Advice/Opinions needed

[2Blonde]

There must be some demand for lawyers that have technical knowledge of Chemistry (subs ute any other technical field).

A close friend of mine is a pharmacist who then went to Law School. There is a big need for lawyers w/technical expertise. Who do you think sues & defends the pharmaceutical, chemical & research industries? I have a BS in Chemistry and it was a huge help when I went job searching after college. You tend to be seen as someone who pays more than average attention to details. People, in general, cannot help being a little impressed when they hear chemistry as a major or minor. Society tends to portray chemists as being very smart and spending a great deal of time in the pursuit of answers to scientific questions (neither of which is true). After all, they gave me a degree & I'm a blonde.

Minor in business is ALWAYS a good bet. Chemistry will not be useful in any way to someone who is in the law field.

BS.. See above answer

Hmm. How about ditching English for Business as a major and then you can still minor in Chem?

Being able to write is a key component of being a lawyer. Stick w/the English major.

Minor in what interests you. If you don't end up using much of it in your future career, so what?

And there's always a need for lawyers with technical/scientific background. Not necessarily for what you want to do, but certainly in fields like patent law.

Plus, having a science background may help you stand out from the rest of the pack when it comes to applying to law school.

Finally, 2012 (and 2015) is still a long ways off, who's to say that you might find something you really love more than your current plan.

Take the business minor. If you are going into Law school, then go 100% into it. Nothing half-assed.

Leave the chemistry classes as a hobby that you can take in the future or on the side. You can take separate classes right now for it, or wait until some point in the future after you have graduated.

It's a hobby, treat it as such. Take the Business minor, it will help you with your career.

and as a side bonus, you make your parents happy and you feel good about it.

Win-win.

Once you are a successful lawyer some years down the road from now, you can build a little chemistry mad scientist lab in your garage and take night classes for it. Have at it.

but for now, Business minor.

You will stand a much better chance of being successful in life if you can truly believe what you're selling. When you are interviewing for Law School, you are the product you are selling. If you come across as someone who is passionate about what they have achieved then you WILL stand out.

There are lots of chemical and food companies that probably want lawyers that have some clue about chemistry.

Another chemistry-related angle is environmental: going green, recycling, pollutants, worker safety, etc. Lots of things require environmental impact statements. I imagine some lawyers go over those things, both in companies and in government.

[td4mvp21]

Thanks for even more responses. I'm glad some of you (2blonde, spurster, etc.) pointed out the need for specialized lawyers and lawyers that deal with pharmaceutical companies, I hadn't really thought of that. Thanks for the insight

[robino2001]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is patent law... I am a Chemist for a biotech in Austin and our company has two lawyers with science backgrounds who are our patent lawyers/company legal council...

[The Power Hour.]

Thanks for even more responses. I'm glad some of you (2blonde, spurster, etc.) pointed out the need for specialized lawyers and lawyers that deal with pharmaceutical companies, I hadn't really thought of that. Thanks for the insight

Yes I am sure there are 100s cases a day where lawyers deal with pharmaceutical companies. Dude your fooling yourself. 90% of collage grades end up at Wallmart or the Gap. Learn how work on Jet airplanes, medical school or any other money making trade. There is a program you can go to at St.Phillips where you learn how to check phone lines in apartments and commercial buildings using your laptop it pays 28.00 dollars an hour.

[2Blonde]

Yes I am sure there are 100s cases a day where lawyers deal with pharmaceutical companies. Dude your fooling yourself. 90% of collage grades end up at Wallmart or the Gap. Learn how work on Jet airplanes, medical school or any other money making trade. There is a program you can go to at St.Phillips where you learn how to check phone lines in apartments and commercial buildings using your laptop it pays 28.00 dollars an hour.

Hmmm... when I graduated from college I majored in chemistry and didn't have to take art or make any collages for grades.

[The Power Hour.]

Hmmm... when I graduated from college I majored in chemistry and didn't have to take art or make any collages for grades.

Your from another generation times have changed. Back in the 80s a collage diploma meant something. Besides your married to a man who is retired from the Army try leaving him and finding a good job based on your collage courses you will see my point.

[B-Boy]

. Learn how work on Jet airplanes,

Best advise ever. My dad has never been out of work

[florige]

A close friend of mine is a pharmacist who then went to Law School. There is a big need for lawyers w/technical expertise. Who do you think sues & defends the pharmaceutical, chemical & research industries? I have a BS in Chemistry and it was a huge help when I went job searching after college. You tend to be seen as someone who pays more than average attention to details. People, in general, cannot help being a little impressed when they hear chemistry as a major or minor. Society tends to portray chemists as being very smart and spending a great deal of time in the pursuit of answers to scientific questions (neither of which is true). After all, they gave me a degree & I'm a blonde.



BS.. See above answer



Being able to write is a key component of being a lawyer. Stick w/the English major.







You will stand a much better chance of being successful in life if you can truly believe what you're selling. When you are interviewing for Law School, you are the product you are selling. If you come across as someone who is passionate about what they have achieved then you WILL stand out.

So your friend went to Pharamacy school first, then decided to become a Lawyer?

[ShoogarBear]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is patent law...

Ahem.

And there's always a need for lawyers with technical/scientific background. Not necessarily for what you want to do, but certainly in fields like patent law.

Perhaps if I said it in Chemistry-ese:

              tech
             degree -->
             \_____/
Law school --------->  Patent Law

[robino2001]

Doesn't count. It was the last word in the line on the screen... and my patent lawyer told me the last word in a line doesn't matter. He knows all of those nifty tricks.