Popular culture has made a career in law look easy and lucrative. But this is complete fiction. Lawyers who are practicing today bear little resemblance to characters we see each week on television or read about in novels.
Before you go any further, you need to make a realistic assessment by honestly answering three questions below. If you can’t give an honest answer then you really don’t need to continue on this page.
1. Why do you want to go to law school?
2. Can you afford law school?
3. Do you really want to be a lawyer?
We cannot stress enough that the answer to Q2 is critically important. Becoming a lawyer usually takes seven years of full-time study after high school—four years of undergraduate study in college, followed by three years of law school. Essentially, you will be losing at least three years of potential earnings while you are in law school and the debt you will incur is likely to exceed $100,000 according to some estimates.
There is an old adage about law school: “The first year they scare you to death. The second year they work you to death. The third year they bore you to death.”
Are you still interested in law as a career because the cold, hard reality is that not everyone is cut out to be a lawyer. And, there is no guarantee that you will find a job as a lawyer. The new reality is that there are fewer positions available for lawyers whether it be in a law firm or in a public service setting. In fact, most law school graduates wind up having to hang their own shingle in order to practice law.
Our best career advice to you is to carefully read the following information which appears in the publication produced by the Alabama State Bar, “Law as a Career: What You Should Know Before Applying to Law School.”Next, we suggest you read the summary report titled “Survey of New Admittees Regarding Law Student Debt and Post Law School Employment.” This will give you a dose of the reality that awaits your decision. Finally, you should peruse a copy of “Strategies for Success in Law School and Beyond.” This book was written by Alabama State Bar members W. Scott Simpson and Charles D. Cole.
Law as a Career: What You Should Know Before Applying to Law School
- The lawyer’s role
- What qualities are necessary to become a lawyer?
- What type of education is required?
- How do I choose a law school?
- How do I get into law school?
- What is law school like?
- What kind of debt will I have after law school?
- What should I consider when selecting a law school?
- Admission to the bar
- Ethical obligations of attorneys
- Opportunities for women and minorities
- What kind of careers are available?
- What are my chances of getting hired after graduation?
- Nonlawyer careers in the law
- Can I be involved in law-related work without a license to practice law?
- About the Alabama State Bar
- How can I learn more about the legal profession?
- Job options for lawyers and law school graduates
- Law-Related Positions
- Resources
The lawyer’s role
Today, more than ever before, the legal profession offers a unique opportunity for the dedicated individual to make a significant contribution to society. This brochure is intended to help you evaluate law as a career. It should give you a better idea of what to expect on an educational path to a law degree and the very significant financial costs associated with obtaining a law degree.
The lawyer in our society is both a professional and an officer of the court, charged with the responsibility of working within the framework of American law, which is based upon federal and state constitutions, written legislation and case decisions issued by the courts.
In the United States, a lawyer has a dual role as advocate and as advisor. As an advocate, a lawyer assists in the administration of justice. American courts operate under the adversary system in which parties to a disagreement in a civil matter, or the prosecution and defense in a criminal case, present their different points of view to an impartial judge and jury. Lawyers, who are licensed by the Alabama State Bar, are qualified to present other people’s cases through written and oral arguments and application of appropriate laws, procedures and rules of evidence.
As an advisor, the lawyer helps clients comply with the law by counseling them regarding the legal consequences of proposed actions, by drafting legal arrangements that comply with the law and by advising them concerning their rights and obligations in dealing with other people.
In addition to their normal professional duties, lawyers are expected to devote time to improvement of the profession and to public service activities such as providing free legal services to those who cannot afford to pay.
What qualities are necessary to become a lawyer?
Before choosing law as a career you must evaluate your abilities, work inclinations and personal goals. The qualities most desirable to be a good lawyer are dedication, motivation and the willingness to work long hours. Other important qualities center on self-discipline, the ability to communicate well, including a good and thorough knowledge of the English language and the ability to write clearly and concisely.
Temperament is also vital because often it is necessary to work under pressure of tight deadlines, to have the patience to spend numerous hours researching a single point of law and to carefully analyze facts and marshal them to create a persuasive argument. Patience and understanding in listening to adversaries as well as to clients and witnesses is equally important.
Not all lawyers spend time in a courtroom. Some lawyers write letters and memoranda; others research legal issues and draft contracts, deeds, wills, corporate bylaws and legislation; and others counsel, mediate, negotiate, etc. If you think you would be interested in a career as a trial lawyer, you will need the ability to think quickly on your feet, to speak extemporaneously and with authority in public, to be detail-oriented and to understand courtroom strategy.
A law career may provide an opportunity to earn substantial income and can lead to a position of influence and authority. Frequently, a lawyer’s greatest satisfaction comes through the genuine desire to help people in trouble by giving them the assurance that their legal rights will he protected.
What type of education is required?
In Alabama, access to practicing law begins with graduation from high school followed by receipt of a degree from a four-year college (although it is possible to be accepted to law school after only three years of college). This may be in the form of either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree. There is no required or suggested course of study for prelaw students.
