Grad school for a career change after a few years of big law

[Anonymous]

Has anyone gone back to school for a masters in something completely unrelated to law, after going to law school and working as a lawyer for a few years? If so, do you regret your career change/decision to get "another degree?!?" My friends and family think I'm nuts to go back to school, esp since I'm still paying off law school debt. But I feel strongly about knowing that this new field (public health) is the right one for me and I really want to do this type of work. I simply have no interest in any law jobs any longer.

Anyone with similar experiences?

[Anonymous]

You are getting an MPH? I think it really depends on what you want to do. Just make sure you'll be able to afford all your student debt afterwards. Salary will likely be less than law. I'd also think about getting a doctorate in Public Health instead of an MPH, since you already have an advanced degree.

Before I jumped into a new degree I would see if you can get a job doing policy work on health issues. I've worked in the int'l health field for 14 years without an MPH.

[Anonymous]

How close are you to paying off your law school debt? Sine you are contemplating going down to zero salary in grad school, maybe try working one more year and putting your entire big law salary towards the debt and living only on your partner's salary (assuming you are married.) That way you can make a huge dent in the law school debt and you both will know that you can make it financially while you are in school.

Alternatively, try to get a related job now and see if you like public health. You can get hired to work in many aspects of public health right out of undergrad, so a well-qualified person with a law degree should be able to find something. You can test the waters without taking on additional debt.

[Anonymous]

If it is an MPH you want then it can be done part time pretty easily, dependin on your other responsibilities (kids, spouse).

[Anonymous]

Why not try and use your law degree at a public health agency? FDA hires tons of lawyers for policy positions for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How close are you to paying off your law school debt? Sine you are contemplating going down to zero salary in grad school, maybe try working one more year and putting your entire big law salary towards the debt and living only on your partner's salary (assuming you are married.) That way you can make a huge dent in the law school debt and you both will know that you can make it financially while you are in school.

Alternatively, try to get a related job now and see if you like public health. You can get hired to work in many aspects of public health right out of undergrad, so a well-qualified person with a law degree should be able to find something. You can test the waters without taking on additional debt.

I've thought of a different degree (MBA) and everyone I've talked to has told me this. Try to get a job of some variety using the public health (or MBA) skillset; if you can get a foot in the door, you may rise straight from there and not need the degree or alternatively you'll find that you need a degree to go past a certain level and then you can make the informed decision. Or you could even find that you miss law or want to be in some other aspect of law other than what you had in biglaw. I wouldn't dive right into a new degree if it will involve debt.

[Anonymous]

I did it. I went back and got a PhD in clinical psychology after working 12 years in law. Now I'm a psychologist.

No regrets at all -- I love what I do now. I will say, though, that I had the support of my DH and didn't have any law school debt when I made the change. But I was in grad school a LONG time -- from start to finish my career change took 7 years. But that's how it is when you get a doctorate. An MPH is a much shorter process.

Anyway, a career change isn't something to do lightly but I'm personally so glad I did it. I never really loved law, even though it provided a nice living.

[Anonymous]

If you have the money go for it. Although I am skeptical about why you are so sure you will be happy in public health. If you have to take on a lot of debt, don't do it. There are a zillion different kinds of law practice and one might suit you better than big law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I went back and got a PhD in clinical psychology after working 12 years in law. Now I'm a psychologist.

No regrets at all -- I love what I do now. I will say, though, that I had the support of my DH and didn't have any law school debt when I made the change. But I was in grad school a LONG time -- from start to finish my career change took 7 years. But that's how it is when you get a doctorate. An MPH is a much shorter process.

Anyway, a career change isn't something to do lightly but I'm personally so glad I did it. I never really loved law, even though it provided a nice living.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm a lawyer considering this very career switch (to clinical psychology) and would love to talk to someone who is on the other side of this transition. Would you mind discussing this, either in another thread or via email??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I went back and got a PhD in clinical psychology after working 12 years in law. Now I'm a psychologist.

No regrets at all -- I love what I do now. I will say, though, that I had the support of my DH and didn't have any law school debt when I made the change. But I was in grad school a LONG time -- from start to finish my career change took 7 years. But that's how it is when you get a doctorate. An MPH is a much shorter process.

Anyway, a career change isn't something to do lightly but I'm personally so glad I did it. I never really loved law, even though it provided a nice living.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm a lawyer considering this very career switch (to clinical psychology) and would love to talk to someone who is on the other side of this transition. Would you mind discussing this, either in another thread or via email??

Hi. I'm happy to talk to you about it. I'm a little uncomfortable posting my email on here. Is there another way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I went back and got a PhD in clinical psychology after working 12 years in law. Now I'm a psychologist.

No regrets at all -- I love what I do now. I will say, though, that I had the support of my DH and didn't have any law school debt when I made the change. But I was in grad school a LONG time -- from start to finish my career change took 7 years. But that's how it is when you get a doctorate. An MPH is a much shorter process.

Anyway, a career change isn't something to do lightly but I'm personally so glad I did it. I never really loved law, even though it provided a nice living.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm a lawyer considering this very career switch (to clinical psychology) and would love to talk to someone who is on the other side of this transition. Would you mind discussing this, either in another thread or via email??

