Can you make big law in early 40s Forum

[lawschoolsplit2023]

If someone graduates from a top 14 law school with excellent ranking, extracurriculars, internships, and prior to ls matriculation has financial certifications, can they still have a chance at big law? And being early 40s won’t be a huge hindrance?

[Anonymous User]

If someone graduates from a top 14 law school with excellent ranking, extracurriculars, internships, and prior to ls matriculation has financial certifications, can they still have a chance at big law? And being early 40s won’t be a huge hindrance?

I work with one person who graduated a non-T14 law school at 45+ and is now an associate at my V25, and another who graduated HYS at ~35 (which feels like 40?). You're going to want a fantastic answer as to why you made the career switch, but it's definitely not a non-starter. In fact, you can probably spin your seemingly relevant work experience to your advantage - literally any experience puts you ahead of some (not all) KJDs who end up going through significant first real job growing pains.

[Anonymous User]

Anecdotal only: my office-mate when I first started in biglaw as a first year was on the older side (late 30s to early 40s). He was dismissed after 1.5 years, confused the hell out of the both of us. Honestly he was a harder worker than me and seemed to be making better connections to partners. We never talked about it explicitly, but we both knew age discrimination was at play.

That's not to say that older folks can't make it in biglaw, they sure can. But you have to be aware of these extra issues.

[CanadianWolf]

Depends upon one's situation.

If switching careers and coming in as a first year associate, there may be issues related to age as many partners might be in their mid-thirties. Tasks assigned to a first year associate might not sit well with a person in his/her forties. Energy level concern as Biglaw wants & demands a substantial amount of billable hours and a person with almost two decades of post undergraduate work experience may have developed a comfortable balance of work-life and family/personal life that is difficult to leave.

On the other hand, if coming into Biglaw after almost two decades of relevant government or private sector work experience coveted & needed by the firm, then an "Of Counsel" arrangement might work well for both the firm & the individual.

A patent agent who earns a law degree may do well as a patent attorney.

Just my best guess as I do not know of any actual instances of someone making a career change in their forties and entering Biglaw.

[CanadianWolf]

If someone graduates from a top 14 law school with excellent ranking, extracurriculars, internships, and prior to ls matriculation has financial certifications, can they still have a chance at big law? And being early 40s won’t be a huge hindrance?

Are you willing to specify the "financial certifications" ?

CFA ? CFP ? Securities licenses ? CEBS ? CIC ? CPA ? Fraud investigator certification ?

OP: I have read several of your prior posts. If you share more specific information regarding prior work experience, certifications, licenses, and education, you should receive more tailored responses.

Regarding your medical conditions of anxiety & ADD, have you considered the possibility that the pressure of being a first year associate in Biglaw may aggravate those conditions ?

I know that you are torn between earning an MBA and earning a law degree (JD). It is difficult to enter an M-7 MBA program at age 40 or later. Executive MBA programs usually require 10 years of post undergraduate work experience with about 5 years of management experience --and you may not qualify for any of the top EMBA programs either.

Judging by your past 30 posts, you ask the same or similar question repeatedly. Try to be more precise so you can generate better responses.

Do you have an actual LSAT score of 178 or is that just a projection made by you based on practice tests ?

My thought is that you might consider a position in financial regulation for the federal government. Pay can go up to $250,000--so well above the GS-15 limit of about $192,000. And, yes, I realize that this is not Biglaw money or IB / Wall Street level of compensation, but it does provide a high quality of life as well as great retirement benefits.

[Anonymous User]

A friend of mine is in her late 30s, a mom of multiple kids, and a third year associate. She seems to be doing alright fwiw.