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Pros and Cons of being a Lawyer + School ?

What are the pros and cons of being a lawyer? Also, how long do you have to be in school to become a lawyer?

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SoRelle’s Answer

A law degree (JD) is earned in the US after a 4-year college degree (bachelor's). Law school is typically a 3-year program. You may be able to complete a JD a little faster in some programs or to stretch it out in part-time programs. And some people who are interested in business earn a JD + MBA (business) in 4 years, rather than the 3 years for law and 2 years for an MBA. So you can go at your own pace to some extent, but most law students choose to attend full-time in a 3-year program.

There are a lot of different ways to be a lawyer (if you click on my answers, I answered more about this in a question about motivation to go to law school). Someone who is going to find law school a good fit academically will be: (1) a good reader of complicated text; (2) able to write in an organized way (or learn to - but there's a lot of writing as a lawyer); and (3) like to figure out and solve complex problems. So pros would be that you get to use a lot of those skills, meet people who are similarly motivated, and focus on learning together. Cons are usually the cost and time investment in going to law school.

Once you earn the JD and pass the bar exam to be admitted to practice law, you will want to be in an area of law that interests you and uses more specific skills and interests you have. But similar to law school, you will in any area of law being doing a lot of reading, writing, and analyzing problems to solve them for others.
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Madeline’s Answer

Pros: Depending on your field and your firm, it is a job that can pay very well. You can also make a positive difference in people's lives (although, again, this will depend somewhat on your field). Some people love the contentious and competitive nature of the job.

Cons: While it all varies depending on your field and place of work, being a lawyer often involves working very long hours. You might also incur a lot of debt. If you work at a big firm, it may take you a while to get substantive experience, which could make the job more fulfilling.
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Kieran’s Answer

Choosing a career path as a lawyer is rewarding, and has its challenges like any career. The pros/cons may vary depending on the area of law you will practice, but some that I think can apply across the board are as follows - Pros: helping people during an often difficult time; constantly learning/new experiences and questions to answer; different work opportunities...Cons: can be stressful; rigorous process to become a lawyer (law school; bar exam); expensive tuition for law school if you don't have a scholarship. Talk to others in this field to hear about their personal experiences (don't base your opinion on what you see/hear in TV/movies!) I personally practice family law - it is often stressful/emotional, but rewarding. As for how long you have to be in school - you should check with your state's requirements to be a lawyer. Usually, you need an undergraduate degree (4 year college) plus law school (3 years) and then pass a bar exam. The length may also vary depending on whether you are a part time vs full time student.
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