Changing careers mid-life...

[findingnemo]

Has anybody decided they need to go back to school after years away?

 

I'm contemplating (have been for 6 years now) doing Law. I have a Bachelors in Finance and an MBA. I run my own businesses but have found myself engaged in legal things more and more. There are 2 reasons I want to get a law degree.

 

1) I always wanted to be a lawyer as a kid but just before college switched to business. I have no idea why now. (Seems silly but I can't for the life of me remember what I was thinking then).

2) Since 2007, I've been involved in court case after court case. I have good lawyers but I usually question their reasoning, go back and read the relevant laws and more often than not find something that they have missed. Perhaps I understand the issues better since I or my family initiates the cases. But I also find that lacking the legal background makes the research harder for me.

 

So my plan is to go to Law school. Making the decision to do it is what's taken so long. At first it was that I was getting M, then I had my kids and just couldn't find the time. Now that they are older, I want to do this. My question is, is it really worth it to go back to school for years and years?

 

(I fully intend to keep running my businesses and it seems to me that studying Law will enhance this. I'm also turning 40 next year and think now would the time for this. Please advise if you can).

Edited May 25, 2013 by findingnemo
Typos

[Star Gazer]

I wouldn't advise it, especially if you have to finance any part of your education. You will be 18 years behind most practitioners your age, and it will show.

 

By the way, as an attorney, there's nothing more maddening to me than a lay person reading relevant case law and thinking the attorney missed something. You're a lay person, without legal training, or litigation experience. Being a party to multiple cases isn't experience. A good attorney doesn't throw everything in the kitchen sink and hope something sticks, but if they don't, you deem them to have "missed something." But in reality, they issue spot, and pick and choose the most important issues, and hopefully are efficient with their time management to that end.

[MsSmurf]

I don't think there is anything wrong with obtaining another degree for the sake of personal development if you have the financial resources and time to do so.

 

If you're looking at a complete career change I think you need to thoroughly analyze how this could enhance your life financially and professionally and how it may also do just the opposite. You also need to consider the effect on your family and your personal well being. It may sound easy to say you'll run your businesses, go to law school, and be available to your family. However the reality may be totally different. You may want to try taking one class at night to see how that feels before committing to an entire program.

 

Also are you really sure you want to be a lawyer? Sure the aspects that you've observed seem interesting to you and you were interested in the field as a kid, but do you know of everything that comes with being a lawyer? Can you deal with aspects of the field that you may flat out despise or simply be less interested in?

 

If a complete career change isn't your goal, is it really necessary to earn a law degree to enhance your businesses? Could you instead just take a few courses or do a certificate program to learn whatever it is that interests you and use that info to enhance your businesses?

[findingnemo]

@Rosas - at first I thought that I just wanted the satisfaction and so put it off. But I'm actually finding that law is relevant to my life. There are a lot of applications due to my work and other circumstances. Regarding the money, I have it. It's the time that I'm worried about. I own businesses and there are family businesses as well. So I don't need a job per se.

[findingnemo]

@Star Gazer - You make me laugh!! It is your exact argument that has made me realize I need law school. My lawyers at first got very irritated when I questioned them. Reacted just like you do and with cause. I was all over the place. They now coupled with my father, a lawyer himself, all encourage me to do this. they all think it would be the right move for me. Since I don't plan on pleading cases in court, how bad is it for me that I'm behind my age mates?

 

@MsSmurf - perhaps I shouldn't have called it changing careers. I will still run my businesses but I will also have a legal background which is proving essential in my work. One of our family business involves a lot of court cases. Another of our activities requires an understanding of constitutional law. It feels like everywhere I turn, I require more and more knowledge of the law. Do I plan on becoming a barrister? As in a lawyer who pleads cases before a judge? No. All I need is to be a solicitor.

 

In my country, you can do Diplomas but I hadn't really looked into that. I will research and see if I can cover the areas I need. Going back to school for 4 years scares me frankly.

[concerned-friend]

To the OP, I know family friends who have picked up new degrees in their 70s. Because you're not jeopardizing your finances and have the passion, desire, and aptitude, I would go for it.

 

It sounds very complementary to what you're doing. The extra degree is likely to give you additional perspectives leading to additional opportunities to improve your business.

 

By the way, as an attorney, there's nothing more maddening to me than a lay person reading relevant case law and thinking the attorney missed something. You're a lay person, without legal training, or litigation experience. Being a party to multiple cases isn't experience. A good attorney doesn't throw everything in the kitchen sink and hope something sticks, but if they don't, you deem them to have "missed something." But in reality, they issue spot, and pick and choose the most important issues, and hopefully are efficient with their time management to that end.

 

A good professional welcomes client engagement. With the resources available nowadays, anyone with the aptitude and initiative can pick up expertise comparable or even exceeding the experts in many areas.

 

I've often caught many errors made by my attorneys. It's the same for other professions. I've known self-taught engineers who outperform ones with prestigious degrees and more experience.

[FitChick]

Since you will not be having clients and money isn't a problem, go for it.

 

Making a living as a lawyer is a whole other thing as something like half of all law school grads can't get jobs in law and ones who do struggle to make a living. Just talk to your local Starbucks barrista (maybe he thought he was getting a job as a barrister.)

 

I heard one lawyer say that if you took the number of hours a lawyer works compared to income, most make about $20/hr. Now add a horrendous school debt on top of that.

 

It used to be that becoming a lawyer or doctor was a way of guaranteeing The Good Life. Now even doctors are struggling thanks to insurance companies turning the screws on them and more will leave practice with Obamacare. Not worth the blood, sweat, tears and financial expenditure.

 

More people should go into engineering.

[MsSmurf]

@Star Gazer - You make me laugh!! It is your exact argument that has made me realize I need law school. My lawyers at first got very irritated when I questioned them. Reacted just like you do and with cause. I was all over the place. They now coupled with my father, a lawyer himself, all encourage me to do this. they all think it would be the right move for me. Since I don't plan on pleading cases in court, how bad is it for me that I'm behind my age mates?

 

@MsSmurf - perhaps I shouldn't have called it changing careers. I will still run my businesses but I will also have a legal background which is proving essential in my work. One of our family business involves a lot of court cases. Another of our activities requires an understanding of constitutional law. It feels like everywhere I turn, I require more and more knowledge of the law. Do I plan on becoming a barrister? As in a lawyer who pleads cases before a judge? No. All I need is to be a solicitor.

 

In my country, you can do Diplomas but I hadn't really looked into that. I will research and see if I can cover the areas I need. Going back to school for 4 years scares me frankly.

 

I think that is a great option since it seems with all this thought you've decided a career change isn't what you want nor do you seem to want to return to school full time. Since you have the means and hopefully the support of your family it seems like a great idea and will offer you a new challenge to revitalize a career you already enjoy.

[Got it]

If you have the time, money and inclination I would do it. I don't agree that age is a major obstacle and while, yes, others with more experience but similar age may gross more than you, energy, dedication and how good you are will help with that.

 

You may, looking at your background, look at corporate law as well. No billable hours.

[The Shepherd]

This would be an interesting thread for me to read. I am looking forward to getting a Masters in Law and a Bachelors in Business Administration as well, but as of now I do not have any specific plans in place.

 

Thank you for starting this thread.