Dirty LAWndry reader, “Sarah”, has lost confidence in certain graduates produced by law schools.
“I have worked as an attorney for the same firm for almost 40 years now. I know things are different for law school graduates now than when I attended. I would imagine that the quality of education and workforce preparation would be better. My firm claims to select graduates that are in the top ten percent of each class. If this is true, then I am frightened for the future of the legal profession. Quite frankly, I think that there are too many spoiled, ill-mannered, and clueless people graduating from law schools. I think the legal profession should adopt a three-year program similar to the medical residence program that would place JDs in firms or clerkships and weed out those who aren’t prepared for the workforce.
I have many examples to share, but I’ll begin with the most recent. On Good Friday, the firm was pretty much empty as it is on most holidays. So, there was more of a relaxed atmosphere. Around lunchtime, there was an email sent stating that there were Easter treats in all of the break rooms. Quite a few people on my floor ventured into the break room for these treats. There were associates, staff attorneys, paralegals, secretaries and JDs. The JDs aren’t permanent employees yet as they were waiting for their bar exam results. A few of the JDs were joking about the pros and cons of plastic surgery. One of the JDs decided to show off her new breasts by flashing everyone in the break room. She obviously thought it was funny because she kept doing it over and over, especially to those who seemed embarrassed by her behavior. Is this what law schools are producing? Shouldn’t she know better than to expose herself at work?”
“Sarah”, I witnessed pretty much the same thing when I used to work at a small firm. A legal secretary flashed the partner’s mother, but that’s a story for another time. Speak on it, people. Do you think law school prepares graduates for the workforce?
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Unfortunately, it’s not just the legal profession…we have an epidemic of lazy, entitled, and arrogant young people.
Comment by legaldiva — April 14, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
As far as I can tell, Biglaw partners usually make their first cut on the basis of personal connections, their second on the basis of grades and on how attractive they find the women and how much they want to be buddies with the men. Then they wonder why so many of the women leave the workforce in a hurry and the associates in general turn out to have the social skills of the average warthog. I can’t say this surprises me. But, hey, maybe flashgirl is just getting ready for the lucrative stripping career awaiting her when she gets laid off by Biglaw.
Comment by not surprised — April 14, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
lol…maybe, but you do make some good points. It’s a shame that this is how things are in the work environment.
Comment by aremm — April 15, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
Your points are well taken - but should not be confined to the legal profession. As a lawyer of 15 years - I have mixed feelings on it. On the one hand in the court-room and dealing with cases, utmost professionalism is required and I see too many seasoned attorney (let alone ‘newbies’) act unethically. However, staunchy “old-school” lawyers need to be put out to pasture. As a “BigLaw” a lawyer - you are still a dime a dozen and you are not curing diseases. Act like human being!
Regarding a sense of entitlement from new lawyers. Again - not confined to the profession. Look at “kids” (20 somethings) getting out of business school joining a Wall Street firm and making $500,000+ before their higher ups destroyed the industry. Sense of entitlement and lack of value is a common denominator among a lot in the workforce today. What happened to a sense of professionalism with a helping of humanity? Why can’t there be both professionalism and approachability (sense of humility?).
I have worked with Fortune 10s to pro bono at the local courthouse and everything in between. I hope I treat each one of those individuals with the respect they deserve and if I don’t - then they (the client) has the right to tell me otherwise. I want my profession (law) to take back what it used to be - a profession that used to be respected not mocked (as it currently deserves).
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