What are your career goals?

nye8870

@nicole.hopkins ha "Loan forgiveness"...it makes it sound like we did something wrong but in ten years we'll be forgiven for it. Do we live in a guilt trip society or what?

mepujals

This thread is super interesting and I wanted to see if any of you had any thoughts on this: a few months ago, as I was wandering the halls of one of my dream law schools (not creepily AT ALL lol), I came upon a plaque of one of their alumni who had created/landed a position in Big Law that was dedicated to pro bono cases ONLY-- for example, working for a big law firm but being tasked exclusively with handling/choosing the firm's pro bono cases. Does this type of position seem like a unicorn job or is it a realistic career goal to get this sweet deal? I would love to have the job security/$$ of working in big law but would like to work on cases that tug on my heartstrings for people who can't afford it. realistic or nah?

s_tengler

I will be focused on criminal law, appellate law, and juvenile justice. My fiancé is serving a 56-years-to-life sentence since the age of 16. I won't stop until he's home.

Pacifico

@pujals that job sounds a little unicorny to me. However you are in luck because many big law outfits either mandate a given amount of pro bono work or they count pro bono hours as billable hours. The firms in the latter category exist on a spectrum from just paying lip service to pro bono and you will never do any, all the way to firms that place no limit on the number of pro bono hours you can write off as billable hours. Definitely checkout firm profiles and do some research on TLS/ATL to find out who is really all about pro bono and who is bullshitting.

mepujals

@Pacifico Hey, that could be a good compromise for me- as long as I could do some pro bono/PI/social justice-type work I feel I'd be happy at a Big Law firm. I will check that out, thanks!

KimberlyK

@nicole.hopkins said:

Do you plan on getting a full scholarship with COL covered somewhere or working for Legal Aid etc. to get loan forgiveness after 10 years? Just curious about the economics of your plan; such things are possible but require strategy and sacrifice.


I am disabled, so lone forgiveness is highly likely. I do not plan on getting private loans for law school. My law school journey will be paid out of pocket (other than scholarships, of course). I plan on opening my own practice that does criminal defense, private investigation, and mediation (I am already a PI and a General Mediator). Galveston County does not even have a public defender office and I personally know someone who had a private attorney appointed in Harris county (they now have a fledgling PD office) and received NO representation because the private attorney asked for money the person did not have...It was disgusting.

I was kinda joking about the wills and probate, but honestly of all the attorneys I know, the best paid of them all does estate law. I am at a bit of advantage because I will be able to handle (with a staff of course) all of my own investigations as well as facilitate court ordered mediation session. I hope that answers your question:)

lpadr009

i want to focus on family law

nicole.hopkins

@pujals said:
Does this type of position seem like a unicorn job or is it a realistic career goal to get this sweet deal? I would love to have the job security/$$ of working in big law but would like to work on cases that tug on my heartstrings for people who can't afford it.

Unicorn. Why would a biglaw firm pay you a biglaw salary if your entire book of business brings literally zero money to the firm? Unless, of course, you brought something else in prestige. And that takes many years and many successes to cultivate.

I know these positions exist but I would look up that particular individual and see how many years into their career they were when they got that job. My guess is that they were on the grind for many big-billing moons before they got into that role.

lsatings

@mackenzie_fitzgerald you should look into the group 'Advocating opportunity' (http://advocatingopportunity.com) in Toledo, Ohio.

Here is the description:
"Advocating Opportunity (AO) provides legal services and whole person advocacy for trafficked and exploited persons. Providing access to legal advocates gives trafficked and exploited persons a voice in the judicial system, and in their community, by leveling the playing field and creating an opportunity to choose their life’s course. AO strives to end human trafficking through outreach, education, legal services, and whole person advocacy on behalf of trafficked and exploited persons."

lsatings

@mepujals no unicorns here! at one of the firms I worked at (largest corporate immigration firm in the world) the attorney I worked under was responsible for the firm's pro-bono practice and she was often able to fly out to different countries and work in courts and represent clients etc. It was phenomenal work she did, and people often wrote about her in magazines. She still got paid a six figure salary and didnt go to a particularly highly ranked law school.

However, to get into positions like those requires years of experience -- which she had.