I know this is completely random, but I have received several calls lately regarding the question: SHOULD I GO TO LAW SCHOOL?

Sometimes people actually like what I am doing, how I treat people, and the fact that I fight for the rights of homeowners against big banks. I frequently hear that someone was thinking of going to law school and becoming a lawyer. Here are my thoughts on the topic. I don’t think everyone should go to law school, but some people MUST go. Here are my thoughts on the topic. Here are the characteristics of what I think makes a good lawyer. If you can HONESTLY answer “that’s me” to 7 or more of these, then maybe pursuing a career in law is a wise choice for you:

(1) You have to love to argue with anybody about anything at anytime. Not “I don’t back down or I love to argue when pushed” but truly day in and day out, you want to argue about everything, from what to movie is the best to watch, to how ths country should be run, etc.

(2) You have love to research and write. This business is all about pushing paper and pushing it fast and often. If you love to write and are good at it then maybe this is the job for you. Lawyers draft briefs, contracts, motions, pleadings, and hundreds of other documents each and every year. Writing is a huge part of practicing law. If you love to write, that is a good sign that you MIGHT make a good lawyer.

(3) You have to be willing to work 15/7 – TYPE A. Some of the best attorneys work seventy or eighty hours PER WEEK. I know that may sound crazy to people who like to take it easy and enjoy a rock concert three times a week, and watch reality TV, and basically just philosophize about life. If you are a workaholic, and enjoy burning the midnight oil, you may want to consider jumping into the legal profession.

(4) You have to be a good listener and strong negotiator. Lawyers negotiate on a daily basis. Whether you are a real estate lawyer helping to negotiate a commercial loan workout, or a personal injury attorney trying to negotiate a settlement, you have to be good at listening, and negotiating both with clients and opposing counsel. That is the game, and you have to be good at it. Too many lawyer like to be research guys that “like to figure things out” and basically sit in the backroom and do nothing but think about things all day long. Real lawyers want to be in the pit negotiating deals that solve problems.

(5) You have to be persuasive when you are argue. This is most essential if you plan to be a litigation attorney. When you litigate, there are motions being filed left and right, especially when big fortune 500 companies are involved. When this happens, you have to be prepared to out-reserch, out-write, and out-argue your opponents. If you are weak in the knees in any of these areas, don’t waste your time or money going to law school to be a litigator.

(6) You have thick skin and not get bent out of shape about everything that does not go your way. Again, opposing counsel are there to disparage your case, eat your lunch, and tell the judge you are basically a moron. Yes, that is the way it goes. Every time you file something some person on the other end, equally trained in the law, is going to tell you, and the judge, that your claim lack merit, makes no sense, etc. This is the nature of litigation. If your feelings get hurt easily, give this profession no more consideration, because you will be eaten alive. Litigation is nasty, litigants are nasty, and even the judge may be nasty toward your position. If water rolls off your back, law may be a good choice for you.

(7) You have to be extremely organized and excel at managing your time. As a lawyer, you will need to balance your time between legal research, marketing, drafting documents, appearing in court, and dealing with demanding clients (yes they pay good money and expect you to communicate constantly). If you cant make it happen, and cant handle the pressure cooker, then don’t waste your time.

(8) You have to be persistent in trying to achieve the desired result. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and settlements normally aren’t achieved overnight. You have to convince the other party that they have more to lose than you do. Or should I say, that their client has more to lose than yours does. This is not always a simple task, and normally requires several hearings and rulings before your opposition may be inclined to see things your way, see the law your way, and eventually talk their clients into giving ground and settling on terms favorable to your client. If you want quick solutions and quick resolutions to problems, don’t waste your time with practicing law, it will be disappointing to you.

(9) You have to be innovative and find innovative solutions to potential complex problems. Sometimes you have to “think out of the box.”

(10) You have to be assertive, not aggressive, but assertive. Law requires advocacy. People are paying you good money to advocate on their behalf. You have to do your legal research, prepare, and then advocate for each client as if it were your own brother, sister, mom or dad. This may sound easy in concept, but requires a lot of effort in reality. Again, if you are the kind of person that just hopes “common sense” prevails, or hopes that other people can read your mind, or read your body language and figure out where you are coming from, you will probably be disappointed in the practice of law.

Anyway, I hope this answers some of the tougher questions as to whether going for a law degree is right for you or not. It is a lot of time, money, and effort to make it all happen, but if law fits like a glove, then this may well be the perfect profession for you. If not, there are other noble causes you can do with your life, and you would be wise to explore those options as well.