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BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:04 pm
by Balthy
Hello,
So, I want to go to an awesome law school, then enroll into a certain MA program that I am interested in, and after that, complete a PhD program. At that point, if I don't get a job as a professor (either teaching law or what I studied after law school), how hard would it be landing a BigLaw job as an alternative? I would be 6-7 years out of law school, and have studied things probably unrelated to the practice of law (there may be some overlap with legal theory though).
Any insight would help.
Thanks
Edit: Sorry for the misleading title.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:06 pm
by Posner
...
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:07 pm
by sullidop
superdingle2000 wrote:Hello,
So, I want to go to an awesome law school, then enroll into a certain MA program that I am interested in, and after that, complete a PhD program. At that point, if I don't get a job as a professor (either teaching law or what I studied after law school), how hard would it be landing a BigLaw job as an alternative? I would be 6-7 years out of law school, and have studied things probably unrelated to the practice of law (there may be some overlap with legal theory though).
Any insight would help.
Thanks
Edit: Sorry for the misleading title.
If you don't get into a t14 and/or study something to help IP law, 0%.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:15 pm
by Balthy
sullidop wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:Hello,
So, I want to go to an awesome law school, then enroll into a certain MA program that I am interested in, and after that, complete a PhD program. At that point, if I don't get a job as a professor (either teaching law or what I studied after law school), how hard would it be landing a BigLaw job as an alternative? I would be 6-7 years out of law school, and have studied things probably unrelated to the practice of law (there may be some overlap with legal theory though).
Any insight would help.
Thanks
Edit: Sorry for the misleading title.
If you don't get into a t14 and/or study something to help IP law, 0%.
'And' or 'or'? Because I think I can make it into a t14, possibly a t3.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:18 pm
by smov_operator
Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:18 pm
by Balthy
smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:19 pm
by KibblesAndVick
Trolls are supposed to be funny. 0/10
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:21 pm
by cardnal124
superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Why do you want to go into 400k of debt?
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:22 pm
by sullidop
superdingle2000 wrote:sullidop wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:Hello,
So, I want to go to an awesome law school, then enroll into a certain MA program that I am interested in, and after that, complete a PhD program. At that point, if I don't get a job as a professor (either teaching law or what I studied after law school), how hard would it be landing a BigLaw job as an alternative? I would be 6-7 years out of law school, and have studied things probably unrelated to the practice of law (there may be some overlap with legal theory though).
Any insight would help.
Thanks
Edit: Sorry for the misleading title.
If you don't get into a t14 and/or study something to help IP law, 0%.
'And' or 'or'? Because I think I can make it into a t14, possibly a t3.
That's good then. It will be extremely hard though. Most BigLaw firms only recruit first years OCI or out of clerkships. Why not get the Ph.D. and then the JD? That's a much better sequence.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:24 pm
by smov_operator
superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Okay, well then ditto what the other folks said. If you check the biglaw firm associate listings you will notice that the vast majority of people who have PhDs and J.D.s received the PhD first then changed fields and got their J.D. Unless its in a technical field having a j.d./m.a, let alone a j.d./phd, can be a big turnoff to Biglaw firms.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:26 pm
by Balthy
cardnal124 wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Why do you want to go into 400k of debt?
My parents will pay for law school, but their terms include me going straight from UG.
And I plan on getting funded for philosophy, which isn't very hard to do.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:28 pm
by Balthy
smov_operator wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Okay, well then ditto what the other folks said. If you check the biglaw firm associate listings you will notice that the vast majority of people who have PhDs and J.D.s received the PhD first then changed fields and got their J.D. Unless its in a technical field having a j.d./m.a, let alone a j.d./phd, can be a big turnoff to Biglaw firms.
I totally agree with you and the previous poster that that would be a better sequence. The dilemma has to do with my parents' offer to pay for law school iff I go to law school right after UG (probably so they can brag about it).
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:29 pm
by Anonymous User
sullidop wrote:Unless its in a technical field having a j.d./m.a, let alone a j.d./phd, can be a big turnoff to Biglaw firms.
lots of people have jd/m.a.s and jd/phds. why do you say this is the case?
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:32 pm
by Balthy
So, ideally, I would prefer teaching at a philosophy department or law school after getting my Ph.D. However, as a back-up, it would be cool if BigLaw were still an option.
It seems the consensus is, probably not.
Thanks for the info.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:35 pm
by Anonymous User
cardnal124 wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Why do you want to go into 400k of debt?
You don't pay for Ph.D. programs; the school pays you a very livable wage. It is quite wonderful actually. I am finishing up my MA in a few weeks, and was paid $19k/year to do so.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:58 pm
by cardnal124
Anonymous User wrote:cardnal124 wrote:superdingle2000 wrote:smov_operator wrote:Will your Ph.D. be in a technical field?
No, philosophy.
Why do you want to go into 400k of debt?
You don't pay for Ph.D. programs; the school pays you a very livable wage. It is quite wonderful actually. I am finishing up my MA in a few weeks, and was paid $19k/year to do so.
Ya, but 19k/year for 5-7 years out of a T3 law school with 200k debt gaining interest. Although, since OP's parents are footing the 70k/year for him for LS, i guess that's a moot point.
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:17 pm
by swester
Anonymous User wrote:sullidop wrote:Unless its in a technical field having a j.d./m.a, let alone a j.d./phd, can be a big turnoff to Biglaw firms.
lots of people have jd/m.a.s and jd/phds. why do you say this is the case?
They prefer fresh, undistracted minds they can work into the ground.
I can't fathom having a Ph. D. in Philosophy and even having the nerve to apply for a BigLaw job, let alone work at a BigLaw. Can you imagine what the interview would be like?
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:23 pm
by XxSpyKEx
KibblesAndVick wrote:Trolls are supposed to be funny. 0/10
Re: BigLaw After 7 Years of Doing Nothing
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:28 pm
by quickquestionthanks
XxSpyKEx wrote:KibblesAndVick wrote:Trolls are supposed to be funny. 0/10
