Advice needed on life (joining the military or practicing law)

In My Humble Opinion
1

I don’t know what to do with my life. I’ve felt lost for a long time, drifting from one meaningless thing to another with no greater plan or purpose. I graduated college, saved money, and went to law school, which I hated every minute of. I got mediocre grades, but clerked for a judge and did an internship with a prosecutor’s office over two summers, so I graduated in two 1/2 years instead of the usual three. That was last summer. I studied for the February Bar Exam and failed it, but I was close–maddeningly, frustratingly close. And at the end of the month, I take it again. I’m not expecting good things, though.

What kills me is that I hate everything I’ve done. I went to law school because it seemed like a wise thing to do, but it turned out to be a miserable experience, and I don’t expect to enjoy practicing law either. I went deeply into debt taking out student loans from the government–I owe about $24,000 now, after paying some off already. I’ve been in limbo for almost a year, since no law firms will hire me since I haven’t passed the Bar, and it is pretty unwise to try to work and study at the same time. I’m living with my parents again at age 26, with no income except for selling my beloved collections of comic books and action figures on eBay, little by little. If I fail the Bar again, I don’t know WHAT I’m going to do, but the pressure is on me to move the hell out and do something. Believe me, I want to.

So what about the military? They’re always hiring, and they certainly need all the people they can get these days. I don’t know if I’m cut out for that rigid lifestyle, though. I’ve always considered myself a free spirit–I love music and movies and cooking and reading comics, and I’ve never been terribly physical or confrontational. I’m a registered Democrat who dislikes the Bush regime–a very unpopular stance in the military, I’m sure. At this point, I could probably enter as an officer with my education, but I wonder if that would be a wise move. Maybe I’d be better off going in as an enlisted man. I honestly don’t know. I don’t know how I’d be with troops under my command, or in the heat of battle. I’ve never proven myself that way. But the one thing I’ve always wanted in my life, even when I still don’t know anything else, is to be heroic. Maybe this could be my big chance. Hell, at this point anything would be better than stressing over the Bar Exam and letting my parents down and never having any money. If I got sent to Iraq, I’d almost be relieved. But of course, it’s easy for me to say that now.

Any comments? Ideas? Suggestions? “Get a life” is a valid suggestion, and I realize I need to do that ASAP.

2

As a freshman criminal law professor once said to some one very close to me, “Have you considered a career in the ministry?”

Seriously, if you are 24 or 25 years old and you hate the profession for which you are trained (but whose competency requirements you cannot meet) how about an exciting career in real estate sales and development or banking. You already know, I hope, what a deed is and what a financing statement is. You are half way home. Becoming a soldier is probably a bad idea unless you have some sense of duty and obligation or you are looking to put in 20 years plus.

3

well, not to be facetious, but you can join the military AND practice law…Judge Advocates General[you know that crappy tv show JAG…?]

IIRC you might be able to get in as an officer rather than enlisted on the basis of your degree…

4

You could teach English overseas; you don’t neccesarily need a teaching degree, just a college degree.

You’re too old to join Americorps as a regular Corps member, but if you’re up to a challenge and a little good ol’ saving the world, you could apply to be a team leader.

If you do enter the military, try the Air Force. Every enlisted man I’ve ever met, be they Navy, AF, Marine, etc. says the Air Force is the way to go in the US military.

5

The key is probably to remember that your training doesn’t limit what you can do - it just expands it. The vast majority of jobs and careers do not require a law degree, and just because you have a law degree, you are not disqualified for those jobs.

Find something you love (or a company/organization that you love?) and do it!

I would recommend joining the military only if it’s what you really believe you want to do.

6

Unless the War on Terrorism™ has caused some radical changes, you did not graduated at the top of your law school class or if you don’t have an uncle in the US Senate your chances of being direct commissioned in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps of any of the armed services are close to nil. In addition all the services require an admission to practice before the supreme court of one of the states.

To second what wevets said. Just because you have a law degree it doesn’t mean you have to be a lawyer. The degree is a valuable qualification in any number of career fields. I know several “captains of industry” who went to law school but never practiced a day in their lives. The comment about banking and real estate was not factitious.

7

Well…

You can defend clients you know are guilty, file frivolous lawsuits so morons can milk money out of corporations, chase ambulances, and generally just be bottom dwelling scum in a suit.
-OR-
Join the military.

Keep your self-respect… become a lawyer.

8

Another vote for “just because you have a law degree, you don’t have to be a lawyer.” One of my suitors is an investment banker – undergraduate degree in econ, plus a law degree.

So you can become a fatcat capitalist, and not a scum-sucking ambulance chaser or a military man (can’t trust myself to remain facetious in a description).

Seriously – open up your thinking a little. Check out some of those “what color is your parachute” type books – see if you can’t come up with some third alternative that you’re actually enthusiastic about.