This month we are taking a look at the legal profession. There are a number of news articles that focus on graduating college students and their under-employment and lack of ability to pay their student loans. Do these economic factors have a great impact on a decision to enter Law School?  

It is apparent that individuals need to think carefully and realistically about their motivations for pursuing a law degree, especially in light of the amount of time and money involved. We work with numerous attorneys and, when asked about choosing a career in the legal profession, most will agree with the following statement:
 
A career in the legal profession can be intellectually challenging, personally fulfilling and financially rewarding.

Students continue to enter the profession in record numbers. And why not - the law offers many attractions - prestige, power, a professional lifestyle, a decent range of salaries and a chance, perhaps to "change the world". Whatever your motivation for entering the profession, it makes sense to be well informed and to learn as much as you can about it before investing your life in it. It is best to avoid making a major life decision on a whim.

Here are 8 reasons to choose a career in the legal profession:

1. Growth and Opportunity. In the last several years the legal profession has experienced staggering growth. A steady rise in profits and revenues and significant salary increases have provided plenty of job opportunities in a broad range of legal positions.
2. Financial Rewards. The legal profession remains one of the most lucrative industries in today's job market. Double-digit growth in recent years has produced healthy revenues and rising salaries. Associates in the nation's largest law firms start at $150,000 to $180,000.
3. Diverse Career Options. The complexities of our legal system have created hundreds of career options that serve a variety of legal functions. From lawyers, judges and mediators to paralegals, secretaries and consultants, the legal professional's role is expanding and evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing system.
4. Client Service. At the heart of the legal professional's role is client service. Whether you are a lawyer representing a multinational corporate client, or a paralegal assisting an abused women to obtain a restraining order, the fundamental purpose of the legal professional is to help others resolve their legal problems.
5. Intellectual Challenge. Navigating an evolving legal system, advances in technology, vast bodies of case law and the demands of the legal profession creates a stimulating intellectual environment for the legal professional. Lawyers must grapple with conceptually challenging issues, reason with logic and clarity, analyze case and statutory law, research complex legal issues and master oral and written communications.
6. Prosperity. Historically the legal profession has weathered economic downturns quite well and should do so in the future. Some practice areas such as litigation, bankruptcy, residential real estate foreclosures will actually benefit from an economic slowdown. Legal professionals should find plenty of job opportunities in any economic climate.
7. Prestige. In a culture that views high pay, impressive schooling and societal power as hallmarks of success, the legal profession has long been regarded as a noble and elite profession. The media portrays a legal career as exciting, glamorous and fast-paced. It remains one of the most sought after professions in today's job market.
8. Dynamic Environment. Because the legal profession is constantly changing and evolving, the legal professional must be a problem solver, innovator and willing to assume new responsibilities and tackle new challenges. This dynamic legal landscape makes each day unique and fosters an enjoyable and fulfilling work experience.

Contented lawyers share many common traits. These traits may help you determine your potential satisfaction with a career in the legal profession and help avoid becoming part of the high burnout rate that exists in the profession. If you love learning and details, have a respect for rules, possess strong analytical abilities, and consider yourself achievement-oriented, competitive, steady and stable, patient and persistent - a career in the legal profession might be for you.  

"No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it." Theodore Roosevelt