Many law schools suggest that the broadest possible undergraduate education will be the most helpful. Courses which develop skills utilized in law school and legal work, such as an ability to think in an organized fashion, a command of the English language and the ability to work well with others, should be considered.
The PreLaw Handbook, published by the Law School Admission Council (see Resources), recommends rigorous courses that help develop critical thinking, as well as analytical, writing and verbal skills. Language is the tool of the lawyer whether it is oral argument, for example, in court or talking to clients, or, is in written form in letters, legal briefs or court pleadings. Therefore, any course that develops this skill is valuable.
A legal education is different enough from everything which precedes it in that no one course (such as business law) will prepare you for it; but any course (for example, philosophy and logic) which stimulates your thinking or gives you insights into some types of legal questions that lawyers face will surely be beneficial. The self-discipline and study habits required in law school should be developed in high school and carried through college.
Among the individual courses that can be considered are analytical writing, English language and literature, political science, government, economics, accounting, history, philosophy, logic, scientific method and public speaking.
In your final year of college you will be required to take a standardized test called the “Law School Admissions Test,” also referred to as the LSAT. This is a nationwide examination given several times annually that tests a student’s analytical skills in such areas as logic, reading comprehension, etc. By obtaining information on law school programs, entrance standards and costs well in advance of application deadlines, you will have time to review the curriculum and talk to lawyers in your community about those schools.
Realize that competition to enter law school is stringent. It may be wise to have more than one school in mind when you apply. There are five law schools in Alabama and three of them are accredited by the American Bar Association (refer to the last section of this brochure for the names and addresses of these schools).
Note: Applying to law school and taking the LSAT should be completed at least six months and up to one year, before enrollment. Registration information, materials and a full-length sample of the LSAT is available from Law School Admission Services, Box 2000, Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940. http://www.lsac.org.
How do I choose a law school?
You should base the selection on your individual needs. Location is a factor, especially if you prefer attending school in a city or state where you are interested in setting up your practice. Cost considerations will determine your choice of an out-of-state public school or a private school where tuition will be higher than in-state schools. If you are accepted by more than one school, consider the comparative public reputations of the schools, since reputation may affect demand for graduates with employers.
How do I get into law school?
Competition for law school admission is keen. Your grade point average in college and scores on the LSAT are the two major determining factors for admission to most law schools.
Many schools have other considerations that may include quality and relative rank in the graduating class of the particular college you attended; course of study and difficulty of curriculum followed; college activities; moral character; and motivation and personality of applicant, as revealed in a letter of application. The point is, law schools seek to have a diverse student body, well-qualified to stand the rigor of the study of law.
What is law school like?
The normal law school course of study is usually completed in three years (full-time) or four years (part-time). While the teaching approaches may differ among Alabama law schools, the first year of study generally is filled with required courses in such subject areas as contracts, constitutional law, torts, criminal law, legal writing, civil procedure, remedies and property.
Most law school classes use the case-method of teaching, which involves detailed examination of a number of related, sometimes contradictory judicial opinions and which relies heavily on student-faculty interchange.
The purpose of such regimentation is to familiarize the new law student with various aspects of legal theory and method. In the remaining two years, students may choose a particular area of interest. Options may include corporate law, labor law, bankruptcy law, family law, juvenile law, trusts and estates law, administrative law, environmental law, litigation technique, tax law and negotiation. Many law schools now have clinical programs which offer students direct experience in actual legal practice, sometimes appearing in court or before administrative agencies representing actual clients.
Participation in extracurricular activities can help a student prepare for a career in law. Moot court and trial/appellate advocacy competitions help sharpen writing and oral advocacy skills; client counseling competitions build problem-solving abilities; and a position on a law review publication can help a student develop analytical research and writing skills. Joining a special-interest club, such as an international law club, can bring the student into contact with current problems in the law and practitioners in the field.
What kind of debt will I have after law school?
The total cost of a JD degree can easily top $150,000 at the most expensive schools, once you factor in living expenses. (And that's not counting lost income, since you won't be working full-time while you're in school.)
Like other graduate-school education, the cost of a legal education is substantial. The amount varies from school to school and whether the law school is a public or private institution. Before embarking on a legal education, you should carefully plan how you will pay for it.
What should I consider when selecting a law school?
Two-thirds of law students have taken on "mortgage-sized educational debt burdens" that make public-interest or government careers cost-prohibitive, a recent survey finds. The study, by the National Association for Law Placement and groups promoting public service and public-interest law, finds that 94 percent of law graduates responding borrowed to pay for their legal education. The median debt was $84,400, excluding undergraduate loans and their average debt was even higher. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents owed at least $45,000, about half owed more than $75,000 and one-fifth topped $105,000.
NOTE: The above information was compiled by Mary P. Gallagher and listed on the Web site of hg.org legal directories.
