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What do you want to be when you grow up?

kH573201kH573201 Alum Member
in General 115 karma

Hey guys!
So I'm taking the test next Saturday and as it gets closer, I've had to continually remind myself of WHY I want to go. What's my drive for putting myself through this? I think we get so caught up in taking the test, we forget what the end result is - to go to law school and become a lawyer. So, I'm curious and figured I'd ask: what schools are people hoping to go to and why? Basically, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Comments

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    UVA and international law. I love international commerce, humanitarian law and the like. I’d LOVE to work for the UN or another international body like that.

    I also really prefer the academic side to law. I’d love to teach in some capacity.

    And then for domestic law I like business and contracts. This is last resort!

  • sakox010sakox010 Member
    edited November 2017 333 karma

    Haha, this question really cracks me up. My father used to work at a biglaw firm doing international commercial transactions. Back when I was around 5 years old, he brought me to the firm one time and one of the lawyers there asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I responded excitedly with, "I want to be (insert my first name)!". After finishing college it's funny that I've come full circle and at this point am interested in doing something similar to the lawyers at my dad's law firm.

  • kH573201kH573201 Alum Member
    115 karma

    @LSATcantwin said:
    UVA and international law. I love international commerce, humanitarian law and the like. I’d LOVE to work for the UN or another international body like that.

    I also really prefer the academic side to law. I’d love to teach in some capacity.

    And then for domestic law I like business and contracts. This is last resort!

    So awesome! I actually thought about international law and an NGO or something! Went out and purchased a book on the history of the UN and everything lol (impulse buy).

  • kH573201kH573201 Alum Member
    115 karma

    @sakox010 said:
    Haha, this question really cracks me up. My father used to work at a biglaw firm doing international commercial transactions. Back when I was around 5 years old, he brought me to the firm one time and one of the lawyers there asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I responded excitedly with, "I want to be (insert my first name)!". After finishing college it's funny that I've come full circle and at this point am interested in doing something similar to the lawyers at my dad's law firm.

    LOL you should go back to that firm and knock on that lawyers door. See if they remember you! Tell them you thought about it for a few years and changed your mind!

  • tringo335tringo335 Alum Member
    3679 karma

    Employment and Labor Law - Dream schools: Harvard, Chicago, Columbia, and NYU.

  • AlexAlex Alum Member
    23929 karma

    YHS would be my dreams. If not, any good school at a fair price. I'm pretty debt adverse and I think that (debt) will ultimately be the deciding factor.

    My plan is to go into law school with an open mind and see what interests me. I'm still relatively young and I want to explore different things and find an area of law that suits me best. Right now, I'd ideally like to do something that positively impacts and helps people. I can't really get more specific than that because my interests change so often, but that seems to be the one constant.

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    edited November 2017 4196 karma

    what do I want to be when I grow up?

    I want to be a drunk, and I figured a legal career would best help me reach my goal.

    jk.. lol. in all seriousness though, I'm pretty open about what to do in my legal career. I flip flop between many areas of the law, but I know I can explore them more in law school. I can see myself working with low-income individuals who need legal assistance though, but I can also see myself doing some completely unrelated to that.

    top choices: Michigan, Harvard, NYU. Preferably M or H due to my want to gtfo out of the city for a while

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    I'm definitely in the flip-flopper camp, environmental, contract, and IP all have caught my interest. Lately though, I've been thinking a lot about trying to do something in the public policy sphere. But what specifically would be hard to say. Probably the influence of watching too much "West Wing" lol

  • AlexAlex Alum Member
    23929 karma

    @TheMikey said:
    what do I want to be when I grow up?

    I want to be a drunk, and I figured a legal career would best help me reach my goal.

    jk.. lol. in all seriousness though, I'm pretty open about what to do in my legal career. I flip flop between many areas of the law, but I know I can explore them more in law school. I can see myself working with low-income individuals who need legal assistance though, but I can also see myself doing some completely unrelated to that.

    top choices: Michigan, Harvard, NYU. Preferably M or H due to my want to gtfo out of the city for a while

    Admit it! We're already drunks, lol ;)

  • Rigid DesignatorRigid Designator Alum Member
    1091 karma

    Rich

  • TheMikeyTheMikey Alum Member
    4196 karma

    @"Alex Divine" said:

    @TheMikey said:
    what do I want to be when I grow up?

