Gallup: Only 23% Of Law School Grads Say Their Education Was Worth the Cost

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/02/gallup-only-23-of-law-school-grads-say-their-education-was-worth-the-cost.html

 

I'm not surprised by this at all, I know many underemployed lawyers who are making better money in fields outside law.

What I found interesting was the difference between M.S. and M.A. holders. Some fields it's just as common to have a M.S. than an M.A., so I'm wondering what accounts for the disparity?

 

I've been reading for years of underemployed lawyers and it's not surprising that they would be valued in outside fields.

The majors aren't stated so we're left to wonder.

 

A legal education can prove valuable in many fields outside the law. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney enrolled in a dual-degree program (MBA/JD) at Harvard at the urging of his father, as Mitt wanted only the MBA. His dad (former Michigan Governor George Romney) stressed that a legal education would serve him well in both business and politics. Mitt took and passed the Bar Exam in Michigan, but has never practiced law.

Also, former Boston Red Sox General Manager (and current Chicago Cubs GM) earned his JD from the University of San Diego Law School, but has never taken a Bar Exam. His legal education has served him well, especially with complex contract negotiations.

 

My guess is that neither case is unusual. Perhaps common among people born to wealth.

I'd like to know what most engineering graduates end up doing. Can't be design or R&D work.

 

If someone was interested in earning a "personal enrichment degree," just for personal interest, I could see them choosing a JD. I think a law degree would be very interesting to go through. I know there are some non-bar law degrees that you can earn online. If it wasn't too expensive I could see it being fun and possibly useful.

 

I'm surprised it's that high.

 

I have always dreamed of studying law, but I just don't have the brains or reading comprehension for it!

 

Aw, Abner, don't put yourself down like that.

 

Only 23% of MBAs said that their degree prepared them for the real world.

 

If I had just an academic interest in law I wouldn't spend the time or the mountain of cash for a J.D. Instead, I'd do this: www.law.berkeley.edu/academics/doctoral-programs/jsp/

 

Former White Sox, A's and Cardinals manager (and Hall of Famer) Tony LaRussa earned a JD from Florida State and passed the FL bar, but quickly realized that he'd rather be riding on a minor league team bus than practicing law. My mother (an old A's fan) knew that and used to laugh about how he used to always carry his lunch and lineup sheets into the dugout for A's games in a lawyer's briefcase.

 

Former New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buonticonti earned his J.D. at Suffolk University Law School & passed the MA Bar Exam while playing for the Patriots, and actually had a small law practice with an office on Beacon Street (in the shadow of the MA State House) for awhile.

Also, former San Francisco 49'ers QB Steve Young earned his J.D. from Brigham Young, although I don't think he's ever practiced law.

 

He's a very successful Silicon Valley private equity guy in Palo Alto. He told a magazine that his law-school education gives him a valuable skill-set when surrounded by MBAs. So apparently he considers it time well-spent, even though he isn't practicing law.

 

I was just reading the sports page and saw that San Jose Sharks (NHL, currently in the playoffs) coach Peter Deboer has a JD awarded by both the U. of Windsor (in Canada) and the U. of Detroit (it's a joint-degree program that qualifies graduates to practice law in both countries).

http://www.law.udmercy.edu/academics/degrees-offered/dual-jd.php