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以下是引用rpan在2006-4-29 0:32:00的发言：
A question for Irena and other well informed insiders: people go to top law schools just to get into top law firms, which according to Irena, almost = sell one's soul for the money (at least to me it is so if you work 70-80 hours per week for 125k a year)? No other choices for law school graduates? I am preparing for LSAT now and of course want to go to a top law school. I am doing it for myself and for my family: I am married and have a one-year-old kid. You can say I am doing it very much for my kid(s)' future. But just because I am doing it for my kids I don't like the prospects that I'd work so many hours a week: I'd have no time for them then. I know how important it is that you don't just give them the money but spend some time with them.
I truly respect your concern for your family and child(ren). I think it is a tough question to answer, depends on your financial goals and frankly, whether your wife will be able to work. If you and your wife both work, you can get a lower paying legal job and have more time to spend your family. Alternatively, if you make enough $, your wife may be able to spend more time at home by taking a less demanding job, or don't work at all.
There are certainly other choices for law school graduates. However, as a Chinese JD students, our choices are more limited. American students can choose to work for the US government/courts, open their own practice, work for US military, work for a corporation as an in-houes counsel etc. These jobs may pay 40-80k a year, for 40-60 hours a week.
But Chinese students have a few special hardships:
1. Not eligible for most US goverment/courts jobs because of citizenship
2. Cannot have own law office unless it is an immigration/international business office. Very limited range of cases and clients.
3. Language and cultural hardships. Can we prove we are more valuable than native English speakers?
4. Visa problems.
5. High debt from student loans (may not apply if the Chinese student is from a wealthy family)
Big law (sell your soul) jobs don't care about citizenship. They will get you visas, pay enough to pay off your loans, and of course, may choose to hire Chinese for cases involving China. That's why most Chinese want (and need) to get big law jobs.
In any case, good luck in your decision. I think the decision to pursue a JD degree is a very important one. Only do it if you have interest in the subject matter, not just for the money. JD requires 3 years of hard work, little income (probably only 20-25k over 3 years, for a 2nd summer internship), and stress. Otherwise, you may be able to be an engineer/financial analyst/accountant, make somewhat less money ($35-100k, depends on experience), but have much more family time and personal satisifaction. | 
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发表于 2006-5-1 02:40:00
