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Going to law school while working full time - anyone done it?

Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:00 am
Posted by Tigerfan56
Member since May 2010
10526 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:00 am
It’s something I am thinking about and I have a lot of questions about this.

First and foremost, how relevant is the quality of the law school? As I work full time, I’m limited to the part time/night school within my vicinity (I don’t live in Louisiana btw).

I’m 29 years old, married, no kids. If I don’t do this now, I never will - and it’s something I’ve always been interested in. I enjoy my current job, I am a forensic accountant for a state AG’s office. I have my CPA as well as a CFE (certified fraud examiner) and CFF (certified in financial forensics).

I’m hoping that my financial background will help me either through the law school application process or after obtaining a law degree, my law degree + financial background will open doors for me. Is that accurate or will that financial background be pretty irrelevant?
Posted by Old Sarge
Dean of Admissions, LSU
Member since Jan 2012
61621 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:01 am to
I thought about it for years
Posted by Powerman
Member since Jan 2004
170323 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:01 am to
Some law schools won't permit you to work your first year (LSU for instance)

Or at least it used to be that way
Posted by Areddishfish
The Wild West
Member since Oct 2015
6422 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:02 am to
My brother-in-law did. He worked full time at Loyola as a police officer while doing law school part-time. Him and his wife had their first child during school as well.
Posted by Funky Tide 8
Bayou Chico
Member since Feb 2009
55786 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:02 am to
quote:

Going to law school while working full time


quote:

I’m 29 years old, married, no kids. If I don’t do this now, I never will - and it’s something I’ve always been interested in. I enjoy my current job, I am a forensic accountant for a state AG’s office. I have my CPA as well as a CFE (certified fraud examiner) and CFF (certified in financial forensics).



Goshdangit, threads like this make me feel like a loser
Posted by CoachChappy
Member since May 2013
34058 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:02 am to
With all of those credentials, why go back to law school? Just curious
Posted by 777Tiger
Member since Mar 2011
87832 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:02 am to
quote:

I’m limited to the part time/night school within my vicinity


lots of people do it, TX has always had law school programs that catered to full time workers, I'm sure many other states as well


ETA: but why?
This post was edited on 9/18/19 at 9:04 am
Posted by AbitaFan08
Boston, MA
Member since Apr 2008
27879 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:03 am to
You often aren't allowed to your 1L year without a special exemption from the law school, which is very rarely granted.

Trust me, they're doing you a favor. 1L is a full time job already. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it would be a living hell.
This post was edited on 9/18/19 at 9:04 am
Posted by Stexas
SWLA
Member since May 2013
6799 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:03 am to
After seeing my wife go through it before she started her career and we were married (20 yrs ago), there's no way I would consider it. The volume of reading alone... There was hardly enough hours in a day to handle the workload much less balance a job, and family life.
Posted by Restomod
Member since Mar 2012
13493 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:05 am to
quote:

how relevant is the quality of the law school


Depends on what tier, but yes it matters especially depending on goal.
Posted by Pelican fan99
Lafayette, Louisiana
Member since Jun 2013
38781 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:05 am to
From people I know that went to law school that seems like a way to make you want to off yourself
Posted by TBoy
Kalamazoo
Member since Dec 2007
27272 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:06 am to
Your accounting degree will be valuable with a law degree. I know several attorneys who have both and they do well with tax, structure and estate issues.

As for going to law school and working full time, that would be extremely difficult, even if a law school would have a class schedule that would accommodate. One of the only people I recall doing this was Mike Foster, when he was the Louisiana Governor, who went to Southern Law School at night. He also learned how to fly a helicopter during his tenure as Gov. Maybe he had it a little easier road being that he was the Gov. and all.

I do know a physician who went to law school, but he took a year off his practice to do the first year. He then went back to work part time in his second and third years.

Good luck with it. The practice of law and a hard way to earn a living. But with a secondary skill like accounting you can develop a niche practice that people will pay for.
Posted by Tigerfan56
Member since May 2010
10526 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:06 am to
quote:

With all of those credentials, why go back to law school? Just curious


The Credentials are good for what I currently do, but in my current position where I am working with attorneys everyday, it makes me want to do what they do. I want to be the person overseeing every aspect of a case and not just limited to writing reports and testifying to the financial aspect of things. Obviously I need a law degree to do that
Posted by BigPerm30
Member since Aug 2011
30712 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:07 am to
I did it. What would you like to know?
Posted by Newc
Member since Feb 2017
389 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:07 am to
A lot of the times, a law degree is not worth the paper it is printed on unless you graduate towards the top of your class (and even then, it is hard to say it is actually worth it). I think you would struggle to graduate towards the top of your class attending law school and working full time.
Posted by Lake Vegas Tiger
Lake Vegas
Member since Jun 2014
3283 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:07 am to
ranking of law school doesn't mean jack shite

i wouldn't go to law school
Posted by 777Tiger
Member since Mar 2011
87832 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:09 am to
quote:

. Obviously I need a law degree to do that


might do some research before you make the commitment, the degree alone may not be enough to get you into the "inner circle"
Posted by S
RIP Wayde
Member since Jan 2007
168319 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:09 am to
Hope you like to read
Posted by SCLibertarian
Conway, South Carolina
Member since Aug 2013
40813 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:11 am to
You do not need a law degree imo unless you really want to practice law. Most lawyers here in SC would kill for a job like yours. There's way too many lawyers here.
Posted by Tchefuncte Tiger
Bat'n Rudge
Member since Oct 2004
62401 posts
Posted on 9/18/19 at 9:12 am to
Not personally, but some of my coworkers did this via night school at Southern, and some of them are doing quite well.
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