Its not to late.......but you will never recoup your investment........your student loans would be high, your child care would be high...you have to give 100%....you need money to hold you over until you pass the bar......and then the competition with 20 somethings would limit your ability to find any work........thousands graduating every year and more in the pipe line..and.......no work.......unless your in the top tier and your Daddy owns a law firm your search for work would be futile.......sorry.........take a sabatical for a year and then see how your feel........your in a really great profession........

It is very possible that you could go through all the debt, law school, bar exam and end up with no job, a temp job, or some low paying dead-end job. The law schools will be glad to take your money.

This could be you after law school. From a recent Boston Craigslist Post:

"Recently admitted attorney seeking work assisting criminal defense attorneys in any capacity. I have worked with indigent defendants in clinical settings and interned for several excellent defense attorneys and a federal judge, but am finding few opportunities for entry level work in the field. I am proficient (though not fluent) in Spanish, have strong research and writing skills, am passionate about indigent defense, and am an extremely quick learner. I will research, draft motions, conduct interviews, even answer phones, for a low fee of $10 an hour in exchange for the opportunity to observe, and perhaps participate in, actual litigation. References and writing samples available."

Or From a recent Boston Globe Article:

Paul Semenza practiced law for 25 years, including work as a defense attorney in personal injury cases. So the Wakefield lawyer figured it would take only a few months to find work after losing his law firm job a year ago. But the economy steadily worsened, and no offers came. Now Semenza, 51, has been forced to find a different way to earn a paycheck - by selling sofas and mattresses at a local furniture chain.

Or, From a recent Yahoo Post:

"Small general practice law firm located near Columbus, OH. Started at $40K 1.5 years ago after first receiving law license. After 3 months pay was raised to $43K. Had annual review and was told although I had a stellar performance and deserved a raise the office couldn't afford to give me 1. When started was told I should be paid more than they were paying me but they couldn't afford to pay me more. Have several years of paralegal experience. Graduated in top 20% of class. Did internships and clinics during law school. Didn't need much training when started. Feel like starting pay was too low and current pay should be much higher. Can't find much info. on small firm salaries though."

or From another Yahoo Post:

I just passed the WA Bar (Feb '09) and I cannot find a job...I am attempting to establish a solo practice but I would prefer to gain some experience under a seasoned attorney! So, any help in networking is GREATLY appreciated!

I would like to do some document review as well and if you have any leads please send them my way. It doesn't matter what state it is in as long as I am licensed I can do the work. Willing to relocate for the length of the work if necessary.

Thank you in advance!

or from another Yahoo Post:

"My bf just took the bar exam to become an attorney. He has posted resumes on yahoo, monster, craigs list, newspapers, etc. and just can't seem to find any work. Finally he decided to just apply for jobs like bank assistants etc. Interviewers would say he's too qualified for "rookie" positions, and he's "not qualified" enough for a lawyer position. Is there hope? Thanks."

Or ways to save money after law school:

"When she moved to Chicago from New York after graduating from law school last year, Lauri Apple, who is still looking for the job of her dreams, knew of at least one good way to save money.

If she needs something to wear, she takes a look in the local trash. A practice she started as a starving college student a decade ago has now evolved into something of an avocation, reports the Chicago Tribune."

Or alternative uses for a law degree when you can't find a job:

"Law Grad Turns to Cupcake Truck as Economy Sputters"

I went to a top twenty law school and had friends selling shoes and working as waiters as survival jobs because they could not find law jobs after graduation. Lawyer is the most over-rated, over-romanticized, and over-hyped profession.

If you are burnt out take some time off, but I do not think law school is the answer. Please heed my warning.

Please listen to previous-posters "kapn" and "stephen t" - they DO know what they are talking about.

If you have kids, you don't want to go to law school. The legal profession leaves little room for outside interests. Commitment to the law profession tends to produce an unbalanced lifestyle.

Stay in the vocational field you are in <THAT's where the job opportunities are. Just find something different in the field of Healthcare.

Choosing a career is one of life's most important and difficult decisions. But knowing what your expectations are, and then comparing them to the realities will help you make educated decisions.

There are more attorneys than there are legal employment positions. We simply already have way too many Legal Professionals. AND the legal profession is dramatically changing: it is in absolute CRISIS! Job searching in this vocational field has changed >>DRAMATICALLY<< in the last five years. And, every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don't expect the situation to improve in the coming years.....

Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: We are STILL in a World-wide Recession. The DOW may be up, but jobs have not recovered. Obviously, economic conditions affect the number of jobs available. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<< Even in a Recovery, there are some jobs that just won't return - the field of Law won't make a comeback. Too many things have changed in this vocational field.

Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This no longer is a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many, many reasons: We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet and legal books. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today's graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead - they aren't hiring legal staff. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software/law books in order to get legal work done without the expense of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals - we just have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) For example: Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do/used to do.

The field of Law has a mystique that actually exceeds reality. The field of Law is a vastly overrated career - especially by television.<< There are many myths regarding the field of Law. Law is a more demanding profession than most people realize. It is not like what you see on TV.

Cost of law school to be lawyer, approx $150,000+. Be prepared to take on a LOT of debt, if becoming an attorney is your "true", ultimate goal!!!<<<

There are no jobs in this vocational field. I have watched my family, coworkers, friends, acqaintances, etc. as they have been laid off left and right in this vocational field.

The competition to get into law school is intense. Applicants to most law schools greatly exceed the number that can be admitted.

Even if you finish law school, you won't be able to find a job when you are done. Since this vocational field is shrinking (at an alarming rate), many new attorneys/lawyers are, themselves, having to work "down" as Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc, to simply try to keep some of their bills paid <<this would be your competition. And the competition is fierce in TODAY's job market!!

Now... the law schools know this, but they won't tell you the truth >that the job market/economy is just SATURATED with way too many Legal Professionals. Instead the schools will feed you a fairytale and will LIE to you. The root of the problem is we already have too many law schools. We are STILL in a Recession, and the schools are fighting for their own survival - they will tell students anything to get to the students' money. (Which is why they won't tell you the truth about the job market for the field of Law.) And these schools continue to recruit and churn out even more graduates.............Remember>>> law schools are BUSINESSES - their TOP concern is making money for themselves.

>>>>>THE #1 MOST IMPORTANT THING (and I can't stress this enough>>>): You ESPECIALLY have to beware of the BOGUS, INFLATED law school salary/job stats given out by >law schools< (AND by the U.S. Bureau of Labor)!!***<<<<<

If you don't believe us, then:

**Check out these websites:

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Lawyer-i¦

http://informeddecisionmaking.blogspot.c¦

http://calicocat.com/2004/08/law-school-¦

http://abajournal.com/news/triplt_bad_ne¦

http://abajournal.com/news/as_rio_tinto_¦

http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/02/03¦

http://lawschoolscam.blogspot.com

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/0¦

http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/s¦

http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/

(A link to a website does not constitute endorsement.)

**do a SEARCH here on Yahoo Answers to see what other posters are saying about the current status of the field of Law. Call some local law firms - ask to speak to the Manager of Human Resources - ask them if they are hiring; ask them what they think about future job availability in the field of Law..................

**Do "informational interviews" with several attorneys from at least two or three different firms. (You can find how to do "informational interviews" from your local Public Library - ask the Librarian.) Interviewing attorneys is a time-efficient and extremely beneficial way of discovering if law is the right vocational field for you. Talk to a few Human Resource Managers who work at employers in the field of Law. Ask them what their opinion is on future job availability for the field of Law. Ask them if they have any current open positions. Ask them how many resumes they receive when they advertise ONE open position. (It is ususally approximately 300 resumes are received for each open position advertised.) If you personally know a practicing lawyer, set up a time with them to do an "informational interview" to ask them about their career. Talk to many attorneys. Better yet, spend an entire day with one of them.

**Talk to recent law graduates. Ask them what success they are having finding employment opportunities.

If you want a JOB when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the fields of: >>>Healthcare, Information Technology, Law ENFORCEMENT, environmentalism, emergency planning, accounting, education, entertainment, utilities, home-car-commercial-industrial repairs, vice industries, clergy, and/or debt collection. I spoke to a career counselor from Jobs and Family Services, and HE told me that these areas are where the jobs are, and future job opportunities/availability....and scholarships.

There are MANY issues of working in the vocational field of Law. My answer is an attempt to give you a realistic way of looking at this career, and I have told you things that most will not tell you about the profession - at first. Be careful, do your research, and have your eyes open wide.

Good luck.

(This is based on my current knowledge, information, belief, and life experiences. This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice. Please be careful and do your research.<<< You DID ask the question here on Y/A. I am just trying to help you.)