Is law school useful for a career in technology or environmental policy? Forum

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spastcjazz

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Is law school useful for a career in technology or environmental policy?

Post by spastcjazz » Sat Jan 21, 2023 5:46 pm

Hello, thank you in advance for reading my question.

I am interested in the intersection of technology (artificial intelligence) and environmental/climate policy. Does anyone have any experience in this area that they might be willing to share? I'm trying to decide whether law school would be a useful option for this type of career, but mostly I would like to hear anecdotes or advice about careers that focus on technology and policy.

Thanks again!

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cavalier1138

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Re: Is law school useful for a career in technology or environmental policy?

Post by cavalier1138 » Mon Jan 23, 2023 6:41 am

Law school is useful if you want to practice law. Your practice could include some flavor of what you've talked about, but if you're primarily interested in developing technology or shaping governmental policy, a JD isn't going to be a big help.

ksm6969

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Re: Is law school useful for a career in technology or environmental policy?

Post by ksm6969 » Mon Jan 23, 2023 12:21 pm

spastcjazz wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 5:46 pm
Hello, thank you in advance for reading my question.

I am interested in the intersection of technology (artificial intelligence) and environmental/climate policy. Does anyone have any experience in this area that they might be willing to share? I'm trying to decide whether law school would be a useful option for this type of career, but mostly I would like to hear anecdotes or advice about careers that focus on technology and policy.

Thanks again!
I am somewhat in this area, working on environmental regulations that account for changes in technology.
I think a law degree is useful, but only if you are prepared to actually be a lawyer for several years after. Feasible route is get a UG degree in something tech related, get a law degree, work as an environmental attorney (where you would probably be doing mostly regulatory work and getting comfortable with tech-heavy regulations, like emissions/clean air act stuff) for a few years. As a working attorney, you could publish stuff (either academic publishing, or just the Law360 type stuff) about forward-looking regulations and how to deal with technology. Then go work for an agency or maybe outside group.

So make sure you are fine with actually being an attorney for at least several years if you decide to get a JD.

Allegro3935

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Re: Is law school useful for a career in technology or environmental policy?

Post by Allegro3935 » Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:27 am

I wouldn't recommend law school. There are better, more affordable ways to get what you want. Law school is three years of reading and analyzing cases. It teaches you to "think like a lawyer," and it only qualifies you to sit the bar and later work as an attorney. None of that is meant to teach you about tech and environmental policy. At worst, you will spend three years learning things that don't matter to you.

One of my family members does policy analysis work in a sector I can't remember right now. The policy jobs you're referring to exist, and you don't need to go to law school for them. Your undergraduate diploma, or a relevant masters degree, would be enough to qualify you.

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