My professors in junior high and high school would definitely scoff at you and wonder what kind of mind-altering drug you had taken that day if you told them that I wanted to become a lawyer.
It would be a huge understatement to say that I wasn’t the most driven student when I was a teenager.
On school days, I was more focused on having a good time, making people laugh, and spending long lunches at friends’ houses while playing iconic video games from the mid-2000s, including Halo, Gears of War, and others, during the afternoon class periods.
I was likewise the child who occasionally completed his assignments but neglected to submit them. I had to attend one or two Saturday school sessions in order to graduate from high school, even after requesting certain favors from our school’s attendance woman.
Hearing all of this may reassure parents of children like me that their child may still achieve something.
Or perhaps the fact that your lazy child could grow up to be a lawyer only makes matters worse!
What made me enroll in law school?
I wish I had a gripping tale of how my early love of the law led me to pursue a career in law. However, that would be untrue. Furthermore, I am many things, but lying is not one of them.
I also wish I could say that I became passionate about aiding the injured as soon as I started law school. However, that would also be a falsehood.
For the first seven years of my career, I worked in insurance defense, which involves assisting insurance companies in settling personal injury claims for the lowest amount possible.
Worst of all, I developed a ton of amazing relationships, learned a lot of things that have improved and increased my effectiveness as a plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer, and even enjoyed working with insurance companies (don’t tell my fellow plaintiff’s lawyers).
So no, I didn’t go to law school because I was passionate about helping people.
What was it?
To be fair, I attended law school since it was the only legitimate professional route that did not need math. I detest math.
Is attending law school a good idea?
In my case, a dislike of math turned into a passion for practicing law. As a personal injury lawyer, I adore my work!
Nothing is more satisfying than helping a client achieve a successful outcome in a personal injury case that they could not have achieved on their own.
When the client expresses gratitude to you, it’s much better. Making a real difference in people’s lives is something I adore. But it was a pleasant accident that brought me here. I never would have thought that becoming a personal injury lawyer would be my dream job, yet here I am, and it is! If you decide to pursue a career in law, there are a lot of fulfilling options and specializations available.
Three things are necessary for most legal career routes, in variable amounts: (1) a lot of reading; (2) a lot of writing; and (3) lengthy hours spent by oneself.
I’m sure you can have a fulfilling legal profession if you can manage these three things.
However, the obnoxious lawyer response that it depends is the answer to the question of whether you should attend law school.
With ten years of expertise representing both parties in a wide range of personal injury cases, Austin Strobel is a personal injury lawyer at the Idaho Advocates.
The information in this column is general and should not be construed as legal advice. Readers should speak with an attorney if they have specific legal questions. A lawyer recommendation service is offered by the Idaho State Bar Association via their website, https://isb.idaho.gov/.
