way your peers do. The debt is insane - and you also realize you want to graduate and start paying that off. The OCI recruitment is also something that is huge and widely praised for. People lose friends and relationships at that point, and the social dynamics changes as well. OCIs are known for the big firms (yes there are small ones too) but the big news flash and LinkedIn posts with the most active reactions are for the big firms. The OCI stats on which schools had the highest number of student secure positions on bay street firms and through OCI is a huge ordeal. 

[Rashabon]

Yeah none of that is "coercion" nor evidence that the universities themselves are pushing students towards big law to pad their reputations.

[CleanHands]

"The most impressionable minds
Get molested and informed by manipulating forces
Don't fret, little man, don't cry
They can never take the energy inside you were born with
Knowing that, understand you could never be poor
You already won the war, you were born rich"

(https://youtu.be/OQ5rI461KNE)

 

[epeeist]

There are systemic or structural factors "pushing" students into biglaw, but those aren't simply the law schools' fault. With rare exception one now has to get a degree first, then attend more-expensive law school. So for most people 7 years of debt from university and general cost of living during that time (not to mention foregone income only slightly offset by summer employment as applicable). So as the cost of higher education has outpaced inflation for decades, there is more pressure to get a higher-paying, e.g. biglaw, job to pay for it.

But that's not the law schools' fault (except to the extent they are participating in the system and pushing for higher tuitions, but that seems common to universities generally not law schools in particular).

I haven't been a student for many years, yes there are scholarships and income-contingent loans, etc. but I'm addressing the more typical case. But happy to be corrected if someone more recently in law school or otherwise knowledgeable has different info.

[CleanHands]

27 minutes ago, epeeist said:

-Snip-

It's a money thing. But for many it's also a status thing.

As if anyone who hasn't gone to law school gives a shit what firm a lawyer works at.

[PzabbytheLawyer]

I want to say two things.

First, can we also not just admit that there are practice areas in "biglaw" that don't otherwise exist? It is totally fine for people to be interested in those practice areas, and not others.

Second, law students know almost nothing about legal practice. But some of them assume they do.

Truth be told, I went into law school promising myself I wouldn't become a big law lawyer. It showed during my NY and Toronto OCIs. In hindsight, I was naive, a bit arrogant, and confused.

I've seen enough now, and done enough, to know what does and does not interest me over a 30 year career. What I like tends to be practiced in 'big law', or a handful of boutiques.

Yes, I would say most law students don't know what they actually like to do in second year.

this is fine. And I wish CDOs helped students understand "big law" is quite possibly the best way to figure out what you do and don't like.

Edited May 26, 2023 by PzabbytheLawyer

[CleanHands]

14 minutes ago, PzabbytheLawyer said:

And I wish CDOs helped students understand "big law" is quite possibly the best way to figure out what you do and don't like.

LOL yeah, the CDOs totally aren't pushing BigLaw hard enough... 🙄

[QueensDenning]

41 minutes ago, PzabbytheLawyer said:

I wish CDOs helped students understand "big law" is quite possibly the best way to figure out what you do and don't like.

Yeah I feel like CDOs are absolutely telling students this. 

[PzabbytheLawyer]

Mine didn't 🙂

live. Learn. Hopefully laugh along the way.