Work Experience v. No Work Experience Going into Law School? Forum

[artfuldodger23]

Hey Guys

I am currently a Junior at University of Texas at Austin studying Finance and recently I have been thinking to join the work force upon graduation and then go to law school. My ultimate goal is to become a transaction attorney after completing law school. My dilemma is that I am not sure whether I should actually go for the work force and work for a couple of years to get see how a business environment runs and if its right for me and then apply to law school or just apply straight to law school. I read somewhere that about 50% of the students that apply to the top 14 law schools in the US have some sort of work experience and some schools respect that. At the same time I kind of don't see the point of just working 2-4 years and then quitting that job and then going to law school. From your guys' experience what do you think is a good idea? Going to straight to law school with not work experience or gain some work experience and experience the real world and then apply?

[IAFG]

What kinds of jobs are you looking at? I would get WE not for the sake of getting into a better law school, but for the sake of being a more attractive candidate to firms, understanding office politics better, and having come to terms with the misery that is full-time employment. I suspect these things will increase your ability to get a job and then your staying power at a firm.

[artfuldodger23]

What kinds of jobs are you looking at? I would get WE not for the sake of getting into a better law school, but for the sake of being a more attractive candidate to firms, understanding office politics better, and having come to terms with the misery that is full-time employment. I suspect these things will increase your ability to get a job and then your staying power at a firm.

This past summer I was a Wealth Management Intern at Merrill Lynch I had a blast doing that so I am hoping to get jobs somewhere in the private consulting/private wealth sector of Banking and the summer before that I was a summer business analyst and McKinsey & Company and I really enjoyed that as well, so I would also be looking at jobs in the general consulting field as well.

[IAFG]

I recommend you get a job in finance, promise yourself you spend two years there come hell or high water, then re-access then if law school, business school, whatever else, still makes sense for you at that point. Law school is a big debt and a big commitment. You only have things to gain from getting WE and absolutely nothing to lose.

[artfuldodger23]

I recommend you get a job in finance, promise yourself you spend two years there come hell or high water, then re-access then if law school, business school, whatever else, still makes sense for you at that point. Law school is a big debt and a big commitment. You only have things to gain from getting WE and absolutely nothing to lose.

Thanks so much IAFG for your input. I know of some companies that pay for continuing schooling for an employee that wishes to go back to school and get their MBA, do you know if companies do the same for Law School?

[IAFG]

I have heard rumors of that in better times, but ITE those programs are pretty scarce. Do you have a 3.8+ GPA?

[icpb]

What kinds of jobs are you looking at? I would get WE not for the sake of getting into a better law school, but for the sake of being a more attractive candidate to firms, understanding office politics better, and having come to terms with the misery that is full-time employment. I suspect these things will increase your ability to get a job and then your staying power at a firm.

This past summer I was a Wealth Management Intern at Merrill Lynch I had a blast doing that so I am hoping to get jobs somewhere in the private consulting/private wealth sector of Banking and the summer before that I was a summer business analyst and McKinsey & Company and I really enjoyed that as well, so I would also be looking at jobs in the general consulting field as well.

You went from BA at McKinsey to BAML PWM?! Anyway, working for two years at Bain Capital, McKinsey, Goldman, Blackstone, etc. would probably help at OCI.

[shoeshine]

I have found that firms love my background in finance.

[stompa]

analyst to WMA? Nice! I would stick with finance for a couple of years if I were you then apply.

[094320]

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[apollo2015]

Ultimately it depends on whether or not you are able to find a job after graduation. If you are able to find employment, I recommend working for a year (or longer if you are able to find a job where promotions are possible). If you do not find a job before you graduate, then plan on applying to law school in September/October of that year.