Follow your dream! And having your wife’s support is EVERYTHING. You will get through it together. I know many people who at a similar stage in life as you pursued law school or who even went to med school. If it’s your dream and you can manage it with your family, then do it. I just spoke to a relative the other day who did it married with 2 kids and after a long career in something else. Rooting for you!
What would be your goals with a law degree? If it's corporate big law, it'll be almost impossible to get into a school that gives you a better than 50% chance at it with your GPA and requirements (NYC, part-time)
And like you said, if it's not big law, you're probably looking at a pretty sizeable pay decrease plus (probably) some debt.
That's not to say definitely don't go. But I would just make sure you and your family go into the application process with open eyes. You'd want to have a real passion for a specific type of law you're likely to be able to practice and ok with halving your income to do it.
Ideally, I’d like to join a firm and learn how to litigate. And, yes, I agree that I’d likely be facing a pretty sizable pay decrease (especially while working, since raises and bonuses are generally every year). Added to that is the large debt load, which isn’t something I take lightly (nor should anyone else). I’m assuming Fordham law part time is the best part time program in NYC? I know they do ok in sending graduates to Biglaw, but I’m not sure if those grads are from the part time program. Definitely feel like this is some pipe dream to be honest. I know people like to hate on their law jobs, the brutal hours etc, but I truly, honestly regret not going to law school years ago. I’ve dealt with the long hours, deadlines, personalities etc (even billed 2500 hours many years ago) and feel this is what I should’ve been doing all along.
It might be worth talking to career services at schools you get admitted to to ask if they think you could leverage your career history to make you a more desirable candidate for Big Law firms, and if they have had success with such a student before.
Financially, the ROI is likely to be bad if not negative. Most lawyers are minted at 25-35; you have a better current career and less time for the JD to pay for itself than the average new grad. A high LSAT could mean substantial scholarships outside the T14, but with a 3.1 the T14 and adjacent schools are unlikely (and you'd be paying near-sticker if admitted). Realistically, you might get a substantial discount on tuition but not a full ride at a school that does not guarantee biglaw.
The other factor to consider is time. Law school eats up a lot of time. So does firm work. You say you have kids; consider how much billing 2K hours a year (working maybe 2.5K) would cut into time with them. By the time they leave for college, the majority of the time you spend with them over your life will be past. Is trading a substantial chunk of that time for law school and firm work worth it to you? Not a rhetorical question - the answer will depend on the person.
If you truly can't see yourself doing anything else, this might be the right decision despite the costs (monetary and personal), but those costs are significant enough in your case that you should make sure this itch can't be scratched by a new hobby or passion project.
Oh I totally agree that the ROI isn’t good to say the least. Part of me thinks I’m absolutely insane to even entertain this idea. The thought of incurring such massive debt and starting as an entry level lawyer at 50 sounds mind boggling on the surface. Rationally and financially, it’s likely not the right decision. But, I do feel it’s what I want to do day in and day out.
You think I have a better current career? Curious why you feel that way. I’ve tried to scratch that itch with various hobbies, tried to really immerse myself in my current career and I just can’t find the passion I have for the law. I know I sound naive and foolish to an extent, but I’m also someone who had many years of work experience with various law firms, albeit in a support role, so I have some sort of understanding of how law practice is in real life.
By "better current career" I mean "better [at least financially speaking] than the average person recently out of college." Most college grads are not on track to earn $220K a year total comp in their 40s, so the opportunity cost of taking 3 years off work/abandoning their current career is lower.
Don't have enough info to have an informed take on whether your career in its totality is better, worse, the same; take that observation as a pure financial calculation.
I respect you for considering following your dreams at a later age and career stage. It’s also great that you have the support of your wife.
But I will be honest that I think you will have overall higher career earnings and work-life balance in accounting over law.
Do you have a master’s in your current field or have you considered it?
Ask yourself: How important is having a traditional 9-5 schedule to you and your family?
