part time lawyer?

[dsong02]

30.  and i have a kid on the way, which is the main reason i decided to not go to bschool or law school.  and since my wife doesnt believe in working, and i dont have a trust fund, i have to work.

Oh. I didn't now you were having a kid. Congrats! That makes it a whole different ballgame altogether...

thanks...

yeah...poor kid...born from me...

and yeah, it throws a huge monkeywrench into the program, not that its a bad thing.  but i had to hold off on a bunch of stuff.

[buddha]

i guess im more curious to see how part time law students take on the role of transitioning into the law field when they have full time jobs, attend classes throughout the year, not take any internships or clerkships and then graduate.  

If and it's a big if, I can use my contacts to land a summer associate position I'll probably take a unpaid leave of absence from work.  I think the most important thing for PT students to do is think ahead, start networking early, and use their previously established business contacts to further their search for a job.  I’m lucky in that if all else fails I’ve been offered a buy in to a friends firm but I hope that’s not the only option I have.

[dsong02]

anyone know the employment rates of part time law graduates at biglaw firms?  particularly nyc?  and doesnt matter what type of law.

[buddha]

but are these lawyers mostly on their own or do the join other practices?

Most of the ones I know are attached to small firms that can't justify keeping a FT real estate person on the payroll but have enough corporate clients that they can't be without one.

[jd4me]

dsong,

It seems to me that you really want to be a lawyer.  I think going part-time is an excellent idea.  I'm not sure what type of work you do, but since you're the sole breadwinner for your family, you must make pretty good money with a fair share of responsibility.  I believe law firms will want someone like you who has good WE and supported your family while earning your JD even without summer intern positions.

I guess my motto is: "Don't give up on your dreams."

[jgruber]

I'm sorta in the same situation.  I have to keep my day job and don't expect a big money job coming out of school.

I probably won't be able to do interning either.

My plan -- if nothing better comes to mind -- is to take cases on a part time basis until I can build a list of clientelle and/or a reputation that will allow me to open a full time solo practice

[neverends]

product development company I design for has a partime inhouse.  She's got kids, is on maternity leave right now...

drives a mercedes station wagon, you get the picture.

dsong, get that beotch to work, equality dood, works in a bunch of directions.

[egg]

Now I've got "Part-Time Lover" stuck in my head.

[The Name's Dali]

When I visited law firms I got the impression that not many men work part time.  Firms will let women do this after X amount of years if they have a family/child on the way, but something tells me it would be a lot trickier for men.  I don't think firms want part time workers (even though you probably bill about 40 hours/week PT).

[SNUGGLE]

even if i do well in classes (graduate in the top 10 of class), will top firms take a look at me without having any summer internships/clerkships?  

If you finish top-10 at Fordham firms will look at you even if you have no teeth and are a hunchback...

However, they will most likely find it odd that you didn't give up your job to go to school full-time and participate in law review, etc. I mean, I could understand if you had kids, but you are reasonably young (you're in your late 20's, no?)...

SNUGGLE doesn't like you.