In 2009, 60 percent of those persons taking the July bar exam in Alabama had outstanding loans that averaged $84,000. Many of those taking the bar exam had education loans in excess of $100,000.
Admission to the bar
After graduating from law school, you must gain admission to the Alabama State Bar in order to practice law. In addition to a law degree, applicants for admission are required to possess good moral character and fitness (i.e., law abiding, free from alcohol or drug dependency) and successfully complete a written examination. NOTE: Before taking the bar exam a Committee on Character and Fitness will review your application and determine whether or not you will need to be interviewed. Once your application has been approved, you will be allowed to take the bar examination.
The written exam is administered by the Board of Bar Examiners and is given twice each year in February and July. This exam is taken over a three-day period. The first day is a half day exam consisting of Alabama essay questions which require application of state law to a series of complex fact patterns. The second day consists of the Multistate Essays (MEE) and Multistate Practice Tests (MPT) and the third day is the Multistate Bar Examination which is a multiple-choice test that covers subjects applicable in all states. While it is not a part of the bar exam, you must take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) which deals with law ethics issues. The MPRE can be taken prior to or after graduation from law school.
Upon successful completion of the bar examination you will be admitted to the practice of law before the Alabama Bar.
Ethical obligations of attorneys
Lawyers are governed by codes of professional conduct. In Alabama, the Alabama Supreme Court has adopted the Rules of Professional Conduct as the minimum standard of conduct for lawyers. A violation of the disciplinary rules may result in a disciplinary proceeding against the lawyer, which could result in censure, suspension or disbarment.
Opportunities for women and minorities
The number of women and minority group members attending law school has grown in recent decades. According to a study conducted by the American Bar Association, in comparing enrollment for Fall 2007-2008, the number of women entering law school increased to 23,165, which represented 46 percent of total first year students. That same study found more than 30,598 JD enrollment for minority students. This constituted 21.6 percent of total minority JD student enrollment. The recent downturn in the economy means that opportunities for careers in law fell dramatically, as recruiters for government, law firms and corporations cut back.
The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) sponsors a program designed to increase the number of economically and educationally disadvantaged persons in law school. Financial aid for this program comes primarily from government sources. Further information can be obtained by writing CLEO at 1800 M Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036.
What kind of careers are available?
Private practice ranges from practicing law alone to associating with a firm with as many as 100 or more attorneys. The private practitioner may be a trial lawyer, or may be engaged in an office practice which might include the preparation of contracts, deeds, wills and other legal documents and preparing written opinions and advice for the client. An attorney in a small firm often must be a “jack-of-all-trades” in order to handle a variety of cases, attorneys in larger firms often concentrate in limited areas of practice such as tax law or trusts and estates.
Corporate staff law usually means employment in the legal department of a large business, performing legal work as varied as the activities of the company. If the house counsel staff is large and the activities of the enterprise diverse, the members of the staff may concentrate just as in a large law firm.
Many corporations, especially smaller ones, without a legal staff, rely on private practitioners to draft corporate documents and contracts, litigate for them and the like.
Government employment at the federal, state or local level involves such activities as appearing at hearings conducted by a regulatory agency, prosecuting criminal defendants, representing a government agency in court, drafting regulations or ordinances and evaluating and formulating the legal aspects of policy and other decisions made by a governing body or its chief administrator.
Public interest law is the name that has been given to efforts to provide representation to interests of people who historically have been unrepresented or underrepresented in the legal process. These include interests of the poor and disadvantaged who have lacked access to courts, administrative agencies and other forums in which basic policy decisions affecting them are made. Public interest lawyers try to provide systematic representation to these individuals and groups to assure that their positions are understood by decision-makers. The most frequently encountered “public interest” law office in Alabama is the local legal aid program. Many lawyers volunteer time without compensation for such activities, which is called “pro bono.”
Academic positions can include teaching in law schools and positions at universities and colleges offering law-related courses such as law enforcement, business law and real property law. Other academic positions include law librarians, editors and administrators.
Military service in the legal offices of the armed services may provide a wide variety of legal experiences and the chance to live in many places. Military legal offices may be small or large and may offer the opportunity to gain valuable experience in specialty areas.
Legal clinics have been established, either as individual operations or part of a national network. As a rule, clinics offer basic legal services to individuals for set fees.
Major urban areas offer a wide variety of jobs but competition is great. Suburban law practices have also grown rapidly. In addition, lawyers are often needed in rural communities. For information about rural practice, write the Rural Education Association, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523.
Other opportunities include use of a law degree in fields such as journalism, law enforcement, industry, advertising, banking, politics, public administration and accounting. Some graduates will choose to start out in one of these areas with a goal of eventually practicing law, while others will move into these areas after an initial period of law practice.
What are my chances of getting hired after graduation?
Job hunting is always competitive because approximately 800 new lawyers are licensed in Alabama each year. Opportunities vary from area to area, with the most attractive openings having many applicants. The
strongest competition for job openings is in large cities, while smaller towns tend to offer more opportunity. Graduates should consider a full range of employment options to be successful in their job search.
