When my sister graduated from law school in 2008, job prospects for new attorneys were already beginning to dim. Things got worse in 2009 and, according to the Wall Street Journal, the job market for new attorneys in 2010 is nothing short of atrocious. Couple uncertain earnings potential with ridiculously high student debt burdens and the whole notion of going to law school starts to seem like a risky venture. Even the American Bar Association is telling potential attorneys to reconsider their career choice. I’d probably offer similar advice. A legal education is wonderful for teaching one to think and write critically, but odds are that it won’t land you a six-figure salary and that it won’t help you argue away your student loan obligations. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to earn a six-figure salary without ever having to remember the elements of negligence.
