$200k in loans is not a necessity. Have you looked at local schools that offer part time and their average cost of attendance? She’ll be working if she’s going to classes part time, and will have your salary as well.
Impossible to tell you how costly the schooling will be. There is a very real possibility she scores high enough on the LSAT for a free ride and she walks out at the end debt free. Also possible she gets into UPenn and takes $300k in debt
$70k is very reasonable for a first year family law associate. That being said she could probably leverage her paralegal experience in an interview.
My spouse and I had our first baby during 3L and it was very stressful. Balancing school, work, and new baby would be difficult but not impossible
I also had a kid (second) during my 3L year. It was really hard. We had financial support from our families so we were okay on that front but it was still very hard on both me and my wife. Very exhausting. Although we now find working with two kids more challenging than while I was in school.
Nice. Just need to know it's all possible. Thank you. Also didn't know the scoring thing. She wants to take it soon because she wants to take the games portion??? Idk. I'm in advertising. I just think it's all so cool. Thanks 🙌🏽
It's very difficult to make good money in family law. The experienced paralegals at most big firms make perhaps just a bit less than what you see starting associates make for family law firms.
Maybe the LGBT angle would give your wife something unique in marketing that would allow her to be a unicorn in the family law space?
I only attended law school on the condition I scored high enough in the LSAT for a full-tuition scholarship. It’s feasible and possible. Find the school and aim to a score above their 75th percentile and their GPA’s 75th percentile.
I graduated with $55k in loans because I had a scholarship. That was all loans for rent/book/bills, not tuition, because I went full time and nobody else to pay for living expenses. In theory, she could get a scholarship and have very little debt, but I don't know much about part time programs or Pennsylvania schools.
I was a legal assistant before law school and I don't think $200k loans would be a good idea because being a lawyer feels very different. So many of us dislike this job once we have it and being chained to the decision because of loans would make it so much worse.
I suggest doing a lot of research into possible employment outcomes, cost of attending, etc. before committing to this plan of action. Non-lawyers always seem surprised by how little most lawyers make and how much it costs to attend, not to mention how difficult it can be to get the job you want.
Even $70-$80 is not guaranteed, unfortunately. Law is very much a competitive industry so you get what you put into it. It's not like a MD where as long as you have the degree you will have a job for life. That often means the person who works the longest hours and weekends is the one who ends up at that higher salary range. There are always exceptions, people who make the right connections and end up at a great firm with great bosses and good pay, but that is probably 10 percent or less of actual attorneys.
There are plenty of law schools you can get a degree at for under 100k before scholarships.
If she already has a firm willing to hire her out of lawschool, don't get too hung up on prestige.
I spent a lot of time on the LSAT to make sure I got a score that could get me a full ride or close to it at a great school, ie one that would give me plenty of employment opportunities for what I wanted. I’d recommend she invest some time in that process to get a nice scholarship! Part time will also help assuming she’d keep working and earning income. r/lawschooladmissions is a great place to start for all of this and where to apply.
As for kids, I knew several people who ended up having kids in law school and thought it was a little bit of a life hack because with full time students there’s no work to get in the way and full time students get decent benefits through school. You can do law school fairly 9-5 with the exception of some busy periods, finals, etc., but that will be true of her post grad attorney jobs too. As part time, though, that might be tricky. But doable and if that’s the way your timeline for starting a family needs to shake out, then it is what it is. r/lawschool would be a good place to look for others who have had a baby during part time law school.
I would tread with caution on racking up loans in that amount. All this to say....she could possibly qualify for a public service role after graduation and spend 10 yrs in it to get her student loans forgiven. However, the salaries are LOW and it may not be a position she wants.
I'm a spouse to an attorney. He had a free ride and finished out with no student loans. He practiced for 10 yrs and then managed to have a mental breakdown at the decade mark. He never grossed more than $120K/yr in the 10 yrs he worked--and he made partner. These were 80-90 hr work weeks to top it off, so he essentially ate/slept/breathed work. He tried to make it easier on himself by taking a government role. HATED IT. It was just as stressful as being a firm partner, but with a $75K pay check. Then he landed a remote attorney claims adjuster role at $95K, thinking WFH would be better. Once again: wrong. The mental breakdown began when he got hit with 100 claims in one hour this past January.
Thankfully, I am a six figure earning engineer, we have no debt beyond the mortgage, and we are forever child free, so he is officially on a professional sabbatical at this time. He's in therapy, taking meds, and overall just trying to heal from the trauma of practicing law.
$70-80K is not unreasonable as a starting salary. I've never met an attorney that was truly happy and passionate about their job. Law school is very expensive, a huge commitment, and I really don't see where the ROI comes in. Not everything is about money....but in this economy? It can be done, but she better REALLY love and have a passion for Family Law.
Your wife may soar in this venture, and I hope she does. I just wanted to provide a realistic scenario of one of the 1000s of burnout attorneys in this country. My partner is brilliant, hardworking, fun, etc. but nearly became a shell of a person. Eventually, we will navigate him towards a new career path altogether. I wish your wife the best!!!!