Nonlawyer careers in the law
Legal assistants, also known as paralegals, are assistants to lawyers. They interview clients, conduct legal research and draft legal documents under the supervision of lawyers. There are about 100,000 legal assistants in the U.S. Many colleges, as well as for-profit private schools, offer paralegal training. The Web site for the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistants has helpful information (http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals).
Mediators help people resolve disputes without going to court. They meet with the people involved, listen to the problem, discuss options and help the parties come to agreement. Mediation is a rapidly growing field. Mediators are often lawyers, social workers or mental health professionals who have participated in a mediation training program.
Court reporters are court workers who record everything said as part of the formal trial (There are nearly 50,000 court reporters in the U.S.). Court reporting is taught at about 250 colleges and private business schools. Training programs generally take two to four years, a high school diploma and strong English skills are a must. For a listing of schools approved by the National Court Reporters Association see their website http://www.ncraonline.org).
Law-related job areas that do not require a license include trust work at banks, public administration, law enforcement and criminal justice and judicial administration.
Can I be involved in law-related work without a license to practice law?
Without a license to practice law in Alabama, a person cannot give legal advice, represent persons in court, or handle many other legal matters.
About the Alabama State Bar
With more than 16,000 members, the Alabama State Bar is the official statewide organization of lawyers in Alabama. Since 1923, when the Alabama State Bar was created by an act of the legislature, ASB programs and activities have continuously served the public and improved the justice system for more than 80 years.
The Alabama State Bar is dedicated to promoting the professional responsibility and competence of its members, improving the administration of justice and increasing the public understanding of and respect for the law.
The values that guide the state bar are: trust, integrity and service. The ASB has long served a dual role as an advocate for the profession and for the public. Often it is difficult to separate these two responsibilities, but during the last few decades with the growing complexity of society and our legal system, the ASB's public role has gained both emphasis and breadth.
Since its creation as an integrated bar association, the ASB has initiated programs addressing a wide range of public concerns; from merit selection of judges to securing adequate funding for representing indigent defendants; from ensuring that non-lawyers sit on disciplinary panels to encouraging the use of mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution.
State Bar positions play an influential role in determining public and social policy in state and national forums. The Alabama State Bar is composed principally of practicing attorneys, judges, law teachers and non-practicing lawyers who are business executives, government officials, court administrators and so forth. It represents practitioners in specialized areas of law, as well as affiliated, law-related organizations and groups with special interests or needs. The state bar serves as the voice of the legal practitioner in Alabama. It proposes model rules of professional responsibility (which govern the daily business and ethical practice of lawyers) for adoption by the Alabama Supreme Court.
How can I learn more about the legal profession?
You can learn firsthand about a lawyer's duties by observing trials at your local courthouse or by discussing with a lawyer his or her daily activities. Your high school also may have law-related education courses or activities. Consider volunteer work involving counseling and assisting people to test your abilities to deal with other people's problems.
Job Options for Lawyers and Law School Graduates
Positions Practicing Law:
contract (temporary or freelance) lawyer
department manager
managing attorney
managing partner
non-equity partner
participating attorney
partner
partnership track associate
of counsel
public, pro bono or public service counsel
referral attorney
staff attorney
special counsel
Areas of Practice:
administrative
adoption
agricultural
alternative dispute resolution
antitrust
appellate
banking
bankruptcy
biomedical issues
bond
business organization
commercial finance
commercial litigation
commercial banking
communications
computer
constitutional
construction
copyright
corporate
corporate reorganization
disciplinary action by licensing boards
discrimination
domestic relations
elder
employee benefits
employment
employment relations
energy
entertainment
environmental
estate planning
family
franchising
general practice
governmental relations/lobbying
guardianship
health care
immigration
insurance
insurance defense
intellectual property
international finance
international labor
litigation
lobbying
matrimonial
mergers & acquisitions
natural resources
patent
pensions
probate
public contracts
public utility
real estate
Social Security
sports
taxation
trademark
transportation
trust
workers' compensation
Law-Related Positions:
client services manager
director of business development
director of client relations
director of management and legal information services
director of practice development
director of professional development
director of training (clerical/paralegal)
firm manager
in-house corporate communications
in-house editor
law firm administrator
law librarian
legal assistant manager
marketing manager
paralegal/legal assistant
personnel director
professional development training officer
public relations director
recruiting administrator director
strategic planner
Source: Deborah Arron, What Can You Do With A Law Degree? Page 342
Resources
Online services for those contemplating a law career include American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar and Law School Admissions Council.
Check your local library for these and other helpful books on the legal profession:
Arron, Deborah. What Can You Do With a Law Degree? A Lawyer's Guide to Career Alternatives Inside, Outside & Around the Law, Niche Press, 1999.
Hegland, Kenney F. Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell, West Publishing Co., 2000.
