- something essential: something that is necessary or indispensable

“(1) A law degree is not necessary for becoming a lawyer, although it may be quite useful in becoming a judge or judicial clerk, and is definitely necessary for becoming a law professor.

(2) You are not being asked to obtain a law degree so as to use what you learn during your studies within your practice; you are being asked to obtain a law degree to help justify the professional status of lawyers. Lawyers, as members of the professional class, command unusual prestige and economic power – this professional status is linked to the perception of expertise that used to generally come with a university education. It’s all part of the package. There’s also a certain amount of doctor-envy involved…

(3) The law societies, as insurers to the legal profession — er, I mean, as protectors of the public, won’t admit you before you can demonstrate at least a passing competency in actual practical legal knowledge in those areas where you’re most likely to screw up.”

I’m starting the PLTC next week, and look forward to learning what the Law Society of BC thinks it’s important that I know. I’m wondering if it will be closer to what I’ve learned as an articled student (and before that as a paralegal).

Yes, there is. It’s the one that law school professors live in.

I recently reflected, as I sat staring at a screen, “wow, i never envisioned doing this when i was in law school!”

Not that i have it bad or anything – just law school also doesn’t teach you contract drafting (maybe a legal drafting course does, but that’s too theoretical anyways) or client managment (i.e. how to deal with expectations, etc.)

1. Being really good at writing kickass legal memos is essentially useless for most lawyers.

2. How to actually DO anything.

3. That most lawyering involves the trench warfare around the legal process, not in engaging the legal process itself.

4. Your clients might not actually hate you, but they sure hate having to pay a lawyer to get what they should have already gotten but for someone else being an @sshole.

5. They will think they are smarter than you. Many will actually be correct. Many will be staggeringly incorrect. Learn to tell the difference and manage each differently.

6. That practice sucks. Big time. And all lawyers can be divided into three categories: 1) sociopaths for whom this is the best outlet for their talents, 2) Depressed alcoholics who can’t escape, 3) Lawyers biding their time until they can escape into something better, or until they slide into the second category.

7. That to escape practice, you have to have practiced semi-successfully for a few years without becoming a sociopath or depressed alcoholic. (see above)

8. It’s amazing how much basic stuff judges get wrong.

9. That unrepresented litigants are an enormous pain in the @ss, and who will occasionally kick your ass, Mr. Smartypants-twohundreddollarsanhour Lawyer.

10. That you will spend more time worrying about billable time than about law.