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Message
Life as a Lawyer Advice Needed
Posted on 3/29/24 at 7:56 am
Posted on 3/29/24 at 7:56 am
My daughter was recently offered a full tuition scholarship at LSU’s law school.
The other two schools she is considering are South Carolina and Tennessee. Both of these schools have given her a 75% tuition scholarship which will leave her paying 35k in total for the three years.
At All 3 schools she would have to pay room and board and living expenses, and sadly I have two other kids in college so financially she is on her own and will have to take on loans to finance law school.
We live in North Georgia so USC and UT are only a few hours drive while LSU is over 500 miles away.
I know this is the money board but I am coming for advice on the law market in Louisiana.
She is a hard worker and an overachiever so I know she will graduate near the top of any class she attends.
1. What is the job market like for lawyers in Louisiana for a kid with good grades but no contacts.
2. What is life like for a professional living and working in Louisiana? Lawyers do ok money wise but nothing like doctors and they usually start at 60-70k a year. Is it pleasant to live in LA on 65k a year??
3. I don’t know enough to really ask the right questions so if you have any other insight that would be helpful please give it.
Thanks for any helpful advice.
The other two schools she is considering are South Carolina and Tennessee. Both of these schools have given her a 75% tuition scholarship which will leave her paying 35k in total for the three years.
At All 3 schools she would have to pay room and board and living expenses, and sadly I have two other kids in college so financially she is on her own and will have to take on loans to finance law school.
We live in North Georgia so USC and UT are only a few hours drive while LSU is over 500 miles away.
I know this is the money board but I am coming for advice on the law market in Louisiana.
She is a hard worker and an overachiever so I know she will graduate near the top of any class she attends.
1. What is the job market like for lawyers in Louisiana for a kid with good grades but no contacts.
2. What is life like for a professional living and working in Louisiana? Lawyers do ok money wise but nothing like doctors and they usually start at 60-70k a year. Is it pleasant to live in LA on 65k a year??
3. I don’t know enough to really ask the right questions so if you have any other insight that would be helpful please give it.
Thanks for any helpful advice.
This post was edited on 3/29/24 at 7:56 am
32
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:07 am to Unsettled
If she's passionate about being a practicing lawyer, she should go to the best law school she can get into, in the best job market, without heavily factoring loans/costs (within reason).
If she's not sure what she wants to do but thinks a law degree is a good base education (which it is), then she should minimize her out of pocket costs and come out with as little debt as possible. That will give her the most freedom to pursue what she feels passionate about.
If she's admitted into those schools with substantial scholarship, there are certainly similarly ranked law schools based in major markets (Atlanta, DFW) that would probably give her the best chance at success. Specifically thinking about Georgia State in your instance.
If she's not sure what she wants to do but thinks a law degree is a good base education (which it is), then she should minimize her out of pocket costs and come out with as little debt as possible. That will give her the most freedom to pursue what she feels passionate about.
If she's admitted into those schools with substantial scholarship, there are certainly similarly ranked law schools based in major markets (Atlanta, DFW) that would probably give her the best chance at success. Specifically thinking about Georgia State in your instance.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:13 am to Unsettled
What is her GPA and LSAT? She should probably be aiming higher than those schools.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:20 am to Unsettled
quote:
Is it pleasant to live in LA on 65k a year??
If single she should be ok on this for a few years.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:35 am to Unsettled
Choosing LSU will be majorly -EV. LSU is highly focused on LA, which is a bad investment for someone's future. Tennessee and SC are 2 emerging markets and there should be options for reciprocity among the region. You also have the monster economies in GA and NC right there.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:41 am to Unsettled
Where does she want to end up and live? The money difference here isn't that great in the scheme of things. It pains me to say it, but Louisiana's medium to long term prospects are poor. I wouldn't advise any young person to start their lives and careers in Louisiana.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:51 am to Wade Phillips
Wouldn't LSU focus more on civil law, which Louisiana is the only state that practices it?
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:52 am to Unsettled
Just about everyone in her class will be hardworking. It's not likely she will finish near the top of her class.
