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Why did Heinrich Heine never become a lawyer?

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Portrait of German poet Heinrich Heine, circa 1827, seated with one arm resting on his knee and wearing a dark coat over a white shirt. — Heinrich Heine Heinrich Heine, c. 1827.

Although Heinrich Heine earned a degree in law in 1825, he never practiced the profession. His lack of interest in a legal career stemmed from the fact that his university years were primarily devoted to poetry, literature, and history rather than the legal studies his uncle had financed.1

Furthermore, while he converted to Protestantism in 1825 to open up the possibility of a civil service career—which was otherwise closed to Jews at the time—he ultimately never held a position in government service.1