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OT: UConn Law School

UConNation said:
Sorry to open this back up with a question that goes in a distinctly different direction, but since it seems like several of you are lawyers, I'm curious what your thoughts are.

By way of a brief synopsis, I went to UConn for my undergrad with the intent of going to law school. I realized pretty early on that while I enjoyed studying law (took a few Constitutional and other law classes), I didn't want to make it a career.

I graduated in 2008 with a respectable 3.8 GPA, went off to flight school for the Army and came back and got into the corporate world. I've done well for myself over the past 9 years+ and am moving up in my field (insurance). I'm at the point now where I want to get an advanced degree, but can only do it part time (I'm a married father of 3, am still in the Reserves and am active in other areas as well). I know I can do a part time or online MBA, but I'd rather set myself apart, at least somewhat, and am considering law school. As I said earlier, I loved the law classes I took during undergrad, and beyond a JD setting me apart from my peers, I think the skills I'd learn would actually be put to practical use.

The question is 2 part - 1) Do any of you think the juice is worth the squeeze to get a JD over an MBA? 2) Is going to law school too difficult to do part time?
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I agree with the initial responses to your questions. Law school is more expensive (wallet and life) than an MBA due to the extra class requirements. You're looking at 4 years for law school at night. In addition, from what I saw with a couple friends that were getting their MBAs when I was getting my JD, the MBA night programs are often easier. Because many companies only pay for B's, I saw my roommate get a few easy B's. Night law school can be easier than day, but only because there is often a curve and you get people that don't study as hard (because they have lives). So it's hard to say it's a better move just based on that. I can see some advantages in the actual education, however. It is a different way of thinking and you may already have the business sense that an MBA would help with. My most successful law school friend was a manager at a Big 5 (at the time) accounting firm. He went to a law firm for a few years and then has been CFO/CEO of a few big companies since. He would not have gotten there with just an MBA.

Throwing out a couple other things to consider: i) does your company pay for an MBA and/or JD? ii) do you want to stay at your current company? Remember that if they pay, you will probably have to stick around for a while (or pay them back). iii) Is the degree to get you your next job, or for your general resume and skills (I'd assume that an on-line MBA means you are looking more for the latter)? My law school's night students got access to on campus recruiting while my roommate getting his MBA at night was not allowed to participate in his school's recruiting.
 
Excalibur said:
Part time may be possible, and I think that the evening division at UConn can be taken over a period of 4 years vs. 3.

My advice would be to do the MBA instead of the JD. I don't think that a law degree will do much to set you apart from MBA recipients from a qualification standpoint with most companies, even if I personally think that MBAs aren't particularly valuable.
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I'd agree with this. Lots of part time Suffolk U attorneys too. I've worked with a few. But it is expensive.

The only caveat is if you are in a niche business field that intersects with legal. Mergers and acquisitions for example. Some highly regulated business areas could be others.

That said, I actually think a JD is a better business degree for an undergrad business major (I was finance) than an MBA is. Legal issues permeate every aspect of business. An MBA is most valuable to non business majors, and if @UConNation was a non business major the decision is clearly the MBA route.
 
District-Husky said:
Register for a Bar Review Course (like BarBri or whatever its called) now. Get the BarBri books and read them. Those books will actually teach you everything you need to know about the law - whether its Torts or Contracts or Property. Then, when you're in class and forced to read century old inane and archaic cases, you'll already know what the law really is so you won't waste time trying to decipher nonsense.
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I disagree with this. I recommend avoiding all secondary sources in your first year. The point is to learn how to think like a lawyer, not to memorize the law.
 
8893 said:
I disagree with this. I recommend avoiding all secondary sources in your first year. The point is to learn how to think like a lawyer, not to memorize the law.
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That was what we heard the first day of law school at the orientation session. "Some of you got great grades in high school and college by memorizing things and regurgitating it effectively in exams, that skill won't be useful to you here". Several people had horrified expressions. I loved it because I could never remember useless crap.
 
Unfortunately, a once great profession has turned into a dime a dozen circus. It’s dramatically changed.
 
.-.
Congrats on the acceptance.

I found law school to not be very difficult once you got used to work load. My favorite part was first year was getting out of class by 11am Friday and having a drinking lunch with guys I went to school with.

I mostly found it to be boring and was ready to go to work after my second year.

That being said I am now a Special Victim's Prosecutor in upstate NY and love going to work everyday even on the weekends when I end up at the office. Law school let me get the career which is why I appreciate it. I have a lot of buddies who make way more than I do but don't like the work. 75 hour weeks are rough if you don't like it, so whatever law niche you go into if it's just for cash you will burn out on the hours.

Bar exam is also easy but the most annoying 8 weeks of studying in your life.
 
Excalibur said:
This was not my experience at all. After the first year, you know what corners can be cut. I found class to be interesting, did very little work outside of it after the first year, and ended up partying more as a 2L and 3L than I did in college.
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Law review took up a lot of time 2Lyear. A lot of time.

