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I'm going to enter law school at 26 and graduate at 29. Is this told old to graduate law school? Will employers be less likely to interview me?

K-JD is entering law school at like 22 or 23. The extra 3-4 years to 26 will make no difference, except if you actually did something useful in that time, which means it might be a slight advantage.

graduating later than that. Seemed like an asset if anything

withoutapaddle wrote:I'm going to enter law school at 26 and graduate at 29. Is this told old to graduate law school? Will employers be less likely to interview me?

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=192567

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=124271

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5&t=111759

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=1775

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=141371

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5&t=102906

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=106187

If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

What the F? Where does that fit into anything I said?

If he works in Biglaw, then he's not old. If he does not work in biglaw, then he's old. Enjoy making $50k in small law/da office when you're 29. That's something you do when you're 25, get experience, then open up your own shop when you're 30. This guy is going to be 35 before he makes any moves in his life. That's old.

Bronx Bum wrote:

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

What the F? Where does that fit into anything I said?

If he works in Biglaw, then he's not old. If he does not work in biglaw, then he's old. Enjoy making $50k in small law/da office when you're 29. That's something you do when you're 25, get experience, then open up your own shop when you're 30. This guy is going to be 35 before he makes any moves in his life. That's old.

I disagree. If you're doing it for the right reasons - that is, you want to be a lawyer - then its not to old. If you're looking to make money, then yes, you could make that argument.

I'm 30, and only applying this year. I make plenty of money in my current job; I'm looking to become a lawyer.

HOS wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

What the F? Where does that fit into anything I said?

If he works in Biglaw, then he's not old. If he does not work in biglaw, then he's old. Enjoy making $50k in small law/da office when you're 29. That's something you do when you're 25, get experience, then open up your own shop when you're 30. This guy is going to be 35 before he makes any moves in his life. That's old.

I disagree. If you're doing it for the right reasons - that is, you want to be a lawyer - then its not to old. If you're looking to make money, then yes, you could make that argument.

I'm 30, and only applying this year. I make plenty of money in my current job; I'm looking to become a lawyer.

Well, define "make money". I'm talking about enough to sustain yourself. $50k when your 29 is difficult to live on if you want to get married, maybe have a family soon, etc. And that's what a lot of people are thinking about at age 29. And that's graduating at 29--you have to take the bar, pass, be admitted.

If you have no desires to start a family/don't have a family, and you want to be a lawyer...lol...enjoy.

But if you have people relying on you--which most (?) people do or are about to at age 29--going to law school is a terrible situation that late.

And what are the "right reasons"? Become a DA? Help people? I legitimately want to know. Because paid opportunities to go to law school for the "right reasons" are few and far between.

I want to get into Big law or management consulting.

I'm looking to do a 3 year JD/MBA program. Which is one of the reasons I'm applying late. I'd have to wait two more years to apply to a good b-school, and I wouldn't graduate with an MBA until I was 29. This way I can get both the MBA and JD by the time I'm 29 (I want to be a lawyer or consultant).

I was looking at Northwestern's three year program, but I think I'd need a trust fund to pay back the $222,000.00 dollars (Not including housing)

Also, I have two years of experience currently working for a fortune 500 bank as a analyst. This, along with my ten years of philanthropy work, I think would look good to employers.

Barack Obama also didn't graduate law school until he was 30, going on 31. He seemed to do good after school.

Bronx Bum wrote:

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

What the F? Where does that fit into anything I said?

If he works in Biglaw, then he's not old. If he does not work in biglaw, then he's old. Enjoy making $50k in small law/da office when you're 29. That's something you do when you're 25, get experience, then open up your own shop when you're 30. This guy is going to be 35 before he makes any moves in his life. That's old.

Are you reading what you're saying? IF he doesn't work in BIGLAW he's old? Most older law students I have spoke to said the reason they were hired was mainly because they had significant work experience, if you're over 35 and going to law school, that may seem old, I guess. How is graduating at 29 old? or even graduating at 33, 34 old? Personally I think they will have an advantage from maturity and work experience, assuming it was good work experience.

.

withoutapaddle wrote:I want to get into Big law or management consulting.

I'm looking to do a 3 year JD/MBA program. Which is one of the reasons I'm applying late. I'd have to wait two more years to apply to a good b-school, and I wouldn't graduate with an MBA until I was 29. This way I can get both the MBA and JD by the time I'm 29 (I want to be a lawyer or consultant).

