Don't Become a Lawyer for the Money (Ep. 442)

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Many prospective lawyers dream of big law salaries. Far fewer achieve them. Ben and Nathan examine the disappointing reality of big law placement at non-elite law schools and insist that money is a terrible reason to pursue a legal career. The guys also warn listeners not to let application accoutrements distract from the LSAT. They reject a backward approach to Logical Reasoning. And they denounce law schools’ unfair pricing practices.

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1:16 - Focus on the LSAT

Listener Tony asks whether to highlight his masters thesis in his law school personal statement. Nathan and Ben tell Tony to bake his cake before he worries about frosting it.

13:51 - Grade Change

Persistence pays off for an anonymous listener in their campaign to change an A- to an A.

17:20 - Pearls vs. Turds

An LSAT Demon student finds a pearl of LSAT wisdom in an RC passage about the memory-altering effects of leading questions.

26:28 - Do LR Backward?

Ben and Nathan advise listener Madison to un-reverse her approach to Logical Reasoning.

31:47 - Big Law Placement

The guys question law schools’ self-reported data on big law placement. Outside of a few top schools, career outcomes for law school graduates are wildly uncertain. Your best bet is to attend a school where your scholarship sets you up to compete at the top of the class.

55:00 - Apply Broadly

An anonymous listener considers an accelerated JD-MBA program at their local university. Nathan and Ben unequivocally reject this option. They encourage Anonymous to apply broadly and to avoid law schools’ cash grabs.

1:10:14 - Don’t Do It for Money

Ben and Nathan urge listener Zeek not to let the prospect of a big paycheck lure him into big law. Chasing money is not a good reason to become a lawyer.

1:17:28 - Tip From a Departing Demon

LSAT Demon student Nathaniel shares his key to LSAT success: “Drill, drill, drill!”

1:18:37 - Word of the Week

Macropterous ostriches flocked to us.