Law School: The Dominance of Individuality, Cash, and Networks (The First In The Law School Series)

A couple of days ago, I was walking to grab lunch with a friend--or something like that--this is law school, friendship does not exist, it's more like "what the hell can you do for me so I can get a job"-ship. The funny thing is, I find this attitude more prevalent amongst Black folk at the law school than any other group of people. It's all new to me. Though I had some issues with some folk at my undergrad, I can say this: they were SINCERE. I can't say that about the group at OSU. The rumors, gossip, and sniping that goes on in the law school is amazing. Perhaps, I was naive about what I was getting into when I decided to apply to law school--perhaps, my expectations were too high. I thought I would meet amazing and focused people. I haven't. What I have experienced is HIGH SCHOOL all over again.

At the root of all this, is the DOLLAR. Not only do you HAVE bills, but you HAVE loans. You WILL have a car payment (at least, a bus pass, which still costs money). You WILL have a mortgage or rent. Thus, you NEED to have the means to pay all that stuff off. Reality breeds competition. No one wants to be the one to spend nearly $100,000 for an education that leads to nothing but defaults and bad credit (that's assuming that you aren't already there). With all that glaring each law school grad in face and coming closer each passing day, there is more imperative to foster false friendships and take advantage of relationships that can lead you to opportunity. The code name for this in law school is NETWORKING. Though you hear it in undergrad, it becomes common jargon in law school and commonplace at these things called "mixers". In fact, there are things called "NETWORKING MIXERS" (as you can probably tell, I've never been a fan of "networking," I don't believe in it). Sometimes, to get that spot in the summer class (I mean, summer associate class at a law firm) or to network your way into a corner office (someday), will come at the expense of "friendship."

Jealousy becomes common. I have a BIG firm job forthcoming in the summer. I don't tell anyone about it in the law school. I don't brag. But, I can't count the number of times that a fellow Black student has said, albeit sarcastically, "With your big firm job...", "Since you got that big firm job and all..." I don't get it. What happen to just being happy when someone was able to do well? There is a noticeable absence of communal uplift--you know, the feeling that when one of us succeeds, all of us succeeds? If the roles were reversed and I found myself heading to government (which was my original plan), public interest, or a smaller firm, or even jobless, I would be happy for a person that is able to break into those upper echelon larger firms--of course, if that was their goal.

But what more can I say? It's easy to be idealistic when you've got what you want and what everyone (well, mostly everyone) else wishes they had. Community is dead. This is professional school. No one wants to be a broke professional. Unfortunately, it's a reality I find myself accepting more and more each day.

Idealistic? Yeah, I am. Just whenever it suits me. Law school has taught me well.