Should I Study Law...?

[matthewbie.bie]

Hi everyone,
I am Matthew, 17. I'm going to college this year, so I started thinking about my future. I want to be successful in my career, but I don't really know what major I should focus on. I have interest in both Law and Computer Science. I like challenges, but it is also the things that make me scared.
I'm an immigrant. My pronunciation is not on standard. Are there many immigrated lawyers in the U.S, especially Asians?
I'm willing to learn English, learn the pronunciation... I'm just worried that after I graduated, I could not find a job.
And if I should study what I like, which major should I apply to college before going to law school or university to get a bachelor's degree? I'm planning to go to a community college, study English and a Paralegal Studies' degree, is it ok? or should I choose some other majors to study?
thank you so much!
Just give me your honest comments and thoughts, I really need it to pursue my career.

 

[cbg]

Matthew, the only honest answer is, we don't know what the job market is going to be like, in what industries, by the time you're finished with school. None of us have a guarantee of finding a job when we graduate.

The best advice I can give you is to major in what interests you. There's nothing worse than being in a job you hate. I fell by accident into a totally different career than I had anticipated; one I never would have thought of and which I enjoy immensely. You may find, as you go through school, that you discover something you haven't thought of yet that changes your feelings about what you'd like to do. We can't tell you what's best for you - only you can do that.

 

[matthewbie.bie]

Matthew, the only honest answer is, we don't know what the job market is going to be like, in what industries, by the time you're finished with school. None of us have a guarantee of finding a job when we graduate.

The best advice I can give you is to major in what interests you. There's nothing worse than being in a job you hate. I fell by accident into a totally different career than I had anticipated; one I never would have thought of and which I enjoy immensely. You may find, as you go through school, that you discover something you haven't thought of yet that changes your feelings about what you'd like to do. We can't tell you what's best for you - only you can do that.

thank you so much. I'm just worried that law is just not for immigrants. It would take time to study a second degree, which no one wants it to happen.

 

[cbg]

There's no reason an immigrant can't be a lawyer.

 

[adjusterjack]

I'm just worried that law is just not for immigrants.

Before you convince yourself of that I suggest you make some inquiries with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

There are apparently 50,000 Asian-Americans practicing law in the US.

I'm sure that a great number of them started out as immigrants.

The association might have statistics about that, or information that might encourage you to choose law as your career.

Also check out this list of Asian-Americans who are judges.

List of Asian American jurists - Wikipedia

Many of the links are live and lead to their biographies.

I'm sure you will find many that weren't born in the US.

Don't let your language skills discourage you. They can be improved.

 

[ElleMD]

I've worked with teenagers, some of them immigrants, for more than 20 years. Most of them have no idea what they want to do when they "grow up", and those who think they know, often change their minds. You are 17. You don't need to have your whole adult life planned yet. Focus on just the next few years. Graduate HS, then have a plan for after gradation. If that is community college- great! Get some courses under you, work on your language skills, and work with your advisor on identifying your best options. Take advantage of your school's career center for internships and opportunities to talk to those from a variety of different professions, including law. Ask your advisor, friends, neighbors, and professors if they know any lawyers who you might be able to speak with or who you could shadow for a day. Do the same with those who work in IT. Your school will undoubtedly have both a legal department and an IT department as a starting point.

Heck, you might find you want to blend the two fields and go into cyber security or something totally different. Ask any 10 adults over 40 if they are currently in the job they thought they would be in at the age of 17 and you will be lucky to find even 1 who can say they are.

 

[adjusterjack]

Ask any 10 adults over 40 if they are currently in the job they thought they would be in at the age of 17 and you will be lucky to find even 1 who can say they are.

That's right. My father was in the insurance business. Growing up I made it clear that I didn't want to be in the insurance business. What happens? I end up spending 35 years in the insurance business.

"The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley." (Robert Burns.)

 

[txls]

In high school I hated bookkeeping. Guess what I've been doing for 40 years? It's good to have a plan, but leave some wiggle room in that plan for the next few years.

 

[zddoodah]

Are there many immigrated lawyers in the U.S, especially Asians?

It obviously varies from place to place, but where I live and practice, there are tons of lawyers who are immigrants from Asian countries (Japan, Israel, Ukraine, India, Russia, etc.). The two lawyers with offices next to me were born in Taiwan and South Korea, and the lawyer next to me before my office relocated was born in Ukraine.

I'm willing to learn English, learn the pronunciation.

Kinda sad that you could have gotten this close to high school graduation without learning English (although your post suggests to me that you already have learned English since you apparently write quite well). If you're going to be an effective advocate, you will need to learn to speak English properly.

And if I should study what I like, which major should I apply to college before going to law school or university to get a bachelor's degree?

If you're sure you want to go on to law school, it really doesn't matter what your undergraduate major is. A quick personal anecdote: when I was in high school, I was absolutely positive that I would become an electrical engineer. After a year and a half of undergraduate study, I had decided I didn't want to do that. After several changes of major, I finally got my bachelor's degree nearly 12 years after graduating high school. I then went on to law school, which I completed in the "standard" three years. Once I decided that I wanted to go to law school, I figured out how to get a bachelor's degree -- any bachelor's degree -- in the quickest way possible. The only time your undergraduate degree matters is if you want to prosecute patents, in which case, you will need to have a science degree (FYI, to "prosecute" a patent means to represent a client who is seeking to obtain a patent before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office).

I'm planning to go to a community college, study English and a Paralegal Studies' degree, is it ok? or should I choose some other majors to study?

I don't know if any schools offer a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, but you will need a bachelor's degree in something. In my opinion, while paralegal studies might be useful, another major will make you more well-rounded and (probably) more marketable.

I'm just worried that law is just not for immigrants.

One member of the current California Supreme Court is an immigrant, and the current Chief Justice and at least one other associate justice are children of immigrants. One member of the Florida Supreme Court is an immigrant. They would all disagree with you, as would the lawyers mentioned above with whom I work.