Can I salvage my career after SAHM 22 years?
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Anonymous
Okay, may be be after an year of prep. Lots of new grads fail bar so no big deal if she fails on first attempt. Point is that she is eligible. |
Anonymous
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Finding a non-volunteer position will be tough no matter what. A T5 law degree, and to a lesser degree a top undergrad, might convince employers to give you a chance in an entry level position--especially if they rarely attract applicants at that caliber.
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Anonymous
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OP, you made the right choices for you and your family at the time, but the reality is getting paid work as a lawyer is going to be extremely difficult.
I'd recommend volunteering at an organization, or for a cause, that interests you. And if you need paying employment, try a job where smarts an hustle are rewarded rather than raw knowledge -- say something in sales. I wish you luck. |
Anonymous
| To all the naysayers - it’s not impossible to do this, it’s just not easy and requires dedication and perseverance. OP will eventually find something. She just needs a sympathetic hiring manager (not a man, sorry they’re not helpful), and a job that underpays somewhat so that there aren’t too many applicants with actual experience. It’s doable. |
Anonymous
If you go to Indeed and specifically search on "doc review" or "document review" you will likely come up with a few hits. They may ask for experience but you can also probably talk your way into it if you sound capable. Also you might try putting your name in with firms that staff doc review, like Hire Counsel or Special Counsel. They would love to have more dependable people who want to work and get experience. |
Anonymous
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Also, I’m a lawyer who took 7 years off for kids and then dipped my toe back in with 2 months of doc review. Then I got a job directly with a firm doing doc review, then they later hired me on direct with benefits as a staff attorney, all of that took about 12-18 months. I think I applied for the doc review job through Hire Counsel.
There are definitely better jobs and this isn’t the solution if you ultimately want a 20 year satisfying legal career arc, probably. Doc review is a bit of a dead end unless you can turn it into being some electronic discovery expert work or similar. But it’s a job wi tbh a salary that can be done remotely. |
Anonymous
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I wouldn’t hire you.
The problem is that no one who spent 22 years unemployed will dedicate themselves to a job or even be able to prioritize it. People won’t take you seriously. Maybe 15 years ago, but not now. The ship sailed. Plenty of people with illnesses and special needs kids are gainfully employed. If that was your excuse for staying home for 22 years then something else will happen or come up as to a reason you can’t work. Maybe you’ll work for a short period of time but you’ll ultimately return to not working or wanting to work. |
Anonymous
Law school doesn't teach you ANYTHING for the bar? Did you go to Yale? If so, I agree. If not, no, law school teaches you quite a bit that it is on the bar. I do agree that OP could take a prep course and take the bar if needed. OP, did you keep up your law license I hope? |
Anonymous
That's what Bar Bri is for |
Anonymous
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If you really wanna work, I would start as a paralegal and get your foot in the door again.
I would hire you, I would want to see you prove yourself a bit, back in the working world again after over 20 years. Also, have you seen The Good Wife? Not quite the same of course the TV show but she goes back to work for a friend from school has to start over as a first year associate when everybody under her is 20 years younger than her. She struggles with it, but helps that she district attorney wife and gorgeous, and it’s a TV show. Great show though |
Anonymous
Same. I work at a small law firm of former BigLaw lawyers. We have high standards but can't compete in hiring with BigLaw. The associates we've hired the past 5 years have all been terrible despite having good grades from respectable law schools -- can't write, no ability to figure things out on their own or problem solve, can't analyze a case correctly, complain about 2 in-person days in the office. I can only conclude that there has been a brain drain from law to STEM fields. I've been thinking lately that what we really need is a SAHM former lawyer with good credentials heading back to work. I can train someone within reason to write or read a case but I can't figure out how to get someone to problem solve or take ownership of a project who does not seem to have that chip. I've been practicing for almost 30 years and the decline the last few years has been notable. OP I think the suggestion to be CASA volunteer is a good one -- just to get you back in the mindset of advocacy and being around lawyers. If you have some money to throw at the problem, it might be worth checking out some LLM programs. I'm normally not an advocate of these, but in your case if you can go and do a year of law school and get good grades it might get your confidence up, and you will at least have something on your resume to show you are serious. Don't do document review -- it's the worst and it won't get you where you want to go. Tell everyone you know you are looking -- maybe a solo or small firm will pick you up to do some temp overflow work or something. Get your foot in the door. Even if you are in your 50s you could still have a 10-20 year work life ahead of you. Law is one field where ageism is less of a problem -- I work with plenty of crusty old lawyers who are at the top of their game. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| This is the premise of The Good Wife... |
Anonymous
| I would find a job in the legal field that is not a lawyer to start out. Maybe a paralegal? Then transition to a lawyer position later on. |
Anonymous
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Since you are over 22 years out of law school, many of your law school classmates and friends are likely to be established lawyers who may hire you as a paralegal, legal assistant, volunteer or intern to help you out. I do think it will be tough road and it will take a while to really prove you are serious about working, especially in the legal field. Have you considered if you really want to work, or do you just feel bad about not working for so long?
You don’t have to work in the legal field just because you got a law degree at a different point in your life. I think other fields will be a lot easier to break into after such a long time, and I say this as someone who has been a practicing lawyer for 18 years. |
Anonymous
| I know an Orange Man moving to DC next year who will be hiring a lot of lawyers. No questions asked on prior experience. |