In the spring of 2008, I was struggling with the decision to either go to law school or stay at Western Carolina University and finish my M.A. in History. I leaned toward entering law school, though it was still open as to what law school I would attend.
As I have said in previous blogs, last year at WCU was the happiest year of my life. I remember thinking that I had come to one of the more important forks for which path my life would take, and I remember thinking that it would be neat if I could clone myself and send the clones down the different paths I was considering. We'd meet up again at the age of 65 or 70 and compare notes.
Hopefully, that doesn't sound too arrogant. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said something similar about desiring to clone himself to see all the things he could accomplish. He certainly has had a fascinating life, reaching the pinnacle in the professions of body building, movie acting, and politics. But Joy Behar, one of the hosts of The View, criticized him, saying his idea of cloning himself was arrogant and narcissistic. I don't want to come off as arrogant or narcissistic.
Still it is fun to think about the options I was considering. I decided to go to law school and attend Florida State University. I have never regretted that decision, and I am pleased with the success I have seen thus far.
Option 2 was to enroll at North Carolina Central University School of Law. If I had gone there, I would have focused on a career in public service and fighting for the underdog. I think that would have been a very satisfying choice as well. I would have stayed in North Carolina rather than Florida, most likely trying to land a spot in the public defender's office in Asheville or Jackson County (where WCU is located). I'd spend my weekends walking in the mountains, identifying the various plants and animals. The Appalachian Mountains are as botanically diverse as the Amazon Rain forest, and they change so much with each season. I'd never get tired of it.
Option 3 was to finish my M.A. in History and pursue a career in college administration. I think I would be a great recruitment officer for a college. I love traveling and talking with people, and I love the college environment. My game plan would be to work at different universities for a few years at a time, gradually moving west until I could land a spot at UNLV and live in Las Vegas for the remainder of my years. Vegas is my all time favorite city, and I love the desert. The chance to work at different universities across the country would make for an interesting life as well.
Option 4 was to finish my M.A. in History and then try to earn a Ph.D with the goal of becoming a college professor. This would have been a difficult path, I think. Ph.D programs in history are harder to gain entry to than law school. The jobs for professors are scarce, the time I would have spent in school would have been longer, and the pay is not that great. The option 4 clone might have bailed out of that lifestyle and hitched on to law school again.
Anyway, Tallahassee and FSU College of Law is where I am. Florida is probably where I'll set up and practice. I think it will be a happy life. If I had the choice to make all over again, I would choose this option. I am a lucky man.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
Showing posts with label NCCU School of Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCCU School of Law. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Where You Should Go To Law School
This time one year ago, I was very undecided about where I should go to law school (and I was fortunate enough to be accepted at multiple schools).
In the end, I narrowed my choices to Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL and North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. I opted for FSU, but I think I would have been happy at either place, and either place has advantages and disadvantages.
Now, as I close in on the end of my first semester of law school, I think I can give better advice on where to go and what is right for a person.
Again, assuming you have choices in where to attend, the most important question to ask yourself is, "What kind of law do I want to practice?" By this question, I mean do you want to practice at a large or small firm, open your own practice, or specialize in something more unique like environmental law? One year ago, I really did not know what sort of law I wanted to do, but I leaned toward working for a large firm.
Now that I am at FSU, I know that working at a large firm for a higher salary is my first choice. The type of law I do doesn't especially matter to me (though I would prefer not to have to sue doctors and others in the health care field). The long hours and competitive environment of a large firm will suit me just fine, I believe. I love law school and the work that I am doing.
This is not true for everyone. Honestly, my colleagues who seem to be the most unhappy in law school are the ones with families. One friend of mine told me that she started crying from the frustration of having to spend so much of her Saturday reading law when she wanted to be with her husband instead. As for me, I've got nothing better to do but study on a Saturday.
I guess the point is to know yourself. If you are aiming for a large firm, go to the best school you can get into and borrow the money you need to get there. But if you want to spend more time with your family, perhaps go to a law school that is not so competitive in nature, don't take on so much debt and look for a job (perhaps public interest law) that is not going to dominate so much of your life.
If you want to open your own practice or go into practice with a friend or family member who is already established, then save money and go where you can get a Juris Doctor for the cheapest.
Also, if you definitely know what state you want to practice in after graduation, it is easier to network (i.e., applying for summer associate positions that can turn into regular job offers) if you go to a law school in that state.
So, that's my take after two and a half months of law school. NCCU would have been a good choice for me, but Florida State University gives me the best shot to get hired by a large firm. That is what I want, and I am glad that I am here.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
In the end, I narrowed my choices to Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL and North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. I opted for FSU, but I think I would have been happy at either place, and either place has advantages and disadvantages.
Now, as I close in on the end of my first semester of law school, I think I can give better advice on where to go and what is right for a person.
Again, assuming you have choices in where to attend, the most important question to ask yourself is, "What kind of law do I want to practice?" By this question, I mean do you want to practice at a large or small firm, open your own practice, or specialize in something more unique like environmental law? One year ago, I really did not know what sort of law I wanted to do, but I leaned toward working for a large firm.
Now that I am at FSU, I know that working at a large firm for a higher salary is my first choice. The type of law I do doesn't especially matter to me (though I would prefer not to have to sue doctors and others in the health care field). The long hours and competitive environment of a large firm will suit me just fine, I believe. I love law school and the work that I am doing.
