So, Dad, your son or daughter has decided to become a lawyer. A few comments are in order.
First, if your child doesn’t know Latin, don’t be too concerned. I don’t know a lawyer who does, and we don’t speak to each other using words like “agricola” or “esse.”
Second, your child must have a bachelor of arts degree from a reputable college before considering law school.
A bachelor’s degree usually takes four years. I wouldn’t consider the online programs.
Pick a good four-year college and hope that your child only takes four years to get out.
What major to pursue? I would recommend accounting.
Much of what a lawyer does has a business slant, and a good background in financial matters can be very helpful.
Some colleges suggest majoring in political science. I wouldn’t. Also most of the credits can be applied toward becoming a CPA. History, psychology or English are no-nos among alternative fields in which you can make a living.
I was intending to teach English literature at Pitt, and had a degree in English literature when a family friend suggested I go to law school, so off I went. My experience, however, may not be typical.
Do the law schools care what your college major was? In my experience, they don’t. So long as you can score well on the law school entrance exam, and you have good college grades, you’re likely to get in.
If your child never intends to practice law, send him/her to law school anyway. Only 40 percent of my class at Harvard ever practiced law. Sixty percent went to the New York corporations and wound up in the executive suite or went into other fields. Pay attention to how many corporate executives are law school grads. Even people such as Ben Stein, the actor, went to law school, in his case, Harvard, but I don’t see him practicing law. My house mate, Ralph Nader, created foundations to make the world safer.
Another possibility is to go into the armed services. That may sound strange, but at my granddaughter’s graduation from medical school last week, 28 of her classmates were going into the services.
The government, particularly the federal government, hires a lot of lawyers. That’s another possibility. The benefits, including pensions, are excellent.
Finally, a caveat. The field is very crowded. In 1960, the Cambria County Bar Association had 80 members. The County population was 203,282. Presently, the County Bar Association has 181 members, and the County population as of 2000 was 152,598.
It’s still an intellectually stimulating profession, however. Your child may not make a bundle of money, but the satisfaction of helping others cannot be measured in dollars.
Happy Father’s Day!
Thomas Young, a graduate of Pitt and Harvard Law School, has been a lawyer in Johnstown since 1958. He is a former professor of business law at Pitt-Johnstown. Readers may send questions to Young in care of The Tribune-Democrat. The opinions expressed in this column are general in nature and may not apply to your situation. Consult your attorney for advice on specific legal matters.
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