Are you getting any response from potential employers?

I've actually noticed an upsurge in actvitity these past two weeks. So I'll be sure to keep everyone posted.

Delusional optimism is a mental disease. What we need is a bigger dose of reality. Law is a dying “profession,” if it is not already in its death throes. You see Craig's List ads wanting lawyers to work for peanuts. Thousands of lawyers are willing to WORK FOR FREE.

American law schools produce about 45K new JDs every year. Are there ANYWHERE near this many available attorney (or law-related) jobs out there? Of course not! So what we produce are legions of unemployed attorneys strapped with six-figure student loan debts and no job prospects. Furthermore, a law degree DOES NOT make you marketable to non-law industries. You will be seen as a failure or a fool for passing up a chance “to make the big bucks.”

I simply cannot see how you can maintain any semblance of optimism in the face of all these things.

http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com

NandoTTT,

I think it is clear from my post that I am the first to concede there are problems facing the legal profession (see paragraph 5 of this post). I think if you look at my humor prints you would see that clearly as well.

I am not chipper and rosey that I am out of a job. But I still believe I learned valuable skills in law school and that there will always be a need for quality lawyers (those that have a true passion for the practice of law). No doubt it's rough out there, I would know, I've been in the job search trenches for 8 months. But if I had to do it all over again I would still go to law school. You can spew whatever discouragement and negativity you like but that's my bottom line.

Jobless, I think there's a need to parse some of your words. While I agree that there is always room for great lawyers, there is essentially no room for above-average, even good lawyers. The truth is that you will land up on your feet, have a decent chance at returning to Biglaw, and will have a fulfilling career as an attorney or non-attorney. Of course, that's to be expected: you're a member of the power elite, the connected, etc.

But there are legions of graduates and law students who will never get those chances. Heck, half of those who graduate law school each year never practice, and you can believe a majority of that isn't by choice. That's not meant to rain on your parade, but hopefully it gives you a better sense of how bad things are, and have always been, for many lawyers (or tragically, wannabe lawyers) in this country.

Once again, we're always happy to hear that someone succeeds, but we always keep in mind that behind that shining example are legions of people with drastically diminished opportunities, and in some extreme cases, ruined lives. Law school is great for some (I think it was great for me), but certainly not for the majority.

Also, Katie Holmes? Really?

ELES,

hey, I was trying to bring some leivity to the talk, and the movie had just come out, so I was incorporating “pop culture.” Don't hate on Katie Holmes.

Your point is well taken, going to law school is a personal choice and not the right move for many who are enticed with inflated prospsects that are likely to not be looming upon graduation. Unfortunately, the lower ranked the law school is the more difficult time graduates are going to have in the job market. Especially, if they are at the middle or bottom of their class. Law at certain levels, is a very shallow profession in that pedigree and grades matter more than probably any other field. I mean other than law firm's what organizations can you search its members by where they recieved their degree? Not many.

Agreed. Either way, keep up the good fight, and if you happen to land back in the vicinity of the V100, or ever become in a position to hire others, you'll keep in mind what you've learned from your time on the bottom.

FWIW, I would have used the Alfred-Bruce Wayne quote instead:

Alfred: “Master Bruce, why do we fall down?”
BW: “To pick ourselves back up again.”

best quote in the movie IMO

Hey JoblessLawyer,

Have you thought or considered starting your own firm, either as a sole practitioner or with a small number of other young attorneys? From your website, it doesn't seem like you thought this was a possibility. I'm curious what your thoughts are about it- is it not a good idea, and why not?

I'm a 3L who's half-considering doing this, so I'm curious to hear others' thoughts about why this is totally crazy, or not.

Thanks.

[...] Staying Postive- How To Think Like a Lawyer (even during a recession). [...]

Hello JoblessLawyer,
Lawyering is a very, very demanding work and being jobless for a while will never be the biggest hurdle in your lifelong career of legal profession. Keep up the positive attitude.
Best Wishes,
Sixth year Middlelaw Associate