Today, those considering attending law school hear a constant refrain: The job prospects for law graduates are not strong enough to justify the cost of pursuing a legal education. Yet a recent controversial study, “The Economic Value of a Law Degree,” by Michael Simkovic and Frank McIntyre, shows that a law degree in the current market is worth 60 percent more than a typical college degree — up to $1 million more. Those in the camp who think law school is not a good investment are skeptical of these findings.
But this study and its critics all overlook one important fact: Thousands of lawyers across the United States are not in it for the money and never have been. What’s more, many of these lawyers find their jobs incredibly rewarding and find that their law degree actually helps them change the world.
