Normally I cobble this together in two-three minutes a day using job search engines and some custom google alerts I've set. Today, however, I wanted to share a couple of links instead. Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow with another job listing that hates your law degree:
AutoAdmit: I received 7 JD resumes for a paralegal position
While we're on the topic of autoadmit, I am unable to "poast" there, as I no longer have access to an .edu email account. If anybody would be willing to provide me with a working login/password, then that would be great. Failing that, if anybody from XO is reading, can you go to the thread linked above and link them here? My email is on the sidebar.
Interesting glimpse of the "JD Disadvantage" from the other side. I am not in a position to corroborate what the original poster says, but it certainly seems plausible. (Or, in XO parlance, it appears that the pumo is not flame).
In response to someone asking why a JD would apply for a paralegal position instead of their own firm, one poaster replied:
Idk
a supreme crippling depression and despair to the point it's a
challenge to get of bed in the morning, let alone start a law business
from scratch?
Also a complete lack of the self-confidence and self-worth required to do such a thing
They're some seriously wretched cases, but shutting them out of
the legal profession is probably the kindest thing to do in the grand
scheme of things, they will be happier doing literally anything else
Imagine being perceived as an absolute fuckup retard by everyone
else in the office from top to bottom, while still carrying a tiny
little glowing ember if pride deep down that reminds you you were once
in the same position as them, and are likely smarter than many recipe for a fucking office mass murder suicide if you ask me, No JDs please indeed.
Ice cold, brother. Ice cold.
Separately, The Legal Watchdog shares this dispatch from The Lawyer Job Market.
Click through for the gory details but, basically, Racine County wants an independent contractor advocate counsel to work an annualized wage of $25,000, with the caveat that said counsel is obligated to work for a year, but can be fired any time the judges feel like it. They're apparently looking for "a proven track record of high quality work and reliability," so this is not even an entry level job. The full job listing is at the Milwaukee Bar (there is somebody to email about this job, but please leave her alone; she is doubtless a court employee who has little to no role in the plight of law school graduates).
Just for fun, I decided to see if Racine County is hiring anybody else. Turns out that they need a Bailiff for $9.10 an hour, with the only requirement that he or she have a high school education or GED. On an hourly basis, this is likely better than our fearless "advocate counsel." Heck, let's do the math: The ad estimates that there will be 70-80 assignments per attorney, so let's call it 75. Let's take the rather whimsical position that competently handling each case will average 40 hours-- everything from client intake to final disposition including (i) research, (ii) discovery, (iii) talking with the client, (iv) waiting in court while other matters are called, (v) transportation time, (vi) reviewing the evidence and (vii) negotiating a plea deal. Even if all but 1-2 of these plead out, that is an extremely high workload. That is a 3000 hour work year for $25,000. $25,000/3000 = $8.33... and even then, I'd have severe doubts that anybody could possibly fulfill their ethical duty to their clients. The state is inevitably creating a situation in which defendants will NOT be competently represented.
And that the bailiff, who only need his GED, didn't burn three years and a hundred grand on bailiff school? That's not even getting into the other more lucrative jobs at Racine County alone, such as corrections officer.
One last round of "bad news"/"good news"/"better news":
Bad news: The job listing contemplates handling felonies, including homicides.
Good news: Wisconsin has abolished the death penalty, so our plucky advocate counsel at least won't have any blood on his hands.
Better news: Even if the advocate counsel inadvertently gets somebody convicted of murder 2, their client will likely be out of jail before the lawyer's loans are paid off.
ATL wrote about the same topic here.
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