Proceed with Caution: A Diary of the First Year at One of America's Largest, Most Prestigious Law Firms

This book does a great job of informing people in high school, college, and anyone else thinking about going to law school what practicing law in a prestigious law firm is actually like. The book is an easy read because each chapter begins with an entry from the author's journal, and then focuses on a particular aspect of a large-firm legal practice. The journal entries provide startlingly personal and realistic insights into a top lawyer's lifestyle, while the chapters describe what lawyers really do on a daily basis. The book effectively offers the information that people need in order to make an informed decision about whether to go to law school.

I would never even consider going to law school after reading this book. The excerpts from the author's diary enable readers to see through the veneer of prestige associated with large-firm law practices and understand what life is really like at a top law firm. For years, I've been hearing that lawyers are often highly dissatisfied with their jobs and lives, despite the high salaries and professional prestige. Until I read this book, though, no one could effectively articulate the specific reasons WHY lawyers tend to be so unhappy (other than the long hours they often work). This book finally fills that void by slowly building the case, chapter by chapter, against life in a large law firm. Through his diary entries, Keates does a fantastic job of describing not only why he is professionally and personally dissatisfied, but also HOW his dissatisfaction affects him over time.

Life for a young lawyer in a large firm is replete with challenges. One may think money and power are enough to compensate for the struggles, but often they are not.A great book for the young attorney and a better book for those contemplating taking the LSAT.

This guide provides a revealing inside view of life at a major law firm. Also recommend the Vault Reports Guide to America's Top 50 Law Firms, a similarly good eye-opener at life inside elite law firms.

For those outside of law and for those curious about the grueling reality of "fast track" careers, this is a good read. Keates takes the reader through a series of diary entries from his first year as an associate in a law firm. Each entry is accompanied by a useful background discussion. "Caution" can be an eye-opener for corporate lawyers-to-be.