Cassidy, Carol-June and Goldfarb, Sally F. Inside the Law Schools: A Guide by Students, for Students, New York, Dutton, 1997.
The Lure of the Law: Why People Become Lawyers and What the Profession Does to Them. New York, Penguin USA, (paper): Reprint edition (August, 1991), Moll, Richard W.
Preparing for a Legal Career:
A Life in the Law. You can download a copy of this pamphlet - http://www.abanet.org/publiced/1999.pdf
You can find more about legal careers in this ABA booklet. To order, call 800-285-2221.
Becoming a Lawyer: A Humanistic Perspective on Legal Education and Professionalism. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1991. Dvorkin, Elizabeth.
Lawyers in the Making. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT., Greenwood Press Reprint, 2003. Warkov, Seymour.
Prelaw Handbook. Law School Admission Services, Box 2000, Newtown, PA,, 18940. Revised annually. A discussion of prelaw and law study. Also contains a list of law schools, giving a two-page summary of each.
The African American Pre-Law Advice Guide: Things You Really Need to Know Before Applying. Hope’s Promise Publishing (2002). Mitchell, Evangeline.
The Princeton Review’s Cracking The LSAT 2002 Edition, Barrons Educational Series (2002), Robinson, Adam and Tallia, Rob.
Thinking About Law School: A Minority Guide. Newtown, PA, Law School Admission Council. To order contact the Council at 215/968-1001.
Barron‘s Guide to Law Schools. (14th Edition), Woodbury, New York, Barron’s Educational Series.
Going to Law School? Everything You Need to Know to Choose & Pursue a Degree in Law. 09/97. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Castelman, Harry and Niewoehner, Christopher.
Inside the Law Schools. Cassidy and Goldfarb. 7th Edition.
One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School. 08/98. Turow, Scott.
Slaying the Law School Dragon: How to Survive - and Thrive - in First Year Law School, 2nd edition. New York, Dodd, Mead, 1991. Roth, George.
The Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, 2004 edition. American Bar Association and Law School Admission Council. Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. Online edition (http://officialguide.lsac.org).
Books About Lawyering:
A Civil Action. New York, Random House, 1996. A riveting true-life story of a nine-year-long liability lawsuit brought by eight Massachusetts families against two multibillion dollar corporations. Harr, Jonathan.
A Women’s Guide to Law School: Everything You Need to Know to Survive and Succeed in Law School. (1999). Hirshmann, Linda R.
Gideon’s Trumpet. New York: Vintage Books, 1964. The true story of how one man’s case changed the laws of the United States regarding the rights of the poor to be represented by an attorney. Lewis, Anthony.
In Search of Atticus Finch: Seville Publishing. (1996). Papantonio, Mike.
Law 101: Everything You Need to Know About the American Legal System. Oxford University Press
(2000). Feinman, Jay M.
Letters From Law School: The Life of a Second Year Law Student. Writers Club Press, Lincoln NE, 2000, 259 pages. Dieker, Lawrence Jr.
Take the Bar and Beat Me: An Irreverent Look at Law School and Career Choices for Pre-Laws, Law Students, Paralegals —And the People Who Once Loved Them. Hawthorne, NJ, Career Press, 1991. Woodcock, Raymond L.
The Courage of Their Convictions. New York, Free Press, 1990. An account of various Supreme Court cases regarding civil rights and liberties and their participants. Irons, Peter.
For specific information regarding those law schools in Alabama which you may be interested in attending, contact the Admissions Office at the address listed below:
University of Alabama School of Law
Law School Admissions Office
P.O. Box 870382
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0382
e-mail: admissions@law.ua.edu
Web: http://www.law.ua.edu
Birmingham School of Law
205 20th Street North
823 Frank Nelson Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
205-322-6122 (Phone)
205-322-2822 (Fax)
Web: http://www.bsol.com/ct.asp
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
205-726-2400
Web: http://cumberland.samford.edu
Miles Law School
P.O. Box 39150
Birmingham, AL 35208
205-923-7739
Web: http://www.mlaw.edu/prospective-students/apply-for-admission-to-miles-law-school
Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law
5345 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, AL 36109
334-272-5820
800-879-9816
Web: http://www.faulkner.edu/admissions/jonesLaw.asp
Information contained in this brochure was prepared by the ASB Department of Communications.
Some of the information and statistics contained in this booklet originally appeared in the Careers in the Law publication and has been reprinted with permission from the American Bar Association and the Division for Public Education (http://www.abanet.org/publiced), as well as the booklet Becoming a Lawyer, a publication of the State Bar of Texas.