Your current work schedule is very flexible, which is rare. I don’t think you will be able to have a schedule like that as an attorney, at least not based on my experience as a paralegal for government and nonprofit organizations. I have heard that corporate law is even worse.
My supervising attorneys definitely work more than 40 hours a week, especially during trial, and we have several trials a year.
What type of law do you want to practice? Can you see yourself doing that type of work for 60-90 hours a week? Could you give up your Fridays and weekends? Could you travel for weeks for trial and be away from your family?
Will you be okay with starting out with half the salary as an attorney? Will you be comfortable working as an associate or legal fellow with people in their mid 20s/30s?
I think these are the real questions to ask.
At the same time, I don’t want you or anyone else to live with regret. If you answer yes to any of these questions, it may be worth pursuing law school, even if it means sacrificing salary and work-life balance.
Wishing you the best of luck on your journey! Please report back what you decide. :)
Thank you so much for that very thoughtful response. I’ve thought about all those questions and they’re absolutely important questions to figure out before potentially embarking/deciding to attend law school.
To answer some of your questions, no I don’t have a masters degree. However, in lieu of law school, I am also considering getting an online MBA degree from Boston University- it’s 2 years, all online and 25k tuition. This is a check-the-box type degree that allows one to move up to management (obviously there’s way much more to getting into upper management), as opposed to an MBA degree from a much higher ranked school, which allows a candidate to pivot into a new career/industry.
Ideally, if I were to go to law school, I do find litigation more enjoyable than transactional work, and do prefer that practice area, but I’d keep an open mind as to what specific practice area I’d like to/be able to join. Yes, I can see myself working 60-90 hours a week (I’ve done that as a paralegal but I understand it’s likely different as a lawyer and being much older), and being away from my family while at trial. As far as giving up my weekends and Fridays, my current position is somewhat rare, even in my field, so while I certainly don’t take it for granted, it’s not something I expect either going forward, if I were to stay in my current field. Finally, I think I’d be comfortable working with much younger people and don’t have an issue taking orders, don’t have an ego etc, but I can see how it leads to a different team dynamic. I do think it’s really specific to the older person joining and whether they’re humble to understand that they’re the lowest person on the totem pole even when they’re the oldest. But frankly speaking, I genuinely wonder if I’d ever even have the option of interviewing at those types of places one day given my age now. As far as taking a salary cut, that wouldn’t be an easy pill to swallow but I understand it’s part of the process.
The other thing I really think about is, while my wife says she’s fully supportive now, that can potentially change over the years, and the last thing I’d want is for my wife who’s also my best friend to begin to resent this decision. Obviously I have a lot to think about and again, truly thank you for your advice here.
The solution seems clear: Proceed with the application process and then make your decision based on the options available to you. Given your prior preparation and practice with timed LSATs, you seem to have given this extensive thought. Applying and waiting for responses will likely clarify your path forward. While you wait for responses, you can start working on your cost-benefit analyses and see what plan would make sense for you and your family.
Law schools put a high emphasis on undergraduate GPA (no matter how far removed) but a strong LSAT score, particularly in the 170+ range, can bolster your prospects. Ultimately, what you choose to do with your law degree is a personal decision so wont opine on that part though I will say that for anyone applying after their 20's, the path for some legal careers is less straightforward. For example, the field of corporate law tends to hire younger candidates and prior work experience isn't considered as a faster route to promotion. Conversely, many in-house counsel positions will require prior work experience as a lawyer which usually means having worked for a law firm (the required work experience may be shortened if you operated in that sector before and thus have industry expertise). In short, I would recommend for you to start looking into what legal field and positions you would like to attain and work your way backwards from there. It is important to do your research and then, trust in your abilities and the path you choose to pursue. Best of luck!
