Welcome to The Barrister on a Budget Blog

Welcome to The Barrister on a Budget Blog written by Jenny L. Maxey author of the soon to be released law school guide Barrister on a Budget. 

Everyone is questioning whether law school is still worth the investment, but the real question is whether law school is worth the investment for you.  For some of you, it can be.  For many of you it is not.  Gone are the days of ample job opportunity and six figure salaries.  For most, the only six figures a new law graduate sees are on his or her student loan bill.

Some blame the recession or the bloated employment percentages provided by law schools.  Others fault the system, advancements in technology and countless other reasons.  I, on the other hand, blame students.  Yes, that’s right – students!  Even I – a graduate of 2010, a fledgling law student before even a whiff of economic downturn could be detected – could have done more to determine if law school was the right investment for me. 

Students need to do more research and focus less on hope and more on facts.  They need to examine their own present education and financial situation and apply that information to the current economic climate and job market.  In addition to this research, students also need to employ stricter budgets and strategize how to make the most cost effective choices to prevent them from struggling in staggering student loan debt upon repayment.  The biggest problem is where to start.  For those who do not have a mentor or family member that is already employed in the legal field, knowing the right questions and finding reliable resources is a difficult task.  Most of the time, it is a learn-as-you-go process, which is highly detrimental to strategizing ways to save money and budget.  This is where Barrister on a Budget steps in to help.

Barrister on a Budget is a law school guide book to help pre-law and law students strategize and save money before, during, and after law school.  It will give you all of the information and potential costs up front so that you can make an informed decision as to whether law school is the right investment for you.  This blog will work in combination with the book by providing advice and comments on current events, news, and data that may affect you during the decision-making process. 

The first topic will be posted April 10, 2013.  I urge you to write in about questions that you have and topics that you would like me to cover.  Barrister on a Budget aims to help you make the most informed decision possible.  So, will law school be the right investment for you?