Is a top law degree flexible? Forum

[Ericwa]

I am just wondering whether a law degree from top schools like HYS can open doors to other fields, like IB, PE, and etc later on down the road. Definitely a top MBA is more suitable for business related jobs. I am just curious whether a top law degree coupled with finance and accounting background will help one lateral to a bank job if they do not want to remain in biglaw anymore? Are degrees from HYS flexible in this regard?

Thanks for your comments!

[xael]

Go to law school to be a lawyer. It's not undergrad.

[abl]

I am just wondering whether a law degree from top schools like HYS can open doors to other fields, like IB, PE, and etc later on down the road. Definitely a top MBA is more suitable for business related jobs. I am just curious whether a top law degree coupled with finance and accounting background will help one lateral to a bank job if they do not want to remain in biglaw anymore? Are degrees from HYS flexible in this regard?

Thanks for your comments!

Yes, but probably not flexible enough to justify hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans. A JD is rarely going to be the best route to a non-law job, especially so if you have HYS-level credentials.

[ndirish2010]

Use google and the search function.

[KMart]

You admit a MBA is more flexible. If you want IB, get a MBA. Don't go to law planning on not being a lawyer. It's a waste of time.

Here is a good thread with a similar, albeit not quite the same, sentiment for you to look at.

[PrezRand]

You might want to find a joint program.

[Mack.Hambleton]

what matters down the road will be your firm/practice area/experience/connections with people in banks from what I can tell, not so much where you got your degree from.

MBB hires entry level from HYS but doesnt make a ton of offers, but its possible. But don't go if you wouldnt want to work biglaw because that will be by far the most likely and easiest option

[Instinctive]

what matters down the road will be your firm/practice area/experience/connections with people in banks from what I can tell, not so much where you got your degree from.

MBB hires entry level from HYS but doesnt make a ton of offers, but its possible. But don't go if you wouldnt want to work biglaw because that will be by far the most likely and easiest option

Just to be clear they hire JDs as Associates, not Analysts. Pretty large salary difference there.

[malleus discentium]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

[Mack.Hambleton]

what matters down the road will be your firm/practice area/experience/connections with people in banks from what I can tell, not so much where you got your degree from.

MBB hires entry level from HYS but doesnt make a ton of offers, but its possible. But don't go if you wouldnt want to work biglaw because that will be by far the most likely and easiest option

Just to be clear they hire JDs as Associates, not Analysts. Pretty large salary difference there.

Woops meant they hired straight out not entry level

[Instinctive]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

Correction: Advice without context.

So much of this depends on what your options are now and what you want them to be, and what path(s) you can take to get there.

[PrezRand]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

Why?

[UnicornHunter]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

Why?

Because you either can be a lawyer or not a lawyer. A JD isn't justified if you're not a lawyer. If you are a lawyer, the MBA doesn't do enough for you to justify the cost.

[PrezRand]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

Why?

Because you either can be a lawyer or not a lawyer. A JD isn't justified if you're not a lawyer. If you are a lawyer, the MBA doesn't do enough for you to justify the cost.

You can also be a lawyer and a financial analyst. You can have multiple degrees. If you can afford the cost or you are on a scholarship, why is it wrong? If you want both degrees because you have an interest in both field, why is it bad? I only hear people say this on TLS

[lacrossebrother]

My uncle is cfo of a PE boutique and he said he loves hiring lawyers as analysts. You can also always go back for a 1 year MBA after a few years of corporate law if you wanna switch over to something like consulting or PE. That said I wouldn't do law school unless you're 90% sure you want to be a lawyer. In fact, I'd say that it's kind of weird to go to law school without an interest in litigation. That said you can do a million different things under the title "corporate lawyer." I mean, people get hired as fucking "project managers" these days. Lawyers are natural PM experts. Any tech startup I'm sure would be willing to take a JD on board too if you're willing to just take points. Best part of that proposition is you can do that in any state without needing to become a member of that state's bar.

In short, if you have a law degree, you should think first about different ways to use the degree to practice law. Lubing VC deals is gonna be way different than drafting NDAs which is gonna be way different than investigating deflategate.

[lacrossebrother]

You might want to find a joint program.

Bad advice. Don't get a JD if you don't want to be a lawyer, even as part of a JD/MBA.

Why?

Because you either can be a lawyer or not a lawyer. A JD isn't justified if you're not a lawyer. If you are a lawyer, the MBA doesn't do enough for you to justify the cost.

You can also be a lawyer and a financial analyst. You can have multiple degrees. If you can afford the cost or you are on a scholarship, why is it wrong? If you want both degrees because you have an interest in both field, why is it bad? I only hear people say this on TLS

The fear is that MBAs are an extra expense and they might freak out law firms who think that maybe you don't love law. But if you go to Chicago and get a 1L SA that fear is ameliorated. And then you can hop on board their 3 year jd/mba program