1. Why did you decide to go to law school and do you feel like it was worth the time/money?

2. Am I, a 32 y/o CPA, crazy for considering law school? I am considering it because of the potential high pay and because I need a challenge. But I feel like I’m being delusional.

“I need a challenge” and “the potential high pay” are not good reasons to go to law school. Consider going to law school if you want to be a lawyer. But you can find a more challenging and higher paying job doing what you already do, without incurring $100k+ of student debt and losing out on 3 years of wages. You’re dissatisfied with where you are now, but you’re not looking where you’re likely to find salvation; many, many lawyers are also dissatisfied with their jobs.

Only big law really pays obscene amounts of money, and since law school grades on a curve, a significant portion of each graduating class are GUARANTEED to not get good enough grades to get one of those jobs. And (the more important point), most big law jobs OWN your life. It is seriously more work than most people in your life will even understand. So yea, you can make good money, but you better be ready for what you’re signing up for if you’re really going into law for the money. A firms profitability is based on how many hours you bill, not necessarily how good your work is. So the profession is structured to require you to give all your time to succeed. There are better high paying careers in my opinion. I only did it because I had no other option.

I was an accountant and decided to go to law school after several years working as an accountant. Best choice I ever made. I went back for some of the same reasons you raised. I never looked back. A CPA with a law degree is invaluable. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to obtain a llm in taxation. That is my only regret.

I decided to go to law school at 47 because I’d worked as a paralegal for years, saw what an attorney at the firm I was working was making purely by accident, and realized that it would be worth it. I was making 42,000 and he made 270,000 the same year. And I was in the office eight plus hours a day while he drifted in and out, made his own hours, and was doing a lot more interesting things than opening mail and drafting the same demand letter over and over. So I went. I just graduated at 50 cum laude and passed the bar in the 90% percentile my first try. I have a job starting soon as an ADA which I am really excited about because it’s my dream job. I do have debt but as it stands right now my loans will be forgiven in ten years if I stay in the public sector. Also, I got a sizable scholarship that covered 3/4 of my tuition which was a lot easier to get than I ever imagined. The reason I waited so long for law school was I kept thinking I was too old. Then I realized I’d always regret it if I didn’t go. And even though 47 seemed old while I was 47, I knew one day I’d look back and think it was young. Also, with all the medical breakthroughs, who can say for sure how long we may live and I don’t want to be 90 years old thinking I should have gone to law school at 47. All that being said, 32 is so young. You’re a baby. If you want to go, go. You’ll never be younger than you are right now. And there are plenty of part time programs that allow you to continue working during the day.

It’s so complicated because the law sucks you in with the intellectual and inner-rewards. In my field. there are also the benefits of interpersonal communications that can feel rewarding. At the same time, the deadlines are there if you practice anything in litigation or arbitration or any type of EEO law with position statement deadlines. My suggestion after working Big Law, In-house and government is to figure out what iis most important to you and pursue whatever aligns best with your personal goals. It’s not an easy decision but one that you can live with at the end of the day.

I will haze you for 3 years for a lot less than tuition. Unless you’re able to pay without loans, it’ll be difficult to make enough in a reasonable amount of time. I went part time while working full time at 30. Had even less of a life than I had - working my 40+ hours and going straight to class 4 nights/week. Trying to get all my reading done on weekend. Many in my group had 100k+ and I was one of the younger ones. When in that situation, you’re stuck. Maybe you could pivot to compliance

I don’t think you’re crazy or delusional, but I think it important to note (as mentioned above) many attorneys are dissatisfied with the career. With that said, being a CPA would certainly be helpful in practicing tax law and/or estate planning. You have a great understanding of financial statements that many attorneys do not. I’d def spend time speaking with attorneys before proceeding forward.

1. Senior year of college, no job prospects, and a vague sense that I could apply the skillset I had and make money. Yes, time flew by and the money has been good.

2. You have the potential for high pay and a challenge, but, as others have mentioned, you have to want to do what the lawyers who make high pay do. 32 is not old or late. I have a friend who is married with 2 young children and she will be starting as a first year big law associate at 35. It helped that her partner was there for support, but there was a lot of sacrifice and balancing. If you don’t have any major responsibilities, it would be a much easier decision.

1. Can't count hard numbers even if my life depended on it. Either I do exciting TMT projects or just do boring administrative stuffs if I decided to pursue another trade.

2. No man. CPA is definitely a big plus point for lawyers. The number of lawyers who can't even read FS is pretty astounding! I think if you live in Western countries, firms wouldn't care that much if you start out older than your peers, as long as you are smart and resilient enough (aka able to work longer hours). CMIIW on this, though.

I went at 35; i was a accounting / finance in tech companies at the Controller level when CPAs were for public accounting and a non CPA could easily be CFO. Enron & AA closing changed all that as the market was flooded with CPAs. I was really sick of the monthly close routine and saw a ceiling. Continued to work FT; went nights. Been in-house ever since. No regrets whatsoever.

The short answer is do not do it.

Law is

What would you hope to achieve in your career if you go to law school? I don’t think I saw that here - do you want to be a tax lawyer or do you want to practice in some other, random area just because you think it’s cool? I would encourage you to think about the former and whether another degree - like MBA - might not help you achieve what you are looking for.
Or maybe staying where you are and trying to work less (you said you put in long hours) so you can do something else, like a side hustle

I had a career before the law and it was great. My life has drastically changed and I’m much more stressed and isolated as a lawyer) I’ve been practicing for a while but just can’t get the balance right and tend to feel like work usually has to come first

I went to law school at 30. I worked full-time so I wouldn’t lose income. For me it was all about money. I was making close to $200k but had no path to make more. I went to a T50 and worked full time and went to school full time and landed a job at a V30. Very happy with my decision but I wouldn’t have done it if it meant a loss of income. I’m now a 5th year in big law making $455k TC. The 3 years of working and going to law school were much worse than big law.

I didn’t go to law school until I was 52. If being a lawyer is what you really want, you’re certainly not too old. I got in a few good years as a CJA attorney and the time and expense were definitely worth it.