Is 25 too old to make this career change?

Need wise perspective wrote:

Quick story: I graduated with a biomechanics degree in 2012. Since then I have worked in genetics and dabbled in medical sales, making 40-50k. I have always had an interest in being a lawyer, but other life circumstances forced me to enter the work force in 2012.

I am now considering preparing for the LSAT and entering law school in Fall 2015 with the goal of being a malpractice attorney.

Do you think the future earnings increase more than makes up for the cost of school (assuming I don't a full scholarship) ?

Any older guys make a huge decision to alter your life course? Anyone turn down making such a move?

You are very young. The money is not a problem. The work may be. If you have not done so, spend some time in a law office shadowing a malpractice attorney to determine if this is what you really want to do. If it is, go full speed ahead.

1) 25 is NOT old

2) 25 is certainly not too old to make a career change

starting age of people in my Phd program ranged from 22-28yo. and after 6 years of hard work, 1/2 ditched the field when they got their degree and went into something completely unrelated.

do what excites/interests you & fits your goals (at any age!).

Never too old to switch careers especially if you can parlay your old career with the new one. Going back to school is different though. You need to evaluate the rate of return of taking out $200k worth of loans for a law degree.

I have friends in law school. My advice is do patent law. Also, if you can't get into a T14 law school I would seriously reconsider law school if I was you.

Good luck!

First, 25 year old is not too old. As a matter of fact you haven't even STARTED a career. 35 years old would be a career change, not you. I started working when I was 25 w/ a MS degree.

Second, if this is something you always wanted to do, then by all means better now than ever. Don't postpone it, or at least TRY. Prep for the LSAT.

Third, ask for advice around you and those who did enter law school. They'll know best. Consider career opportunities, best paths, what school, what specialty. Point #1 meant it's possible and point #2 that you must want it. Point #3 is about the concrete path to success. Consider the entire thing, not just the burning desire or end of process.

And yes net present value of future earnings likely offset the loss of income + scholarship. But as with all things plan for it, budget, and proceed accordingly. Don't be a hothead, but don't be a wuss either. Think about everything but don't overthink it either. Best of luck to you no matter what you decide.

Malpractice attorneys are the scum of the earth

From articles I've read over the past several years, law school isn't the sure-thing that it once was. Many large firms downsized, consolidated and folded during the great recession. There was one case of a law student suing her school because she claimed they misrepresented post-degree opportunities.

With that said, many people may be thinking this same thing now and choosing against law school which could lead to a future shortage...

Moose wrote:

Malpractice attorneys are the scum of the earth

but they make bank

#WorthIt

Moose wrote:

Malpractice attorneys are the scum of the earth

No, the scum of the earth are defense attorneys who voluntarily represent rapists, murderers, etc.

Voluntarily meaning defense attorneys who purposely go into defense as opposed to the attorneys that have no experience and are forced to represent anyone.

Hey, I'm 25 as well, and I'm going back to school for a career change. I think it's worth it.

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” -Anonymous

Best time to pursue becoming a lawyer was when you first started undergraduate, second best time is right now. Go for it.

Nice thing 'bout lawyers is you can pretty much work ANYWHERE (depending on what you want for a lifestyle; regardless, you'll always be in your *local* 2%).

Sbeefyk1 wrote:

Moose wrote:

Malpractice attorneys are the scum of the earth

No, the scum of the earth are defense attorneys who voluntarily represent rapists, murderers, etc.

Voluntarily meaning defense attorneys who purposely go into defense as opposed to the attorneys that have no experience and are forced to represent anyone.

Our justice system wouldn't function without these people. And how do you know someone is guilty? Just because they're charged, I guess we should summarily execute them?

P.S. patent attorneys are the scum of the Earth, and their jobs are boring as sin.

ALL LAWYERS ARE SCUM to the people on the side of the case that loses.

I can't fathom why you would pick malpractice but with a technical degree if you change your mind you could be a patent attorney or maybe even accounting.

Agree with the above post.

The market is saturated with JD's. Some recent grads have even SUED there school, claiming they misrepresented the job prospects.

There is also a move to offshore a lot of legal work as well. Been happening for years and will continue to grow.

So if you are lucky, maybe you will make $110k a year for some big firm in NYC, till they toss you aside for a newer grad after a couple years at which point you will probably end up making $80k as the local "get out of your DUI" guy.

Sorry.

Yes

Undergrad GPA?

Like another poster said. If you can't get T14, I would advise against it.

There are too many lawyers now. Think carefully about this.

Scholarships to law schools are very limited. Most everyone pays the full bill.

25 is plenty young for law school. I started when I was 30 and was not the youngest by a long shot.

I assume by "malpractice attorney" you mean medical malpractice given your health industry background. This is a very volatile practice area. Some states have enacted med mal tort reforms that have gutted the practice area. In Texas, med mal lawsuit filings went down by almost 90% after tort reform. In other states, med mal is still a very solid practice area. But you will always be one session of the legislature from being thrown out of work with med mal.

You should really take a look at intellectual property work. IP lawyers are still in demand in a big way despite the economic crash and backlog of new lawyers. You may have the opportunity to convert your contacts from your prior employment into clients, too. And IP lawyers are always some of the best compensated, making the whole debt burden issue a joke for most in the IP bar.

P.S. have you considered a phd in the biological sciences or bioE?

-you will get your schooling paid for (thus no debt when you finish)

-any phd job in biotech will likely double (at least) what you are currently making

-you can easily change careers afterwards (people in other fields like good bio phds...two friends in my grad class just got consulting jobs making well over 100K/yr). you can take a few classes on the side while doing your thesis work to prep you for such a change.

just a thought.

Not too old but get some experience in the field first and get into a top law school and do well in it. Once you do that, you get to work 24/7 for 7 years and hope to make partner. You'll have a lot of money, an addiction to sleeping pills and other anxiety medicines, be overweight and single or divorced.