Below is a comment from a person about the Law Office Study Program (“LOSP”) and its marketability as an attorney. Her law professor warned her that she may have a hard time getting work without a law school degree or that she won’t be taken seriously if she pursues the LOS. I can only say those who can do it and those who can’t teach. I am doing very well as a California injury lawyer. Better than many lawyers I know. This is because I am a go-getter, so model yourself after someone like me, and you’ll do just fine.
If you want to follow the so-called “traditional model” and work for someone else (e.g., make someone rich), do what your law professor implies. 🙂
Michael,
I found your blog about becoming a lawyer without law school. I have
some questions, and I hope you can at least point me in the right
direction.I started at law school in ****, but I left after one semester
b/c of personal issues. I had stellar grades through undergrad and law school, as well a good LSAT score. I have no doubts about my ability to pass the mini-bar and bar.Now I am getting ready to return to school in January, but my boss
wants me to do the LOSP. He is willing to supervise me and works in
my field of law.Below is an email from one of my old professors, and his
concerns reflect mine: marketability. Will a resume without a law
school (not to mention a top 20 law school) seriously hurt me
professionally? I realize that you are successful now, but you also
seem to be a diamond in the rough. I don’t have aspirations to work
at a huge firm, I just want to support my family and make a decent
living.Thoughts?
Subject: RE: what if i don’t go back to law school?
To: ****************I don’t know. I don’t know of anyone who has gone the apprentice
route. My main concern would be marketability. While you may not
want a big law firm job, many other possible employers would also
likely refuse to consider a candidate that didn’t go to law school.
You may cut yourself off from many potential non-big firm jobs. My
guess is that most people who go down that apprentice path are people
who don’t have the option to go to law school (i.e., no grades/no LSAT
scores/no admission into accredited schools). I would think that many
employers would assume you went down that path for similar reasons.That said, it would obviously be cheaper in the short run. But I’d
just be somewhat concerned about what kind of job you might be able to
land after passing the bar if you had no law school on your resume.