Summary Report Survey of New Admittees Regarding Law Student Debt and Post Law School Employment
- Introduction
- Response by Law School
- Time to Legal Employment
- Early Hires – 0 to 3 Months
- Late Hires – Over 1 Year
- Comment Analysis
- Non-legal Occupations
- Suggestions for the State Bar
- Six to Nine Months to Employment
- Nine Months to One Year to Employment
- Conclusion
- Questionnaire
Every year, law students embark on a three-year course of study that will prepare them for a rewarding profession. Unfortunately, this course of study will also leave many of them with a considerable amount of student loan and other indebtedness at the end of their three-year education. It is increasingly common for law graduates to owe $100,000, $150,000 or more by the time they complete their education and prepare to face the last hurdle which separates them from a legal career – the bar exam.1
Despite these statistics, most law school students pursue this career path to fulfill their dream to practice law, to help the public and to make a difference in their communities.
Most law students apply for and are granted loans through federal lending programs. But, there is a limit to the amount of money a student can borrow under these programs, and many students turn to alternatives to bridge the gap, including private loans.
Some legal commentators have called law student debt “the silent killer” of dreams and aspirations. A report issued by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Standing Committee on Legal Education & Admission to the Bar states2:
The large amount of educational debt assumed by many law students has important effects on both the provision of public interest legal services and the quality of life of debt-burdened practicing attorneys. Some evidence indicates that rising law school debt may affect the ability of public interest and government legal service providers to recruit and retain attorneys to service clients’ needs. Evidence also suggests that law school debt constrains law school graduates to pursue more remunerative private practice careers and deters practicing attorneys from transferring out of jobs that are lucrative but otherwise unfulfilling. Both developments should concern individuals and groups interested in either the provision of public interest and government legal services or the quality of life of practicing attorneys.
Although law schools, legal employers, state bar associations and state and federal legislatures have taken some action to ameliorate the effects of law school debt, those efforts have thus far been minimal, have not kept pace with the escalations of costs, and have been focused mainly on attorneys pursuing qualifying public interest careers. These programs offer differing, and sometimes competing, rationales for providing law school debt relief. Law schools boast of the financial benefits that their graduates enjoy from debt relief programs, while bar associations and other advocates extol debt relief programs as a means to encourage public service and to increase access to justice.
The consequences of high law school debt, however, are felt not just in the public interest legal sector, but in the broader legal services market. Although debt may not be a controlling factor in the initial career decisions of those motivated to enter public service, it may well divert other graduates from small-firm and solo practices.
The purpose of this survey was to attempt to determine the amount of student loan indebtedness admittees to the Alabama State Bar carry, and how that indebtedness has affected their employment options.
This report presents the results of a survey of attorneys admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Information was collected concerning how long it took these new admittees to obtain employment after admission, in what type of practice setting they found employment, and how deeply indebted they were for student loans at the time of admission.
The survey was conducted by the Alabama State Bar using online survey tools. The survey consisted of four multiple choice questions and two questions in which essay-type responses were solicited from the respondents. It was sent to 1,299 individuals in-state who were admitted to the Alabama State Bar, either through examination or by reciprocity waiver with other states, during the survey period. Four hundred fifty-four people responded, and all of them completed the survey. This represents a 35% response rate.
All probability samples contain some sampling error – the extent to which the views or experiences of respondents differ from the views or experiences of the entire population from which the sample was selected. For this survey, one can be 95% confident that the results for each part of the sample are not more than 3.71% different from the entire population of new admittees. Sampling error does not reflect the influence of other factors, such as question wording or question order.
Respondents to the survey were fairly evenly spread over the law schools listed in the survey, with around 22% each coming from the University of Alabama and Cumberland Schools of Law, 20% coming from out of state (Other) law schools, 19% coming from Birmingham School of Law and 15% coming from Jones School of Law. Miles College respondents made up less than 1% of respondents and, for that reason, cross tabulation of that school’s responses was not performed.
The majority of survey respondents (71.1%) reported that they found legal-related employment within three months after admission. The next largest group (13.2%) found legal-related employment within three to six months, resulting in 84.3% of those surveyed having found legal-related employment within six months; however, a sizeable group (9.7%) reported that it took over one year after admission to find legal-related employment. Although the question was not specifically asked, a few of the respondents reported in the essay questions that they still had not found legal-related employment at the time of taking the survey.
For those who found employment within 3 months after admission, the largest group (43.3%) found it in the private practice setting of firms having 1 to 5 lawyers. This result is not surprising, since we know that approximately two-thirds of Alabama lawyers practice in the 1 to 5 lawyer setting.
The next largest group (26.6%) of early hires went to large firms of twenty-one or more lawyers, while 10.5% found employment in state or local government. Nine and six tenths percent (9.6%) found employment in the private practice setting of firms of six to twenty lawyers. The remainder of early hires found employment with the federal government (5.3%), in corporations (3.4%) and with legal aid organizations (1.2%)
Of those who found employment within 3 months of admission, one-third (33.1%) had less than $25,000 in student debt, which may have facilitated their ability to accept the positions they took or to open their own practices. For the next largest group (17%), student loan indebtedness jumped into the range from $100,000 to $140,000. Fourteen and two tenths percent (14.2%) had loan balances between $50,000 and $75,000, and 9.0% owed balances between $140,000 and $180,000. Only a negligible percentage (3.1%) of those who found employment with 3 months owed over $180,000.
