I'm in my early 30's what do I need?

mrossim

Looking for some advice from someone in a similar situation. I'm in my early 30's and looking to start my JD journey. I'm not sure what I need at this point to be admitted. Are LORs necessary, especially from professors? Do I need to get a job with a local firm to gain experience in the legal field before applying?

OldLadyK

Hello! I'm 39, a former professional dancer, and am also in the beginning stages of the law school journey. I will just share a few things that I've learned throughout my experience on this path, and hopefully they'll help you and if you have any questions, please message me!

I wasn't sure if law was going to be good fit for me (I like to wade rather than dive into things) so I decided to take some pre-law courses at my local community college to see if there was interest. This turned out to be an amazing decision, since it was a very inexpensive way to gain some knowledge while also getting to know practicing lawyers (my instructors) who have all been great mentors. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to practice studying and test-taking again....just the overall habits associated with school. 15 years was a long break!

Helping with your questions, you will definitely need a few letters of recommendations. Most people will get one from an employer, a long-time associate, or a teacher/professor. As far as getting experience in the legal field, It's not necessary but probably wouldn't look bad on your application. I approached one of my teachers from school about working for him a day or two a week and helping around his practice (for no pay, of course) and he was more than happy to bring me on. Even if you don't know someone personally, I'm sure if you reach out you could find an attorney willing to do the same for you.

I'm not sure what your current career is, but I can tell you that all the lawyers I've met have commented about how my dance and artistic career will probably serve me well and set me apart, as schools are interested in taking on students with more diverse backgrounds and experience. This is where your personal statement could potentially shine, so start working on that now. What really counts though, is your LSAT score and where you want to apply. I would say take your time and make sure you get through all the curriculum, including PTs. Don't bother attempting an actual test until you are consistently scoring near or at your target on those. Hope this was helpful and good luck on your journey!

irrelephant_argument

I'm in a similar boat as you. I am switching careers to law and very excited about it. I don't know how much you already know about the process, but I'm just going to speak to most of it. I'm sure you know some of this, but I'll just put it out there.

LORs are necessary. Schools differ on what types of essay they ask of you, but most if not all will want LORs. From what I understand it is preferable to have it be from someone in academia/professors who can speak to your effort and motivation as a student. I need to do a little more research on which schools prefer what.

Schools will also typically ask for an essay on your personal story/statement. Sometimes they ask for a "why us" essay also. This essay is meant to express exactly why you want to go to their school (i.e. a certain professor, a certain club, a certain culture, etc.) If you have a criminal record or were put on academic probation they may also ask for you to speak directly towards that in a separate essay.

You don't necessarily need **experience ** in law, but it is good to show that you have had experience in the "real-world." Personally, I have decided to work as a paralegal this year and apply for fall of 2021. But by no means is this necessary. From what I understand, admissions does look very favorably on those with any sort of professional experience or time in military service. It is by no means a weakness.

LSAT is the single most important piece of your application. My plan is to put a lot of time into studying for the LSAT (~ 9 months) and take it a couple of times before the end of the year. How you score on LSAT will quickly determine what schools you may be able to get into, and what schools are automatically ruled out. I would advise you to look at the schools you are interested in, check what the median LSAT score was for last year's class and aim to hit that number. If your score is above the median, then it's looking good, but other factors like your essay and your undergraduate GPA come into play. LSAT and GPA are usually looked at together btw.

After you take the LSAT you should do the writing sample through LSAC. This will come into play also. Schools will also look at your resume.

Admissions timeline is important to consider also. It is best to get applications in by Nov. or Dec. as this is when the most spots are available at the schools. You can google law school timeline and it can give you a sense of the process.

Also, you should consider visiting the schools that interest you. They will allow you to attend a class and it is good to build a bridge with people in the admissions office. In general it is good to talk with them, ask them questions, try to make yourself stand out or really show them that you are interested in their school. This can be done via phone or in person. If you have questions, don't ask random people, actually call the admissions office of the schools and ask them directly. That is their job and it can really help show that you are interested.

Some of the top school will ask for in-person interviews. I don't know a lot about this tho. I hope this is helpful for you. Going to law school in your 30s is not uncommon. Personally, I have more of a story to tell now, and I think that's a huge plus.

aussie_zac

Also early 30's and applying. Came here to write a massive comment but the two already posted have absolutely nailed it! I spoke with a few T5 schools and they were saying it's definitely a strength to be an older candidate as long as you can explain how your life experience will:

a) help you absolutely kill it in law school; and
b) create more diversity in the classroom (eg; you remember a time before i-Phones).

Remember, the biggest thing schools want to avoid is you either failing or dropping out. So turn your life experience into "I'm old enough to know what I want to do now and this isn't some last minute idea because I've finished college and don't want to get a job" and "My experiences in the workplace have allowed me to develop organisation (please excuse the Australian spelling), time management and prioritisation skills which will allow me to thrive in law school".

But yes the LSAT is the single biggest factor without a doubt.

There is also a really good course on EDX. It's run by Harvard and is a first year 'Justice' course. A lot of ethics and moral dilemmas. While it isn't the same as pouring through cases and legislation for hours on end, it will give you an indication of whether you like thinking about problems that actually do not have a clearly identifiable solution.

studyingandrestudying

You don't need a law firm job, but you may want to talk with lawyers about their career paths. Unless a school asks for an academic LOR, you don't have to include one.