Law School? Are you sure?

[@michaelferebee9948]

Great video! This applies to most professional schools: apply everywhere, do well in college, pick a place you want to work. If you're motivated by the craft, money will come!

[@criminallaw9573]

Absolutely! You can make a cool $22.00 per hour post-graduation doing Temporary Document Review Projects with other highly paid attorneys! Some of these projects pay as much as. . .wait for it. . .$26.00 per hour!!! What will you do with all that cold, hard cash?

[@raffa4456]

Yeah sure 😂 now you can start thinking about the people who will never be able to go to school in the first place

[@AG-yc7vt]

@@raffa4456whose fault is that? Go to community college.

[@davidh4653]

2008-2009 was definitely rough for the legal profession. I was a software developer back then and studying for the LSAT. All the attorneys I talked to were telling me to put off on going to law school since I had a stable job in tech. So, I ended up waiting until 2013, and when I became a summer associate in 2016, it was the first full class they had hired since 2009. Also, going from a big law firm to doing personal injury law is not a common path people take. I have huge respect for attorneys like Mike because it means they're doing PI work because they have a passion for it, not just for the money.

[@KComedyCritiques]

I spent my career in clinical psychology. I always wanted to go to law school, but I was afraid. Here I am, believing in myself and making a career change in my 40s,I'm going to law school! Life is too short to do something you hate. Arguing and researching are gifts of mine, not skills but a gift from God. I enjoy the hell out of debate (I have to be right,very competitive, and I hate losing). I do the research to back it up, whatever I'm talking about. If I have to lie, it's damn sure convincing to the point where I believe it. (That rarely happens. If I do, it's a small lie). Thank you Mike, you may never read the comment, but you just showed me that my dream was delayed and not denied. I no longer have the pressure of dealing with other people's mental health. I can actually have joy and peace. It's not that I won't work just as hard or even harder, but I'd be satisfied/ happy with my work life. ❤🎉🎉❤! Two things I learned, the One Time a creator actually reads my comment would be when I dictate a comment while half sleep /half fighting sleeping pills! Second, after he is a whole new style of writing as layers don't use APA scholarships for midlife crisis, career changes. Thanks, Mike. I'm both encouraged and depressed.

[@KComedyCritiques]

I will still do stand-up comedy though

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

I know someone who is 61 years years old and going to law school. Don’t let age stop you.

[@kirstinmorrell]

Mr. Rafi is correct. When my husband was 64 he retired from IT and I suggested to him that, because he'd been doing some paralegal work (not regulated in my province), he consider applying to law school. Quite reasonably he thought the return on investment wasn't going to be there. Now he's 78 and he's still programming, and today he's taking his daughter to the courthouse to help her ask for a court order related to the decision-making authority for an incompetent adult. If it's something you want to do, do it! The desire isn't going to go away.

[@sch-corp]

Found you through KZbin Shorts, you are a huge breath of fresh air compared to most of the arrogant American attorneys who put their content on KZbin! Loved this video, a lot of it resonated with me (been a solicitor since 2012, and a barrister since 2020). I don't share the passion for personal injury law (although I do take the odd PI brief from time to time), but definitely can relate to the importance of having autonomy in this caper.

[@Blake9887]

Both of my parents are lawyers. A bit of advice for young lawyers out there… Never marry another lawyer. I know three other lawyer couples that end up in messy divorces. I always swore up and down I would never become a lawyer but for the past 7 ish years I’ve developed an appreciation for the law. Thinking of doing some law school now and finishing out by reading the law. (In NY you only need one year of law school to read the law and take the bar.

[@plesiolord1229]

I disagree with giving dating advice based on stereotypes

[@carodags2296]

I agree. I married an engineer. Would never marry a lawyer. Have been married 37 years and oractice matrimonial law.

[@cd8679]

Oh that’s sad :/ I know a very nice couple that met in law school who practice very different types of law. It works out sometimes!

