Is a J.D. Right for Me? Exploring the Benefits Within and Beyond a Law Degree
Is a J.D. Right for Me?
If you’re thinking about law school, 很可能你脑子里已经有了一个利与弊的清单——成本与收益, both tangible and intangible.
但你可能没有意识到等式的某些部分. 许多法律和就业专家都指出，上法学院并获得法学博士学位(J.D.)学位的好处不仅仅是你进入一个受人尊敬的职业和增加收入的潜力.
But let’s start there.
Earning Potential
A J.D. 学位准备你作为一个执业律师，以及通过律师考试. 你的收入取决于你执业的法律类型，以及你在哪个州执业.
根据美国劳工统计局的数据, the median annual wage for a lawyer was $135,740 in May 20221, 在未来十年(2022年至2032年)，律师的就业威尼斯人平台预计将增长8%。, 远远快于所有职业3%的平均水平.
But some specialties pay more than others. 例如，专利法被列为收入最高的专业，平均工资为 $168,000 annually2, according to Indeed.com. Corporate attorneys average $149,000 annually3, also according to the latest figures by Indeed.com. 相比之下，全国所有专业人士的平均工资为59美元,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 你可以看到，法律职业在赚钱潜力方面的名声不仅仅是道听途说.
Professional Versatility
While many J.D. graduates go on to practice law, there are other professions—in business, government, education, politics, and journalism, to name a few—that a law degree can open you up to. 法律学位为你从事需要深入研究和批判性分析的职业做准备, persuasive oral and written abilities, and organizational skills; it teaches you how to search complex problems for logical and legal solutions, 无论你从事什么职业，哪一项技能都能帮助你进步.
The alternative careers are numerous, 但这里有几个例子，法律学位可以为你的其他职业做好准备, along with their 2022 average annual salaries, according to Indeed and/or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Policy Analyst: Addresses social and political issues by researching, developing, and evaluating policies; average salary: $79,000
- Management Consultant: Advises organizations on how to increase efficiency and revenue by analyzing data and interviewing stakeholders; average salary: $99,000
- Contract Manager: Creates and manages an organization's formal agreements; develops contracts between the organization and its vendors or clients; average salary: $82,000
- Compliance Manager: Examine, evaluate, 并调查是否符合有关许可证和许可证的合同遵守的法律和法规, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere; average Salary: $77,000
- Legal Adviser: Provides legal advice to a government or organization, often in an official capacity; average Salary: $99,000
- Law Professor: Teach law at the postgraduate level; average salary: $100,000
Life Skills: Think Like a Lawyer
A J.D. can have uses outside of work; in effect, it will train you to think like a lawyer. 法学院的课程涵盖诸如民事诉讼之类的疑难题目, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, legal method, property law, legal writing, and torts. Thus, 当你需要签订合同时，法学院会派上用场, resolve disputes, interpret laws, or understand legal processes.
你将习惯于法律写作和分析，并将为与邻居的正式纠纷做好更多准备, governmental officials, and those working within bureaucracies. 您还将熟悉如何提交投诉或法律回应, and get involved in local regulatory efforts, pushes for new city or county ordinances, 努力在当地的规划委员会或学校董事会会议上有效地表达自己的意见.
此外，在纠纷和冲突之外，法律领域是非常刺激智力的. 律师处理复杂的伦理、哲学和道德问题，这些问题经常发生变化. 对于那些喜欢在一生中不断接受挑战的人, the field of law is a perfect fit.
Become an Expert in Your Interests
法律学位通常要求你专攻你感兴趣的法律领域, whether it be criminal law, environmental and energy law, employment law, or intellectual property law. Again, 这将使你不仅仅是在这些领域做律师, but to become an expert in them, 也许你还可以继续探索你感兴趣的领域的政策工作或研究.
Networking
Lawyers, and lawyers in training, like to network. It’s a field full of talkers and dealmakers. And law school is no different. 与大多数其他学位项目相比，你为获得J.D. 能让你与其他对自己的领域充满热情的学生和律师互动吗. After graduation, 这些关系会在你找工作的时候给你很大的帮助, learn of new trends in your field, and advance your career.
The Chicago-Kent Choice
芝加哥肯特法学院有几个显著的优势 J.D. program has over programs in many other law schools.
First of all, several of Chicago-Kent’s J.D. 专业排名在全国名列前茅，包括专业 intellectual property law, labor and employment law, environmental and energy law, and—for potential litigators—its trial and appellate 倡导项目，一直在全国排名前十.
举个例子:你可能已经注意到，与所有其他类型的律师相比，专利律师的收入潜力排名最高. 是什么让芝加哥肯特法学院以其国家认可的知识产权项目而闻名, with a specialized patent law clinic这是进入这个高利润领域的绝佳威尼斯人平台.
当涉及到像律师一样研究和写作时, 芝加哥肯特大学是美国第一所要求三年写作的法学院, and its legal writing and research curriculum has served as a model for numerous other institutions. 对法律研究和写作的重视反映了法学院致力于通过赋予毕业生分析和解决复杂问题所需的技能，将他们培养成该行业的领导者.
Finally, Chicago-Kent’s alumni network is active and thriving, 这里有很多工作的专业人士，他们愿意帮助毕业生，甚至是那些还在攻读学位的人. For those wishing to network in the Chicago area, there are more than 9,000 alumni in the city’s metro area alone.
If you want to know more about Chicago-Kent’s J.D. 项目，请随时联系招生办公室312.906.5020 or admissions@kentlaw.302252.com.