First I must admit that this isn't my first time. I have done a blog once before during Law School, but that blog was mainly me ranting about things or pretending I wasn't procrastinating by writing a blog entry instead of studying. You all remember right? - like when we had finals in undergrad, but instead cleaned our rooms ... we technically were doing something that needed to be done, just not the main thing. So as you are following along astonished that there could be no possible way this person has never blogged before, I, in fact, have.
About Me:
I went to a respectable law school and graduated in 2009. I say respectable because there is an actual number ranking next to the school for the U.S. News & World Report rankings. However, that number is not in the top 50 nor do I see that happening anytime soon. I did all right in school, I wasn't in the top 20%, but seeing as how that only entails 20% of law students the majority of you are in the same boat as me. I participated in an honors moot court program, I interned both my 1L and 2L summers (not with BigLaw ... obviously) and did all the usual law school things. I will admit that I quite enjoyed law school. Not the whole going to class thing, but the social aspects of school were great! Lots of fun parties, law school functions and who can forget the undergrads! Since graduating I've come to realize that I am great at being in school, not so great at being out of school.
What Am I Doing Now:
If you must know what I have been doing since graduating last May I am guessing it's the same as most of you. I paid thousands of dollars to Barbri, on top of the $150k I paid to go to law school, took the Bar in late July and then did a post-Bar trip ... which was amazing. Upon getting back I came to the realization I had no money and had even less desire to move back in with the parents. My initial search for legal employment was brief since who is hiring someone waiting on bar results? - so I ended up taking a temporary job as a waiter at a restaurant. I shall not give the name of the restaurant but it is a national chain and you've probably eaten there ... no it's not The Olive Garden and no I don't have to sing ridiculous happy birthday songs nor get harassed about how much flare I'm wearing. My temporary foray into waiting tables has instead turned into almost 6 months! I started mid-October figuring I'd be employed by the end of January at the latest, which I am clearly not ... hence this blog!
How Did The Blog Come About:
Writing this blog never crossed my mind until yesterday. You may ask what happened yesterday and I shall tell you. I sent out an email to a fellow alumni of my undergraduate university, hoping to be led in an employable direction. The attorney that wrote back: sympathized with the difficult market, suggested volunteering, trying to get published, or even writing a blog on topical legal happenings ... something I could show to employers that I have been active in the legal field. My first thought when I saw the blog recommendation was "If I'm going to write a blog it's going to be about how worthless my law degree is," and an idea was born!
What You Have To Look Forward To:
So you may be asking yourself why bother following this blog? And after I explain what is in store for you, you will probably answer that question: so there is no reason to bother. BUT for those of you who decide to hop on the bandwagon I will be writing about the following:
(1) My efforts to find a job and their fruitless outcomes
(2) Happenings from working as a waiter licensed to practice law (I promise good stuff happens)
(3) My life below the poverty line going out with my employed BigLaw friends
(4) Whatever else springs to mind.
This should be a fun process for all of us! I gladly recommend comments and will try to answer every one, which shouldn't be hard because I will be shocked if I even get one comment. I will be signing off on each blog as The Unemployed Lawyer, it is my ode to the use of pseudonyms during the Constitutional Debates. Thank you all and good luck with your continued search for gainful employment!
The Unemployed Lawyer
