On Going to Law School

This is me one week before starting law school in August 2004. I was smiling, excited and looking forward to the academic challenge. Years later, would I do it again? Ahhh…the benefit of hindsight.

Working Full-Time and Going to Law School

If you are currently holding a full-time job, you should really consider your time management skills, your family and your social life. Your life as you know it will change. At first, I considered it yet another responsibility – a job if you will. I sat in orientation sessions thinking “this cannot be so hard. If it was, no one would do it.” But it is indeed hard. Your new academic career will consume the downtime you have between work and sleep. When you are not working, you are worrying about what you have to read or write. You will have to make sure you are prepared when the professor calls on you to discuss the torts case or the merits of a judge’s ruling. Just when your work day ends, your academic evening begins. You will leave your home at 8am and return home at 8pm or later. You will be tired, you will not want to read, but you must. You will want to watch your favorite show and enjoy your dinner. But you will have to balance these desires with the school workload. You will want to spend the weekends with family and friends and put the law books aside. But it won’t change the fact that you have cases to read and outline, you have a paper to research and library assignments to complete. On Sunday night before bed, you will have to switch into work mode, planning your workday, preparing for meetings and remembering that tomorrow your academic workday begins when you close your work email.

If you travel for work, you will be hauling a book or books with you on the plane. You will be studying over dinner, sometime before or after you check your work email. When you return from your business trip, you will have to catch up on your expense reports, any meetings or email you missed while travelling and still…school work will be there.

I won’t lie. It’s hard. I am a global project manager. I manage details and meetings, I facilitate meetings and give presentations. I am a multi-tasker by design. But I still felt it very hard to manage school and work, especially during finals. You will have to take time off of work to prepare for finals.

Making the decision to work full-time and go to school is a big one. Ensure you are in it for the long haul. Organize your days well. Stay on top of your reading, but still make sure you have down time with family and friends. This is one of the biggest life-altering decisions you will make. Have the discussions with your partner, spouse, family and friends and explain that your time will be limited for several years.

Have a serious discussion with your managers to ensure they will be flexible and appreciate your circumstances and the gravity of the sacrifice you are making for higher educational pursuits. Many employers will be supportive, some during your entire academic career…and some for the first year. If you decide to go on this journey, you must make sure that your employers, employees, and clients understand how a law degree will enhance your skills (if you plan to stay). If you do not plan to remain employed with your current employer upon graduation, you need to have that discussion as well. Get it out in the open. You do not want the stress of a bad relationship at work and the stress of satisfying the demands of law school. It will only complicate matters. If your employer is supportive, but shares that you will not be able to leverage your law degree in your role or future roles, but you still plan to remain employed with the organization, emphasize your commitment to your current roles and responsibilities.

If your employer is not supportive of your decision, consider your financial situation and if there’s a possibility to gain employment elsewhere. Or, consider if you can work part-time or not at all. No matter the situation, you must do your homework about the future before you take the LSAT. Before I started my journey, I interviewed others who had done the same. I interviewed leaders, attorneys and others who had made the decision to leave their jobs to pursue the degree full-time.

Now, it seems all doom and gloom by my initial account. However, it can be done. But you must absolutely must start your journey with care and planning. You must make the decision what you are willing to sacrifice and what you are not. Be honest with yourself about your capabilities. Whatever you do, remember that family and health are more important than a law degree. At the end of the day, your mental and physical health and your family are critical to your success in law school.

This is me AFTER law school, at my graduation in May of 2009! Was it worth it? Yes, with certainty. When they call your name, you feel proud to be accepting your degree in front of family and friends. The sense of accomplishment is amazing and your jaws will ache the next day from smiling.

Was it worth it?

Yes, it’s hard, yes, I cried and yes, there were times when I considered giving up. But it was worth it. Your life will change for the better. You will see life through a different lens. My attitudes towards culture, politics and the human condition have changed – they are sharper, broader and deeper.

At 44 years old, my academic pursuits are over. However, my education is just beginning. I am looking forward to applying what I have learned – and learning what I have not! The future is full of possibilities.