[@teamcoltra]

I love your description of what got you into personal injury. I've always been confused by people who hate personal injury attorneys or criminal defense attorneys.. like these are the people who actually protect people. If the state does it's job, guilty people will go to jail no need to hate defense. If companies/people operate properly there won't be an injury.

[@mamaobama7132]

Exactly! Lawyers play one of the most important roles in our society, making sure people and institutions are accountable for their actions. Without lawyers, how would you ever feel safe that your interests could be protected

[@heyheytaytay]

I wasn't half way into a practice LSAT test when I thought "Nope, this isn't gonna happen." and instead went into a different field. Best decision of my life XD

[@egreene86]

Wow...this might be one of the most underrated videos of this table-talk-personal-story type that exists on KZbin since its inception. Great story, great build, great conflict & resolution, great introspection, great pacing. Specifically, the sense of honesty is well-worn. Great vid!

[@TeganBurns]

Objection your honor, Dodging the question. What's your LSAT score Mike? Show proof.

[@scottmadison4380]

You actually make being a personal injury lawyer sound like a public defender, but for civil cases not criminal.

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

That’s a really good way of looking at it.

[@AegonTheUnlikely]

It actually kind of is….I’m a paycheck to paycheck guy who just took an injury and my case has a rocky start but once we got to mediation, it so happened that my lawyer got COVID and his son was the one to represent me. It turned out to be a silver lining as the son actually did amazingly, and had represented me the way I had been wishing for the whole time. It wasn’t a lottery ticket and I didn’t get exactly what I want, but he got me the best result possible from the (very big and powerful) defendants and now I can live my life with a little more peace and pay off some debts. All possible because of contingency, I would never have the resources to hire a lawyer on retainer or pay by the hour. 🎉

[@lj8647]

@@AegonTheUnlikely

[@texasoutlook60]

I wasn't interested in lawyer stuff until I started watching your YT shorts then I subscribed to your channel and I'm hooked! Great video!

[@tanizaki]

UGA’s a great school! I went to undergrad in Atlanta and I have a lot of affection for that city - I still go back often. (law school was in a state that prefers to remain anonymous)

[@AegonTheUnlikely]

As someone who just settled a personal injury case with what I consider a decent result (I didn’t get everything I wanted, but the other side certainly gave me a lot more than they wanted 😂) Thank You for all you do for the little guy. It really does seem like rewarding work and I find myself considering law school at the age of 33 even though I’ve been steadily working in IT for 9 years now, and my BA is in Economics, with a mediocre GPA. I’ll have to put in work on the LSAT to have a chance I suppose. But I am passionate about this, even more so now seeing it first hand.

[@cathieschmitgal5515]

You are so awesome and a natural teacher/mentor/motivator…Bravo👏👏👏👏

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Thanks

[@EvenNightK]

loving the longer videos, keep it up.

[@McGriffman]

Great video. Not only good lawyer advice, but some good life advice - finding what you don't like is easier then finding out what you do like... so cross out the things you don't like to make it easier to find what you do like. That's awesome...

[@MaybeAnnatar]

Okay, so I had been operating under the impression that Mike was just a couple years older than me and now I'm discovering he was already a practicing attorney when I was in middle school. Huh.

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Hey now, be cool, be cool.

[@MaybeAnnatar]

@@MikeRafiLawyer It's only complimentary I promise! I genuinely thought you just looked my age! I can tell you have a good skin care routine.

[@ResidentWikipediholic]

Love the video. I'm thinking of trying to be a lawyer one day and UGA is my top pick so to see someone who went through that is really inspiring.

[@henrycollins2478]

0:31 that may or may not have been why I joined the sailing club this year. Haven’t gone to a meeting yet, but we’ll see

[@haysdixon6227]

I go to Mercer (not for law) and am always hyped when it gets mentioned since it’s pretty small. Awesome video, appreciate the “realness” and your storytelling sort of style.

[@Motivate_the_Mind.]

