Top Law Schools

It sounds really powerful, but is it really worth the money and time?

most people on TLS say no.

I don't think an MBA is useful at all unless you already have a career with a large company, and they are footing the bill for your tuition. Anything other than a top 10 or so MBA is not going to get you very far unless you already have a preexisting career.

jrwhitedog wrote:It sounds really powerful, but is it really worth the money and time?

I think it sounds like a douche with a side of fries, but that's just me.

Would it help if you become a in house counsel after several years of biglaw practice?

jrwhitedog wrote:Would it help if you become a in house counsel after several years of biglaw practice?

Get the JD, get biglaw experience, get an in-house job, and THEN decide if an MBA either (a) is encouraged by your employer [ie they will PAY FOR IT] or (b) it would lead to some kind of promotion or other tangible benefit that your JD alone won't provide.

As it currently stands, you are ladeling calculation upon conjecture.

Generally what's required to get an in-house counsel position?

r6_philly wrote:Generally what's required to get an in-house counsel position?

JD + work experience + luck

jrwhitedog wrote:It sounds really powerful

What is it, a power up in a video game?

Maybe I should change that word to "blusterous"?

bk187 wrote:

jrwhitedog wrote:It sounds really powerful

What is it, a power up in a video game?

JD:





JD/MBA:

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Clearly, if you intend to rescue princess toadstool, you had better go for the JD/MBA power-up.

jrwhitedog wrote:It sounds really powerful, but is it really worth the money and time?

Do you have a significant amount of work experience?

If you are a candidate for a top program there are advantages, but you really have to be competitive for both schools. I would say the ones that could be, depending on personal circumstances, worth the time and money are Northwestern, UPenn, Stanford, and Harvard.

miobrien wrote:

r6_philly wrote:Generally what's required to get an in-house counsel position?

JD + work experience + luck

So do you have to practice in a firm first? If one wants to look for such a position, one would have to look/apply on his own right?

I know two 3Ls at UCLA pursuing JD/MBAs. Both have ibanking jobs secured, but had good work experience before entering law/business school.

Their general rule was that a JD is valuable for a career in business, but an MBA isn't special for a career in law.

the_kidult wrote:I know two 3Ls at UCLA pursuing JD/MBAs. Both have ibanking jobs secured, but had good work experience before entering law/business school.

Their general rule was that a JD is valuable for a career in business, but an MBA isn't special for a career in law.

I think you have that backwards.

the_kidult wrote:I know two 3Ls at UCLA pursuing JD/MBAs. Both have ibanking jobs secured, but had good work experience before entering law/business school.

Their general rule was that a JD is valuable for a career in business, but an MBA isn't special for a career in law.

Thank you for providing us with this general rule. Now when you find some place where this rule applies (perhaps a place where unicorns are the primary method of transportation), please let us know.

I met an alumni of my school who did JD/MBA (both programs in the top twenty) and he seemed to think it was really valuable. He is currently a 3rd year biglaw associate in Chicago and doing corporate transactional stuff, some M&A too I think. He said he certainly thinks having corporate WE and/or MBA definitely helps in that type of work and he said he wouldn't suggest anyone going straight through. But a lot of people will be doing things that don't make Ibanking useful and you can use ibanking experience to help out without needing an MBA.

reasonable_man wrote:

the_kidult wrote:I know two 3Ls at UCLA pursuing JD/MBAs. Both have ibanking jobs secured, but had good work experience before entering law/business school.

Their general rule was that a JD is valuable for a career in business, but an MBA isn't special for a career in law.

Thank you for providing us with this general rule. Now when you find some place where this rule applies (perhaps a place where unicorns are the primary method of transportation), please let us know.

Like I said in my first post, their general rule, not mine. I know (and care) little about the benefits of a JD/MBA. I was just providing insight from people who are actually pursuing the JD/MBA. You're being awfully... unreasonable.

bdubs wrote:

the_kidult wrote:I know two 3Ls at UCLA pursuing JD/MBAs. Both have ibanking jobs secured, but had good work experience before entering law/business school.

Their general rule was that a JD is valuable for a career in business, but an MBA isn't special for a career in law.

I think you have that backwards.

lol

If you are already pursuing a JD, an MBA is really only useful if received from a half a dozen schools or so.

chadwick218 wrote:If you are already pursuing a JD, an MBA is really only useful if received from a half a dozen schools or so.

In which case that won't help, but after law school...

r6_philly wrote:

miobrien wrote:

r6_philly wrote:Generally what's required to get an in-house counsel position?

JD + work experience + luck

So do you have to practice in a firm first? If one wants to look for such a position, one would have to look/apply on his own right?

Be careful when going in-house, there's almost no turning back.

Pros: Balanced salary/benefits, very nice working hours.

Cons:
After you get that in-house job, you face a salary cut, company bankrupt(If they decide to close the Legal Department or lay off people with a "last in first out" mentallity, you're screwed.) and almost no chances to join a Law firm again in your career (Firms HATE people who go in-house and come back).

Noval wrote: Be careful when going in-house, there's almost no turning back.

Pros: Balanced salary/benefits, very nice working hours.

Cons:
After you get that in-house job, you face a salary cut, company bankrupt(If they decide to close the Legal Department or lay off people with a "last in first out" mentallity, you're screwed.) and almost no chances to join a Law firm again in your career (Firms HATE people who go in-house and come back).

Thanks, I will have to investigate more once in school. I am fairly tired of working for other people anyway, so my situation is unique I suppose. I'd give up some money just to have a better time. But maybe practice for a time then solo/consult is still the way to go. I could always get back to the public sector and consult too. Really appreciate the info you have given on the forum.

r6_philly wrote:

Noval wrote: Be careful when going in-house, there's almost no turning back.

Pros: Balanced salary/benefits, very nice working hours.

Cons:
After you get that in-house job, you face a salary cut, company bankrupt(If they decide to close the Legal Department or lay off people with a "last in first out" mentallity, you're screwed.) and almost no chances to join a Law firm again in your career (Firms HATE people who go in-house and come back).

Thanks, I will have to investigate more once in school. I am fairly tired of working for other people anyway, so my situation is unique I suppose. I'd give up some money just to have a better time. But maybe practice for a time then solo/consult is still the way to go. I could always get back to the public sector and consult too. Really appreciate the info you have given on the forum.

You're welcome, PM me if you need more informations.

JD:

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JD/MBA:

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JD/PhD:

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However, I'd like to think of it more as:

Hmm, thank you for answering so vividly. So u r saying JD/Phd is the best?