Serious dilemma. I am a 30 year old with a $60,000 per year job. I was accepted at a T25 school. I currently work in Big Law in IT and have very solid contacts/friends who are partners. Nonetheless, I am distraught over the decision to leave a job that I really like when nothing is guaranteed. Any advice?

Can't you go to law school part-time? I know a legal recruiter from a V10 who went to law school part-time and just got hired as an associate at the same firm. He's in his 40s I believe.

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I feel you bro. However if you really liked your job and were also happy with the money, why did you apply to law school? Do you feel like you need to be more stimulated and have more engaging work?

Also, I know a little about IT as my neighbor is an IT guy who has worked for XM Radio etc. Do you have a college degree?

Also, you are allowed to work in law school, just only 20 hours a week first year. maybe you could balance law school with your IT life.

Do you have the numbers to get into a school worth attending? Do you like your job? Is there potential for advancement?

I'm 32 and am leaving a $55k job because I'm at a dead end and am bored out of my skull. I wouldn't have decided to quit if I hadn't gotten into a T14, and even so, it's a pretty scary gamble.

I'm 24 in the same position as you. I love the job, it isn't too stressful but my job tends to be boring and mundane. It's scary to leave something certain for the unknown. In my situation I decided to defer a year to save more money (since I'm fresh out of UG) but I secured a good scholarship at a U.C. In a nut shell I'd ask how bad do you want it? I'm willing to risk it to become a lawyer but I've wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. Good luck!

I'll turn 40 in law school and odds are good I'll make less coming out than I do now. I'm relying on advice from someone I respect and admire: Never be afraid to take a pay cut to do what you want to do.

I did not get into a top 14. If I go, I will be going to a top 25. I cannot go part time unfortunately. I love my job, there is a lot of job security, I have great benefits, bonuses are big and I get a lot of vacation time. I also expect to get a decent raise every year. The hard part for me is that I have all of these connections with the firm that I work at. If I am able to come back and work as an attorney, I would make significantly more money in the long run. What would you do?

By the way, my seat deposit is already in. I have to make this decision within the next couple of weeks so that I can tell my current employer that I will be leaving and try and gain support to come back. Any advice would be so helpful.

I'd keep that job if you truly love it. You might be able to make more as an attorney, but if you love your work now, you are a lucky man. Few Americans can say they love their job. I've heard this is especially true of lawyers.

But hey--I understand where you're coming from. 160K per year is a lot of money. I just don't know if I'd ever leave a job I loved that was secure, well-paying, and had room for advancement.

There is absolutely no way in hell I would leave that job. You're in an incredible position of having a job that you love, that pays well, that you have a very high chance of keeping and has great benefits, bonuses, and raises, and you want to give that up to be a lawyer, with the lowest job satisfaction of any profession? With 70 hour work weeks doing mindnumbing fuckery? You will be making more money no doubt, but I can't help but envision you in an office as an associate four years from now wondering why you gave up three years of wages plus tuition money when you had it so good before.

Just find a sugar momma.

The bolded is why you shouldn't leave. How many times do people actually say that about what they do, let alone also get paid handsomely for it.

Are you more motivated to go to law school because you actually want to be a lawyer or because you work in IT at a law firm which is basically back office? I have friends who work back office in financial firms who enjoy their job but always feel "down" because they're the "help" and not the money-makers at their jobs. If this is the case, forget about law school and just realize that a lot of the lawyers at your firm who aren't "back office" aren't loving their jobs as much as you love yours. Why would you trade places with them?

This sounds like a don't go to me. I'm planning to leave a similarly cushy job but I happen to dislike it and there is almost no chance at advancement. After taking a hard look around and at my skill set I decided it was worth it to view law school as a trade school and, well, pick up a trade. My impression of IT is that you can continue to get certified in different areas and develop new skills that will help your employment prospects.

Won't work. The only way you are going to be hired at that firm is if you go to law school part-time (and you absolutely kill it -- my friend that I mentioned above was ranked #1 in the evening program).

Why do you say that? I am pretty tight with a lot of important people at the firm. This firm takes 5-8 summer clerks every year.

Unless you have a air-tight guarantee for a summer associate position (preferably for both 1L and 2L summers), then you are most likely going to be left holding the bag, regardless of how tight you perceive your relationships to be. If you don't excel in law school and don't show that you are committed to the firm by continuing working and going to school part-time (you still haven't said whether this is an option for you in your city), I don't think you should bank on any goodwill you think you have accrued. Most likely they are just being polite.

I can't do part time where I live. I wish! That would solve every problem in my life.

I have been told that a summer clerkship is likely for me as long as I make the grade. It's never a guaruntee, but I think chances are better than not. I agree. It's a huge leap.

So the general consensus is don't do it. Is there anyone who thinks it is a good move? Anyone think of a scenario where if you were in my position you'd make the move? What would it take for you to do it?

I made the move. I did not work for a law firm, but I worked for a consulting firm that had an e-discovery practice that would easily take me in after i finished law school. i have an IT background and was doing tech consulting for them. i left 80k for law school. i could come back to my old firm doing easy e-discovery and data security projects for close to 6figs. but since going to law school i've actually found out that i wanna take a crack at patent law. i'll be in SF this summer doing just that (just finished 2L).

My job was great. I had lots of vacation time. The pay was awesome. I was respected. Even though I really liked my life, it wasn't enough. And for me, if life isn't enough, I look for things that will better satisfy me. I'm pretty happy with my decision. It looks like it is going to significantly change my life for the better. It's a helluva lot of work to get from point A to point B, but nothing worth doing is ever easy.

The "don't go to law school" sentiment of TLS will undoubtedly disagree with me and call me a fluke exception to the rule that all attorneys will end up hating their life, but it's a very individual decision. You just have to take a hard look at where you and and if that's actually where you want to be (even if it is comfortable).

I feel like it comes down to how much you want it in the end. I know for me, because of the way i love the law, i could have a great job with great pay and always wish I had taken that leap. If you feel that way do it. Agree with the poster above that the TLS mantra of dont leave a good job for law school might overshadow the love for what you are looking for in life.

No, bad move for all of the reasons stated above and I'll add one more. There is no urgency for you to leave your job for a T25 school. If, after another year at your current job, you want to go to law school then retake and shoot for T14 or more $$$$.

Why do you want to go to law school? If you want to go so you can practice law, then you should go. You'll never be able to do that kicking around in IT forever.

That doesn't mean you have to go this year if the $$$ is not right.

You said you work in BigLaw IT. How big? Big enough that they have a large office in need of in-house IT in a place where you CAN do PT?

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Mid to low T250. No pt programs available. Not even in tier 2 school.

I want to go because I want to practice law. I want more out of life and I feel like I have a leg up based on my connections/friendships with partners. I've been here 7 years. These people are like brothers. I have been told that I have a good shot at a summer job based on my reputation and ties as long as I get good grades. The dilemma is still the same. Leave a comfortable, well paying position that I enjoy to become poor and bust my ass to get back home that first summer? Regardless of what they say, the market is shit. I don't want to graduate without a job. I also don't want to give up the opportunity. I feel that my circumstances are a bit rare in that I know a lot of people and they know me. I'm 30 by the way.

The branch firms have very poor pt programs if any at all. No DC firm.

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