Middle-agers considering law school advice

In response to a previous entry about things to consider when thinking of applying to law school, one reader has asked me this question:

Really, I have a question...what do you think of middle aged people going to law school as a "new career" kind of thing? My answer follows.

I have worked with several people who have chosen law a second career. As I suggested in my previous entry, it really is a case by case basis and personal decision as to whether it is right for you. Nevertheless, here are a few things to consider which I may not have elaborated on enough earlier.

Most of the people I know who have chosen law as a second career (meaning they have passed the bar and are (or will be) gainfully employed as an attorney), are much older than the average entering student (which is 23 or 24). Their kids are either out of high school or very soon will be. Costs (the legal education and any money contributed toward a child’s education) have to be the biggest consideration. Like anything else, however, loans are available, so costs should be considered, but should not necessarily be a deterrent. For purposes of this entry, I will assume that as a “new career,” costs are an issue, but not nearly as much of an issue as they would be if you were coming out of college. To consider costs fully, consult with your accountant or financial adviser.

To save costs, you may consider a part-time or evening law program at an accredited school. I know many who graduated from these programs and went on to pass their respective bars. Most of these part-time students also had their companies pay for school, so obviously there lies a commitment beyond law school and that is another personal decision.

Beyond costs, the commitment to law itself is equally a strong factor, if not nearly as strong. Professional school is not like college, and those who treat it like college tend to figure out when the grades come out the first time that it is very different. If you decide to go to law school (full or part time), know that a significant amount of your free time over the next three or four years will be devoted to learning the law. The bar exam (after graduation) also requires a strong commitment (although I do know people who worked and studied and still passed).

As far as how a middle-aged student would fit into the law school scene, it is what you make of it. I work with students who are close to my age (20s), and I work with students who are twice my age (or close to it), and I think there is something to be said about how someone with years of experience can contribute to a course program. On the other hand, I have also noticed that some of the older members of a class also tend to talk about meaningless or inapplicable things and think they are right by virtue of being older. As a result, I recommend taking a couple of slices of humble pie and checking your hearing aid before embarking into a law school program. The ability to listen may be the most underappreciated asset in law. The rest of the law school opportunities (law review, moot court, etc.) are available for you just the same as whether you were right out of school three months before or when television was still in black and white.

One thing I would recommend considering concerns the job opportunities that exist for older members as opposed to younger ones. I know of some older students who have gone on to work for big firms, and they do fine. Despite these outliers, the majority of big firms tend to hire younger people, so you need to work doubly hard to show that you aren’t set in your ways and are still a marketable employee. I would imagine law is no different from any other job in that sense.

It seems to me (and I have no basis for this other than my personal observations), that most people embarking on a legal career as a second career tend to get into the public sector. The hours are better and the pension and benefits are more in line to what they expect or need. The salary may or may not be close to what you would make in the private sector, but it’s a good job, which many younger attorneys do not realize until they have spent one or two years in the corporate machine which comprises much of the private sector. To each his (or her) own. Obviously debt (and grades) play a crucial factor into this decision as well.

Of course, I limit my suggestions to jobs to the public and private sector. Law opens up many more doors than that, and you should work with the career services program at your school (if it’s any good) or use resources in the library or your local bookstore or internet to determine the possibilities. Having one career helps in that you know what you like and what you do not; having a law degree helps to focus what you like into a more specialized area. Personally and professionally, it is for some and not for others. You need to seriously consider what you want to do with your life and see if law opens up those doors.

The only other advice I would give is to reevaluate your goals after both your first and second semester. Talk with your support system (usually your spouse) and make sure to keep your priorities (family) straight. Law isn’t for everyone, and as a middle-aged student, I would hope you would have enough sense to cut your losses if you find yourself in this situation. At the same time, many more people have learned to balance the world that is law, and have done so quite well.

Hopefully this free advice helps. It’s a good profession that you can’t truly appreciate until you’re a part of it. Good luck.

Tags: applying to law school, law school for older students, middle-aged lawyers