This is not true for everyone. Honestly, my colleagues who seem to be the most unhappy in law school are the ones with families. One friend of mine told me that she started crying from the frustration of having to spend so much of her Saturday reading law when she wanted to be with her husband instead. As for me, I've got nothing better to do but study on a Saturday.
I guess the point is to know yourself. If you are aiming for a large firm, go to the best school you can get into and borrow the money you need to get there. But if you want to spend more time with your family, perhaps go to a law school that is not so competitive in nature, don't take on so much debt and look for a job (perhaps public interest law) that is not going to dominate so much of your life.
If you want to open your own practice or go into practice with a friend or family member who is already established, then save money and go where you can get a Juris Doctor for the cheapest.
Also, if you definitely know what state you want to practice in after graduation, it is easier to network (i.e., applying for summer associate positions that can turn into regular job offers) if you go to a law school in that state.
So, that's my take after two and a half months of law school. NCCU would have been a good choice for me, but Florida State University gives me the best shot to get hired by a large firm. That is what I want, and I am glad that I am here.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
Sunday, June 1, 2008
About the NCCU School of Law
Last week, I visited North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, NC.
I was most impressed with their facilities. One wing of the building is almost brand new, and the rest of the building was renovated approximately two years ago according to the admissions office. All of the classrooms had a nice, modern feel to them. Each seat possessed outlets for a laptop computer, and the front of the classrooms were equipped with large screens, computers and other electronic equipment.
NCCU School of Law has perhaps the lowest tuition of any law school in the country, and it was rated number one on the list of "Best Value Law Schools" in the back to school 2007 edition of PreLaw Magazine. You may see this report at http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cypress/prelaw-bts07/index.php?startpage=25.
I felt very comfortable there, and the students I talked to said that NCCU is different from other law schools in that the focus is on creating a community atmosphere rather than one of intense competition. NCCU School of Law specializes in producing attorneys who will work in public service. The school's clinics train students to help the downtrodden and impoverished of society. This is worthy work, and I could see myself being happy making this my career.
Thankfully, the students I spoke with were also honest with my blunt questions. I was told that if I want to make a lot of money in law and go to a highly competitive school that prepares me for 60 to 80 hour weeks at a large firm, NCCU should not be my first choice. Also, a Juris Doctor from NCCU would serve well for employment within North Carolina, but may not be a greatly recognized degree if I desire to work outside that state. However, there seems to be a strong NCCU/Atlanta connection. I talked with three students from Atlanta, and they told me a large number of alumni work in that city. When I went to an LSAC (Law School Admissions Council) conference in Atlanta in 2007, I remember the table for NCCU School of Law being swamped with people, and the admissions officer quickly ran out of brochures and materials. He told me that next year he would have to ship boxes of brochures to the conference ahead of time, as his car was full when he made this trip.
Again, I really enjoyed my visit to NCCU. Theirs is a law school I would recommend- particularly if you want to practice in public interest law. The low cost of attendance can take the pressure off when job hunting, as the debt burden should be much lower than other law schools. Follow this link to their homepage: http://web.nccu.edu/law/.
NCCU makes my choice of a law school very difficult. Another school where I have been accepted also has very attractive features. I will write about that institution in the future.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
I was most impressed with their facilities. One wing of the building is almost brand new, and the rest of the building was renovated approximately two years ago according to the admissions office. All of the classrooms had a nice, modern feel to them. Each seat possessed outlets for a laptop computer, and the front of the classrooms were equipped with large screens, computers and other electronic equipment.
NCCU School of Law has perhaps the lowest tuition of any law school in the country, and it was rated number one on the list of "Best Value Law Schools" in the back to school 2007 edition of PreLaw Magazine. You may see this report at http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cypress/prelaw-bts07/index.php?startpage=25.
I felt very comfortable there, and the students I talked to said that NCCU is different from other law schools in that the focus is on creating a community atmosphere rather than one of intense competition. NCCU School of Law specializes in producing attorneys who will work in public service. The school's clinics train students to help the downtrodden and impoverished of society. This is worthy work, and I could see myself being happy making this my career.
Thankfully, the students I spoke with were also honest with my blunt questions. I was told that if I want to make a lot of money in law and go to a highly competitive school that prepares me for 60 to 80 hour weeks at a large firm, NCCU should not be my first choice. Also, a Juris Doctor from NCCU would serve well for employment within North Carolina, but may not be a greatly recognized degree if I desire to work outside that state. However, there seems to be a strong NCCU/Atlanta connection. I talked with three students from Atlanta, and they told me a large number of alumni work in that city. When I went to an LSAC (Law School Admissions Council) conference in Atlanta in 2007, I remember the table for NCCU School of Law being swamped with people, and the admissions officer quickly ran out of brochures and materials. He told me that next year he would have to ship boxes of brochures to the conference ahead of time, as his car was full when he made this trip.
Again, I really enjoyed my visit to NCCU. Theirs is a law school I would recommend- particularly if you want to practice in public interest law. The low cost of attendance can take the pressure off when job hunting, as the debt burden should be much lower than other law schools. Follow this link to their homepage: http://web.nccu.edu/law/.
NCCU makes my choice of a law school very difficult. Another school where I have been accepted also has very attractive features. I will write about that institution in the future.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
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