Law is a brutal profession. I would never want one of my kids to be a lawyer
Law is a brutal profession. I would never want one of my kids to be a lawyer
Posted on 3/29/24 at 8:59 am to TheOcean
quote:
Just about everyone in her class will be hardworking
Speak for yourself
Posted on 3/29/24 at 9:08 am to Unsettled
In general, a lot of states are starting to focus on reciprocity agreements for lawyers giving more flexibility then before to become licensed in new states and live where you want. This is happening a number of ways, but the most important for a new lawyer is the Uniform Bar Exam "UBE" which SC (and I think Tennessee) offers. This will allow her score on the bar exam in those states to apply to becoming licensed in a other UBE state - for example of she goes to SC, takes the SC bar, and then a year after practicing decides she wants to relovate to GA, Massachusetts, wherever.
Louisiana is based on the Franch common law, which is substantially different then the other 49 states. They are not a UBE state and if you are licensed in Louisiana you'll essentially need to learn a whole new legal system to become licensed anywhere else.
The UBE has been fantastic for me - I went to SC law, took the bar in SC, and have transfered my score to also become licensed in Texas and DC. It's opened up far more career opportunities for me than just being licensed in one state.
Louisiana is based on the Franch common law, which is substantially different then the other 49 states. They are not a UBE state and if you are licensed in Louisiana you'll essentially need to learn a whole new legal system to become licensed anywhere else.
The UBE has been fantastic for me - I went to SC law, took the bar in SC, and have transfered my score to also become licensed in Texas and DC. It's opened up far more career opportunities for me than just being licensed in one state.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 9:16 am to OleVaught14
quote:
Louisiana is based on the Franch common law, which is substantially different then the other 49 states
quote:
if you are licensed in Louisiana you'll essentially need to learn a whole new legal system to become licensed anywhere else.
This is severely overblown, but yes, the reciprocity issues exist.
Our Supreme Court LOVES to promote the differences as a form of protection, which makes no sense b/c of how many unqualified domestic attorneys they permit to pass the bar every year.
quote:
to also become licensed in Texas
FWIW, TX is one of the states that lets you in with 5 years experience anywhere. I think that trend is growing as well.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:06 am to Unsettled
LSU if Louisiana is where she wants to live after graduating.
USC if South Carolina is where she wants to live after graduating.
UT if she wants to live in Tennessee or anywhere else that is not Louisiana or South Carolina.
USC if South Carolina is where she wants to live after graduating.
UT if she wants to live in Tennessee or anywhere else that is not Louisiana or South Carolina.
This post was edited on 3/29/24 at 11:01 am
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:47 am to TheWalrus
quote:
What is her GPA and LSAT?
This is the information we need.
If she has a great GPA and mediocre LSAT, then she should keep taking the LSAT until she scores high enough to get into a t-14.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:48 am to WDE24
quote:
LSU if Louisiana is where she wants to live after graduating. USC if South Carolina is where she wants to live after graduating. UT if she wants to live in Tennessee or anywhere else that is not Louisiana or USC.
This is the correct answer. The money difference is not enough to drive the decision.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:49 am to Sl0thstronautEsq
Her LSAT will be pretty solid with the offers she has.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:51 am to Sl0thstronautEsq
Because I'm interested in possibly going to law school I asked a practicing attorney from New Orleans and Loyola law grad about the importance of attending a top tier school. He claimed it doesn't matter what school you attend. What matters is how hard you work and how good you are once you're practicing.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 10:59 am to PetroBabich
quote:
Because I'm interested in possibly going to law school I asked a practicing attorney from New Orleans and Loyola law grad about the importance of attending a top tier school. He claimed it doesn't matter what school you attend.
Shocking that a Loyola law grad would say it doesn't matter what school you attend
But seriously, it really depends on what you want to do with your degree. If your goal is Big Law in NYC, your best bet is to go to a t-14. If you want to practice at a personal injury firm in NOLA where all the partners went to Loyola, then you're better off at Loyola.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 11:18 am to PetroBabich
quote:
He claimed it doesn't matter what school you attend. What matters is how hard you work and how good you are once you're practicing.
quote:
Loyola law grad
Checks out
Posted on 3/29/24 at 11:18 am to OTIS2
quote:
Her LSAT will be pretty solid with the offers she has.
This. They aren't exactly giving away scholarships to law school like that.
Good for her OP. Seriously depending on the job as mentioned she should be considering a better school if possible. Law is one of the professions where being at the best school possible can have a monumental outcome if you are a top student.
But if she just wants to practice family law, as said she should just go to school where she wants to live.
Graduating school close to where you want to live (hard for a 18-24 year old) to actually know but if they do is very underated.
Posted on 3/29/24 at 11:23 am to baldona
I would not go to LSU. Many end up working in the state where they went to school. This state has too many problems.
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