We just got word that firstborn son has officially finished Law School.
This is a HUGE relief. It has been a long, expensive, bumpy road. It took him twice the standard time that law school is supposed to take - he's been at it for six long years. He wasn't able to go full time the whole time, and there were a couple terms where he crashed and burned with personal crisis and had to repeat classes. Then, the final hurdle was the major writing assignment which is the law school equivalent of a dissertation. Not all schools require this, but Detroit College of Law at Michigan State does. He struggled mightily with writers block, was overwhelmed by a failing marriage, and just wasn't sure how to get out of the pit for the longest time.
Twice we got our hopes up only to have them dashed to the ground...once because he missing a deadline and then another time when the earlier version of this paper was rejected by his major professor, so he had to go back to the drawing board and start all over. There was a point where we really wondered if he would ever make it through. But it's DONE now. He is an official J.D. I couldn't be more pleased.
Well, yeah, I could if the guy had a JOB. His brother jokingly says that the JD behind his name stands for "Jobless Dude". But hopefully now with the degree in his pocket he will have a few more options open to him. Problem is he lives in Michigan where the unemployment in all sectors is among the worst in the nation. He is still many months away from taking the bar exam (July) plus has absolutely no experience so he is not likely to get any real lawyer jobs at this point.... but in looking for run-of-the-mill-I need to survive sort of jobs no one wants to hire him cause they figure as soon as he DOES pass the bar he'll be gone. So he feels frustrated and trapped by that.
But at least he has indeed made it this far. I just have to trust that gainful employment will come. The race is on between the wolf at the door and his ship coming in. I'm praying with all my might that the ship wins.
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3 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS all the way around!! This IS exciting news.
Okay forgive my ignorance... but what does JD stand for?
Again, congrats to you all!
The "official" letters in a lawyer's title are JD for "Doctor of Jurisprudence"
Congrats to your son! Law school is rough! I worked in a law office for a while and then at the Career Services office at the College of Law at the U of U. It was a really good resource for students and alumni looking for law related jobs. Has he visited the career services office at his law school? Usually they have lots of job listings. Or considered internships or non-profit work? He can even request reciprocity at another law school's career services office so he can use their resources if he wants to move.
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