    I want to be a drunk, and I figured a legal career would best help me reach my goal.

    jk.. lol. in all seriousness though, I'm pretty open about what to do in my legal career. I flip flop between many areas of the law, but I know I can explore them more in law school. I can see myself working with low-income individuals who need legal assistance though, but I can also see myself doing some completely unrelated to that.

    top choices: Michigan, Harvard, NYU. Preferably M or H due to my want to gtfo out of the city for a while

    Admit it! We're already drunks, lol ;)

    true

    but law school gives me a legit reason to be one! HERE'S TO OUR FUTURE!

  • batwomansavesbatwomansaves Alum Member
    52 karma

    Hey!
    I want to do public interest law. basically i want my legal education to help weak/needy ones. I am also interested in Family law, criminal law and International law.

    Being indian, working in middle east, i have seen alot which has convinced me to study for LSATs, I want my investment to help where its needed, not just a country or a sector.

  • StellaBlueStellaBlue Alum Member
    185 karma

    I work in real estate law right now, which isn't the #dream, but is pretty interesting nonetheless. If I stripped away all barriers/strands of self-doubt, I'd say my ultimate goal is to work in the Civil Rights Division of the Dept. of Justice. Or, ya know...the Supreme Court ;)

  • xtinextinextinextine Member
    861 karma

    I've had employment experience that has led me towards wanting to be a prosecutor with a focus on white collar crimes. But then again, I'm extremely open to perusing other avenues like immigration and IP. Or maybe I'll be in-house counsel at SpaceX. :star: Once they colonize Mars, they'll need some lawyers in space...right?

    I also would like to teach at some point. I had a couple undergrad profs who were lawyers. So I can see myself doing that, too!

    I don't have a set list yet, but I'm looking at T40 schools on the east coast. I want to work in/near DC or NYC, but I want to be able to return to my home-state down the line. Probably not good for Cali prospects like SpaceX, but maybe I can work in their DC office. :)

  • DatguyM15DatguyM15 Alum Member
    211 karma

    Civil litigation or any kind of litigation. I was an athlete growing up and I see this as a way to continue to compete and perform at a high level.

  • westcoastbestcoastwestcoastbestcoast Alum Member
    3788 karma

    Bitcoin lawyer, or the Dan Bilzerian of law. Jk haha

  • Heart Shaped BoxHeart Shaped Box Alum Member
    edited November 2017 2426 karma

    Before the age of 10, I had always "wanted" to become a scientist when I grow up to contribute to and "protect" my country (China at that time and how silly) Entering the age of rebellion (teenage years) I was one of those trouble kids who constantly argue/defend my ill behavior at school against the daily harsh words from my parents (hint, my dad lol) Bc he was super busy, we hardly see each other, so he'd leave me a "nasty" note on the dinner table in the morning, which would be filled with my rebuttal on the back when he sees it at night after he gets back from work, normally I was already in bed, and the cycle continues. We did that all through my mid/high school and he saved all those argument notes of mine as memories. So here's the idealized beginning of the journey from a not so innocent childhood lol

    Now I like the business side of the law and helpfully getting into corporate law. Things could certainly change once I'm exposed to different things in law school. But in all honesty, I'm not so sure if I'd even wanna be an attorney for too long, (5 - 10 yrs max) certainly not the rest of my life. I just like law, and I'm really interested in politics. I know I'm gonna get a graduate degree one way or another, so might as well get a J.D., even for the sake of pursuing a personal interest.

    Oh any school from T14 would do. I couldn't be more grateful for anything on that list really.

  • melissa091melissa091 Alum Member
    150 karma

    Rachel Zane or Meghan Markle. Both sound like a fairy tale :)!

  • kshutes13kshutes13 Member
    edited November 2017 634 karma

    Hopefully environmental law with a focus on environmental injustice in Indigenous communities and/or the global burdens of climate change on developing nations (to echo @"Alex Divine", the UN sounds pretty incredible for this field of humanitarian work). I don't necessarily see myself using a law degree to be a lawyer at a legal firm. I am really open to working in consulting/activism/policy work at a NPO or international entity. My dream is to be involved with Ecojustice (a environmental law NPO in Canada).

    It always helps to go back to your roots for some motivation.

    Top choice is Osgoode Law (York University in Toronto) as they have an Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic, and I really respect the environmental activists they have teaching there. I've applied for the dual JD/Masters in Environmental Studies there and that would be so incredible if I got in!!!

  • TabbyG123TabbyG123 Member
    711 karma

    Working in criminal justice reform or otherwise keeping people out of prison.
    Either through helping implement a restorative justice program, being a criminal defense lawyer for indigent clients, or working on policy. :)

    Thanks so much for this question! @kH573201 I think it's so nice to keep these things in mind here coming down to the wire. :D

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