| Topic Name: |
Law Degrees and TV News |
| Message Name: |
Some Excellent Points Made above...to which I'd add |
| Date Posted: |
06/15/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
you can try anything.
But you don't have to practice law to report on it.
Nor do you have to be an attorney any more to be on Court-TV.
That went out when Steve Brill sold out his interest.
(The exception was Terry Moran who is not a lawyer).
And if you want to do legal "journalism" as opposed to cover trials, Court-TV is not a place to be. |
| Message: |
That in most states going to law school "part time" means you get your degree in four, not three years. And the workload is still intense.
The question you have to answer is whether you want to practice law or whether you want to improve your skills as a reporter.
If it's the former, it's never too soon. If it's the latter, you face a couple of hurdles:
1) the cost is substantial and isn't likely to be recouped.
2) the demand on your time could (but won't necessarily) take you off the air for four years.
3) Some NDs feel threatened by reporters with law degrees. OK, they're not the strongest NDs...but they're out there.
4) Your skills won't be improved that much.
However, in my experience, from the day I entered law school (about ten years ago) lawyers, judges and even cops treated me differently, with more respect, and the quality of the information I received improved greatly.
I recommend it highly.
But there are pitfalls and costs, of which you need to be aware.
|
|