Im at Mercer law now, it’s rough just like any other law school but it’s been pretty enjoyable

[@jasonli1244]

I’m currently studying for the LSAT and have known about you for a while through your content. I graduated from Furman University this May so hey I’ll take this as a sign of more to come 🙏 Thanks for dropping your experience!

[@robertalexander5422]

Oh, Mike, I thought you'd do the great LSAT reveal.. .... Numerical values?...... My GPA completely stunk up the place....... I am most content knowing you have put your fabulous talent to good use. I watch ALL your stuff.

[@SeaNaCl]

I just glommed my first lsat. I got a job at a southeastern law school in hopes to add more structure and motivation to do well and focus on what I need to do to get to where I want. Hopefully it works out.

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Best of luck.

[@jordanvangundy975]

As an Alabama alum, I don’t understand why Alabama doesn’t have more OCIs with Atlanta firms. They try to get everyone jobs in Birmingham when Atlanta is only another 2 hours away.

[@franciscodiaz3028]

I enjoy what I do. I was prelaw at one point but idk lately ive been getting that itch to go into law. Your channel has made consider the possibilities. Great video!

[@conlai49]

This was very good Mike! As someone who is considering going to law school, I found this very helpful. Thank you!

[@SamuelVanAgteren]

Absolutely fantastic video.

[@FlowersgotPowers]

This is really inspiring! I'm a highschool junior planning on moving to NYC within the next few years so it's nice to hear the processes that go into becoming a lawyer!

[@drakosflame]

As someone who has found a different path to a different beloved field, I think I'd give the same advice -- don't be afraid to say "why not?" and try something different. My success hasn't been linear at all -- even though I thought I had my life and career all planned out by the time I got to high school, that's just not how it all worked out. I had to let go of my dreams due to some not-great circumstances and accept that letting go wasn't failure, it was freedom. As I worked my way up through various industries, I finally found a role that gave me the kind of purpose I was looking for. Second piece of advice would be it's okay to do things for yourself, third would be to keep receipts/proof, and fourth would be to not let anyone else on this earth dictate what your self worth should be.

[@Antody]

That is very inspiring, young sir. 🙏

[@MosiJae]

I really appreciate this video. I made a post on Tiktok about law school and you nearly echoed my every sentiment .

[@lacesout8292]

Good vid for those thinking of where to go to Law school. Ditto--my motivation to go through Applied Science Mech Engineering was to land an Aerospace job

[@Obsidian0Sky]

Thank you for telling your story! And awesome advice. Def worked in my life.

[@randyzeitman1354]

Very engaging! Sincere and respectable!

[@-Good4Y0u]

I usually tell people not to go to law school unless you absolutely know you want to do it, and if you're not T14, ensure you're getting a great scholarship. That's from someone who went to law school, did the law thing, went back to corporate life and used my CS degree and JD to do more interesting things (to me). But the law will always be there and so will the degree.

[@Sdelphia]

Yup -- 2008 - 2009 was tough. Joined the military as that was the only choice I had at the time.

[@dri6328]

I like these longer vids

[@zellafranklin8240]

Great advice!

[@Belleplainer]

I had something similar happen when I took the LSAT. I did my test prep with Princeton Review. We took three practice exams at the end of the class and I averaged 170 on them, which I was very happy with. But when I sat for the real test, I only managed a 163, which is a difference of being in about the 95th percentile and the 80th-85th percentile, pretty significant. I decided not to retake the test, though, because 163 was plenty good enough for most of the schools that I was interested in. I wasn't actually interested in being an attorney, but was looking to do a joint degree program in law and international relations and was more concerned with the reputation of the schools' international relations programs, which didn't always sync up with their law school reps.

[@joshuasolorzano4218]

Thanks, Mike

[@creez1]

Scott Turrow wrote a book called "One L" it chronicles his first year at Harvard Law. Short, great read.

