Under the heading, “Five Thoughts on Going Solo,” Tannebaum says, “Read everything you can.” He even urges his readers to Google, “lawyer going solo.” I did exactly that and the Florida Bar’s Legal Fuel website was among the top hits. I sifted through some advice on a website for Young Florida Lawyers and a few minutes later I found myself asking Chat GPT, “What are the toughest challenges of being a lawyer?” Here’s the list:
1. Long Hours and High Stress
2. Emotional Toll
3. High Pressure
4. Student Debt
5. Constant Learning
6. Client Expectations and Management
7. Ethical Dilemmas
8. Repetitive and Monotonous Tasks
9. Competitive Environment
A couple people have posted about how law school doesn’t really prepare us to become lawyers and I think this list is pretty good support for that assertion. With the exception of this class, school is all about learning the law. Knowledge of the law is a good thing to learn in law school, obviously, but having a good understanding of the major challenges of being a lawyer and how to mitigate those challenges, is certainly valuable. Just to review a little bit, we’ve addressed time management, using a calendar system like Google Calendar is a must. We’ve heard firsthand from a practicing family law attorney about the emotional toll that this kind of work can have. We discussed student debt. We’ve talked about Continuing Legal Education (CLE), managing client expectations, ethical dilemmas, and much, much, more. In short, I’ve really appreciated the practical nature of this class. I understand the material is geared toward those of us who might want to start our own practices, but I think most of the information would be helpful for any lawyer whether they have their own firm or not. Additionally, as someone who isn’t sure what kind of law he wants to practice, it’s beneficial for me to hear from an appellate practitioner. Admittedly, I dismissed family law pretty early on, but hearing from Professor Bassett has made me reconsider. I don’t want to seem presumptuous like, “I can practice whatever I want, I just need to choose.” Naturally, I have to examine my proficiencies and weaknesses and take that examination into account. I realize now that I’ve rambled quite a bit and if you’ve made it this far, I wanted to pose a question about student debt. Have any of you investigated tuition reimbursement? I’m just curious if it’s actually a thing. I hear stories of people working for a firm either during school or after and the firm contributes to tuition or pays off a portion of school debt. I looked into government or nonprofit options but it seemed like the low pay may not be worth the 10-year? requirement in order to repay loans. Anyway, I look forward to reading your posts, have a great week!
It's so true that law school often focuses heavily on legal theory while neglecting the practical challenges of being a lawyer. I love how this class seems to bridge that gap, covering everything from time management to emotional well-being.
ReplyDeleteHearing from practicing attorneys in different fields is invaluable, especially when you're still figuring out your path.
The question about tuition reimbursement is intriguing. I've heard similar stories but haven't looked into it deeply. It would be interesting to hear if anyone has first-hand experience with this.
Everything on the list generated by ChatGPT has been around for decades, except the student debt concern. Student debt is substantially higher today than it was for previous generations of lawyers. I graduated from law school in 1981. I had no undergrad debt and just $10,000 of law school debt.
ReplyDeleteThe law school debt seemed like a lot to me at the time. It was the equivalent of a car payment of that era. Today's debt payments are more equivalent to a large mortgage payment.
My concern is that we are dumping not only the traditional stressors on new lawyers, but also adding a nearly insurmountable debt burden. That additional burden may prevent lawyers from being full participants in our economy. Will new lawyers be able to buy houses, new cars, and all the other things that keep our consumer-driven economy growing. With all that going against them, where will new lawyers come from? How will we meet the growing needs of the general public for legal services?
I don't understand the opposition of some older lawyers to student debt forgiveness. They have the attitude that if they were able to pay their loans while starting a practice, buying a home, car, etc., then current graduates should have to do the same. But today is different. The economy is different and the loan amounts are different, even adjusting for inflation. I calculated that tuition at my law school (Michigan) increased at more than ten times the rate of inflation since I started law school in 1978. Higher tuition means more student loan debt.
How can that be justified? What can we do about it retroactively other than explore student loan debt relief? Going forward, finding a way to control costs and keep tuition down is essential. Maybe the ABA needs to rethink its accreditation system and add an affordability factor? No school with net (after scholarship) tuition above a certain amount can be accredited.
I agree that law school classes do not focus on the practical issues that lawyers face. This class has been a favorite of mine because Professor Bassett gives us advice and knowledge that we can implement to attempt to resolve those issues. The books that we have been reading for this class have also been very intriguing to me. I love that Tannebaum is very confrontational and not afraid to anger people. It is very refreshing that he calls people idiots when most people would not even say that, let alone put it in writing. I had not heard of firms contributing to tuition or paying off a portion of your law school debt. That is something that I will definitely start looking into.
ReplyDeleteYour reflections on the challenges of being a lawyer and the practical insights gained from this class are spot on. Law school does indeed focus heavily on the academic side of the profession, often leaving graduates unprepared for the practical and emotional demands of legal practice. This class has been invaluable in bridging that gap, offering practical advice on time management, emotional resilience, client expectations, and ethical dilemmas. As for your question about tuition reimbursement, I have explored this a bit. Some firms do offer tuition reimbursement or loan repayment assistance as part of their employment package, particularly for those who worked for them as interns or during school. However, these opportunities can vary widely between firms and are often more common in larger or more financially stable firms. Government and nonprofit options do exist, but as you mentioned, they typically come with lower salaries and long-term commitments. It's definitely worth researching and discussing with potential employers during job interviews.
ReplyDeleteBrice,
ReplyDeleteYour point about law school focusing heavily on legal knowledge while often overlooking practical skills is spot on. Agree that this class has been a breath of fresh air with a focus on practical things like time management and managing client expectations. I tend to think that hearing from currently practicing attorneys, like Professor Bassett, provides a much-needed perspective on different areas of law, which is particularly helpful when you're still figuring out your path. I’m all for more down-to-earth practical courses in the curriculum to really prepare students not just to think like a lawyer, but to be able to act like a functional lawyer on day on. Appreciate the post.