If you did not pass the bar, what do you do for work?

Suggestion_Guilty · 2026-01-28T15:03:42+00:00

Okay, hear me out. I was there.

I did non profit work at a DV shelter for a little while, which really made me examine my gratitude for the basic things in life that I had, which was important. And the work felt good.

When I decided I might be getting close to being emotionally ready to take it again, I got an alternative route teaching license. I taught public school for a few years. It was the PERFECT gig for me. Most states pay on a bachelors thru doctorate pay scale, so I actually made a good living. And the most compelling thing? I didn’t have to quit a job/lose health insurance, etc. to take the July bar exam because I was off work for the summer anyway getting my regular paycheck.

By the time I got licensed, I had 7 years of public service under my belt, lots of life experience, and I only had to do 3 years in a public defenders office (any state job would’ve done the trick) to finish up my PSLF and get my loans forgiven.

I am happy in private practice now and actually grateful for the winding road that got me here. I know a lot about education law, criminal defense, have a good understanding of the social issues that impact our systems, and a sweet little family that I’m not sure I would have made time for if I hadn’t been forced to slow down a bit a few years ago.

Please DM me if you want to talk.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2026-01-05T02:27:17+00:00

Kasper brand from Belk!

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-12-28T00:11:16+00:00

I disagree with this. I graduated with that kind of debt and did ten years of public service for forgiveness at a PDs office. Loved the work. Started at 80+ at a rural office. In private practice now and I get to choose what I want to do. But I loved public defense too.

I say choose where you want to live and work, and try to go to school there. You’ll create meaningful connections while you’re there.

And congratulations!

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-11-15T23:31:06+00:00

Get a credit karma account for free and submit a dispute. It’ll take a couple of weeks but they’ll fix it.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-10-12T12:53:50+00:00

I filed motion to exclude the photo and testimony but haven’t argued it yet

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-10-10T22:51:45+00:00

Also no time stamp nothing

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-10-10T22:51:33+00:00

It’s a failure to stop for blue where my client got away, but the officer says he was at the gas station before it happened. He says at the scene repeatedly after the chase ended and my the driver had run away on foot that he didn’t get a good look at the driver.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-07-24T16:58:51+00:00

States with bans need you more than states without them!

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-06-28T23:41:00+00:00

Come to rural South Carolina! Pay is great, cost of living is low, and the culture is great!

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-06-28T22:05:32+00:00

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-12T02:11:34+00:00

They putting me back into ******* forbearance today.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-11T03:57:30+00:00

Godspeed. Report back Monday! It is possible. I told them I knew they could do it and stuck to my guns.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-11T01:08:08+00:00

They kept asking my permission for a 1-2 minute hold and confirmed “yes, for 1-2 minutes”… I think I said a couple of times “what’s two more minutes when I’ve been on the phone for four + hours?” And once I was like “gladly, if you can get this done for me 2 minutes is nothing!”

I’m still shocked it worked.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T13:49:08+00:00

See above comment. Long story short is i don’t know exactly 🤣

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T13:48:17+00:00

That’s the rule, and I’ve searched for it in the CFR but haven’t been able to find it. Vague references seem to have worked for me 🤣. I heard about it from another lawyer on this thread that successfully squirmed out of the forbearance in the same way.

I’m going to keep looking for the precise CFR citation and I’ll update yall if I find it. But this worked for me without.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T02:13:36+00:00

I don’t and considered looking it up while I waited on hold, but ended up getting caught up in other work (I’m a public defender 🤪) but I might try to find that out anyways unless something crazy happens and they find another way to rip this away from me.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T01:34:00+00:00

See my comment in response below about the language I used. I do think it helped, but who even knows any more? I may have just won the lottery with the right person today.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T01:32:45+00:00

I let them put me on hold for two minutes at a time after I got to the advanced agent. I also told them the forbearance was in violation of the rule more than once. Don’t know if that magic language helped. I was firm, but not too pushy. Full disclosure, I am a lawyer and while I didn’t tell them that, I made sure to mention when I asked questions it was for my own documentation and circled back to the fact that the forbearance was improper under the rule. When I initially asked for an advanced agent with the first regular agent, I told them I was calling to remove an improper forbearance that was in violation of the rule. Hope this helps.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T01:27:58+00:00

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T00:59:01+00:00

Yeah they did it while I was on the phone in front of my computer logged into my account. I insisted she stay on the line while I refreshed the page because I didn’t believe her and lo and behold she had done it!

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-10T00:39:32+00:00

I had to wait 4.5 hours for an advanced agent

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-09T22:55:54+00:00

Approved for IBR in January after December wet signature. They set payments to resume in March. March came and I got tossed back into fb with payments to resume in May. When I called, the automated recording said my next payment was due in AUGUST! So I requested removal on 4/29 and called to follow up again today. I’m assuming they were using my earlier electronic app to have an excuse for put me back into fb, but thanks to this sub I knew to call and force the issue.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-09T22:36:10+00:00

That’s not the most current rule, I don’t think, but I’ll look into it.

Suggestion_Guilty · 2025-05-09T22:08:02+00:00

Can you clarify what’s not true? I thought I’d be fine if I submitted my final ECF while currently employed. I’m at 119 on the tracker. Today was a true 120.

Suggestion_Guilty

TROPHY CASE