[@PromotionalNetworking]

Mock trials in Junior High was dooope but I learned something very important from our teacher Ryan. I am always going to be a victim of prejudice. Lol

[@AM-pl2pt]

Learned electronics so I could fix radios and TV’s . Actually did that job in the military and civilian environments. Most boring job totally did not enjoy it. Ended up migrating to IT Communications made a career of it and successfully retired. What Mike says is factual. Find your passion and go for it. Learn what it takes to do that job and go for it.

[@wilycat5290]

Thank you for a great video 😊

[@katherinegrice1801]

You've become Robin Hood. Helping the little guy in his/her worst situation.

[@cd8679]

Mike I respect your work ethic - I hope I find an exciting law firm with equally cool attys after getting my paralegal certification. Willing to do an unpaid internship if you happen to know any San Francisco lawyers that require legal assistance.

[@aconsideredmoment]

Thanks for your candor.

[@MenwithHill]

Thank you for this video i really appreciate longer form content

[@morrispearl9981]

Was there something specific that gave you the confidence to start your own firm?

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Naïve, unbridled, self belief. Bet on yourself, and at least you’ll have no regrets.

[@emmaaber8785]

really liked this type of content from you

[@stephenhenley7452]

Damn good advice! Well done!

[@jamesticknor1134]

Busted my butt. Got into a top 20 school. Got hired at a top 5 lawfirm. Corporate law all the way!

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Been there too

[@mysteryshrimp]

As a Georgia State Philosophy grad, i will not argue that we are better in our law program. We probably have you in business, but not law. The only reason that Is didn't go to UGA is that the geology (my preferred major at the time) building overlooked the football stadium, and Georgia State didn't even have a football team. Yet.

[@criminallaw9573]

You should probably go to law school in Florida, that state has only 11 law schools, so the job market's not crowded at all. Why, Pennsylvania has just 10 law schools, so you can DEFINITELY find a job there, easily, post graduation. Look, folks, IRL the job market for lawyers is so vastly over-saturated that licensed attorneys work for as little as $22.00 per hour doing "Temporary Document Review Projects". When a job, at, say, the Public Defender's Office opens up, far more than 100 people will immediately apply for it. People who attend law school often NEVER find a job as a lawyer, and end up wasting three years of their life, and over $200,000 on a worthless degree. Don't make a very big, very expensive, life-altering mistake--don't go to law school.

[@rickengle7208]

Wish i could afford to hire you. Im flying solo as a plumber against a Union. They hired a partner out of some big firm to shut me up

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Personal lawyers work for free until we win the case.

[@rickengle7208]

@@MikeRafiLawyer I tried. No one wanted to go up against the Union. Small town politics. Alaska is incestuous like that. Appreciate the response though, that's kind of surprising. I wasn't expecting it. I'm probably gonna lose, but hopefully they get the message. My accusation is that they cant provide the state mandated work experience and they know it but kept lying and "qualifying" people as journeyman plumbers. I was three years into my apprenticeship and hadn't done plumbing once and that's the norm. There's a reason every state requires 8000 hours of on the job training to be a plumber. People die if it's done wrong. Win or lose, either way I'm bringing attention to the problem but if I can get to discovery I win. Once I can access all the apprentice reports proving my statements is easy. All I have to do is audit the reports and show almost no one is meeting the state requirements when they journey out. Getting past the Partner to the law firm they hired out of state is gonna be fun though. At least I'm in no rush. I'm expecting a response from their lawyer tomorrow about my complaint. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it.

[@rickengle7208]

@@MikeRafiLawyer well then, if your in a reciprocation state to Alaska and want to hear my complaint let me know how to contact your firm and I'll call.

[@ggfien9373]

I made a 156 then retook literally a month later with no extra studying and made a 166. I honestly feel like the first LSAT is cursed for at least me 😅

[@aaronkorn]

I love you Mike ❤

[@OaseDaniel]

I hear the the first thing you learn in law school is not to become a lawyer

[@amsells]

I had an adjunct prof say that in undergrad in a Con law class.

[@mrpoliceemsfire1]

G-VEGAS MENTIONED!! WOOOW!!

