A lot of very bright people can’t pass the bar exam on their first try. Yes, even if they go to Harvard Law. I don’t think it says anything about Michelle’s intelligence.
It may seem incredible, but there are many, many lawyers who go through law school and then discover that they actually hate the practice of law as it’s now done. My own lawyer is fiercely opposed to having his kids go to law school—so much so that if they choose to go, he refuses to contribute a penny.
I know quite a few ex-lawyers. Their legal training does them a great deal of good in other fields they might want to go into, and it’s always a great credential to have because it means they’ve learned to think in a particular way, but that doesn’t mean they have to do it forever.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone become a lawyer. There are easier ways to make money; there are ways to make more money; and there are nicer folks to be around. Small town practice isn’t bad, but it’s not particularly lucrative.