The American Legal Profession

While emphasizing that lawyers fulfill a vital but often misunderstood public function in societyThe American Legal Profession: The Myths and Realities of Practicing Law by Christopher P. Banks dispels some of the common misconceptions about the legal profession to show that the reality of being a lawyer is much different from what many students believe it to be. Many students know little about what law school is like or how it differs from undergraduate study, and this book corrects common myths about graduating law school and life after passing the bar. This brief primer is a nuts-and-bolts analysis of what it is really like to go into the legal profession, from start to finish, giving students considering a career in law a realistic overview of their potential legal careers.

While emphasizing that lawyers fulfill a vital but often misunderstood public function in societyThe American Legal Profession: The Myths and Realities of Practicing Law dispels some of the common misconceptions about the legal profession to show that the reality of being a lawyer is much different from what many students believe it to be. Many students know little about what law school is like or how it differs from undergraduate study, and this book corrects common myths about graduating law school and life after passing the bar. This brief primer is a nuts-and-bolts analysis of what it is really like to go into the legal profession, from start to finish, giving students considering a career in law a realistic overview of their potential legal careers.

List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1 The Myths and Realities of Being a Lawyer
The Trial Lawyer Myth
The “Law School Is a Good Investment” Myth
The Diversity and Egalitarian Myth
The Plan of the Book
Selected Readings
Web Links
Endnotes
2 Applying to Law School
A Brief Introduction to the American Legal Profession
Preparing for Law School: “Prelaw” Undergraduate Studies
Applying to Law School
Conclusion
Selected Readings
Web Links
Endnotes
3 Law School
The Casebook Method: “Learning to Think Like a Lawyer”
The Law School Curriculum
Licensing Requirements and Bar Admissions
Conclusion
Selected Readings
Web Links
Endnotes
4 The Practice of Law
The Business of Legal Practice
Big Law and Its Impact on the Legal Profession
Private Practice and Other Legal Employment Settings
Alternative Careers: Nonlegal Jobs
Conclusion
Selected Readings
Web Links
Endnotes
5 Future Trends and Reform Issues in the Legal Profession
The Legal Profession’s Insularity
The Difficulties of Traditional Law School Instruction
The Competitive Delivery of Legal Services in the Future
Conclusion
Selected Readings
Web Links
Endnotes
Index