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what would you choose between a 2nd-tier school(temple) and a job that pays about $80,000/year? my question is how much better off i would be as a lawyer with a degree from the school than taking the job. if it was 5 years ago, i would've just chosen law school, but in this economy, i don't know...

If you're talking about strictly $$$....assuming you are median at Temple it may take you a while (and alot of hard work) to get to where you're making more than that.

80k job and its not even close

it might take you 5-7 years of legal experience to get back to that kind of salary, if ever

So difficult when people ask these questions, essentially asking us to make a value judgment, without knowing the OP's value system. It depends on how much you want to practice law, how much you value money, how risk-averse you are, how debt-averse you are and probably about 80 different things that we couldn't possibly know.

Conventional wisdom: Don't go to law school if you're not sure you want to go.

Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

lawchampion wrote:Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

The troll is strong with this one.

Unless you really really really really really really really really really really really really want to be a lawyer, I would take the job.

Economically, the job seems like the right call. But if you value being a lawyer significantly over money, then I could see you making the other decision.

lawchampion wrote:Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

What the?!

drdolittle wrote:

lawchampion wrote:Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

What the?!

So everything you do with your life is for $$$????

lawchampion wrote:

drdolittle wrote:

lawchampion wrote:Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

What the?!

So everything you do with your life is for $$$????

No, just the job. Married the wife b/c I loved her.

lawchampion wrote:

drdolittle wrote:

lawchampion wrote:Being an attorney is an accomplishment and a social status, can't compare with $$$

What the?!

So everything you do with your life is for $$$????

No, but I'm afraid the days of a law degree being a truly unique accomplishment and ensuring social status are gone, at least for the vast majority of grads. But this of course does depend on one's definition of accomplishment and social status...

Why are the choices mutually exclusive?

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If you travel for your job, that may not work, and if you value your health and social life, it may also be infeasible. The extra benefit of PT law is that if you get there and bomb/hate it, you can always drop and keep your job (or switch to FT if you love it).

easylv wrote:what would you choose between a 2nd-tier school(temple) and a job that pays about $80,000/year? my question is how much better off i would be as a lawyer with a degree from the school than taking the job. if it was 5 years ago, i would've just chosen law school, but in this economy, i don't know...

Depends on if you like your job. If you want to be a lawyer in Philadelphia, go to Temple. If you like your current job, stay there. If you want to be a lawyer outside the Philadelphia region, I wouldn't go to Temple. If you think you're going to make a whole lot of money beyond $80k a year being a lawyer, don't go to law school.

Here is the catch: it will take you a few years to get $80k a year if you don't get into biglaw, plus you'll have law school debt. FINANCIALLY, it might not be great for you. The upside to law is, with the right case, you can make a boatload of money. However, the downside is, in terms of a salary, it can kind of suck. This is an 'eat what you kill' profession. If you ain't killin', you ain't eatin' a lot. Even if you're at a firm, your base salary will kind of suck and making decent money will be contingent on business generation and profitability (i.e. billing hours, or, in plaintiff's work, winning cases). Is your client base from your current career portable? Would they retain you as a lawyer once you get admitted?

I graduated from Temple and I'm admitted in PA and NJ. I grew up in the area and work in the area. I liked the school and I'm happy I went there. Of course, my goal was to be an attorney in Philadelphia and I've never had a desire to be anywhere else, so Temple suited my purposes. I'm doing fine in law, as are many of my peers from Temple. Philadelphia is a "secondary market" meaning you're not competing with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc. Many Temple grads got biglaw the year I graduated, or at firms that are a tiny step below biglaw (pay around $100k a year). Don't bank on getting biglaw or something similar, though.

Oh, and for whatever it's worth... I find that a legal background will compliment your everyday life, but not your career. A J.D. won't help most people get ahead in their job -- they just end up with a degree on their wall and more debt. It makes reading the paper a lot easier, though. ("Wow, the 3rd Circuit held WHAT?!") Go to law school because you want to be a lawyer. If you're looking for a universal degree, or something just to get ahead in your current job, consider something like an MBA instead. J.D.s are for lawyers.

Also, just in case... make sure you can go back to your old job. There are many many many many many recent grads in the area who would KILL to make $80k a year. Or even $50k a year. Or do something that isn't document review related.

That's my two cents. PM me if you have any questions.

AJRESQ wrote:

easylv wrote: If you're looking for a universal degree, or something just to get ahead in your current job, consider something like an MBA instead. J.D.s are for lawyers.

I've seen the JD working better as a universal degree for Federal government consultants/employees. From my experiences with the Big 4 and various consulting firms, JD beats masters in most cases. I'm sure its 99% different for commercial consultants and the rest of private industry, but if you live around DC, it's a wonderful tool.

The job.

Job dude. Really. Even if you want to be a lawyer, I would just wait and see how the market pans out. Even T-14 is a huge (according to my perspective) risk in ITE. I

TommyK wrote:So difficult when people ask these questions, essentially asking us to make a value judgment, without knowing the OP's value system. It depends on how much you want to practice law, how much you value money, how risk-averse you are, how debt-averse you are and probably about 80 different things that we couldn't possibly know.

Conventional wisdom: Don't go to law school if you're not sure you want to go.

THIS! Be very sure you want to practice law before you start a legal career. That being said, expect to make a major financial sacrifice for at least the next decade if you choose law over your current job. Whether that financial sacrifice is worth it depends on how bad you want to practice law.