what major would help me in the field of family law?
i want to go to law school. i want to become a family law attourney. what type of major would help me in this field of work?
I am a paralegal and many of the family law attorneys I know go one of two routes. They either get a social work degree or they get a business degree. Why social work? It will give you a heads up really fast whether or not you will be able to stomach family law. Family law is one of the most emotionally draining areas of law and you have to be a strong person to practice it. You are dealing with people’s personal issues and dirty laundry. Everything from adultery, to child abuse, to domestic abuse. A degree in social work will prepared you by introducing you to your state’s "system". Not all family law is bad. You will deal with adoptions and other matters as well. By going the social work route, you really get experience in the organizations you will be fighting with or working with.
Business degree…a law office is a business and the more you understand business, usually the more successful your law firm it. I know quite a few attorneys that have business degrees.
The most important thing to realize is that law schools take ANY degree. Do what you love in case you decide law school isn’t your cup of tea and don’t like people like Mailaccount discourage you. Family law is a noble career field. Good luck!
Become a CPA first, or get your MBA. Learn how to handle a business first.
But family law isn’t a good vocational choice right now. No one has any money to get divorced. You need customers that actually have money.
There are more attorneys than there are legal employment positions. We simply already have way too many Legal Professionals. AND the legal profession is dramatically changing: it is in absolute CRISIS! Job searching in this vocational field has changed >>DRAMATICALLY<< in the last five years. And, every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don’t expect the situation to improve in the coming years…..
Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: We are STILL in a World-wide Recession. Obviously, economic conditions affect the number of jobs available. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<< Even in a Recovery, there are some jobs that just won’t return – the field of Law won’t make a comeback. Too many things have changed in this vocational field.
Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This no longer is a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many, many reasons: We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet and legal books. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today’s graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead – they aren’t hiring legal staff. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software/law books in order to get legal work done without the expense of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals – we just have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) For example: Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do/used to do.
The field of Law has a mystique that actually exceeds reality. The field of Law is a vastly overrated career – especially by television.<< There are many myths regarding the field of Law. Law is a more demanding profession than most people realize. It is not like what you see on TV.
Cost of law school to be lawyer, approx $150,000+. Be prepared to take on a LOT of debt, if becoming an attorney is your "true", ultimate goal!!!<<<
School loans are "non-dischargeable debts" – which means you cannot just write them off in bankruptcies (except in extremely rare cases).
Now… the law schools know this, but they won’t tell you the truth >that the job market/economy is just SATURATED with way too many Legal Professionals. Instead the schools will feed you a fairytale and will LIE to you. The root of the problem is we already have too many law schools. We are STILL in a Recession, and the schools are fighting for their own survival – they will tell students anything to get to the students’ money. (Which is why they won’t tell you the truth about the job market for the field of Law.) And these schools continue to recruit and churn out even more graduates………….Remember>>> law schools are BUSINESSES – their TOP concern is making money for themselves.
>>>>>THE #1 MOST IMPORTANT THING (and I can’t stress this enough>>>): You ESPECIALLY have to beware of the BOGUS, INFLATED law school salary/job stats given out by >law schools< (AND by the U.S. Bureau of Labor)!!***<<<<<
If you don’t believe me, then:
**Check out these websites:
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Lawyer-in-the-United-States
http://informeddecisionmaking.blogspot.com
http://calicocat.com/2004/08/law-school-big-lie.html
http://abajournal.com/news/triplt_bad_news_for_law_students_three_firms_aX_summer_associate_programs/
http://abajournal.com/news/as_rio_tinto_saves_millions_other_corps_will_outsource_too_counsel_says/
http://lawschoolscam.blogspot.com
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/02/another-view-lock-the-law-school-doors/?ref=business
http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2009/09/15/News/Law-Students.Face.Tough.Job.Market-3771810.shtml
http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109478/bar-raised-for-law-grad-jobs?mod=career-work
(A link to a website does not constitute endorsement.)
**do a SEARCH here on Yahoo Answers to see what other posters are saying about the current status of the field of Law.
**Call some local law firms – ask to speak to the Manager of Human Resources – ask them if they are hiring; ask them what they think about future job availability in the field of Law. Ask them if they have any current open positions. Ask them how many resumes they receive when they advertise ONE open position. (It is ususally approximately 300 resumes are received for each open position advertised.)
**Talk to recent law graduates. Ask them what success they are having finding employment opportunities.<<<<<<<<<<<<
**Read these books:
>"So You Want to be a Lawyer?" by Marianne Calabrese and Susanne Calabrese (ISBN 0-88391-136-1): "The United States has more lawyers than any other country in the world.
>"CourtRoom 302" by Steve Bogira (ISBN 10: 0-679-75206-4); and
>"Ultimate Punishment" by Scott Turow (ISBN 0-374-12873-1.
If you want a JOB when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the fields of: >>>Healthcare<<<, Information Technology, Law ENFORCEMENT, environmentalism, emergency planning, accounting, education, entertainment, utilities, home-car-commercial-industrial repairs, vice industries, clergy, and/or debt collection. I spoke to a career counselor from Jobs and Family Services, and HE told me that these areas are where the jobs are, and future job opportunities/availability….and scholarships.
Good luck.
(This is based on my current knowledge, information, belief, and life experiences. This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice. Please be careful and do your research.<<< You DID ask the question here on Y/A. I am just trying to help you.)
References :
life
been there – done that
have actually worked in the field of Law for twelve years
started at the very bottom rung and clawed my way up
now actually am a CURRENT employee of a law school, so I KNOW and see (too much?!?)
don’t have time to watch those TV law shows – the couple that I did watch weren’t realistic, at all
TV glamorizes the field of Law – Reminder: TV is FICTION!!! – do your research first! – the field of Law is actually a lot of paperwork and politics – and law school is VERY expensive, so know what you are getting into
wish someone would have warned ME sooner
so now I TRY to warn and help others (that actually want to know, will listen and not get defensive)
I am simply tired of watching students getting ripped off by law schools
so many students have come to me- upset because they could not find employment- I am just trying to warn as many as I can, and trying to fulfill a promise
I am answering you in good faith.
pre-law
References :
I am a paralegal and many of the family law attorneys I know go one of two routes. They either get a social work degree or they get a business degree. Why social work? It will give you a heads up really fast whether or not you will be able to stomach family law. Family law is one of the most emotionally draining areas of law and you have to be a strong person to practice it. You are dealing with people’s personal issues and dirty laundry. Everything from adultery, to child abuse, to domestic abuse. A degree in social work will prepared you by introducing you to your state’s "system". Not all family law is bad. You will deal with adoptions and other matters as well. By going the social work route, you really get experience in the organizations you will be fighting with or working with.
Business degree…a law office is a business and the more you understand business, usually the more successful your law firm it. I know quite a few attorneys that have business degrees.
The most important thing to realize is that law schools take ANY degree. Do what you love in case you decide law school isn’t your cup of tea and don’t like people like Mailaccount discourage you. Family law is a noble career field. Good luck!
References :