The point that I'm trying to make with all of what I said is that you made your undergrad be a joke because you didn't try to challenge yourself. Especially at an Ivy the resources were there, and you chose a less rigorous path. The broad statements about all law schools and all undergrads just aren't helpful for someone trying to get help, and I would say hurtful because it creates a false expectation. You might have had it easy because you are naturally intelligent and could rest on that, but not everyone has that as well.

We're talking about different things, that's the disconnect. I'm talking about the required level of work, not the potential amount for those that choose it. I completely agree that I chose a less rigorous path, but the substantial majority of undergrads do as well.

Dave D trying to establish a cause of action against minnesotasam is not how I predicted this would go

Pro tip:

Don't ever work with family.

Father in law who is a doc had a disability policy is having some trouble physically doing his job. Company is obviously screwing with him. Wants me to handle it.

First, he calls all the goddamn time. Over analyzes every single throwaway letter the insurance company sends him. Then we finally decide to make it official. I give him our standard contingency fee contract and tell him "we'll work on the fee later". (I can do what I want with a fee, but my boss isn't a big fan of me altering the contract before hand...all of this was disclosed.) He takes the contract, shops it around to other lawyers. Mother in law gets in argument with my wife (yelling cuss words and the like in front of 1 year old). Father in law keeps condescendingly asking me if there are lawyers who I can ask for help. (This is probably the 5th one of these I've done, all have had a positive outcome in litigation, none of them are easy, and the two other lawyers in my office don't typically take these kinds of cases).

Enough red flags pile up that I'm not going to do it, so I tell him and refer him to a guy who has one of the biggest (if not the biggest) verdict in the state this year. He seems cool about it. Turns out he's super pissed, never contacts the lawyer and for the last 6 months, we have had very little contact with them (they live about a mile away). It was/is not a good situation at all.

Found out yesterday (on my own) that he took the petition I wrote for him and gave it to another lawyer who signed his name to it and filed it. Not one word changed.

Really sorry to hear that man. Family and friends can really make the worst clients sometimes.

Story about friend being horrible client: a buddy of mine is a solo is super super busy out there hustling.

His friend owns a company and had a really great complex commercial litigation claim, mid six figures in damages. My buddy who doesn't know how to handle commercial claims, let alone complex ones teams up with my father who mainly practices in complex commercial litigation. Fully disclosed of course.

Here is where it gets nasty. At first my buddy tells client will do it for 20% contingency fee. When he realizes how complex case will be and teams up with my dad, my dad does not handle those cases for less than 1/3rd. So my dad drafts retainer that states fee is one third and client signs it.

Father litigates and wins the case for the client after bifurcated trials. The claim is paid in full with interest. Client goes ape **** thinking fee is only 20%.

Father had to hold the disputed portion of the fee in trust for close to 16 months before he prevailed in arbitration over fee dispute.

Sounds like more of a "your father in law is a giant *******" story than a "never do work for family" story

Beat me to it.

I wanted to say that too but held back.

I had a college friend ask me to review a residential lease for him in exchange for a 6pack of beer. Thanks for the $10, cheap ass.

I inform him that his retention of security deposits clause is illegal and his response was that the lease was drafted by a "real" lawyer.

We don't talk any more.

caught me lol

On the positive side, here is a story about my friend. My friend is a food broker which means he's a middle man between large food distribution companies and local restaurants, basically sales where he convinces them to get their stuff from his company. His car was totaled in the middle of the night by someone who took full responsibility so he's getting money from the other guy insurance. I spent 15-20 minutes with him on the phone telling him what to say on the phone with insurance and he got $2600 over what the car was worth (without talking to me he would have taken the first offer he said). Pretty sure he maxed out as he said the insurance person started asking for comparibles for any more money.

His work has a warehouse of samples of restaurant quality steaks and such (they get way too much and all the employees are allowed to take what they want). This weekend I am going "shopping" there.

Make better friends/in laws guys.

Just read the cases on Westlaw. Supplements are much more valuable imo.

Pretty good rule of thumb is if you are going to do a favor for someone, make sure it's in an area of expertise, or make sure your name isn't on it.

Seen more maplracticeable stuff from other attorneys trying to do something where they don't know wtf they're doing because they think they're doing someone a favor.

You aren't doing anyone a favor when you do that, especially not yourself.

I'd feel real uncomfortable doing this. I might give "informational advice" accompanied with heavy disclaimers to a really close friend. Might. Wouldn't take pay for it.

Too risky imo.

and if it's outside of my area of practice (which is admin law and some con law, so basically every question people have is) then i def wont.

YOURE AN ******* WHY WONT YOU HELP. JUST TELL ME THE ANSWER.

This is the only way to deal with this stuff.

"Sorry, I don't know anything about parking ticket law. Maybe pay the $30 and feed the meter next time. If you're starting a hedge fund or need continuous disclosure advice, let me know."

I had someone ask me for advice on fighting a five dollar parking ticket. I'm not kidding.

I know this is a very broad question.

I'm 24 years old with a high school diploma after graduating I got into dealing poker for a few years and for the last 3 have been commercial fishing. I have a decently large amount of money saved so wouldn't need to work for a little while.

What steps do I need to take in order to get into law school, I'm assuming I would have to take some sort of general studies.

Thanks

You may need to pursue a bachelors degree first.

That's what I figured, could I pursue a bachelors in business then move on to law?

You can pursue a degree in underwater basket weaving. It doesn't matter.

Chemical engineering to patent law. Print mobnies

Pick a major that will help you in Law School and with being a Lawyer in general. My vote would be English.

Basically I'd recommend any major that has a strong writing component, teaches how to articulate ideas clearly, and has some relation to the kind of law you might be interested in.

Perhaps if you gave us an idea we could help: Business law? IP? Criminal? There's a million different areas and they all have different substantive non-legal knowledge that you could bring to a practice.

I would definitely agree. I always recommend English for the heavy reading and writing that is required. But other majors that have similar elements is acceptable.

I'm on hiring committee at my firm and it's amazing the amount of attorneys or paralegals who apply to the firm that have zero writing skills. That's not something any firm wants to train on the job.