What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school? Forum

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S de Garmeaux

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by S de Garmeaux » Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:22 pm

worked(ing) as legal assistant in firm near UG during days and deliver pizza nights/weekends

ccs224

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by ccs224 » Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:48 pm

Taught high school English, got a Masters in Ed, left after a few years to work in a nonprof, developed a bad drinking habit, got a cat, cat got sick, spent a lot of money keeping cat alive, cat got sick again, repeated, planted a garden.

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PlugInBaby

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by PlugInBaby » Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:30 pm

I was originally planning on the JET program, but that fell through. Instead I got caught in unemployment limbo and leech off my mother...not what I really had planned. Now I am considering taking another year off to try again another cycle and improve last year's shortcomings of my LSAT score and approach as an applicant...and hopefully finally get a job.

bigmnstyle

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by bigmnstyle » Mon Mar 15, 2010 7:46 pm

the cat one was funny, best of luck to you in the future--you deserve some luck

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by Scarletlady » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:47 pm

Spent a few months waitressing at the beach. Saved up enough money to move to DC and worked for a political consulting firm. I have spent the past 2 years with a trade association and love it. When I first moved I fully intended to work a year and then apply full-time. I proceeded to work almost 3 years and am applying part-time, life gets in the way sometimes.

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glacierfrost

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by glacierfrost » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:56 pm

Run and manage a laser light show company, manufacturing and distribution.

Chill with friends, get shitfaced most weekends, hang out with gf, read books.

Will likely be working in China for a new start up company involved with government sanctioned sports betting.

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Luis Gomez

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by Luis Gomez » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:57 pm

Practiced law in Mexico for a year.

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nixxers

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by nixxers » Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:40 pm

glacierfrost wrote:Run and manage a laser light show company, manufacturing and distribution.

Chill with friends, get shitfaced most weekends, hang out with gf, read books.

Will likely be working in China for a new start up company involved with government sanctioned sports betting.

that...may be what I am looking forward to most. Or nearly most.....

I really like this post! It is interesting to see what people are/have been/will be up to...

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by bigmnstyle » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:17 pm

Also very informative. I really like to see what other people have done and if they liked it/hated it. I def. am not ready to go to law school and I will be moving from Missouri with my girlfriend to Los Angeles area. Probably right outside of it... I am a huge beach person and if I can't find a finance job- I may try to get a bartending job at a beach bar and work on networking myself over the year to get a decent job in a financial firm and maybe even study a little bit for the lsat and try to up it a couple points. If I can get the job in finance, I may go the MBA route instead of law school. Thanks and keep posting!

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BuckNuts

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by BuckNuts » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:18 pm

Master's Degree for 18 months then four years as a Navy officer.

bigmnstyle

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by bigmnstyle » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:40 pm

Buck, have you been deployed across seas yet? How do you like all of it? The navy in general.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by CaptainSnuggleBunny » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:44 pm

AmeriCorps. Bicycle Mechanic. Solo bicycle tour of Berkshires and Adirondacks. AmeriCorps.

Along the way I've extensively studied continental philosophy (after an analytic heavy undergrad), and the history/literature of Ancient Greece and Rome. Also put myself through a couple dozen audio/video courses on a wide array of subjects from Cosmology to Sentence Construction. I feel like I've at least done enough studying to account for a second bachelors degree worth of learning.

In addition, I've let most of my personal relationships go to shit.

Really excited about going to school while not working.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by MMLAW » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:14 am

CG614 wrote:
MMLAW wrote:I worked in banking for the last 3 years , Goldman Sachs and Citigroup- primarily with derivative securities.

I would like to work in securities law and arbitration.
This is golden. :lol:

Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.

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CG614

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by CG614 » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:19 am

MMLAW wrote:
CG614 wrote:
MMLAW wrote:I worked in banking for the last 3 years , Goldman Sachs and Citigroup- primarily with derivative securities.

I would like to work in securities law and arbitration.
This is golden. :lol:

Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.
Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though!

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by Neelio » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:33 am

Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.[/quote]

Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though![/quote]

Based on the current legislation being proposed, derivatives may not be going anywhere. Unfortunately, this may not be such a bad career move. Let the Volcker rule live!!!!!!

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CG614

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by CG614 » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:35 am

Neelio wrote:Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.

Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though!

