Dean Spade: For Those Considering Law School

By: Omar Ha-Redeye · August 10, 2012 · Filed Under Law School · 2 Comments 

Dean Spade of Seattle University School of Law gets lots of inquiries from people considering law school.  Here are some points that he emphasizes they may have overlooked:

  1. Most legal work maintains systems of maldistribution, it does not transform them.
  2. Lots of legal work that needs to be done to help poor people can be done without a law degree.
  3. Law school is expensive (in most cases) and it’s worth thinking about what impact the debt may have on your future.
  4. Law school is a very conservative training and rarely a critical intellectual experience.
  5. If you go to law school, it’s most important to go to a school where you will have allies and support and where the learning experiences you want are actually being offered. Don’t get caught up in the quest for prestige.

You can read the entire piece here.

Comments

2 Responses to “Dean Spade: For Those Considering Law School”

  1. Ashley Cook on August 22nd, 2012 9:26 am

    Re the ‘Quest for prestige’.

    You must be joking, legal systems are full of shit!

  2. California Disability Lawyer on August 30th, 2012 2:06 pm

    I believe it would just depend on the person’s motivation. I guess one who enters law school would have the perseverance of getting it until the end. No matter how long and how much it will take.

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