Limerick Ode To Unemployed Lawyers

Okay, nobody’s going to boo hoo over unemployed lawyers. In fact, some may even secretly (or not so secretly) cheer for news that getting a legal job is harder than ever. (And it wasn’t exactly easy a zillion years ago when I went to law school.)

Though the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 73,600 new lawyer jobs to be created in the U.S. in the current decade, American law schools graduate about 44,000 new JDs each year. So averaged over the decade, there are six new lawyers for each new job.

Limerick Ode To Unemployed Lawyers
By Madeleine Begun Kane

If you’re planning on law school, beware:
Those legal spots just aren’t there.
For each new lawyer job,
Six new lawyers named Rob
Or Roberta will vie for the chair.

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7 Responses to “Limerick Ode To Unemployed Lawyers”

  1. Daphne Steinberg says:

    Love it, Mad! And I love that you cited BLS data because my husband is the BLS press officer. BLS Media Contacts I’ll have to show this to him!

  2. madkane says:

    Thank so much Daphne! That’s what I call a funny coincidence.

  3. zee alexi says:

    Lawyers are reporters/analysts, TV hosts, agents [literary/jock/film], Wall Streeters [bankers/stock brokers], realtors, judges. A sprinkling are also MDs; they’re at lobbyists, NGOs, Big Pharm, &c. My horror years weren’t hullabaloos w/lovers or offspring w/hematomas or cancer parents~~they were those l-o–n—g daze/mos/yrs of unemployment. Boo, hiss. Alas~~even after attorney LANDS job at law firm~~she may:
    * end up in a position that’s insufferable
    * compelled to relocate to a town she doesn’t like…live just to work
    * forced to work in a practice area she doesn’t fancy
    * stuck in a firm with no potential for advancement
    * earn waay less money ~~Legal Authority
    Ouch.

  4. madkane says:

    It’s very rough indeed! I worked as a lawyer for over a dozen years, and I don’t miss it at all. :)

  5. Sara v says:

    Hi Mad, I’m with you! Though I know lots of young lawyers (cue parody on “Hello Young Lovers”) anyway….great limerick as always.

    “Hello young lawyers whoever you are,
    Although your job seeking is new
    Beware young lawyers wherever you are
    You’ll be lucky to get an interview

    Don’t cry young lawyers
    Whatever you do
    Though your dreams may not
    Come true
    There’s many more interesting
    Employment venues”

    ;-)

  6. JulesPaige says:

    I think I read some where that the US has the highest per ratio of lawyer to laymen in the world. And yet…the meek do not seem to be winning however much whining they do. Just my observation.

    We are going through a ‘trial’ because an employer wanted a family member to purger themselves in court. Really is that fair that we have to pay for and fight to prove our innocence? I know there is more to it than I can explain, but it is annoying.

  7. madkane says:

    Nicely done, Sara!
    Jules, alas, the law is the law, and justice is justice.