wanttoleavemyjob wrote:PT applicants just be warned, I know several partners in charge of hiring at firms and they said they tend to look down on applicants who did the part time program without any job. Similarly, they have a lot of respect for people who work and do well in law school. But doing pt without a job is considered lazy.
hmm. maybe for the 3 or 4 yrs that may look bad. If I'm accepted into PT, I'm not gonna be working, but that's just for the first yr. I plan to make a case for FT thereafter
(the waitlist letter said about a third transition into FT after the first year). So I'm not concerned. And I would think not working throughout a PT program is rare.
In my experience, working at the beginning of your tenure at a competitive school is a not the best idea. I don't know many people that would choose to if they could afford not to. Either way, it takes a LOT to do that, especially if you have a demanding job. So, I think it definitely looks good for someone who does it, but bad only for the person who has never worked at the culmination of their law school experience. Personally, I rather rely on my partner and live by the budget for 10-12 months than to stretch myself too thin just when it matters most. Having worked in technical research for the past 4 yrs, I doubt anyone would blink an eye for one year of "being lazy".
valid point, nonetheless.
