how do i know if law school and a legal career is right for me?

During my first few years of undergrad, I was absolutely certain that I wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer. But by the time my senior year rolled around, I was less sure. The more stories I read about the lack of work-life balance in the legal field, the less certain I became that I was ready to commit so much of my life to work. However, law is still deeply fascinating to me and I really enjoy reading and writing.

My question is: How do you know if law school and a career in law is right for you before you get there? What advice do you have to make sure you make the right decision and don’t end up majorly regretting it?

- Anonymous

I always say that the best way to learn more about career paths is to talk to the people who currently work in the industry. Reach out to alums of your college (your school's Career Services should maintain a list and where they went after college, at the very least) who are lawyers in different practice areas (e.g., immigration, criminal, corpora…