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Thinking of going to law school? Think carefully. A recent Wall Street Journal article reports that only the top graduates of top schools are making the kind of money that justifies the $100,000 debt law students often incur. That may be one reason law school applications have been declining in recent years, according to experts. And according to this article, women are abandoning legal careers at even higher rates than men.
But women with a passion for lawyering can still find advice and encouragement among blogging women law professionals.
For example, Christine Hurt at Conglomerate opines that the drop in aspiring female law students may be the combined result of a desire for family-friendly work hours and the lure of higher salaries elsewhere:
"Say a savvy female college graduate were weighing the decision to go into law or finance. The graduate has read all the media reports that few women make partner at law firms and also rise to the top ranks of investment banking, particularly women that have children. The graduate contemplates having a child sometime in her 30s (10 to 15 years down the road) and wants to maximize her earning potential during that 10-15 year span in the event that she exits the workforce at that time. Going into finance, where she will start collecting a salary immediately and be eligible for bonuses, etc. without incurring any more educational expenses/debt, may be the wise choice."
Anastasia at Lawsagna finds that achieving work-life balance requires a flexible mindset:
"I can’t easily separate my work life from my personal life, and I like them blended, at least for now. My office is in my home, and my toddler’s playground is in my office. I find “Happy Baby Colors” next to Bryan Garner’s “The Elements of Legal Style.” Yesterday, I couldn’t figure out why nothing happened when I typed only to discover that my keyboard was disconnected. And then there is that very tempting button on my modem, which is my gateway to the internet and phone, the lights change if you push it…it’s pretty cool, I understand...."
Elizabeth at Ms. J.D. says that the most creative flextime schemes won't change the fact that the law can be a hard taskmaster:
"What can law do to attract more women? The flexibility that many women (and men for that matter) desire to simultaneously raise children and maintain a fulfilling career is often impracticable in a profession based on availability. As lawyers, the product we sell is our time. The client needs her lawyer when she needs her. Period...."
Despite the challenge, there are some good sources of advice for women looking to start their legal careers:
- A Day in the Life has started a series on applying to law school. The installment has good advice on writing personal statements.
- Many women bloggers offer a glimpse of a variety of fascinating specialties that might make an aspiring attorney more competitive on the job market. For example, Stephanie West Allen is a negotiation specialist whose blog, shares insights on the impact of neuropsychology on the law. Nicole Ozer's Bytes and Pieces tracks efforts to keep the use of surveillance technologies from improperly curbing our civil liberties.
- Aspiring law professors can Ask Mom at Blackprof.com to explain the unwritten rules of the legal academy, particularly as they pertain to people of color.
- Then again, if working as an assistant in a law firm is more your speed, Lawyer's Right Hand can school you on everything from intricacies of Adobe Acrobat to the problems with the way legal secretaries are paid.
Have you found any blogs that are particularly good for getting advice or insights into legal careers?