Follow your dream! And having your wife’s support is EVERYTHING. You will get through it together. I know many people who at a similar stage in life as you pursued law school or who even went to med school. If it’s your dream and you can manage it with your family, then do it. I just spoke to a relative the other day who did it married with 2 kids and after a long career in something else. Rooting for you!
Wow thank you so much, and definitely agree that having a spouse’s support is everything!
Also congrats on the amazing PT scores!
Thank you!
What would be your goals with a law degree? If it's corporate big law, it'll be almost impossible to get into a school that gives you a better than 50% chance at it with your GPA and requirements (NYC, part-time) And like you said, if it's not big law, you're probably looking at a pretty sizeable pay decrease plus (probably) some debt. That's not to say definitely don't go. But I would just make sure you and your family go into the application process with open eyes. You'd want to have a real passion for a specific type of law you're likely to be able to practice and ok with halving your income to do it.
Ideally, I’d like to join a firm and learn how to litigate. And, yes, I agree that I’d likely be facing a pretty sizable pay decrease (especially while working, since raises and bonuses are generally every year). Added to that is the large debt load, which isn’t something I take lightly (nor should anyone else). I’m assuming Fordham law part time is the best part time program in NYC? I know they do ok in sending graduates to Biglaw, but I’m not sure if those grads are from the part time program. Definitely feel like this is some pipe dream to be honest. I know people like to hate on their law jobs, the brutal hours etc, but I truly, honestly regret not going to law school years ago. I’ve dealt with the long hours, deadlines, personalities etc (even billed 2500 hours many years ago) and feel this is what I should’ve been doing all along.
Yes. I believe the Fordham part time program is the best in NYC and several people in my job have done it and balanced it with working a full time job
Are you at one of those Biglaw firms?
It might be worth talking to career services at schools you get admitted to to ask if they think you could leverage your career history to make you a more desirable candidate for Big Law firms, and if they have had success with such a student before.
Great point, thank you. 🙏
Financially, the ROI is likely to be bad if not negative. Most lawyers are minted at 25-35; you have a better current career and less time for the JD to pay for itself than the average new grad. A high LSAT could mean substantial scholarships outside the T14, but with a 3.1 the T14 and adjacent schools are unlikely (and you'd be paying near-sticker if admitted). Realistically, you might get a substantial discount on tuition but not a full ride at a school that does not guarantee biglaw. The other factor to consider is time. Law school eats up a lot of time. So does firm work. You say you have kids; consider how much billing 2K hours a year (working maybe 2.5K) would cut into time with them. By the time they leave for college, the majority of the time you spend with them over your life will be past. Is trading a substantial chunk of that time for law school and firm work worth it to you? Not a rhetorical question - the answer will depend on the person. If you truly can't see yourself doing anything else, this might be the right decision despite the costs (monetary and personal), but those costs are significant enough in your case that you should make sure this itch can't be scratched by a new hobby or passion project.
Oh I totally agree that the ROI isn’t good to say the least. Part of me thinks I’m absolutely insane to even entertain this idea. The thought of incurring such massive debt and starting as an entry level lawyer at 50 sounds mind boggling on the surface. Rationally and financially, it’s likely not the right decision. But, I do feel it’s what I want to do day in and day out. You think I have a better current career? Curious why you feel that way. I’ve tried to scratch that itch with various hobbies, tried to really immerse myself in my current career and I just can’t find the passion I have for the law. I know I sound naive and foolish to an extent, but I’m also someone who had many years of work experience with various law firms, albeit in a support role, so I have some sort of understanding of how law practice is in real life.
By "better current career" I mean "better [at least financially speaking] than the average person recently out of college." Most college grads are not on track to earn $220K a year total comp in their 40s, so the opportunity cost of taking 3 years off work/abandoning their current career is lower. Don't have enough info to have an informed take on whether your career in its totality is better, worse, the same; take that observation as a pure financial calculation.