Based on the current legislation being proposed, derivatives may not be going anywhere. Unfortunately, this may not be such a bad career move. Let the Volcker rule live!!!!!!
Oh, they are not going anywhere. I know that. I found irony in a person that was on the front lines of a huge melt-down wanting to work in securities law.

I know this person had little to nothing to do with the actually decisions made, and was probably a low level analyst, but I found it funny nonetheless.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by chutzpah » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:59 am

Joined boutique DC consulting firm, firm acquired by larger british firm, british firm acquired by giant evil defense contractor. Developed hard shell of cynicism. Read a lot. Visited friends in Europe. Went on Birthright (ha!). Subscribed to more magazines than I can keep up with. That's about it.

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parker09

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by parker09 » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:03 am

Holy crap. I'm kind of intimidated by... everyone.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by MMLAW » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:09 am

CG614 wrote:
Neelio wrote:Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.

Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though!

Based on the current legislation being proposed, derivatives may not be going anywhere. Unfortunately, this may not be such a bad career move. Let the Volcker rule live!!!!!!
Oh, they are not going anywhere. I know that. I found irony in a person that was on the front lines of a huge melt-down wanting to work in securities law.

I know this person had little to nothing to do with the actually decisions made, and was probably a low level analyst, but I found it funny nonetheless.
I understand that there is a compulsion to be judgemental on this site. You would have to operating under multiple assumptions regarding my involvement in the derivatives market in order to do so, none of which you have a basis for other than the fact that I have worked for investment banks.

The fact that I worked at these invesment banks as an analyst allows me to understand the models that are used to determine risk and the contracts that enabled it.

In order to clarify, I work in Regulatory Reporting. It is my job to enforce Financial Accounting Standards on the banks so that they are properly disclosing their risk and not irrationally assuming gains and losses now or in the future. In other words, I have access to the data that was used to create the asset bubble and I understand where the bodies are burried so to speak.

The assumptions that were employed to create and rate mortgage backed securities were dubious, yet incentives were structured in such a way that lawyers, accountants, investment bankers, and mortgage brokers were compensated for short term transaction gains and not long term asset performance.

The reason I am pursuing a career in law is because I think there is a leadership deficit in the areas of economic law. Attorney's have the obligation not only to construct credit default agreements according the letter of the law, but also to apply a realistic assesement of market risk that underly the contracts. On an advisory basis, this can be very beneficial to clients on either side of a contract.

After three years in the industry, I am an Assistant Vice President, not a junior analyst. I think my knowledge of the markets and my sincere desire to right the wrongs of the investment community will lead to some sort of social justice.

I appreciate your humour regarding the irony of it, but I challenge your assumptions about my implicit involvement even as a junior analyst. I did not create or sign off on any mortgage backed securities or any other forms of derivatives that were involved in the financial crisis. I did however pay attention, and as a result, I intend to leverage it every step of the way in law school.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by CG614 » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:35 am

MMLAW wrote:
CG614 wrote:
Neelio wrote:Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.

Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though!

Based on the current legislation being proposed, derivatives may not be going anywhere. Unfortunately, this may not be such a bad career move. Let the Volcker rule live!!!!!!
Oh, they are not going anywhere. I know that. I found irony in a person that was on the front lines of a huge melt-down wanting to work in securities law.

I know this person had little to nothing to do with the actually decisions made, and was probably a low level analyst, but I found it funny nonetheless.
I understand that there is a compulsion to be judgemental on this site. You would have to operating under multiple assumptions regarding my involvement in the derivatives market in order to do so, none of which you have a basis for other than the fact that I have worked for investment banks.

The fact that I worked at these invesment banks as an analyst allows me to understand the models that are used to determine risk and the contracts that enabled it.

In order to clarify, I work in Regulatory Reporting. It is my job to enforce Financial Accounting Standards on the banks so that they are properly disclosing their risk and not irrationally assuming gains and losses now or in the future. In other words, I have access to the data that was used to create the asset bubble and I understand where the bodies are burried so to speak.

The assumptions that were employed to create and rate mortgage backed securities were dubious, yet incentives were structured in such a way that lawyers, accountants, investment bankers, and mortgage brokers were compensated for short term transaction gains and not long term asset performance.

The reason I am pursuing a career in law is because I think there is a leadership deficit in the areas of economic law. Attorney's have the obligation not only to construct credit default agreements according the letter of the law, but also to apply a realistic assesement of market risk that underly the contracts. On an advisory basis, this can be very beneficial to clients on either side of a contract.

