I have no idea what I would expect a lawyer fresh out of a second tier law school to earn. The problem seems to be more with your own expectations.
You have a job lined up for fall. Good start. Go to work and begin looking for your next job, while developing a marketable specialty. And be realistic. So far you haven't done anything that warrants a fancy salary.
I would add that I don’t think living with family is to be looked down upon for now.
There’s going to have to be lots of that in the future. That’s not all bad. Yes, we hate to be forced to take in the grandparents, but, families should stick together and be there for each other. We have relied on the “Government” for far too long.
I would try and find out where law is heading, so you can try and specialize. And since you’re not too deeply in debt, you can probably afford to take on a heavier debtload better than the peers who are in your situation, but choose to acquire their education relying on their student loans.
You’ll have the same education or better education than your peers and less of a student loan to deal with.
First mistake. There are no rules you are "supposed to follow". Just choices and freedom to choose and pursue happiness. No happiness guaranteed.
You chose to study a field in which there is a surplus of applicants. Too many. Enough to shingle all the rooftops in my city with attorneys and have enough left over to use as cobblestones.
Despite your choice of vocation, there remains opportunity here. I know of asians who immigrated here clearing more than $10k/month operating a donut place. Did they go to law school? Nope.
Now, you will begin to get an education about life. Go find what you can now - even outside your field - anything. Life owes you nothing. Go make something of yourself.
Godspeed and good luck.
If you're not going into a big firm and want to make good money, my advice is to concentrate in a field with high demand and which others aren't doing as often and market that. I'm only semi-practicing right now (own another business), but am looking more and more with the estate planning area. If I go pack into full time practice, I'll be putting up a shingle.
As soon as you figure out how incorrect this statement is, you will be well on your way to success.
“I owe $100,000 in student loan debt. “
and there is your major error. Even at the lower interest rate on these loans you will be along time paying that off.
I dunno. Maybe Dave Ramsey would have some helpful advice:
http://www.daveramsey.com/index.cfm?event=askdave/&intRecords=8&strSearch=student%20loans
Second, all the old rules still apply. You work at being successful and work your way up. You won't be getting your own office and secretary until you prove yourself and earn it.
Nothing has changed. Yes, there are fewer jobs. But few were ever handed a cushy job "just because". Talent still wins. But it has to be displayed first. It's called "work" for a reason.
Find a way to help people who really ARE at the end of their road- no family, no job, no education, no health, no prospects. Just pick up a paper and find some volunteer event that sounds interesting and GO.
Volunteer work, even pro bono legal work, adds to your resume but better, to your wisdom. You work well with elderly- volunteer with an agency that helps indigent seniors. Or any other agency.
Belong to a church with an active young adult program? Find one. Enjoy. Networking can be pleasure.
Figure out a goal of networking your way to Texas, consider a position as a researcher or clerk, maybe with a firm or small practice that will pay for your bar.
Seek out people who work for themselves, think about how you can make that happen.
My cousin is in a small town, in a 1-man law office with a secretary. He doesn't make much money and no one gives him benefits. But he enjoys life as a volunteer and travels a lot on bargain adventure stuff, like hiking and camping.
What is important to you? Meet someone who has less than a year to live, help them out, hear their perspectives, it may inspire you.
In your CV you mention repeatedly two elements: membership in the bar and your christian faith. Why not combine those two? Many of today’s social issues, e.g. abortion, homosexual marriage, homosexual incursions into the public schools, etc. are being litigated in the courts at both the State and Federal level. Why not offer your services to one of the groups or firms in your area engaged in these legal battles? I am sure your talents would be most welcome there.
If I had a law degree, I’d start a 501c3 and become a conservative version of the ACLU or Michael Newdow. I’d take donations and start filing lawsuits to try and subvert the leftist agenda in politics, academia, and the judiciary.
Bet I could even eke out a nice living doing that. And I’d be able to sleep soundly at night.
That $100,000 debt load? Pay that down as FAST as you possibly can. Whatever job you get, no matter how much you make, you live off pork and beans if you have to, but *get rid of that debt*.
Otherwise, it’ll be a monkey on your back forever.
Best of luck. You aren’t the only one in this situation, and I think when the history of this era is written, the universities are going to have a LOT of explaining to do as to why they crippled kids with this kind of debt right out of the box. It really is disgusting.
Ended up doing different things after the Army. Best thing that ever happened.
There is sage advice from other wiser than I. Good Luck!!
My nephew graduated in 2010 and has just gotten an "Intership" with a company through connections with friends.
Networking through friends and contacts is 90% of the work these days as businesses are flooded with resumes every day for every job.
What happened is that an all out assault on business is underway. Businesses are unsure of the new business regulations in the massive Obamacaren, environmental, and financial regulation bills. It would have been worse if the requirement to mail every financial transaction over $600 not been repealed, but the Trifecta against business continues.
Attempts to increase business taxation during these hard times is unabated. I need not say who is attempting to increase Business taxation - that is obvious.
All I can say, is to get into networking in a big way. Polish your skills and any anything that would make you stand out in the crowd. Take any volunteer or Internship possible.
Lastly (but I should have said firstly) get your family to pray and if they will not, learn to pray - specific targeted prayers of service. This may be more effectatious than one might expect.
I have prayed in good times and bad. Sometimes I would see God' s hand right away. Sometimes not until later stages in my life. You have the whole world ahead of you. Keep your faith by action -pray seek and live in Him with Him in the Unity of the Holy Spirit. Also ask others for prayers. You can get good decent Christian prayer sites to pray for you. You should pray for others too. Give and it will be given back. I wish and pray thee well!!
Considering your degree and education, I would recommend looking to the SEC which is always looking for good lawyers who have a business background to go after dishonest investment brokers.
I would not hire you. That said go start your own business. After a couple of failures you will be ready for someone to hire you.
Oh and if you text more than three times a day, own an iPhone and are constantly on Facebook and Twitter stop it!!!
Live at home with the parents and don’t pay over the minimum on the student loan until you have saved at least 6 months expenses. Put one third of that in dollars, the rest in gold and silver.
After you saved that cushion, if you are in a 28% tax bracket, you make at least 80K AGI, which should be plenty to live on even after knocking a grand a month or more off on the student loans. The balance of your income might not get you a 3500 sq ft mcmansion, but an apartment or decent starter home and used car should be well in reach.
Get into risk management or compliance in an investment firm. Both are hot right now. Companies need help with this stuff. With a J.D. you bring something to the table.
You're gonna need both.