# Finally, I can honestly say ... IAAL **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972 "2009-10-24T16:47:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/1 "2009-10-24T16:47:44Z")
Yesterday, I was officially admitted to the bar of the province of Alberta. Yep, I Am A Lawyer. As some of you would recall, I started thinking about a career change about five years ago. I wrote the LSAT, filled out applications to schools, was accepted at a good Canadian law school, studied there for three years, sought and obtained articles, and studied and passed the bar courses. And yesterday, in a nice ceremony at the local courthouse, an application was made for my admission to the bar. The presiding judge granted the application. So, as of yesterday, I can officially say I am a lawyer. It’s been quite a haul to get where I am, and I have to thank the folks here on the SDMB who took the time to answer the questions I had through my journey. From my first wonderings five years ago as to what law school might be like for an older student through to my recent articling year, a number of Dopers were kind enough (and patient enough) to take the time to address my concerns. I especially have to thank those with whom I’ve communicated privately, through PMs and e-mails–your help and advice were valuable indeed. Thanks again, all. I made it–IAAL! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/2 "2009-10-24T17:21:37Z")
Wow! Congratulations, **Spoons**! Go and lay on a tropical beach for a month, and avoid the cold rains of a Canadian autumn. You deserve it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/3 "2009-10-24T17:21:50Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/4 "2009-10-24T17:22:03Z")
Congratulations! I remember when you were just looking at law schools! Welcome to the club! What type of law do you want to practice? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/5 "2009-10-24T17:31:02Z")
Contratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/6 "2009-10-24T17:35:27Z")
Of course, now that you’re a lawyer, the only lawyerly advice you can offer anyone on the board is to find a lawyer. 😃 “IAAL but I am not your lawyer, I am probably not a lawyer in your region or in the area of expertise that you need. Any advice I give you is not legal advice. I recommend that you find a lawyer in your region and attain his services.” While as all the not-lawyers will be spouting off tons of information. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/7 "2009-10-24T17:40:03Z")
Wow, you rock! Now remember to use your powers for _good_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/8 "2009-10-24T18:14:43Z")
Woohoo! Congratulations! Wishing you luck and joy in your new career! ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/9 "2009-10-24T18:34:16Z")
My deepest condolences for you in this great tragedy in your life. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/10 "2009-10-24T18:38:37Z")
Congratulations! “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Of course, that sounds like you’ve just been bitten by a radioactive lawyer, and it’s infecting… ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/11 "2009-10-24T19:14:11Z")
Yeah, but you wouldn’t believe the web of motions and claims he can now shoot out! Way to go, **Spoons**! ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/12 "2009-10-24T19:26:31Z")
I’m so happy for you. Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/13 "2009-10-24T19:28:42Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Yeah, but you wouldn’t believe the web of motions and claims he can now shoot out! I was thinking more along the lines of “D. R. Spoons, Desert Lawyer”. Dressed in a worn but well-maintained oilskin, this new member of the law profession travels the western plains looking to represent the innocent and right tortuous wrongs wherever he goes. Startlingly-clear eyes deep with the experience of life in strange places look out from his weather-beaten face, and the unrighteous recoil when he takes the stand in court. After the case is won, and the celebration dies down, the victorious litigants look around for the lawyer who ensured their victory, only to discover that he has already left. He’s back on the road, heading into the sunset to another case in another town. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/14 "2009-10-24T19:29:33Z")
Congratulations, Counselor! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/15 "2009-10-24T20:57:52Z")
Well done! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/16 "2009-10-24T21:01:47Z")
So, you were saying it dishonestly up 'til now? 😉 Congrats. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/17 "2009-10-24T21:38:44Z")
Congratulations, **Spoons** , for following your dream! ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/18 "2009-10-24T21:51:02Z")
Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/19 "2009-10-25T00:10:40Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I was thinking more along the lines of “D. R. Spoons, Desert Lawyer”. Dressed in a worn but well-maintained oilskin, this new member of the law profession travels the western plains looking to represent the innocent and right tortuous wrongs wherever he goes. > > Startlingly-clear eyes deep with the experience of life in strange places look out from his weather-beaten face, and the unrighteous recoil when he takes the stand in court. After the case is won, and the celebration dies down, the victorious litigants look around for the lawyer who ensured their victory, only to discover that he has already left. He’s back on the road, heading into the sunset to another case in another town. Wasn’t that an old show on the CBC? There’s a voice that keeps on calling me Down the road is where I want to be ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972/20 "2009-10-25T00:21:57Z")
Hey, that’s awesome, **Spoons**! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-i-can-honestly-say-iaal/514972.md?page=2)