I have spent more than 40 years in the practice of law, while watching the nation's economy and standard of living decline for most Americans. My experiences and insight can be of great value to students who are at the crossroads of career choices. The Law has and will continue to have great potential for persons who learn the important lessons at the outset of their career, rather than accumulating those lessons over a 40-year period. This book is for persons thinking of becoming lawyers; students already in law school; lawyers starting out in the profession; lawyers seeking to change careers; persons interested in becoming self-employed or who are dissatisfied with being self-employed; and anyone worried about career choices because of the Evil Economic Trio of Outsourcing, Globalization and Declining Standard of Living. The book provides information and insight of value to anyone wanting to escape from the trap of declining employment opportunities, even if the person has no interest in becoming a lawyer or taking any law courses. Specifically, chapters 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 31 and 34 (19 of the book's 34 chapters) would be of most interest (and hopefully great value) to persons seeking careers other than the law. The author discusses the problems associated with selecting law as a career and the choice of law schools; how to prepare for and take the required Law School Admissions Test; the types of law courses which could be of greatest use to the student after he/she starts practice of the law; the various ways in which lawyers practice their skills; and how to set up a successful law practice and earn a living as an individual practitioner of law (which is the status today of about 53% of practicing lawyers in the United States). The author hopes, that by sharing with readers the valuable information that he has gained in his 50 years of law practice, that the reader will avoid mistakes and setbacks most young people make when starting a career in law, and that this information will help the reader in becoming an effective and financially successful practitioner of law.
