New career path

28 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 12:00PM UTC

   I give you credit for pursuing this! Throughout the second half of my 40s, went back and forth in my head about pursuing this myself - I'm in HR and have spent a lot of time working with attorneys on various employee, compliance, immigration issues and really enjoyed working with them and learning from them. Ultimately, I decided against it as I didn't want to be in my mid-50s and starting fresh with new student loan debt. And now that I'm 51, I'm kicking myself for that - and debating pursuing an MBA.

2. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 12:28PM UTC

   This is a fantastic plan. You should be able to finish school in a couple years and get the necessary experience and training before 70 abd start building your career.

   I wish you the best of luck.

3. Sarah Mackenzie DyckMay 31,2024 at 12:48PM UTC

   Do it! Don’t let age even factor into your decision.

4. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 12:50PM UTC

   Go over your plan with a financial advisor to game out strategies for different contingencies.

5. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 1:02PM UTC

   It's never too late. I just finished a doctorate. I graduated five days before turning 68. I agree that it is good to check with a financial advisor to see what (if any) challenges you may have. Good for you, and go for it. My mantra is: The day I stop learning is the day they scatter my ashes.

6. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 1:12PM UTC

   If you are going to dedicate your new career to employment law and helping fight discrimination ( which is rampant), I would suggest you not lead with some perceived age advantage. With technology and chemistry, we all look great. So let's not go there.

7. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 1:27PM UTC

   Under ABA rules, we were allowed to work 20 hours a week while in law school, however I'm not sure if that's still the case. You won't be able to work full-time though.

8. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 3:43PM UTC

   With the study load, study groups and class schedule, our law school says max 15 hours at night per week. Top schools expect attendance during class not online and consider you student and facility interaction extremely important. But lesser schools are more online and don't adhere to knowing students and any in-person interaction. It's a very different experience. It's good to manage your expectations and understand the caliber of education experience you are looking for.

9. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 2:08PM UTC

   How do law schools expect students not to work? I know people going to law school who made their decisions not to work, but unless they have money saved, it seems unreasonable that law schools will and/or should demand that. Besides incurring debt, people have to pay rent, mortgages, bills, etc. And becoming a paralegal or working in a law firm is not the same as being an attorney, especially in terms of pay; I worked in two for years and it's not.

10. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 31,2024 at 9:08PM UTC

    I never want to discourage anyone but I would encourage you to find out as much as you can about what actually working as an attorney is like before making that big time (and money) investment. Are you looking to join a firm? Big firm? Want to hang out your own shingle? Try to get as good a picture as you can of what that day to day could look like for you.

    As someone who used to recruit lawyers, I came across a lot of folks who completed law school, sat for the bar, passed the bar and started working as an attorney only to find out that they hated it.

    I admire your quest to help fight discrimination - GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

11. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 12:49PM UTC

    Careful, realism is negativity here, evidently. You were much more eloquent with your advice than Ibut the intention behind our words was the same. As someone who went o law school later and found working as an attorney completely untenable to a balanced life, your words ring true.

12. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 1:01PM UTC

    Joan, your point is excellent for anyone considering a career change regardless of the reason. The discernment process is important, and spending time in the environment you want to pivot to is also. I made a significant pivot after I was 50. It was from the IT industry in the for-profit sector to non-profit, and top of earning market (senior management) back to bottom with huge differences in earning potential. I had several starts in the new career that, had I known going in, would have changed the course of how I approached it and possibly made for a smoother landing into the new career. One of my dad's favorite sayings was "Hindsight is 20-20, foresight ain't so good."

13. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 1:57AM UTC

    I agree. My husband went to school to become a paralegal, and it was not wasted in any sense, as most of his classmates were either in or trying to get into law school. Getting the paralegal certification/license and working in a law firm while going to law school is doable, and may even be reimbursed by the law firm if it is big enough and has a tuition reimbursement benefit. It can also give the OP a good taste of whether or not this is something she wants to spend her "golden years" doing.

14. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 2:43AM UTC

    It's never too late to do something you really believe in! Law school is a full time job. If you can commit, go for it. I would also be open to working for government/local agencies. I think the EEOC is a piece of crap. They need people like you who get it.

15. AlexisJune 1,2024 at 12:47PM UTC

    Go for it!

16. Lomaxruiter@yahoo.comJune 1,2024 at 12:48PM UTC

    I completed law school right after college (nearly 30 years ago). We had quite a few OWLS in our graduating class. Older Wiser Law Students. Best of luck to you!

17. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 1:13PM UTC

    Be prepared for the subtle but recognizable ageism. Plus, you don’t often go to law school at 40 and magically come out with job offers that don’t work you to death and are plentiful. What’s the old joke: What does the world need less of? Lawyers. Just be prepared. Best wishes!

18. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 4:55PM UTC

    Why is 40 old all the sudden?

19. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 2:12AM UTC

    That is the benchmark age that the EEOC uses for age discrimination.

20. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 12:44PM UTC

    I don’t know why it’s considered old. But it is.

21. AnonymousJune 4,2024 at 11:56PM UTC

    By who, our fellow generation and the ones after us? Maybe eat better and exercise and you won't think that way. :)

22. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 8:56PM UTC

    Ageism is EVERYWHERE-doesn't matter what field. Pursuing this has been placed in her heart and mind for a reason. Who knows where the path may lead her? Man, I'm sorry for whatever happened to you to make you so negative. Please don't say you're just being realistic. What's real for you isn't everyone else's reality.

23. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 12:46PM UTC

    Sorry that you are triggered by realism. It’s not negative to understand a saturated job sector . Grow up. Everyone seems to enjoy a level of victimhood anymore that is absurd.

24. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 9:58PM UTC

    LOL-you are the joy we suspected you are.

25. Mary Poggi SchillingJune 2,2024 at 12:57PM UTC

    Good for you, if you need a volunteer to help you advocate for discrimination, ageism, employee hiring with unconscious bias, and blatant applications online that ask you illegal questions, feel free to reach out to me. I was a recruiter for over 30 years and left that career being truly disappointed with the hiring process and the discrimination that I see daily. i’ve actually been looking for volunteer positions using my recruiting skills. I had thoroughly enjoyed matching people up and working with candidates. I was completely successful with candidate care, integrity, and follow through with communication and it was a very big part of my professional and personal life and I miss it, but I’m not about to go to work for any corporations anymore to ask a person to fill out an application an unbelievable amount of time and then never even talk to a live person, really has turned me off completely. Let me know if I can do anything for you.

26. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 1:59PM UTC

    Exciting! That sounds so passionate and wonderful for you!

27. Megan SullivanJune 2,2024 at 4:43PM UTC

    Wow!!! Love this as there is a huge need for qualified employment attorneys - especially supporting women.

28. Lorraine HerreraJune 7,2024 at 1:08PM UTC

    After experiencing a lot of discrimination at work, I’ve thought about this too. Don’t have much advice to give you, but I will follow here to learn more from the comments.