Hi. I'm happy to talk to you about it. I'm a little uncomfortable posting my email on here. Is there another way?

I agree, don't want to post my email here either. I just made a quick gmail address that we can use, and I can send my real email from there. It's [e-mail] ... thanks for being willing to tell me about it! (Or I could just start another thread to discuss it here, but email seems better, no?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did it. I went back and got a PhD in clinical psychology after working 12 years in law. Now I'm a psychologist.

No regrets at all -- I love what I do now. I will say, though, that I had the support of my DH and didn't have any law school debt when I made the change. But I was in grad school a LONG time -- from start to finish my career change took 7 years. But that's how it is when you get a doctorate. An MPH is a much shorter process.

Anyway, a career change isn't something to do lightly but I'm personally so glad I did it. I never really loved law, even though it provided a nice living.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm a lawyer considering this very career switch (to clinical psychology) and would love to talk to someone who is on the other side of this transition. Would you mind discussing this, either in another thread or via email??

Hi. I'm happy to talk to you about it. I'm a little uncomfortable posting my email on here. Is there another way?

I agree, don't want to post my email here either. I just made a quick gmail address that we can use, and I can send my real email from there. It's [e-mail] ... thanks for being willing to tell me about it! (Or I could just start another thread to discuss it here, but email seems better, no?)

I just made one too. I will email you at the above address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How close are you to paying off your law school debt? Sine you are contemplating going down to zero salary in grad school, maybe try working one more year and putting your entire big law salary towards the debt and living only on your partner's salary (assuming you are married.) That way you can make a huge dent in the law school debt and you both will know that you can make it financially while you are in school.

Alternatively, try to get a related job now and see if you like public health. You can get hired to work in many aspects of public health right out of undergrad, so a well-qualified person with a law degree should be able to find something. You can test the waters without taking on additional debt.

I've thought of a different degree (MBA) and everyone I've talked to has told me this. Try to get a job of some variety using the public health (or MBA) skillset; if you can get a foot in the door, you may rise straight from there and not need the degree or alternatively you'll find that you need a degree to go past a certain level and then you can make the informed decision. Or you could even find that you miss law or want to be in some other aspect of law other than what you had in biglaw. I wouldn't dive right into a new degree if it will involve debt.

Thanks for this suggestion. I agree with it in theory but can't seem to get any jobs like this! Despite such jobs requiring undergrad degrees only, I think I'm overqualified and don't know anyone to pull my resume for me. I have been applying for a year now and am getting nothing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How close are you to paying off your law school debt? Sine you are contemplating going down to zero salary in grad school, maybe try working one more year and putting your entire big law salary towards the debt and living only on your partner's salary (assuming you are married.) That way you can make a huge dent in the law school debt and you both will know that you can make it financially while you are in school.

Alternatively, try to get a related job now and see if you like public health. You can get hired to work in many aspects of public health right out of undergrad, so a well-qualified person with a law degree should be able to find something. You can test the waters without taking on additional debt.

I've thought of a different degree (MBA) and everyone I've talked to has told me this. Try to get a job of some variety using the public health (or MBA) skillset; if you can get a foot in the door, you may rise straight from there and not need the degree or alternatively you'll find that you need a degree to go past a certain level and then you can make the informed decision. Or you could even find that you miss law or want to be in some other aspect of law other than what you had in biglaw. I wouldn't dive right into a new degree if it will involve debt.

Thanks for this suggestion. I agree with it in theory but can't seem to get any jobs like this! Despite such jobs requiring undergrad degrees only, I think I'm overqualified and don't know anyone to pull my resume for me. I have been applying for a year now and am getting nothing...

My suggestion is to try and get a job at HHS or an HHS subagency (like FDA, CDC, SAMSA, etc.). Tons of lawyers are hired by these agencies in both the general counsel office and in policy positions. FDA calls the se positions regulatory counsel if you look on USA jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How close are you to paying off your law school debt? Sine you are contemplating going down to zero salary in grad school, maybe try working one more year and putting your entire big law salary towards the debt and living only on your partner's salary (assuming you are married.) That way you can make a huge dent in the law school debt and you both will know that you can make it financially while you are in school.

Alternatively, try to get a related job now and see if you like public health. You can get hired to work in many aspects of public health right out of undergrad, so a well-qualified person with a law degree should be able to find something. You can test the waters without taking on additional debt.

I've thought of a different degree (MBA) and everyone I've talked to has told me this. Try to get a job of some variety using the public health (or MBA) skillset; if you can get a foot in the door, you may rise straight from there and not need the degree or alternatively you'll find that you need a degree to go past a certain level and then you can make the informed decision. Or you could even find that you miss law or want to be in some other aspect of law other than what you had in biglaw. I wouldn't dive right into a new degree if it will involve debt.

Thanks for this suggestion. I agree with it in theory but can't seem to get any jobs like this! Despite such jobs requiring undergrad degrees only, I think I'm overqualified and don't know anyone to pull my resume for me. I have been applying for a year now and am getting nothing...

My suggestion is to try and get a job at HHS or an HHS subagency (like FDA, CDC, SAMSA, etc.). Tons of lawyers are hired by these agencies in both the general counsel office and in policy positions. FDA calls the se positions regulatory counsel if you look on USA jobs.

Thanks - that's helpful.