Part-Time Lawyer Homeschooling Children

Name: Marjorie J. Holsten

Major: Clarinet Performance (B.A. Music)

Law School: University of Minnesota

Description of your job: I work part‑time from my home right now, and am currently homeschooling my children. I practice in the areas of real estate (doing many closings), estate planning, and bankruptcy.

Do you have any advice for students who are considering going to the same law school you did? Don't take everything so seriously. There is SO MUCH legal work out here. Once you have a few years experience, you can go anywhere and do almost anything. Grades matter only for the first job, if you want to be with a big firm (which isn't a good fit for everyone).

Is there anything in particular that you did during your undergrad that benefited you more than anything else in getting through law school and/or transitioning into the legal profession? I taught clarinet lessons all through high school, undergrad, and law school. It taught me to "run my own business," and gave me confidence when I opened my own solo law practice. I also performed a lot as a music major undergrad. That helped me when I needed to speak in public.

If you had a chance to go through law school all over again, is there anything you would do differently? I wouldn't work near as hard as I did, and I would have more of a life. I learned more in clinics than classes. I also know now that the professors weren't always right about things (and some ‑ most? ‑ of them have never been in the "real world" of law practice). I would make sure to get to know EACH person in my class ‑ its great fun seeing them years later.

Is being a lawyer what you expected it would be? Why or why not? If I had stayed with the law firm I started with out of law school, I would have had a nervous breakdown by now. I have thoroughly enjoyed being in solo practice these past 15 years (of the 17 years I have been out of law school). I am flattered how many people want my opinion. I got MANY MANY phone calls and emails asking who to vote for. (It took me a few years to recover from the liberal leanings taught in the law school.)

What is it like transitioning from being a law student to being a lawyer? In law school, I agonized over the wording of paragraphs in my legal briefs. In practice, there is no time for doing that. Also, I do a lot of repetitive work. My pleadings for each are identical, except for the specific names, etc. Thus, EVERYTHING in practice is plagarized, whereas that was a BIG no‑no in law school.

Is there anything students should know about the legal profession before they decide to commit their life to it? Its nothing like Hollywood portrays on TV. There is a lot more gray than there is black and white. Having a law degree does not mean you have to be a lawyer. It can be a stepping stone to many careers.

What does a typical day look like for you as a lawyer? Right now, I work part‑time and homeschool my children. Typically we do schoolwork in the morning, eat lunch, and then the kids do other things while I wander into my office. I first get messages, return a few calls, and then shovel some paper. Several times a month I go to court, have closings, meet clients, etc.

Do you have any final advice? It has been said that "law is a jealous mistress" In my early years, 60‑hour weeks were the norm. I now regret working so hard, taking time away from family. Clients will ALWAYS be there.

For women, law can take you away from your children, or can enable you to earn money and be with them a lot more. I don't know anyone else who can work whenever they want, rarely leaving home, for $100++ per hour.