Am I going nuts or am I actually liking this subject?

Well... I know it sounds crazy... but I am actually liking law. Which is particularly strange when you come from a neighborhood that if you are asked if you want to become a lawyer the answer is "Of course not! I come from a decent family".

Wanting to learn more on Puerto Rico, I started to investigate on the subject. I decided to distance myself from the emotional arguments of the issue and went to read all the treatises and documentations and study the point of view of all sides (Anexionist, Independentist, Status Quo).

Well, it gradually turned into a spectacular investigation, where I've spent weeks on end reading Supreme Court cases (some of them over a hundred years old), Circuit Court cases, concurrences and dissentions on the judges of the federal courts that apply in PR (The District Court for PR, the First Circuit Court in Boston and the U.S. Supreme Court), political treatises from political scientists and parties, statements on overseas territorries and dependencies of the USA from Civil Attorneys, documentations on the other territorries of the USA (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Samoa), history books, Acts of Congress, etc.

The joke of it all, is that I am hooked on the subject.... I simply want to read and learn more, despite the fact that I've already read and studied hundreds of pages on the subject. It's just such a fascinating subject I love it... I've learned a lot... in fact my opinions have changed a bit on PR, but what's more important is that I know why I believe in those opinions.

Either way.... am I going nuts... or am I actually liking law? The Puerto Rico subject is the kind of subject where a constitutional attorney could spend his whole life studying, due to its enormous complexity and controversy.... am I crazy, or am I actually liking the idea of getting into this?

Victor-
I could tell by your posts that you had been doing some sort of research into law, you have become very knowledgeable at the issues involved.
It does make a very big difference when you take a stand on something and know why you feel the way that you do. I think that when you know why you feel the way you do, it makes you more capable of standing up for what you believe in. No one can ever make you feel like your opinion is wrong or insignificant.
I say, if you like law, go for it. Do something you enjoy, if it makes you sucessful along the way, then so be it

Originally Posted by squirtle

Victor-
I could tell by your posts that you had been doing some sort of research into law, you have become very knowledgeable at the issues involved.

It does make a very big difference when you take a stand on something and know why you feel the way that you do. I think that when you know why you feel the way you do, it makes you more capable of standing up for what you believe in. No one can ever make you feel like your opinion is wrong or insignificant.

I say, if you like law, go for it. Do something you enjoy, if it makes you sucessful along the way, then so be it

Click to expand...

Victor, there is nothing better than waking up everyday and going to a job you love, intelectually stimulating, emotionally rewarding, and of course having enough money to pay the bills! Go for it. It must be horrible to hate your job, so do what you love!

Victor - I am not surprised that you like the subject. I like it too - there is so much to learn from law, and there are always new things to learn. I have thought about studying law many times, still am, and still am on the fence.

Law is an interesting subject. One thing for sure, studying law or rather going to law school gives you this very objective way of analysing things. It allows one to debate without emotion or rather without the 'angry' emotion since passion can if used properly can aid one in the delivery of a line.

It provides a whole new standard and means to debate with people. More often then not, unless the other person is versed in the law on several subjects, it can close the other party down pretty fast.

By the way, while supreme court decisions are usually the first place one looks, don't forget to look at lower courts decisions. Sometimes the case in the lower court is better dealt with than in the supreme court. Or sometimes the lower court deals with issues that are not covered in the Supreme court.

PS, if you are thinking of going to law school in North America, do NOT take any law courses in your undergrad studies. Most of the time these are not taught by actual law professors so instead of a balanced view point you may get a view point skewed to one side. And instead of it being a benefit it will act as a obstacle to your learning. History, philosophy, economics, latin(looks really good on your application) and maybe literature are good courses to take. But if you like science, you could take an engineering degree or a science degree and focus on patents. Very lucrative, the current 'going rate' for a patent trial especially those phamaceutical trials are about $1-3 million. And a few years back this particular patent attorney made about 700million in a year.

Oh Victor, I am delighted to hear you are interested in law. This time next year, I will be done with school and have my degree. Studying law is very interesting, but it gets frustrating at times. I've found it takes alot of dedication, but its well worth it. BTW-when I applied for law school, I thought I had lost my mind! I think you would succeed if thats what you decide to do.

No, you're not crazy, the law can be fascinating. As much as I enjoy my job as a teacher, I sometimes think I would enjoy being a lawyer, too. I like to be able to see and understand more than one side of an issue.

So if you're crazy, it's obvious some of the rest of us are, too.

It's great that you like the law. I find it interesting as well...of course I enjoy accounting too so maybe I'm a little off....

Actually I plan to go to law school probably in the next three or four years. First I need to finish my Bachelor's Degree (in Accounting), then I have some debt I want to get paid off and maybe pick up my Masters in Accounting...can you tell I want to go into tax law? Yep, I'm definately a little off.

But at any rate, you're no crazier than the rest of us.

Ok... everyone's crazy!

bumpy... I don't know if I will study in North America or not, I will most probably study in Spain, but I will have to check out how law schools work with those folks. But thanks for that advice. I had already heard a bit.

Actually, the part which I am loving the most is what they call here. "Territorrial Law", which focuses on overseas territorries of the U.S. (or other countries such as European countries) and on how they fit on the constitutional framework of the U.S. (A real mind bender - as it puts to the very test the principles and organization of the constitution) You can tell I am in Puerto Rico. I can tell you of a small handful of folks who have gotten filthy rich with the litigations related to PR that appear up at the federal courts all the time.

You seem to be right on that bumpy.... one of the most interesting cases I have found is Igartúa de la Rosa v. United States (in 2000), which never even got to the Supreme Court, it was decided in the Federal district court for PR and an appeal in the Circuit Court which revoked the District Court's decision. I have read the decisions and concurrences of the Circuit Court, but haven't seen the decision of the District Court... I will have to check it out.