Finally, of the survey respondents who found employment within 3 months after admission, 23.8% were graduates of the University of Alabama and 22.0% were Cumberland School of Law graduates. Graduates of out of state law schools made up 20.4% of those obtaining legal-related employment within 3 months, while 18.9% were Birmingham School of Law graduates and 13.9% graduated from Jones School of Law. The fact that early hires came from all of the law schools may tend to indicate that these hires were based on personal relationships or other efforts made by the admittees to find employment prior to the end of law school.
For those survey respondents who took over one year after admission to find legal-related employment after admission, over half (52.3%) also found employment in private practice with firms of one to five lawyers, giving rise to the supposition that many of them may have started their own solo practices. Several respondents so stated in the essay questions. Thirteen and six tenths percent (13.6%) found corporate employment, while 11.4% found jobs in state and local government. Eleven and four tenths percent (11.4%) went with mid-sized firms of six to twenty lawyers. Federal employment and legal aid accounted for 4.5% each of those survey respondents who took more than one year to find a legal related job. Only 2.3% of those respondents who took more than a year to find legal-related employment were hired by large firms of more than 21 lawyers.
The amount of student loan indebtedness may have also had an effect on the jobs that new admittees who responded to the survey accepted, with almost one-third (31%) of those respondents who took over one year to find a legal-related job indicating that they owed less than $25,000. Of the remainder of respondents who took over a year to find legal-related work, 56.8% owed between $50,000 and $180,000.
The survey asked respondents to indicate if they had found legal-related employment since being admitted, and, if not, then to list their current occupation.
Nationally, new bar admittees in the past three years have found a particularly bad job market, according to lawyers and industry experts. Though hiring was down last year as well, they said 2009 graduates applied for jobs before law firms had felt the full brunt of the downturn.
As the Wall Street Journal3 pointed out:“The situation is so bleak that some students and industry experts are rethinking the value of a law degree, long considered a ticket to financial security. If students performed well, particularly at top-tier law schools, they could count on jobs at corporate firms where annual pay starts as high as $160,000 and can top out well north of $1 million. While plenty of graduates are still set to embark on that career path, many others have had their dreams upended.”
Part of the problem is supply and demand. Law-school enrollment has held steady in recent years while law firms, the judiciary, the government and other employers have drastically cut hiring in the economic downturn.
Large corporate law firms have been hit particularly hard. According to The American Lawyer magazine, the nation's 100 highest-grossing corporate firms have reported average revenue declines of 3.4%, the first overall drop in more than 20 years.
With that as a backdrop for the problem of student debt, a number of respondents indicated that they had to put their law career on-hold and were employed in such diverse non-legal fields and occupations as:
- Retail sales
- School counselor
- Teacher
- File clerk
- Contract administrator
- Banking
- Engineer
- Paralegal
- Probation officer
- Human resources
- Bartender
- Musician
- University professor
- Commercial real estate developer
- Software engineer
- Chemist
Six to Nine Months to Employment
These were among the verbatim comments of new admittees who took six to nine months to find employment:
1. It would be helpful if more law firms would announce that a position was available on the AlaBar website. That part of the site is a helpful resource.
2. A formal mentoring program, esp. for people who are contemplating opening a solo practice would be useful.
3. Personally, the ASB assisted me adequately when needed, both during my school time and also throughout my bar prep time. At the present, I do not have any suggestions as to any changes that could be made to improve anything during the school time. I have heard some information about the new software that may be put in place for administering the bar exam. That may be of help to some graduates considering most everything is done now via computers. It seems it would help on the time for the exam especially for the ones who are use to working by computer instead of handwriting the exam.
4. Job search training, resume writing, and/or placement service for new attorney to obtain skills.
5. Inform them on the difficulties of finding a job and how difficult it is to pay back student loans.
6. Programs explaining loan repayment options; better assistance with locating jobs at graduation/networking. Career services was only helpful to the top 10% of the class, which did not need help. Need better job placement assistance when career services is not helpful.
7. The amount of debt incurred to obtain an law school education is not worth it right now. I am making LESS money than I did before I went to law school. I can't pay afford to pay for my student loans since my salary is so low and I may have to defer them once again. All the while the interest keep accruing. It is a vicious cycle.
8. I have no complaints. Would recommend no additions that would drive the cost of licenses up or other fees. Many hands are out to new lawyers. Not hand shaking hands but pay me hands. The new lawyer swearing in ceremony is excellent!
9. Less Bar fees for those taking the bar exam and new admittees. Publish realistic statistics about law school employment rates.
10. They teach you a lot about the law in law school but very little about how to practice law. I don’t know how you would do it but any information on the nuts and bolts of practice would be very helpful.
11. Some sort of loan forgiveness program or have a detailed article in the Alabama Lawyer on Federal loan forgiveness programs. A detailed article on how to best pay back student loans.
