I started out as a journalism major and switched to poli sci and history. Before I went to law school, I wanted to practice criminal law because the cases seemed so interesting. In senior year of college, I had an internship at the local Legal Aid. Suffice it to say that while I still found criminal law interesting, I did not care for criminals and decided that I would not practice in that area.
I wanted to try cases, so I got a job in insurance defense because, in those days, that and criminal law were about the only places young attorneys could try cases.
After 30 plus years, I still love my work. I have not become rich, but I grew up in a housing project in the South Bronx and I now live on the North Shore of Long Island, in a house I own. I also was able to have a work life with some balance. If I worked in Big Law, I might have no kids, or maybe one, but definitely not five.
I read somewhere once that less than 10% of lawyers actually go to court or try cases. The beauty of the law is that there are so many aspects of it that almost everyone can find something they love or at least tolerate.
Don’t go to law school because you want to get rich. Go to law school because you want to be a lawyer.