It doesn’t take mastery of Aristotelian logic to be an excellent lawyer. If you don’t get an A on your Philosophy course in college, don’t despair. You can still be an excellent lawyer. You don’t have to be a philosophical genius to excel in law school. Read on for more information.
Philosophical reasoning vs. legal reasoning
You have to keep in mind that reasoning in your Philosophy course is different from the reasoning you will do in law school. Of course, both require thorough analysis. But legal reasoning or argument use the law instead of morality as the basis for the logic. This is why if you are going to attend law school, you have to read and engrave on your mind the provisions of the constitution. Even if you are genius at reasoning, if you don’t know anything about the constitution or what you know isn’t enough, you can’t be a good law student or excellent lawyer in the future.
What you need to be a good lawyer
As mentioned earlier, you have to be knowledgeable about the law before you can be an excellent lawyer. Aside from this, you need to have an analytical and sharp mind. You also have to be disciplined and hard-working because law school involves a lot of reading and case studies. Passion for learning the ins and outs of law is a foremost requirement. Obtaining a degree in law is not easy. It requires passion to keep you going when the road gets tough.
So if you want to be a lawyer, you really need to be well-versed about law. Pure logic can’t make you a good legal professional. Being an excellent law student or lawyer does not just takes superb logical reasoning, it takes hard work and discipline as well.
If you are considering to enter law school, you should know that a legal career has extreme ups and downs. The ups include enjoying a lot of money, working in sleek offices and wearing designer suits. The downs, on the other hand, include working until the morning to prepare for a case and getting sued, at times, for malpractice. Considering the downside in a legal career, a lawyer deserves the amount he or she gets in his or her paycheck. Below are what you must expect in terms of salary and job in a legal career.
What is the salary of a lawyer?
There are different ways to look at the salaries of lawyers. One is by the years of their experience in the legal profession. According to a September 2008 PayScale report, a fresh law school graduate just starting his or her career can earn about $50,000 per year. A graduate’s salary increases $30,000 more after 10 years, and then, doubles to about $100,000 20 years after he or she leaves law school.
In terms of a lawyer’s area of specialization, however, figures vary. A lawyer earns most (about $85,000) if he or she specializes in corporate affairs. Litigation and appeals is the next highest-paying specialization offering a little above $75,000. The third most lucrative practice area for a lawyer is real estate where he or she can earn about $74,000 annually.
Salaries of lawyers are also different if you consider which entity they work for. Lawyers working for the government can earn more or less $91,000 while those handling hospital legal concerns earn about $83,000. And if they work for non-government organizations, lawyers earn least with a yearly median salary of $54,000.
What are jobs for law school graduates?
Other than having their own practices, law school graduates can also apply for jobs in various industries. Some industries law graduates can enter are litigation, insurance defense, and education. Graduates can also apply for jobs in finance or media industries. And depending on factors like pre-law school job experience, legal specialization, and years of experience as a lawyer, graduates can have top-level or mid-level job positions.
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A kick-ass personal statement may get you a slot in the law schools of your choice no matter what your grades are. But for your personal statement to be effective, you may need to read some sample law school personal statements and use them as guides. You must also cite a few realistic, genuine and agreeable reasons for wanting to enter law school. For your reference, below are the top five acceptable reasons for deciding to study law:
1. “I loved the type of work I had to do when I worked as an intern at a legal organization.”
This first reason is, perhaps, one of the most effective and acceptable reasons an applicant may cite in his or her personal statement. The admissions committee looks favorably upon applicants who, out of their interest in the field, worked to get some experience in a legal organization. Getting an early work experience and observing lawyers do their jobs help prepare a person for law school and the career itself.
2. “Researching about careers both legal and non-legal made me realize that a legal career is ideal
for me.”
Researching about different careers and the one you prefer most shows the admissions committee
that you’ve done your homework. By researching, you become knowledgeable about the hard work
the careers entail and the benefits you will enjoy. You will also show the admissions committee that
you are like a lawyer–that is, someone who makes logical conclusions based on valid reasons and evidences.
3. “I read many materials about law and have a desire to help solve people’s legal problems.”
This reason shows that you are very interested in the field to the point that you often read what you can about law. But more than your interest in the field, the reason shows that your are focused on implementing solutions and putting what you have learned into action.
4. “I learned about the legal career by interviewing lawyers and I want to do what they do.”
By interviewing real lawyers, you get three benefits. One is that you get your information about the legal career from a credible source. Another is that you get as much answers as the questions you ask. You get to know the ins and outs in the field and the good and bad experiences of a lawyer. Finally, by interviewing lawyers, you get to show the admissions committee that your research skills are adequate.
5. “The law school classes I have attended made me more inclined to have a legal career.”
Law school classes are, in fact, one of the avenues for you to see if a legal career is right for you. Experience in law classes allows you to directly see how well you perform and how the subject becomes fulfilling to you.
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