Debt: The Silent Killer

[zaprowsdower]

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What I am saying is that it’s not that bad.

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<p>And what I am saying is that “not that bad” is relative. Compared to a starving Ethiopian child, a homeless man in NYC lives like a king. Compared to the average HLS grad, somebody making $40K for some ambulance chaser is doing really poorly.</p>

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Well, to be perfectly honest, they can.

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<p>Link?</p>

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Granted, it’s more than simply ‘walking into’ a $40k job. The skills take time to acquire. You need to develop some experience.

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<p>In other words, it’s not really anything like “picking up some basic IT skills” and simply being handed a $40K job.</p>

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Evidently, these firms seem to think that such credentials marketing works

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<p>Except there’s no proof that it actually does. Are any of those firms using the “marketing” arrangement you proposed? It sure doesn’t look like it. I doubt that touting HLS credentials they already have would hurt them, but I see no proof that it’s doing much for them, either. Here are five small firms with HLS (and some YLS) partners that don’t use their credentials as a major selling point:</p>

<p>[GCG</a> | Attorneys](<a href=“http://www.gcgllp.com/attorneys.html]GCG”>http://www.gcgllp.com/attorneys.html)</p>

<p>[About</a> Us : SAMS LLP : Sheresky, Aronson, Mayefsky and Sloan, LLP](<a href=“http://www.samsllp.com/about-us/]About”>http://www.samsllp.com/about-us/)</p>

<p>[Kantor</a>, Davidoff, Wolfe, Mandelker, Twomey & Gallanty, P.C.](<a href=“kantordavidoff.com”>kantordavidoff.com)</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.sylvorandrichman.com/[/url]”>http://www.sylvorandrichman.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[New</a> York Medical Malpractice Lawyer | Personal Injury Attorney New York City | NY](<a href=“http://www.rheingoldlaw.com/]New”>http://www.rheingoldlaw.com/)</p>

<p>Are they just too stupid to realize that they’re sitting on a gold mine?</p>

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Again, I ask: do you honestly think it so difficult for a HLS/YLS graduate to find a laid-back job at a mediocre law firm that pays only $40k a year?

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<p>Of course. Their credentials can actually work against them, since mediocre firms will know that they’re less likely to stay than TTT grads, both because they’ll have other options and because they’ll probably be less satisfied with the work. Associate jobs at ID or PI firms are usually far from “laid-back”, despite the low pay. The partners at these firms often make less than biglaw associates; $40K is a significant amount of money for them, and they’re not going to give it to somebody who doesn’t want to work hard. </p>

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I never said firms would spend $40k on just marketing. You would be doing legal work for them too. The marketing therefore simply becomes a bonus.

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<p>I thought they were paying for the marketing benefit and any work you did would be a bonus? That’s what you said in post 189. Which is it?</p>

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Frankly, I find the defeatism within this entire thread to be striking and sad.

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<p>What’s more defeatist than suggesting somebody with an HLS JD should be perfectly content to make $40K doing menial work?</p>

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As a point of comparison, graduates at the 25th percentile from Southwestern Law School - an average law school at best - and who choose private practice make over $60k a year. Even the lowest paid SW graduate made $45k a year.

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<p>These stats are almost certainly inaccurate. With no indication how many students reported salary data, the numbers don’t mean anything. Considering the majority of SMU grads who end up at firms end up at very small ones, I’m about 100% confident some are making less than $45K. And, obviously, the less-successful grads are less likely to report salary data.</p>