I was looking at Northwestern's three year program, but I think I'd need a trust fund to pay back the $222,000.00 dollars (Not including housing)

Also, I have two years of experience currently working for a fortune 500 bank as a analyst. This, along with my ten years of philanthropy work, I think would look good to employers.

Barack Obama also didn't graduate law school until he was 30, going on 31. He seemed to do good after school.

Yea you might be right. Graduating later in life means your gonna get that BIG PRESIDENCY.

The average age of entering law students these days is 24-25. So you'll be about a year or two older than average. Not old.

And even if you an old, it wouldn't be a big deal.

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:

NanaP wrote:

Bronx Bum wrote:If you get biglaw, I guess not.

If you DON'T get biglaw, yes, its too old.

Believe it or not, most people do not want to go to BIGLAW....

What the F? Where does that fit into anything I said?

If he works in Biglaw, then he's not old. If he does not work in biglaw, then he's old. Enjoy making $50k in small law/da office when you're 29. That's something you do when you're 25, get experience, then open up your own shop when you're 30. This guy is going to be 35 before he makes any moves in his life. That's old.

Are you reading what you're saying? IF he doesn't work in BIGLAW he's old? Most older law students I have spoke to said the reason they were hired was mainly because they had significant work experience, if you're over 35 and going to law school, that may seem old, I guess. How is graduating at 29 old? or even graduating at 33, 34 old? Personally I think they will have an advantage from maturity and work experience, assuming it was good work experience.

Maybe you can't read or something, I don't know.

Yes, because Biglaw firms are more likely to consider his work experience as an asset. Hence the reason why I think being 29 would be fine. And making $160k at 29 is fine. I said that multiple times.

If you do not get biglaw or "want to save the world" at age 29, now there's a great chance that you won't be able to find a law job and/or will get a very low paying law job. When everyone else your age is buying a house, starting a family, getting married in their late 20's, you'll be just starting your law career making pure shit at age 29 (unless you have a big savings).

I've been through the process. I work at a small firm. I am 26. I took one year off before starting law school. I would probably go off the george washington bridge if I were in my position right now at age 29.

Bottom line: being 29 would be a fine age to start biglaw. But for everything else, 29 is old.

I was simply using him as an example of someone that started late and became successful.

Bronx Bum, you are giving three years way more weight than they deserve. Your life doesn't totally transform between 26 and 29, such that a viable career path at 26 is completely foreclosed at 29.

Also, you're exaggerating the biglaw/everything else dichotomy.

Just graduated, 33 years old. Helped more than anything, I would say. Even at smaller firms.

withoutapaddle wrote:I was simply using him as an example of someone that started late and became successful.

I know he's just an extreme example and that is extreme anecdotal evidence. I'm sure you will do fine as lawyer either way. Best of luck brother!

People don't just shrivel up and die at 30. But everyone should think about how law school is going to affect their life goals and timeline before applying, whether you are graduating at 25 or 35 or whatever. Public Service loan forgiveness takes 10 years and will make buying a house during that time period more difficult. Biglaw hours can be harder on people with small children (though not impossible). If you are working at a small firm and paying off your loans, is that gong to delay your ability to save for retirement? Going solo will definitely hurt your retirement savings and make supporting a family more difficult and unstable.

If you have thought through the potential impact and are okay with the implications of starting your career at 29, it will be fine. Employers won't care.

Law school before 30 puts you in the same boat as nearly everyone else, biglaw or not.

Law school after 30 is about bringing your career to the next marketable level, biglaw or not.

Law students that view 29 as too old if you're not in biglaw are likely K-JD who don't actually know what they're talking about when it comes to jobs and careers.

There are many people that graduate at an earlier age and are well into their mid 30s,and still not nowhere near where some of their friends are at 29. This question cannot be answered based on what we know about OP right now. This question solely depends on where hid career path takes him. Just like any one of us on this board he could be successfull or he could not. Take a deep breath OP, concentrate on working hard and do not worry about it. Starting off at certain point and time in your life does not guarantee you success.

Obama finished law school at age 30, and I'm pretty sure most people will agree that Obama is doing just fine.

fundamentallybroken wrote: Law students that view 29 as too old if you're not in biglaw are likely K-JD who don't actually know what they're talking about when it comes to jobs and careers.

Bingo....

No

It's not to[o] old per se. TLS is pretty shitty at actually analyzing anything though.

I'd think it's pretty personal. There's a tons of reports of people being unhappy coming out of law school -- I wonder how these numbers break down across different age cohorts.

Also, I'd think the consequences of failure would be particularly magnified for an older guy.