Best Laid Plans

When I was in 8th grade, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. As the years went on and the more I found out about the profession of law, the more I wanted to be a part of it.

I started my freshman year of college wanting to be a lawyer. I graduated college Magna Cum Laude a semester early wanting to be a lawyer. I spent that time in between college and starting law school as a file clerk in a law firm. Even after that, I still wanted to be a lawyer.

I chose a law school that wasn't the least expensive choice thinking that it would be the best one for my career. I never had any debt in my life. Hell, I didn't get my first credit card on my own credit until my first semester of law school. Educational debt was "good" debt. I didn't get into mounds of student loan debt thinking that it wasn't for a purpose - for my career.

To achieve my dream.

I never in my wildest dreams thought that I wouldn't be able to make a living at being a lawyer. That I would be considering standing on the side of the road with a sign that says "will do legal work for food." But, it seems like I might just not be able to make a living as a lawyer.

When I entered law school, the notion was that you would at least get some sort of job coming out of law school. Some sort of legal job is what I really mean by that. It might not be the most glamorous or the highest paying, but it would be a legal job - you would be a lawyer. You would get to practice law and get paid for it. Even if I had to work obscene amount of hours per week, I'd still have a legal job. Even if I wasn't making a lot of money, I'd at least be able to support myself.

This notion has now been shot to sh!t.

Newly barred attorneys are working at any job they can get their hands on. Law firms don't want to have to train a new attorney, they don't want to hire an associate unless they have 3-5 years experience. Where they are supposed to get these years of experience no one knows. No one outside of the legal field wants to hire them because they think they will leave once they get a better job. And yet, anyone they hire could leave because of a better job, but that apparently doesn't register.

All I know is that I still, after everything, want to be a lawyer. Technically, in the state of Louisiana, I am an attorney. I'd just like to get the chance to actually practice law. For it to be my full time job. For me to be able to make a living doing what I've wanted to do for so long. Complete the dream I've worked so hard for.

I have hope, but I need some luck and some prayers.

Hi, my name is Brandi.

I'm a recently barred attorney.

Please hire me.