Even after seeing all the fun I had in Las Vegas I can imagine some people I know still wonder why I had no interest at all in going to my law school graduation. To those people I say "read this article." Now you might understand why I didn't want to spend a perfectly good Saturday in May celebrating what so many graduates (possibly me?) have to look forward to:
"Vichet Chan, who received his law degree from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., in 2007 has been looking for work ever since. He recently moved back in with his parents in West Virginia to save money. He owes about $250 a month in interest on student loans. If he gets a job, he will lose his hardship deferral and will owe about $1,000 a month.
''The thing is companies want experience from young lawyers, but it's hard to get the experience,'' Chan said.
One symptom of the surplus is the rise of so-called ''contract attorneys'' -- essentially temps with JDs (the doctor of law degree). They work for roughly $20- to $40-an-hour on often monotonous tasks, like reviewing documents, that law firms outsource. A blog called Temporary Attorney even chronicles the mind-numbing assignments, verbal abuse and poor working conditions that include cockroach-infested, un-air-conditioned rooms with blocked exits and no breaks allowed."
The outlook isn't completely horrible though, according to the head of Charlotte School of Law Gene Clark:
"While the market for traditional lawyering jobs is mixed, he says, it's strong in other fields for people -- law-enforcement officers, entrepreneurs -- with legal skills."
So, anybody want to buy a T-shirt?
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