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Haha

[@mrpoliceemsfire1]

@@MikeRafiLawyer How was your time at Furman? I'm torn between Clemson and Furman. Also, have you been back to Greenville in the last few years? The TR area has changed a lot even in the last 4-5 years.

[@nateplace415]

4:00 legitimate question: is Atlanta the be-all end-all in GA from a law standpoint, or can the regional areas still get you reasonably well employed? My sister is in the process of applying to law schools and (to my knowledge) has only gotten into Mercer thus far; I've heard it's kind of eh, but a bar pass is a bar pass is a bar pass.

[@MysticOceanDollies]

lol I didn’t choose Kaplan because I found it too expensive

[@creez1]

Great video!!!

[@Alpha9n7]

Im thinking of becoming a paralegal, which you can get a certificate in just a few months

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

My two cents, the certificate is not worth it. You can get a job and do very well without one… the key is your first job.

[@PsRohrbaugh]

Have you watched Boston Legal? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Denny Crane, Coocoo for Coco Puffs.

[@PodcastClips3798]

Idea: Day in your life. (Maybe you already did that idk)

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Check out the deposition video.

[@PodcastClips3798]

@@MikeRafiLawyerOk thanks

[@Lamartian]

Litigation is where somebody pays you to go be an a55hole to somebody else on their behalf. If that's is how you view yourself, your personality or self-image, then go be a lawyer. There are so many people that go to law school thinking that they will change the system, but it always changes them. They end up being professional a55holes, and the money has to be really good to make up for the job description.

[@SheFlungDung]

Another awesome vid. Have you gotten any comments about the grey in the beard, pro/con?

[@ScottBoydathome]

Shoulda went into criminal. People always breakin' the law.

[@IsabelPerry]

Tennesse mentioned, based

[@leadartez2]

What degree did you get your bachelors in before going to law school?

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

Poli sci

[@davidzacchetti2845]

I think you'll make a great vice president.

[@thatjeff7550]

You interned in Knoxville? Huh. That's where I am. As for interning for free, ooookay, I guess I can understand that. It's just the field I got a degree in, either the feds or the professional guild got together and stated that no intern shall ever work for free because they had waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy too many firms writing off that such&such person interned at such&such firm once the student paid said firm some money and never worked a day there. Could be a rumor but every friend I had in the college said they had a paid internship.

[@Dynamice1337]

Mike was talking about during 2008 and it sounds like the court created an internship just for him. More recently unpaid internships are frowned upon because they greatly favor students from wealthy backgrounds. It's a tacit form of discrimination.

[@jackcross8616]

He’s wearing a watch worth nearly 100k

[@nicholi6750]

Would you be a good lawyer for a Pmc and if not who would be

[@matthewrowan6452]

Is that a Patek Nautilus?

[@seanbarker8234]

Still soliciting topics? I'd like to see a video on fair use/copyright/creative commons, etc.

[@delaphonta2816]

@Mike Go Dawgs

[@nooneleftbehide]

but are there pictures though?

[@itohan8725]

Why Janet Jackson screen shot, though?

[@genegroover3721]

Personal injury Lawyer.... $$$$$

[@oliverhardin1413]

UGA!

[@NikolasTsang]

Fucking with the editing Michael 100!

[@justicedragon9920]

holy shit you went to furman??? did you ever have donald aiesi???

[@spac3marine]

Do you ever wonder what happened to that girl?

[@abdelrahmanmohamedafifi6879]

Where does the fox news bit of your life fit into this

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

I was a associate producer there and then a reporter before I went to law school.

[@CrisTc86]

i don't know man, i still think personal injury layers are just a bunch of ambulance chasers.

[@MikeRafiLawyer]

If the market did not create a need for us, we would not exist. So are we the cause, or are we the effect?

[@bendystrawz2832]

1:06 "And I said..." drumroll "...maybe!" Yup. He's a qualified lawyer alright.

[@SlimThrull]

1:30 THAT is fantastic.