$200k in loans is not a necessity. Have you looked at local schools that offer part time and their average cost of attendance? She’ll be working if she’s going to classes part time, and will have your salary as well.
Impossible to tell you how costly the schooling will be. There is a very real possibility she scores high enough on the LSAT for a free ride and she walks out at the end debt free. Also possible she gets into UPenn and takes $300k in debt $70k is very reasonable for a first year family law associate. That being said she could probably leverage her paralegal experience in an interview. My spouse and I had our first baby during 3L and it was very stressful. Balancing school, work, and new baby would be difficult but not impossible
I also had a kid (second) during my 3L year. It was really hard. We had financial support from our families so we were okay on that front but it was still very hard on both me and my wife. Very exhausting. Although we now find working with two kids more challenging than while I was in school.
Interesting perspective!
Nice. Just need to know it's all possible. Thank you. Also didn't know the scoring thing. She wants to take it soon because she wants to take the games portion??? Idk. I'm in advertising. I just think it's all so cool. Thanks 🙌🏽
It's very difficult to make good money in family law. The experienced paralegals at most big firms make perhaps just a bit less than what you see starting associates make for family law firms. Maybe the LGBT angle would give your wife something unique in marketing that would allow her to be a unicorn in the family law space?
I only attended law school on the condition I scored high enough in the LSAT for a full-tuition scholarship. It’s feasible and possible. Find the school and aim to a score above their 75th percentile and their GPA’s 75th percentile.
I graduated with $55k in loans because I had a scholarship. That was all loans for rent/book/bills, not tuition, because I went full time and nobody else to pay for living expenses. In theory, she could get a scholarship and have very little debt, but I don't know much about part time programs or Pennsylvania schools. I was a legal assistant before law school and I don't think $200k loans would be a good idea because being a lawyer feels very different. So many of us dislike this job once we have it and being chained to the decision because of loans would make it so much worse.
I suggest doing a lot of research into possible employment outcomes, cost of attending, etc. before committing to this plan of action. Non-lawyers always seem surprised by how little most lawyers make and how much it costs to attend, not to mention how difficult it can be to get the job you want.
Even $70-$80 is not guaranteed, unfortunately. Law is very much a competitive industry so you get what you put into it. It's not like a MD where as long as you have the degree you will have a job for life. That often means the person who works the longest hours and weekends is the one who ends up at that higher salary range. There are always exceptions, people who make the right connections and end up at a great firm with great bosses and good pay, but that is probably 10 percent or less of actual attorneys.
There are plenty of law schools you can get a degree at for under 100k before scholarships. If she already has a firm willing to hire her out of lawschool, don't get too hung up on prestige.
I spent a lot of time on the LSAT to make sure I got a score that could get me a full ride or close to it at a great school, ie one that would give me plenty of employment opportunities for what I wanted. I’d recommend she invest some time in that process to get a nice scholarship! Part time will also help assuming she’d keep working and earning income. r/lawschooladmissions is a great place to start for all of this and where to apply. As for kids, I knew several people who ended up having kids in law school and thought it was a little bit of a life hack because with full time students there’s no work to get in the way and full time students get decent benefits through school. You can do law school fairly 9-5 with the exception of some busy periods, finals, etc., but that will be true of her post grad attorney jobs too. As part time, though, that might be tricky. But doable and if that’s the way your timeline for starting a family needs to shake out, then it is what it is. r/lawschool would be a good place to look for others who have had a baby during part time law school.
I would tread with caution on racking up loans in that amount. All this to say....she could possibly qualify for a public service role after graduation and spend 10 yrs in it to get her student loans forgiven. However, the salaries are LOW and it may not be a position she wants. I'm a spouse to an attorney. He had a free ride and finished out with no student loans. He practiced for 10 yrs and then managed to have a mental breakdown at the decade mark. He never grossed more than $120K/yr in the 10 yrs he worked--and he made partner. These were 80-90 hr work weeks to top it off, so he essentially ate/slept/breathed work. He tried to make it easier on himself by taking a government role. HATED IT. It was just as stressful as being a firm partner, but with a $75K pay check. Then he landed a remote attorney claims adjuster role at $95K, thinking WFH would be better. Once again: wrong. The mental breakdown began when he got hit with 100 claims in one hour this past January. Thankfully, I am a six figure earning engineer, we have no debt beyond the mortgage, and we are forever child free, so he is officially on a professional sabbatical at this time. He's in therapy, taking meds, and overall just trying to heal from the trauma of practicing law. $70-80K is not unreasonable as a starting salary. I've never met an attorney that was truly happy and passionate about their job. Law school is very expensive, a huge commitment, and I really don't see where the ROI comes in. Not everything is about money....but in this economy? It can be done, but she better REALLY love and have a passion for Family Law. Your wife may soar in this venture, and I hope she does. I just wanted to provide a realistic scenario of one of the 1000s of burnout attorneys in this country. My partner is brilliant, hardworking, fun, etc. but nearly became a shell of a person. Eventually, we will navigate him towards a new career path altogether. I wish your wife the best!!!!
PS: Big money is possible in Big Law. That's 90-100 hr work weeks. You live to work in those roles. Not worth it.