Don't Think Like a Lawyer

There is an adage that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. For both law school apologists and law school graduates, it is not patriotism but the excuse “law school teaches you to think like a lawyer” that serves as their last line of defense. The law schools insist that even if you don’t practice law, the degree is inherently useful because it enhances one’s analytical skills. For the bulk of law school graduates, it’s a line they can fall back on when they’re chasing ambulances, working non legal jobs, or in charge of the Doritos display at the local 7-11.

The myth that a law degree confers some mystical analytical skills upon the recipient IS a powerful tool that can be used in a non-legal job search campaign, but to say that lawyers are any more analytical than other professionals – particularly those with technical backgrounds is a dubious statement at best.

I address this concept, however, because it’s related to a flaw many transitioning lawyers/law grads possess when looking for a non legal job: They think – or at least act – like lawyers.

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"You Can Do Anything With a Law Degree"

Don’t want to be a lawyer? Don’t go to law school. It’s pretty much that simple. Well, maybe it’s a little more complex. Even if you do – or think you do – want to be a lawyer, you still should be pretty circumspect about the decision to enroll in law school.

Nevertheless, with the exception of being able to apprentice in a few states, you can’t practice law if you don’t have a law degree. If it weren’t for this barrier to entry, there would be absolutely zero reason to ever sign a prommisory note compelling you to spend a lifetime in the red for an otherwise unnecessary credential.

Every year, however, prospective students mortgage their futures thanks to a pernicious myth floating around the professional world: A law degree is always something that’s good to have even if you don’t practice law. Law school apologists stand by this fable. The masses accept it. Hiring managers disagree.

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Esq. Never Has a New Blog

Have you been dying for new, regular posts by Esq. Never? No? Well, you're getting them anyway. That is if you make your way over to my new blog - Esq. Never Presents: Finding a Non Legal Job

This blog will be more focused on career advice and my experiences searching for (and finding) employment in the non legal sphere. Don't worry, my law school loathing compatriots, there's sure to also be some anti-scam content.

So, please update your bookmarks and follow me to my new home on the web.

Esq. Never