After three years in the industry, I am an Assistant Vice President, not a junior analyst. I think my knowledge of the markets and my sincere desire to right the wrongs of the investment community will lead to some sort of social justice.

I appreciate your humour regarding the irony of it, but I challenge your assumptions about my implicit involvement even as a junior analyst. I did not create or sign off on any mortgage backed securities or any other forms of derivatives that were involved in the financial crisis. I did however pay attention, and as a result, I intend to leverage it every step of the way in law school.
Not an attack on you. Read my posts again. I found irony in the situation. I have no knowledge of your involvement, so I could not pass judgment.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by MMLAW » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:42 am

CG614 wrote:
MMLAW wrote:
CG614 wrote:
Neelio wrote:Yeah, I've worked very hard. I am going to be pursuing Law School at Stetson part time while managing my career, it should be an interesting challenge. I think it's important that I find a way to parlay my knowledge of securities and structured finance to a legal career. There are definitley opportunities for arbitration, but also hybrid roles as general counsel at an investment company.

Unfortunately, I was not being nice. You worked primarily on derivative securities during the time that derivative securities brought our nation's economy into a recession, and now you want to work in securities law. I am sure you acquired some good experience, and I know you were not making the decisions, but I found the irony funny. Good luck, though!

Based on the current legislation being proposed, derivatives may not be going anywhere. Unfortunately, this may not be such a bad career move. Let the Volcker rule live!!!!!!
Oh, they are not going anywhere. I know that. I found irony in a person that was on the front lines of a huge melt-down wanting to work in securities law.

I know this person had little to nothing to do with the actually decisions made, and was probably a low level analyst, but I found it funny nonetheless.
I understand that there is a compulsion to be judgemental on this site. You would have to operating under multiple assumptions regarding my involvement in the derivatives market in order to do so, none of which you have a basis for other than the fact that I have worked for investment banks.

The fact that I worked at these invesment banks as an analyst allows me to understand the models that are used to determine risk and the contracts that enabled it.

In order to clarify, I work in Regulatory Reporting. It is my job to enforce Financial Accounting Standards on the banks so that they are properly disclosing their risk and not irrationally assuming gains and losses now or in the future. In other words, I have access to the data that was used to create the asset bubble and I understand where the bodies are burried so to speak.

The assumptions that were employed to create and rate mortgage backed securities were dubious, yet incentives were structured in such a way that lawyers, accountants, investment bankers, and mortgage brokers were compensated for short term transaction gains and not long term asset performance.

The reason I am pursuing a career in law is because I think there is a leadership deficit in the areas of economic law. Attorney's have the obligation not only to construct credit default agreements according the letter of the law, but also to apply a realistic assesement of market risk that underly the contracts. On an advisory basis, this can be very beneficial to clients on either side of a contract.

After three years in the industry, I am an Assistant Vice President, not a junior analyst. I think my knowledge of the markets and my sincere desire to right the wrongs of the investment community will lead to some sort of social justice.

I appreciate your humour regarding the irony of it, but I challenge your assumptions about my implicit involvement even as a junior analyst. I did not create or sign off on any mortgage backed securities or any other forms of derivatives that were involved in the financial crisis. I did however pay attention, and as a result, I intend to leverage it every step of the way in law school.
Not an attack on you. Read my posts again. I found irony in the situation. I have no knowledge of your involvement, so I could not pass judgment.

I get what you were saying, I just wanted to bring some clarification to the conversation in general.

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Bigred2008

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by Bigred2008 » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:46 am

Applying this fall, but until then continue working in executive search and leadership consulting. My firm finds and hires VP's and CXO's for start-up's through mid size companies, it's interesting. And I def enjoy meeting the people, a lot of executives are pretty cool people.
Last edited by Bigred2008 on Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by BetterCallSaul » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:49 am

parker09 wrote:Holy crap. I'm kind of intimidated by... everyone.
Even the nanny? :o

Don't worry, I'm at CCN and plenty of people who worked for a bit did fun, non-resume building jobs like nannying or ski patrol--and we had so much more fun than the paralegals.

yo!

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by yo! » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:04 pm

When I read this thread one question comes to mind: why the hell are most of you going to law school?

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Re: What did you do in between Undergrad and Law school?

Post by Holly Golightly » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:09 pm

.
Last edited by Holly Golightly on Thu Aug 19, 2010 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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