"Look, Ma! I'm gonna be an attorney!"
Yes; I'm studying to become a lawyer. No; I'm not going to law school.
* * *
“Thankful” :: This mug (↑) started out as a $3.99 Thanksgiving-time impulse
purchase from Homegoods, but it has become a lot more than that. I use it every day at work and it has taken
on a role as a sort of token of the daily grind and the blessings that come
hand-in-hand with journeys unknown.
At the risk of sounding heretical or sacrilegious, this mug has helped me redirect my daily thoughts and attitudes toward Christ (though, I
often fail at these pursuits). Every
day it’s in my face: Why am I perpetually "stressed"(good or bad)? How have I let my anxiety, pessimism, (fill-in-the-blank)
into my headspace? How have I not
acknowledged His handiwork in the mundane?
Why is this great blessing being overlooked because of my arrogance and
ignorance to His goodness?
Believe me, being joyfully engaged in the banal routine of an
eight-to-five is SUPER difficult. I—just
like anyone else—am guilty of going to work, just to go to work…saying “fine”
when asked how I am doing, just because that’s what you do…et cetera.
I know, I know…preaching to the choir.
Basically, it’s this: I have an amazing job. I have an amazing family. I have amazing friends. God has surrounded me with these incredible
gifts to help carry me through this new journey.
* * *
Now that it is official, I can announce that I am attempting to climb
another rung on the ladder of legal practice.
I am going to law school…ish.
Washington is one of six jurisdictions (also: Virginia, New York,
California, Maine, and Vermont) to allow individuals to become attorneys
without completing law school (all with varying rules). I get it…sounds a little bit scary to think
there are lawyers running around out there who don’t have a J.D. Well, save
your complaints for Honest Abe.
That’s
right: Abraham Lincoln is one of the most famous examples of this
style of legal education in United States history.
I took the LSAT last June and, sure, my score was decent. But, when I realized I just could not—in good
conscience—sign up for more student loans, I made my decision. I applied to the
Washington State Bar Association’s Admission to Practice Rule 6 (APR 6) Law
Clerk Program.
It’s a wee bit old-fashioned, but reading law is:
- Waaaaayyyy more hands-on than most of law school
- Waaaaayyyy cheaper than law school
- Waaaaayyyy different than law school
The last six months have consisted of a lengthy application process with interviews, planning, and a lot of prayer.
Not only does this program require four years of my life, but four
years of my mentor’s life (Lord, help that man). He is sacrificially giving of his time,
energy, and expertise to guide me through the next four years of case
recitation, critical analysis, and legal procedure. I thank God every day for the blessing of
having a law firm family that supports me whenever and however they can. [SO.
MUCH. BLESSING.]
As the apprentice, I will be required to put in W-O-R-K. But, I will be able to fulfill a dream that I
have had since Sophomore year in college (for pennies, compared to law school
costs). Plus, I will be able to keep
working full-time as a paralegal.
Win-Win.
Sure, this path is not quite as straight as an undergradàlaw schoolàassociate trajectory,
but this is my path. But, in the words of Moana, "...if I go, there's just no telling how far I'll go." It's a leap of faith and I am ready.
T-Minus 21 days.
Here’s to the dreamers & the workhorses. Let’s get our hands dirty. Cheers!
xoxo - E
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