When I applied to law school in the late 1990s, the trend was to either apply as a senior in college or after a year or two of postgraduate work experience.
Things have changed, to some extent. The Law School Admission Council’s Analysis of ABA Law School Applicants by Age Group report revealed that, from 2011-2015, around 30 percent of applicants were between ages 25 and 29 and nearly 20 percent were over age 30.
That means nearly 50 percent of applicants during this time frame were age 25 or older. These statistics suggest that it’s fairly commonplace for law school applicants to have many years of postgraduate work experience before pursuing a J.D.
[Get tips on applying to law school.]
For some older prospective law students, that work experience may be legal in nature. Several of my clients have worked as paralegals.
For others, though, their professional experience might be in altogether different fields. A recent client had an MBA and a multiyear career in finance.
For those pursuing a second career in law, particularly if it is a significant departure from prior professional experiences, here are some considerations when applying to and interviewing for law school.
Written Components
— Address why you are switching professions: Use your personal statement to alleviate any concerns the admissions committee may have about your lack of commitment.
Explain why you are making a career shift, particularly if you’ve been invested in a different profession. Also describe your decision-making process by reflecting on such aspects as why you are interested in law and at this time as well as how you know law will be a better fit for you.
Use positive language when differentiating prior work experience from your anticipated satisfaction in a legal career. Instead of highlighting your lack of fulfillment in prior roles, focus on what specifically draws you to law, how you will derive meaning in legal work and how you came to decide that law school is your obvious next step.
Give clear examples — these will help admissions committee members understand your evolution and convince them that your foray into this new professional landscape makes sense.
[Learn how to leverage a career change in law school applications.]
— Highlight professional skills and experiences: There’s a good chance you have learned something valuable in your professional experience that is transferable to law.
Maybe you are skilled in quantitative analysis and can highlight your attention to detail. Perhaps a prior job honed your writing prowess, which will help you on law school exams.
Even a job that, on its face, bears no resemblance to law — such as a musician — may have taught you about hard work and discipline, which the rigor of legal study requires.
Think about the skills you have acquired that speak directly to your ability to succeed in law school and beyond. Share those insights proudly in your applications, through your personal statement, resume, letters of recommendation and short responses.
— Show your ability to balance competing demands: Don’t overlook your hobbies and interests and the role they can play in your application.
Perhaps you serve on a nonprofit board of directors or read books to inner city children. You may also have a family of your own to support. Highlight what you do, apart from work, to portray your ability to balance all of the competing demands on your time and energy.
Because of where you are in your life, you may have to juggle more responsibilities than your younger peers to succeed in law school. Through your personal statement or supplemental essays, convince the admissions committee that you are up to the task and that you have support systems in place to help you.
[Explore law school options for nontraditional applicants.]
The Interview
Beyond your application, hone your interview skills so that the story about your career switch is compelling and authentic. Though not all law schools conduct interviews, an applicant who is changing career paths may be more likely to receive an invitation to interview to allay commitment-related concerns.
Practice the oral rendition of this narrative, so that your choice to pursue law comes across as both persuasive and genuine.
Suppose an interviewer asked the following: “I see that you’ve spent five years in finance, with upward trends in both compensation and responsibility. Why do you want to change careers, and how can you be sure that law is the right field for you?” How would you respond?
Practice answering in a way that shows you learned valuable skills and were able to succeed; demonstrates your conviction that law is a better fit for you, without disparaging prior jobs; and exhibits your passion for law and how you discovered this passion. Convince the interviewer that your commitment to this new path is strong, real and well-reasoned.
The best approach to applying to law school as a second-career applicant is to own your prior professional experience. Keep these considerations in mind to craft compelling applications that leave no doubt that you are ready to make this transition.
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