Thinking Law School? Talk to a lawyer...

Ok... I have a *LOT* to say on this subject, but I have not formulated a good post on it, in terms of precision or brevity. I can say that if you are thinking about law school you should talk to someone who has graduated from law school before you take the plunge. Not just for financial reasons, but for real life advice concerning the endeavor.

Over at the American Catholic (Not to be confused with America Catholic Weekly) there is a good post discussing the financial pitfalls that befall many as they graduate from law school nowadays:
Something to ponder for those contemplating law school

One of the best parts of the post is the authors proposal to reform law school:

My proposal: BA or BS followed by one year of law school, followed by two years of apprenticeship with a licensed attorney. Certification by three attorneys and a local judge that you have completed the two years and have not made too big a fool of yourself during that time period. Then the bar exam and the license upon passage. The current system is too expensive for the quality of the product at the end: a completely untrained attorney.

I think this proposal is actually a pretty good idea. I have seen better, but the current system is a fraud. A 3yr law curriculum is solely a money maker. Law schools can't break the mold, because there is such a call for uniformity that any school that does break form is seen as "dissident" and "obtuse." I will try and write more on this later... but for you aspiring JD's, please get ahold of an attorney before you plop down $150,000 in debt, only to find yourself making LESS than before you took your LSAT. Not that it is about your pay check, but raising a family is quite difficult when you owe $1500+ a month in loans for the next 20 years.

-Posted by: Joe