Working in law school

[littlebit]

I have always worked.  I cannot believe that next year I will only be going to school.  Am I the only one with this concern? 

[Ender Wiggin]

I have always worked.  I cannot believe that next year I will only be going to school.  Am I the only one with this concern? 

Yes.

[legal_lawyer]

Many have gone through this stage.

[Pixies]

I am going through this same realization. I am not even sure what it feels like not to have a job anymore, lol. I am also wondering how detrimental it would really be to just have a small  part-time job (maybe 1 day a week) just for pocket change and minor bills. Anybody have any experience or advise?

[Talk Is Cheap]

I also have this concern. Not so much that I will mind not working, but that I will mind not having the discretionary spending money.

[SabrinaK]

My sister was adamant that I not work, at all.  I was kinda surprised by how vehement she was about it.  (She's in law school now) She said that if she could change one thing about her law school eperience it would have been to not work during 1L.  ...That's her take anyway...

[pdist]

i know people in school who work, some work a significant amount of hours per week too. I, however, don't have a job (am a 1L), and I don't think that I will try to work part time till halfway through next year. I just enjoy being able to use my free time.

[Ender Wiggin]

I am going through this same realization. I am not even sure what it feels like not to have a job anymore, lol. I am also wondering how detrimental it would really be to just have a small  part-time job (maybe 1 day a week) just for pocket change and minor bills. Anybody have any experience or advise?

I would absolutely not think it's worth it.  For the amount you could make, you would be losing much more valuable time.  I had this discussion with my family, and they are starting to understand.  I would much rather borrow the money now and pay it back when I can afford to, rather than taking more of my time now when I won't have much already. 

When I finally explained to my wife that the I would be taking time away from spending with her, not from doing law school related stuff, she saw the light.

[pulvillus]

I am going through this same realization. I am not even sure what it feels like not to have a job anymore, lol. I am also wondering how detrimental it would really be to just have a small  part-time job (maybe 1 day a week) just for pocket change and minor bills. Anybody have any experience or advise?

I would absolutely not think it's worth it.  For the amount you could make, you would be losing much more valuable time.  I had this discussion with my family, and they are starting to understand.  I would much rather borrow the money now and pay it back when I can afford to, rather than taking more of my time now when I won't have much already. 

When I finally explained to my wife that the I would be taking time away from spending with her, not from doing law school related stuff, she saw the light.

I agree with you in principle, but I might have the chance to make a bit over 1k, while putting in around 10 hours a week. That's tempting, though not necessarily smart.

[LawSchoolStrategies.com]

Bottom line: don't work. You will have plenty of work already and if you don't use what little spare time you have to relax, you will go crazy. I guess the only exception would be a job where you can literally sit in the same place the entire time and study (taking tickets for a single-screen movie theater?). Or something that you really, really love doing (playing guitar at the local coffee shop). Even still though, listen to the other people on this thread. It doesn't make sense from a financial standpoint. A single grade, especially in first year, could make the difference between tens of thousands of dollars in salary. You can maybe swing a minor job in your 2nd or 3rd year, but in your first year you should NOT have a job. Period.

Good luck.