Anybody here go or know someone who went to law school at age 30+? A friend of mine is considering it and I wanted to get some other perspectives on this.

I turned 30 during 2L year! I wanted to reboot my career and had always had an interest in law, so decided to go back to law school and haven’t regretted it.

A few thoughts:
* I was at a law school where a lot of students were in dorms, straight through from college, and the social life sometimes felt somewhat collegiate to me. More so than grad school, which has a more job-like culture.
* Previous work experience—even if relevant—counts for very little in biglaw. You’ll get the same shite work as all the other juniors no matter what. If that doesn’t appeal, try hard for 1-2 years of clerkships where you will probably have a level of responsibility more similar to your non-law experience.
* Get a clear view on family-friendliness of any firm you join. Firms’ leave policies are often similar, but firms differ markedly on how they treat people who take leave. Whether you are male or female, the absence of homegrown female partners is a terrible signal.
* If you don’t want to end up in biglaw (or unemployed), have a clear vision of who you want to work for after law school, whether they hire people straight from law school, whether they hire from *your* law school, and how much they pay.
* Now that I’m in my late 30s with kids, I feel like smalltalk is easier with similarly aged clients and colleagues. I’ve sometimes heard from younger straight-throughs that they have a hard time connecting with the “older” (really just middle-aged) partners.

A ton of my classmates enrolled in their 30s as a huge life change: already had middle school age kids etc. I’m sure it was very hard depending on the season of life your friend is in, but they are very happy with their life now. We also had single adults in their 30s and tbh they did very well
Compared to some younger students. I don’t know if it’s because they had more life under their belt but they all excelled in writing

I started at 30. I was much more focused than I would have been had I gone to law school in my 20s. As a result, I secured a higher paying job and began in a practice area that I probably wouldn’t have realized I liked had I started earlier.

Do not take out student loans.

Started law school at 30. solid T2 school, student loans, knew exactly what area I wanted to go into (litigation) and interned like crazy beforehand. Took as many classes as possible geared towards that area, as well as classes in some corollary areas that have also proven useful in my career. I was a married 1L, baby was born as I was in the hospital room studying for real property final. It is a very doable thing, law school is not just for 20-somethings by any stretch. In fact, older students such as myself and comrades I met along the way were very often some of the best prepared, most engaged in classroom discussion, and the top performing on exams. I finished cum laude, booked three classes, had multiple offers in my chosen area upon graduation, and am doing just fine. My kid is great as well 👍

I went to law school at 30 with a 6 month old kid and had a baby in 2L. Yeah, my experience was probably different then the younger people, but it was still great. Was involved on competition teams and made really great friends. I didn't feel weird about my age in the slightest.

I went at 31. Honestly loved school and did better academically than I would have had I gone when originally planned (~24). Also was easier to have grownup conversations with professors, etc.

Regarding jobs, I think it helped land me at a top firm. That said, it can be really hard to be the junior under people 5-7 years younger with no real world work experience other than law firms. There’s a business immaturity that can be frustrating, and as the junior, you’re constantly managing up without trying to make it too obvious that while the people above you know more about the law, there’s more to servicing clients and project managing than that. I’m a year in and planning my departure to get back into the business world.

There’s a ton you can do with the degree, so also depends on what your friend would like post school.

I was almost 30 and had several friends that were already in their 30s when law school started. It was not a big deal at all and this was at a school with a lot of straight throughs. I would say the closer you get to 40, the harder it might be to get a big law job, but otherwise it is totally fine.

Several people in my class were 30+. They did pretty well. Most went the big law route. The people in the 30+ range also tended to have a better idea of what they wanted to do with their careers long-term, which I really admired. One got an offer from a v5, but turned it down to go to a small, rural firm instead. Another got through 1L and realized law wasn’t a good fit so she left - she has an amazing career in a different field now.

Went at 34 (after being a sr corp paralegal) and starting my career in biglaw. Was a little hard to get nack into the study swing of things. Biglaw, then in house.

I went to the best school that gave me $$ and had good biglaw placement. I wanted to stay in tech, so was looking at Bay Area and Boston. Weng to BU.

I was sure I wanted to go/single/no kids. It was the right choice and I'd do it again.

Yes and quite frankly, I think they did better because of life experiences

There were some folks in their 40’s and 50’s in my graduating class.

Started at 30+. I agree with LA1 that being junior to someone younger than you can be weird. The most weird thing is when I don’t complain about the work. I’m pike I had a whole career that I hated before and didn’t get paid this much so I’m good. I do think I’m better at communicating than those who went straighter through just from having had a more extensive professional background where that was key. I think so much of what people end up hating has to do with expectations of the people that you work with. The work is the work but I find for most who have anxieties it’s about dealing with the people.

My wife went to law school at 34. We have no kids. She has no regrets. Typical law school experience. Was on moot court and won awards for pro Bono service at graduation.

My mother did I her 40s, I did in my early 30s. I treated it as a job. I spent all day at the law school. Getting there by 8 am, went to class, played cards, studied all day and for a few hours in the evening. No all nighters. Used savings and cashed in pension from prior job to help pay tuition - plus summer jobs. I think My classmates who also had prior careers also seemed less stressed than folks who came straight from undergrad.

I was 29. The one consideration...you will end up working with attorneys your age or younger who are partners. It can be weird.

I actually think it should be preferred to go to law school later. You're more mature, practical, and have perspective from life/work experience, which all helps being a good lawyer. I went when I was 30 after 8 years as a BigLaw lit paralegal. Like others here have said, I appreciated the experience more. I started as an evening student so I could be with people my own age and/or life experience. I have so much respect for the evening warriors and would recommend that path to ease the transition into being a student. I didn't have the same appreciation for my undergrad experience as it was happening and didn't want to look back on law school and wish I had participated more (esp since I was bankrolling it). I stayed part time and milked every last credit and experience I could from my law school. Loved every second of it. I think that that maturity and practicality helped me secure an in-house position straight out of law school at F50.

I think a lot of dissatisfaction in this profession comes from people coming into this profession with no experience, no perspective and are sold on some fantasy about what lawyers do and how jobs are obtained. If your friend thinks it's cool read a bunch of stuff and write bullet point summaries in regular English or spend time thinking if there a substantive distinction between "funds received" vs "funds actually received"... maybe law school is for your friend.

I started at 28. And like many other people have said, I think I was a lot more focused and did a lot better than I would have had I gone straight out of undergrad.