When are you too told for law school?

[Redmen62]

So thanks to easy money from poker, a brief fling with rock stardom and life in general I will be completing my B.A. next year at 25. However, in the process of getting on track I rediscovered a level of achievement motivation that I haven't had since grade school (like many twoplustwoers I was very, very bright as a kid), and am pulling down very solid marks in university (my last 60 credits should be right around a 90 CPA, not sure what that translates into for GPA but it's 6 points above median acceptance average for my law school of choice).

I have really zeroed in on law as my career of choice, but I worry about starting a new degree that I wouldn't complete until I'm 29 (plus articling), and not getting into a career until so late. I've done some searching on the LSATs here and obviously there are quite a few 2+2ers who are graduates of law school or are currently in school. I'm interested in particular in anyone else who has started late, and whether it was worth doing at that point.

P.S. In terms of opportunity cost, I would likely go to work for my father's consulting company out of school if not going to law school, with the probable intention of doing at least an M.A. before I was 35, both of my parents worked right out of school and pursued higher degrees later in life. So I'm likely looking at further schooling regardless, but Law School would certainly be more of a sacrifice intially. Thoughts on law as a career and law school in general are also very welcomed. Also, I'm Canadian FWIW.

Thanks in advance.

[Dynasty]

53 years old is when you become too old.

[disjunction]

Your age is not really an issue. I know several people that started law school at your age. Some used their degree, some didn't.

The issue is your energy. At 25 you have less energy to do busy-work than you do at 30. At 30 you have less energy than at 35 (I think). The question is, when you graduate, are you still going to be willing to work the crazy hours that new lawyers work? If not, your degree may be a waste. Only you know where you fall on this curve.

Take the above for what it's worth. I did not graduate law school myself. I am, however, in my late 20's, working a full-time job, going to school at night for a PhD, and also playing poker 10 hours a week. The temptation to choose a path with more free time gets stronger as you get older. If you're attracted to law school for the money and not because of interest, there may be a strong chance that you won't be willing to work the hours when you graduate. Otherwise, if 4 years isn't important to you, it certainly isn't important to anyone else.

[jstnrgrs]

I know someone who graduated from law school at the age of 73.

[Matt Williams]

[ QUOTE ]
53 years old is when you become too old.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, but he said he's Canadian so 48 sounds about right to me. Unless the conversion is in reverse in which case he's good to go until he's 57.

[scott8]

The average starting age at most law schools is 26.

[HDPM]

you wouldn't be too old at all. Many people go to law school much later than that. Many do very well, often the extra maturity helps. In most law school classes there are older students. Be pretty sure you want to do law. It can be great. It can be awful as a career tho. Just make sure you want it.

[Oski]

I wouldn't worry about it. You are ahead of the game if you know this is what you really want. I graduated when I was 30. I don't think it hurt me at all.

The law allows you to incorporate a lot of real-world experience. Being a bit older seems to help. Furthermore, those who are a little older seem to be there a a matter of choice, as opposed to just not knowing what else to do.

Finally, law is a demanding profession. It helps to know yourself and your limitations, desires, etc. I see a lot of younger lawyers who put themselves in job situations that are not too agreeable to them. There is a good reason why the turnover rate is rather high for young associates ... many just "find" themselves in a particular job, and then realize its not for them.

[Redmen62]

[ QUOTE ]
The average starting age at most law schools is 26.

[/ QUOTE ]

Link? This is obviously very encouraging if it's so. I agree with both the sarcastic and helpful posts above that age is not on its own a determining factor at all, and what is really at issue is more personal factors like you describe. I do not doubt my ability in the slightest to commit to school and career building at that age, I won't be any more uncomfortable than I am now taking electives with 18 year olds. Perhaps the question should be more focused on "is it any harder to build a legal career when starting at the age of approximately 30?"

[Oski]

No link required. 26 is the correct number.

[Redmen62]

[ QUOTE ]
No link required. 26 is the correct number.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. It was an automatic response from hanging out on BS-ridden fantasy football boards. If anyone feels like sharing, what job are you currently performing with your law degree? Private practice, business/corporate law, public interest, other fields entirely, etc.? If anyone wants to share the story of their legal career I'd love to hear it.