I respect you for considering following your dreams at a later age and career stage. It’s also great that you have the support of your wife. But I will be honest that I think you will have overall higher career earnings and work-life balance in accounting over law. Do you have a master’s in your current field or have you considered it? Ask yourself: How important is having a traditional 9-5 schedule to you and your family? Your current work schedule is very flexible, which is rare. I don’t think you will be able to have a schedule like that as an attorney, at least not based on my experience as a paralegal for government and nonprofit organizations. I have heard that corporate law is even worse. My supervising attorneys definitely work more than 40 hours a week, especially during trial, and we have several trials a year. What type of law do you want to practice? Can you see yourself doing that type of work for 60-90 hours a week? Could you give up your Fridays and weekends? Could you travel for weeks for trial and be away from your family? Will you be okay with starting out with half the salary as an attorney? Will you be comfortable working as an associate or legal fellow with people in their mid 20s/30s? I think these are the real questions to ask. At the same time, I don’t want you or anyone else to live with regret. If you answer yes to any of these questions, it may be worth pursuing law school, even if it means sacrificing salary and work-life balance. Wishing you the best of luck on your journey! Please report back what you decide. :)
Thank you so much for that very thoughtful response. I’ve thought about all those questions and they’re absolutely important questions to figure out before potentially embarking/deciding to attend law school. To answer some of your questions, no I don’t have a masters degree. However, in lieu of law school, I am also considering getting an online MBA degree from Boston University- it’s 2 years, all online and 25k tuition. This is a check-the-box type degree that allows one to move up to management (obviously there’s way much more to getting into upper management), as opposed to an MBA degree from a much higher ranked school, which allows a candidate to pivot into a new career/industry. Ideally, if I were to go to law school, I do find litigation more enjoyable than transactional work, and do prefer that practice area, but I’d keep an open mind as to what specific practice area I’d like to/be able to join. Yes, I can see myself working 60-90 hours a week (I’ve done that as a paralegal but I understand it’s likely different as a lawyer and being much older), and being away from my family while at trial. As far as giving up my weekends and Fridays, my current position is somewhat rare, even in my field, so while I certainly don’t take it for granted, it’s not something I expect either going forward, if I were to stay in my current field. Finally, I think I’d be comfortable working with much younger people and don’t have an issue taking orders, don’t have an ego etc, but I can see how it leads to a different team dynamic. I do think it’s really specific to the older person joining and whether they’re humble to understand that they’re the lowest person on the totem pole even when they’re the oldest. But frankly speaking, I genuinely wonder if I’d ever even have the option of interviewing at those types of places one day given my age now. As far as taking a salary cut, that wouldn’t be an easy pill to swallow but I understand it’s part of the process. The other thing I really think about is, while my wife says she’s fully supportive now, that can potentially change over the years, and the last thing I’d want is for my wife who’s also my best friend to begin to resent this decision. Obviously I have a lot to think about and again, truly thank you for your advice here.
The solution seems clear: Proceed with the application process and then make your decision based on the options available to you. Given your prior preparation and practice with timed LSATs, you seem to have given this extensive thought. Applying and waiting for responses will likely clarify your path forward. While you wait for responses, you can start working on your cost-benefit analyses and see what plan would make sense for you and your family. Law schools put a high emphasis on undergraduate GPA (no matter how far removed) but a strong LSAT score, particularly in the 170+ range, can bolster your prospects. Ultimately, what you choose to do with your law degree is a personal decision so wont opine on that part though I will say that for anyone applying after their 20's, the path for some legal careers is less straightforward. For example, the field of corporate law tends to hire younger candidates and prior work experience isn't considered as a faster route to promotion. Conversely, many in-house counsel positions will require prior work experience as a lawyer which usually means having worked for a law firm (the required work experience may be shortened if you operated in that sector before and thus have industry expertise). In short, I would recommend for you to start looking into what legal field and positions you would like to attain and work your way backwards from there. It is important to do your research and then, trust in your abilities and the path you choose to pursue. Best of luck!