12. Make the fees less for newly admitted lawyers- we are not making to money to pay them. It would be so much better after five years or more to initiate the four years of the $25 dollars here and there. Newly admitted attorneys are shelling out money every where just to get the business started. Some of those costs could wait till later and I would have no problem paying them.
13. Potential law students need to know that most private law firms do not contribute to student loan debt, as I was told before starting law school. However, the federal government has a lot of programs now to assist those working in the public sector. Taking on student debt is intimidating for those who desire to work in the public sector, but they should know there are repayment plans and debt-forgiveness plans available.
14. Place a greater emphasis on becoming involved with the Alabama State Bar. Host additional CLE's (in addition to "Professionalism") that are targeted for younger practitioners.
15. Assist individuals working for organizations like Legal Services (or public service attorneys making under the median income) through loan assistance.
16. there should be a centralized job posting website for all new members of the Alabama bar-information regarding job opening is sporadic and through grapevines. Also, a form bank for various motions and free examples of other various litigation or transactional documents would be an incredible help to new attorneys.
Nine Months to One Year to Employment
These were among the verbatim comments of new admittees who took nine months to one year to find employment:
1. Lower your fees for initial members. After paying for BarBri, we have to cough up another ~$1,000 just for the Bar exam fee. Then a hotel room for 3 nights on top of that. Then membership dues. Admittance fees to courts. Etc. It costs several thousand dollars just to be able to practice once law school is finished. For the vast majority of us who graduate without jobs lined up and firms to pay those fees, that is a huge burden on an unemployed student.
2. Create a mentor program that assigns new young attorneys with experienced lawyers who already practice in the field that they are interested in entering.
3. Require all law schools in this state to be ABA accredited.
4. Put a cap on law school class size, which would have the effect of reducing market entrants into an already saturated legal market.
5. Force law schools to be honest - the Bar has no problem sending their bulldogs from the General Counsel's office to threaten students with punishment for every conceivable offense, but does not require the law schools to be transparent, honest or even ethical in the recruitment and enrollment of law students. The greatest mistake I ever made was becoming a lawyer (and this was a dream that began for me when I was 10 yrs old), but I would not have made this mistake if had I received accurate statistics regarding legal employment prospects following graduation.
6. One final suggestion - forbid law schools from showing To Kill A Mockingbird to their students - if Atticus Finch were a practicing solo practicioner in Alabama today, he would have gone out of business, filed bankruptcy, and probably killed himself by now. There is truly no honor or nobility left in this profession and I ashamed to be a part of it.
7. Instruct new admittees that if you do not get hired by a firm, don't be afraid to hang out your own shingle. Its been a great experience.
8. I am not certain of an easy fix. Perhaps the Bar could be more active or hands on with schools in ensuring that the needs of all of the students within a particular year are met. I know that in my case, a lot of my classmates and I felt that the Career Services Office was only interested in helping a small portion of the class, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. Again, I do not know how this could be achieved, but I think the end result would be helpful to future students.
9. Tell them not to attend law school until the economy gets better, which could be anywhere from three to five years, if we are lucky.
Since before the start of the economic downturn, the organized bar has tried to implement a number of solutions to alleviate the problem of crushing law student debt. The most-often cited action has been to create Student Loan Repayment Assistance Plans (SLRAP). But these efforts may be cosmetic at best.
Perhaps the most effective role for the Bar lies in the form of education that is directed to high school students, guidance counselors and college undergraduates to explain and emphasize the new realities of becoming a lawyer.
Those contemplating legal careers need to have the most transparent information possible concerning employment opportunities, debt and potential earnings capacity. The Alabama State Bar believes that the information gleaned from this survey and those we plan to conduct in the future will provide greater transparency.
Endnotes(1) “Law School Debt Has a Manageable Solution,” Carolyn B. Lamm, former president of the American Bar Association, November 24, 2009.
(2) “Law School Debt and the Practice of Law,” report issued by the Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, December 28, 2010.
(3) “Law Graduates Face a Tough Job Market,” The Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2010.
1. After being admitted to the Alabama Bar, how long did it take you to find employment in a law-related field?
0-3 months
3-6 months
6-9 months
9-12 months
>one year
2. If you did not find employment in a law-related field, please describe the type of employment obtained.
3. Please indicate your practice setting.
Private Practice: Large firm (21+)
Private Practice: Medium firm (6-20)
Private Practice: Solo/Small firm (1-5)
Corporate
State or Local Government
Federal Government
Legal Aid/Legal Services
4. How much student debt did you have at the time of law school graduation?
<$25,000
$25,000 - $50,000
$50,000 - $75,000
$75,000 - $100,000
$100,000 - $140,000
$140,000 - $180,000
$180,000 - $220,000
>$220,000
5. From which law school did you graduate?
University of Alabama School of Law
Birmingham School of Law
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University
Miles Law School
Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Faulkner University
Other
6. Please take a moment to suggest how the Alabama State Bar could be of assistance to future law school graduates.
Law as a Career PDF
