The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, September 17, 1975, Page page 8, Image 8
Wednesday, septet iter 17, 1975 51 pags 8 daily nebraskan if H r f 1 S Small-to wn practice Is second career for graduate ' i ci1 "hut it is By Marian Lucas "Ten years ago if you told me I was gping to be a law yer, I'd say it wasn't possible," said 35-year-old Gary Gartner. Today Gartner, a 1974 NU College of Law graduage, is the sole lawyer in Palmyra, Nebr. He established his practice five miles from where he was raised, making it easier for him to become the town's only lawyer. A skilled laborer before he entered the College of Law, Gartner worked six years as a carpenter. After three years in the navy, he said he decided to go to college despite what he called inadequate high school grades. When Gartner was a law school freshman, he said he looked at law as an opportunity to be independent. "I cnlr with it" "After mv freshman vear. I began to think that law school to attend, he said NU Law-enrollment increases; we can place people anywhere' might not have been what I wanted. But I stuck with-it, because I had been selected," Iw said. Pressure from friends and faculty prompted him to stay in law school, Gartner said, because they considered the field prestigious. Gartner said he was interviewed for various job oppor tunities but decided to follow his original plans of establish ing a single practice. After he was graduated from NU, how ever, he said he was disillusioned. -' "I was tired of studying law and couldn't bring myself to set up a practice because it would be like law school again, said Gartner. ' No question in his mind , "Most law students are afried to start out," said Gartner, "and many go into fields that are unrelated to law." . There was no question in his mind about which law "I went to NU as a conveneince," Gartner said, "but it is a good law school." , . NU College of Law graduates are able to compete with other state university law graduates, Gartner said but they can't compete with graduates from Harvard and Yale, he added. Didn'tlikeit The NU Jaw school doesn't adequately prepare a pro spective lawyer for general practice, Gartner said. Gartner has been in practice for 8 months and said he initially didn't like it. "But now I think I am becoming more competent," Gartner said. Gartner also said students contemplating law school should gain an awareness of job possibilities by talking to lawyers. Don Shanevfelt. assistant dean of NU's law college, said its reputation is "very fine" nationally. Shaneyfelt, who is responsible for plac ing graduates, said, out of last May's 77 graduates, only 4 aren't placed. This year, 471 students are enrolled in the school compared to 439 in 1974. Even though 900 people applied, Shaneyfelt said 4he number .of applicants was down be cause of a'$25 application fee. Two years ago when application, was free, there were 1,200, he said. Annually, the law school takes 175 new students. "In Nebraska we have no problem plac ing our graduates though it is more dif ficult than four or five years ago," said Shaneyfelt. Nationally, 53 per cent of all law school graduates actually practice law, he said, while the remainder usually enter related fields such as government or social service. In Nebraska, however, Shaneyfelt said 80 85 per cent practice law. "Our graduates have proved we can place people anywhere in the United States," said Shaneyfelt. Henry Grether, law school Dean, said NU alumni earn starting salaries between $8,000 to $12,000 each year. ... Grether said it usually takes a year or two before a lawyer gains the experience he really needs. "I, don't think the overall job oppor tunities are really that poor, although those at the bottom of the class will have more trouble," said Grether. 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