Comments on: on careers http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/ Ramblings on law school in New York, free software, and the spaces in between. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:25:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Luis http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2446 Luis Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:46:14 +0000 http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2446 Oh, many (most?) here talk about social activism, human rights, etc.- the Public Interest Law and Human Rights Law groups are amongst the biggest on campus. I've actually been pleasantly surprised at what percentage seem to honestly be interested in those issues, and not in making the big bucks. But it is the most expensive law school in the country (not by much, but still) and while housing is subsidized, it is still NYC. So if you want to stay in Manhattan after graduation and pay your bills, it is practically impossible to do unless you go corporate in a Very Big Way. Not sure how this plays nationally, though I believe the debt problem (and associated impact on job choice) is national- see the last section of the '$100K in debt' article. Oh, many (most?) here talk about social activism, human rights, etc.- the Public Interest Law and Human Rights Law groups are amongst the biggest on campus. I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised at what percentage seem to honestly be interested in those issues, and not in making the big bucks. But it is the most expensive law school in the country (not by much, but still) and while housing is subsidized, it is still NYC. So if you want to stay in Manhattan after graduation and pay your bills, it is practically impossible to do unless you go corporate in a Very Big Way.

Not sure how this plays nationally, though I believe the debt problem (and associated impact on job choice) is national- see the last section of the ‘$100K in debt’ article.

]]> By: John Fleck http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2445 John Fleck Mon, 11 Sep 2006 17:21:34 +0000 http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2445 Thanks. Any sense of how representative your particular institution is relative to law schools as a whole? It seems as though all the University of New Mexico law students I meet have some underlying social activism coloring their approach to their legal education (water law, Indian law, poverty law). Often they've had time off doing something else that contributes to that social activistm. But that's almost certainly a biased sample, because I meet them as a result of their activism. Thanks. Any sense of how representative your particular institution is relative to law schools as a whole? It seems as though all the University of New Mexico law students I meet have some underlying social activism coloring their approach to their legal education (water law, Indian law, poverty law). Often they’ve had time off doing something else that contributes to that social activistm. But that’s almost certainly a biased sample, because I meet them as a result of their activism.

]]> By: Luis http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2430 Luis Sun, 10 Sep 2006 18:51:36 +0000 http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2430 I think the average time out is a little under 2 years, with something like 1/3rd-1/2 having come straight out of school. (The dean who I spoke with mentioned the exact fraction, but I don't recall what it was.) I believe this is fairly typical of law schools. Most MBA students, by contrast, average about five years out of school. Worth noting that many of the ones who didn't come straight out took a year off- but that year was not 'serious'- they taught LSAT, traveled, or did other similar things. Also worth noting that my personal impressions are probably skewed, because the people I've actually socialized with are mostly from facebook- which presumably is younger and perhaps less serious than the student body as a whole. I think the average time out is a little under 2 years, with something like 1/3rd-1/2 having come straight out of school. (The dean who I spoke with mentioned the exact fraction, but I don’t recall what it was.) I believe this is fairly typical of law schools. Most MBA students, by contrast, average about five years out of school.

Worth noting that many of the ones who didn’t come straight out took a year off- but that year was not ’serious’- they taught LSAT, traveled, or did other similar things.

Also worth noting that my personal impressions are probably skewed, because the people I’ve actually socialized with are mostly from facebook- which presumably is younger and perhaps less serious than the student body as a whole.

]]> By: John Fleck http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2429 John Fleck Sun, 10 Sep 2006 18:35:01 +0000 http://tieguy.org/blog/2006/09/09/on-careers/#comment-2429 What is the age distribution of your law school class? What proportion have followed paths like yours - doing something else for a while before starting law school? What is the age distribution of your law school class? What proportion have followed paths like yours - doing something else for a while before starting law school?

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