Korean Job Discussion Forums

[legalquestions]

any other lawyers/former lawyers here?

[hogwonguy1979]

there are a few who have been disbarred in the states and wound up as esl teachers running around that i know of

[jackooboy]

Not yet a lawyer, but preping for the LSAT.

[asutrack]

O.P....I'll be there in a month. I practiced for 5 years in the states. Are you currently in Korea? Are you teaching? I am interested in what other attorneys are doing overseas.

[byunhosa]

Yes, I'm an attorney.

[contrarian]

I practiced in Canada for a long time, went broke at it (not very good ad at collecting my bills). I have a friend who is a US lawyer. In many ways teaching ESL in uni is a better life. A lot fewer hastles.

[Yaya]

I'm not a lawyer, but I've talked to enough to know that it's a field filled with landmines. I've read that the turnover rate is like 70 percent, yet so many people enter or try to enter law school in the U.S. every year. Plus most lawyers hate their jobs and only the money and their financial obligations keep them going (though I hear many lawyers make just around $50,000 a year because of the supply glut).

But job opportunities for international lawyers in Korea are growing, as the country is trying to raise the number of lawyers.

[denistron]

I have been thinking about doing my LSAT here in Korea. What has practiced law in Canada? What you tell us about your experiences?

[asutrack]

Practicing wasn't all bad but.... In any event, I would not trade the experience(s) for anything. The exposure to so many different and interesting (for the most part) problems was what kept me going. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to this next chapter in my life. I just don't know whether it is going to be short chapter in a bad novel or a long chapter in continuing series of novels.... Any of you lawyers care to share some experiences you had/have regarding your time in S. Korea and/or teaching english or other careers post law?

[boyne11]

There was this guy name "Pluto Dog".

[boyne11]

[contrarian]

When I first started to practice, back in the olden days, it was a heck of a lot of fun. I could do trial work for that fun and do th other stuff to pay the bills. Then in my province a few lawyers got their fingers in the cookie jar and stole millions.

The Law Society tightened accounting regulations, billing regulations and started laying down rules fro damned near everything. For example id someon paid you on the day of the trial your fees, say 1000 bucks, you had to put the money into a trust account, then take it out into your general account and then go spend it.

All of that said, trial work was bloody interesting, exciting and paid well, if you got your money up fromt.

[hogwonguy1979]

[legalquestions]

Yeah, Asutrack, I am in Korea now (teaching at a univ and interviewing in my free time for law school teaching positions for next academic year).

They've just adopted the US law school model here (copied the model which Japan copied from the US a couple of years ago, actually), as you may know, and the rush is on to find law school professors who have actually been admitted and who have actually practiced law before).

Also, in addition to taking something very similar to the LSAT exam, the new law students will be required to pass a new English proficiency exam (not a TOEIC/TEFL/TEPS exam).

Lots of jockying going on right now amongst the various university law departments here (93 law departments currently, and countless bar review "cram schools" in a country no bigger than Indiana). Speculation is that after the dust settles, there will be no more than 20-30 law schools in total.

I am basically a gypsy-at-heart, and before wanderlust set in I practiced law in the states for about ten years (general practice) and ultimately grew tired of listening to other peoples problems everyday.

Sometimes I do miss the money, the intellectual stimulation, and the excitement, but it's just that I prefer working part-time and travelling more, I suppose (it has been said that lady justice is a jealous mistress). Not having to worry about the office overhead and CLE is nice too.

For the last ten years I've taught general ESL, business English, military law, and business law, in a total of five countries. Also, I taught for the Korean Ministry of Justice for a year. In addition, lots of ESP/law private classes to judges, prosecutors and law students, too.

I've considered placing my law license back on active status and going back to a full-time practice in the states, but for now I'm pretty happy doing what I'm doing. By the way, in my ten years or so of teaching abroad, I've worked with at least 14 other lawyers who had made career changes (American, Canadian, British, Kiwi, Aussie and one South African). Four at one university alone!

As you know the law license is a good ticket to have, and it opens a lot of doors. Pm me if I can answer any more questions for you.

Best of luck!

[asutrack]

Legalquestions

I'll pm you later....Your post pretty much sums up my feelings about law..."got tired of heaing other peoples problems." Yeah it is no fun hearing those problems especially when your clients lie to you about their problems and you find out the truth later by opposing counsel. Getting blindsided is always fun!!!

Me, I just wanted more freedom and the practice of law takes you prisoner and does not relent ever. The demands are constant and ever growing as each year goes by. I just swallows you up (or it did with me and many of my colleagues) and I am glad to have gotten out. Everyone I speak with has expressed encouragement and a little bit of envy in my journey that I am setting out on.

I wasn't aware of the changes in Korean Law, interesting.


I have a bunch of questions to ask you, soon.