Security v. Acclaim
By Derek Haskew

In my last column, I suggested two questions to ask before committing to law school (to read the first part of this essay, click here) -- who are you, and what do you want. Let's take up the latter question, and oversimplify somewhat to get the discussion started.

You want a law career because it can offer either (a) security, or (b) acclaim or a little of both. Security includes your desire for a regular paycheck, a robust paycheck, a big house in the country, two boats and a private jet . . . or just a calm assurance that you will, without question, be able to pay the rent.

Hotels Royal RiminiBy contrast, acclaim includes any achievement that can be measured by anyone who is not your banker. This includes the desire to write Great Society legislation, to round-up criminals and send them to the pokey, to hear them play "Hail to the Chief" as you step out of the Marine helicopter . . . or to simply know that you are doing your part in making a difference.

The road to acclaim may require foregoing security benefits (you will never get rich at a legal services office), while the road to security may include jobs that entail faint praise (few would warm to the rsum entry "Exxon Valdez defense team"). And the choice is not always black and white. My partner and I have very pragmatic arguments about the possibility of reconciling the two.

What is important is that you think clearly about which motivation is driving you, and consequently, whether you need a law degree to achieve your goal. If your goal is the bench, law school is your path. If your goal is the bucks, you may still be on the right path. But you may be better served by seeking an MBA, or by foregoing an advanced degree in favor of practical experience. You owe it to yourself to carefully research the differences.

The recent surge in law school applicants may reflect uncertain times in the business community of late, but be careful where you seek your security: the legal profession in America faces uncertain times of its own. As of late summer, 2001, a legal career counselor at a Boston law school has noted a drop in the number of corporate transactional law jobs available, with entry level jobs in that area dwindling to virtually none. Will there be a corresponding increase in bankruptcy law positions? Maybe, but the legal community may face even more profound shifts. (Also, don't forget to ask yourself: do I want to practice bankruptcy law?).

To date, lawyers have successfully argued that their services are invaluable, and that they won't soon or ever be replaced with computing power, or left behind by a globalized market. Those assertions may prove to be true, but it may also be true that lawyers survive as much or more because of their adaptability, as their indispensability. If so, adaptation may mark the successful lawyers from the unemployed, and young lawyers fresh out of school prove to be the most adaptable.

However, those same pressures may also shrink the overall demand for lawyers, increasing the stakes for students who are investing in law school, and stacking the odds in favor of established players. The law will undoubtedly continue to provide financial security for many, but choosing to invest in a law career entails as much a business risk as any other career decision, and it should not be mistaken for a sure road to riches. In sum, past performance is no guarantee of future results.

That still leaves acclaim as a good reason to choose a law career. Public sector and non-profit jobs often have a great deal of security, however modest, and potentially more acclaim to boot. But don't be fooled by all the high falutin' language of law school catalogues: the law is not the only career in which you can do well by doing good. Similarly, you should not expect that law school will launch your career as a hero of the common man. You must take that goal along with you, and if you do not have a fully formed notion of how a law degree will assist with that goal, work for a time in the community you would shape before you apply. Don't worry about missing your chance: law school will be there, just as soon as you know where you are going (and by then, you may have achieved your acclaim without the JD).

The challenge in choosing to start off in any career direction (however many times you may revisit that choice in a lifetime) remains the fact that its hard to see whether a career offers what you want. The challenge in choosing a profession like the law is compounded by the necessity of three expensive years of law school before you really get a taste of what that career choice entails.

Being swept-up in the excitement of applying to law school is easier than taking a cold, hard look at whether the law is right for you. You may feel that you are left wanting information that can only be had from experience. It is that much more important, then, to know yourself, know your motivations, and know all you can about the profession you would enter.

ABOUT DEREK HASKEW