I didn’t get a lot of easy classes so I wrote my papers for credit over the summers.

But yeah, I found enough hacks to have fun as well. Law school is a fun intellectual exercise, especially with teachers who are willing to take some challenge and push back. But year 1 will be as brutal as everyone says it is. There’s no way to prepare for it, you just need to experience it.
 
the Q said:
Law review took up a lot of time 2Lyear. A lot of time.

I didn’t get a lot of easy classes so I wrote my papers for credit over the summers.

But yeah, I found enough hacks to have fun as well. Law school is a fun intellectual exercise, especially with teachers who are willing to take some challenge and push back. But year 1 will be as brutal as everyone says it is. There’s no way to prepare for it, you just need to experience it.
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Journals are a time suck, but there was a social aspect to that as well. I didn't find it as taxing as you did.

The busiest time for me was probably 1L winter intersession (Moot Court). That was a ton of work crammed into a very short period of time.

It's possible that for me, the transformation in thinking from undergrad to law school just came easily, so I didn't find exams to be difficult. (I know, a not-so-humble brag).
 
8893 said:
I disagree with this. I recommend avoiding all secondary sources in your first year. The point is to learn how to think like a lawyer, not to memorize the law.
Expand ...

I agree with this, but what makes a successful law student isn't necessarily what makes a successful lawyer.
 
Excalibur said:
It's possible that for me, the transformation in thinking from undergrad to law school just came easily, so I didn't find exams to be difficult. (I know, a not-so-humble brag).
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Yeah, you just got the lawyer lobotomy earlier. Can confirm. :)
 
.-.
UConNation said:
Sorry to open this back up with a question that goes in a distinctly different direction, but since it seems like several of you are lawyers, I'm curious what your thoughts are.

By way of a brief synopsis, I went to UConn for my undergrad with the intent of going to law school. I realized pretty early on that while I enjoyed studying law (took a few Constitutional and other law classes), I didn't want to make it a career.

I graduated in 2008 with a respectable 3.8 GPA, went off to flight school for the Army and came back and got into the corporate world. I've done well for myself over the past 9 years+ and am moving up in my field (insurance). I'm at the point now where I want to get an advanced degree, but can only do it part time (I'm a married father of 3, am still in the Reserves and am active in other areas as well). I know I can do a part time or online MBA, but I'd rather set myself apart, at least somewhat, and am considering law school. As I said earlier, I loved the law classes I took during undergrad, and beyond a JD setting me apart from my peers, I think the skills I'd learn would actually be put to practical use.

The question is 2 part - 1) Do any of you think the juice is worth the squeeze to get a JD over an MBA? 2) Is going to law school too difficult to do part time?
Expand ...
Hi...I might have some practical info for you from a non practicing attorney. I intended to practice law after graduation. However, I've been in the Intellectual Property area for over 20 years....on the business side. My law degree has been a very valuable asset IMO.

When I got out during a downtown, friends that had no specific work experience prior to law school struggled finding work unless they were top 20% (and I went to top 25 school). Those friends that had specific pre-law experience (securities, finance) had no trouble finding work. IMO unless you get an MBA from an Ivy or NYU, the law degree is more distinctive and valuable long term.

But...getting that degree could be much more painful...getting a 3 year degree in 4 years at night is VERY difficult. I've had several friends do it. You need your employer to be understanding (maybe pay for it?) and your family to be even more so. I've seen law school break relationships.. The MBA is much more flexible with time.

Feel free to DM if you have any more specific questions
 
the Q said:
It won’t be.

It’ll be worse.

I’m happy to provide any help/insights can though to make it more bearable.
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I'm not too far out of law school. Feel free to DM about it.
 
NJHusky said:
Hi...I might have some practical info for you from a non practicing attorney. I intended to practice law after graduation. However, I've been in the Intellectual Property area for over 20 years....on the business side. My law degree has been a very valuable asset IMO.

When I got out during a downtown, friends that had no specific work experience prior to law school struggled finding work unless they were top 20% (and I went to top 25 school). Those friends that had specific pre-law experience (securities, finance) had no trouble finding work. IMO unless you get an MBA from an Ivy or NYU, the law degree is more distinctive and valuable long term.

But...getting that degree could be much more painful...getting a 3 year degree in 4 years at night is VERY difficult. I've had several friends do it. You need your employer to be understanding (maybe pay for it?) and your family to be even more so. I've seen law school break relationships.. The MBA is much more flexible with time.

Feel free to DM if you have any more specific questions
Expand ...
I did the 4 year law degree at night while working full-time. Just married, too, but no kids until after graduation. I could not do it with kids in the house.
 
the Q said:
It won’t be.

It’ll be worse.

I’m happy to provide any help/insights can though to make it more bearable.
Expand ...

I actually thought it wasn't as bad as people made it out to be ... in many ways. Certain ways, it was worse. But god bless him for having that mentality going in!

Get through the first few months and you'll be ok, that's the hardest.
 
.-.
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