Georgetown Law Dean, Millennials, and Unrealistic Expectations at the ABA « An Associate's Mind

Peter Smith permalink

August 27, 2010 1:06 pm

Someone call the Whaaambulance! Keith is right about these law students, they need to pull their heads out and take a look around. Times are tough! The lesson from the bankers’ conversation is well taken: get used to it.

Dean Treanor understands this lesson, and he demonstrated the proper mindset for these students: evolve or perish. It will not be easy to find a law firm job via traditional routes. The market for a traditional law practice sucks right now. Most law students and new attorneys will have to be creative with their law degree and skill set to find a job. Students would do well to listen to what Treanor has to say. Look at your situation as an opportunity to resist the golden shakle of Big Law and to instead follow a different career, practice style, niche or whatever else because that path is likely to be much more rewarding for you. This is a difficult mindest to adopt, but nothing in life ss easy.

And this leads me to an important subpoint, I dont think that those who feel “tricked” by law school (at lease those complaining about it) are a fair generalization of the Gen Y/Millenial generation. People who search for the magic bullet for success-for the easy path-make up a substantial proportion of every population. These people are also likely to complain when something gets difficult.

I suspect that there are plenty of motivated individuals in our generation, like Keith for example, who know that it takes hard work and creativity to succeed at anything. These people aren’t wasting their time complaining about being “lured” into law school. These people know that there is no magic bullet to be successful at anything, especially for landing a job in the current times. Call me a blind optimist, but I think that the creativity, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes our generation will shape the practice of law into something new and exciting. Choose to get out there and find a way to make this happen!!

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