[scott8]

I currently use my law degree as decoration in my poker room. Even if I decide at some point to not play poker for a living I don't ever want to become a lawyer. The most possible use for the education may be a college professor somewhere down the road.

[HopeydaFish]

Once you reach 30+, you'll realize how foolish it was for you to think that 25 was too old to start *anything*, let alone going back to school.

A friend of mine just graduated from law school and she's 29. I don't think it ever crossed her mind that she might be too old when she first enrolled.

[MrX]

My dad started law school when he was 55 and apparently kicked ass in it. This is according to my mom who started law school at the same time (she was 25). My mom is incredibly bright, but I can always sense a hint of jealousy when she talks about her and my dad in law school b/c she busted her butt, while it came so easy to him and he was also quite an intimidating speaker as well.

Of course my dad never even went to college until he was 40 and eneded up being a college professor, PhD, CPA, and later JD.

You are not too old.

X

[mostsmooth]

[ QUOTE ]
My dad started law school when he was 55 and apparently kicked ass in it. This is according to my mom who started law school at the same time (she was 25). My mom is incredibly bright, but I can always sense a hint of jealousy when she talks about her and my dad in law school b/c she busted her butt, while it came so easy to him and he was also quite an intimidating speaker as well.

Of course my dad never even went to college until he was 40 and eneded up being a college professor, PhD, CPA, and later JD.

You are not too old.

X

[/ QUOTE ]
you dad is 30 years older than your mom? hes like, your grandfather

[Lazymeatball]

Good for Dad, but what's up with your mom bangin 50 year olds?

[Eurotrash]

[ QUOTE ]
Good for Dad, but what's up with your mom bangin 50 year olds?

[/ QUOTE ]


at least I'm not the only one that's curious.

[elwoodblues]

If you're worried about it, go to a school with a night program. You will find that the vast majority of people in such a program are older than you.

[MrX]

My dad looked at least 15 yrs younger than he really was, so the age difference never looked to other people as dramatic as the 30 year actual difference. His law school classmates all thought he 40 when he was really 55.

And yes he was old enough to be my grandpa, in fact his "first batch" of 4 kids are all at least 20 years older than I am and he had a grandkid older than my little brother.

My mom claims she just got swept off her feet by him and they were happily married for almost 25 years.

X

[Lazymeatball]

rereading my post, I sound like an ass. anyways, your family sounds weird, but in a good way. I hope you're not offended.

[eviljeff]

many of my fellow 1Ls are 25+ and they still go out with us. then there's some 35+'s that do their own thing. there's a student group called Older and Wiser Law students (OWL), but I've never checked it out.

from what I've gathered, most kids here did not go straight through from undergrad.

plenty of Canadians here too. no one really notices until they bust out the poutine.

[Dominic]

my writing partner decided to go to law school at age 36...he's now 41 and trying huge corporate cases in court. If you have the drive to do it, why not go for it?

[Colonel Kataffy]

You are very much not too old for Law School. Honestly, when I opened this, I thought you were going to be 40 or something. Seriously, get thee to law school.

[KneeCo]

I may be going to law school in the fall, when researching schools I saw that at one I applied to the average age of students is 29.

[mason55]

wow. i feel like a retard. i took the LSAT when I was 20 (not posting my score because i don't want this to turn into a dick swinging contest [if i had $20 every time i wrote that in OOT...]).

anyways. I thought I was getting too old at 22. glad to know i'm not. now if only i hadn't gotten arrested for fighting some [censored] at Denny's tonight...

My uncle was a pharmicist for years and years. About 10 years ago he decided he wanted to be a lawyer. So he went to law school and graduated. Now he practices law.

[MrMon]

My wife went back to law school at 29, graduated at 33 and made partner at Big Law at 41. Stick a couple of kids in there as well. So you're not too old.

Also, she now does the interviewing at her old law school to recruit the newbies. Those students who are older and have some meat on their resumes often have a leg up on those who went straight through. Real world experience in something other than law is valued.

Just remember, no one is going to trust you with anything really important until you're 40. It really is true, plus or minus a few years.

[lastsamurai]

yeah...25 is a good age...i am 35 years old now trust me...as you get older you lose more brain cells!

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
yeah...25 is a good age...i am 35 years old now trust me...as you get older you lose more brain cells!

[/ QUOTE ]

Pass the dutchie on the left hand side....