Law School?

[ThomWV]

Is it a terribly selfish thing to consider going to Law School if you happen to be 59 years old, retired, and having absolutely no intention of ever working for a living again?

There are only so many seats so were I to take one that means someone else, someone most likely much younger and more apt to use the degree in some way to effect the community. I would just be studying law as a matter of my own interest.

What do you think?

[Nikia]

1. Perhaps you should consider another undergrad degree

Some schools have a undergrad degree having to do with law or have a number of law oriented classes in various departments. You could do that if you are seriously concerned with taking away someone's chance.
Are you sure that you would not want to use the degree though? There was a guy in my home community who went to law school and passed his bar in his 50's and then was a private practice lawyer for over 20 years.

[ThomWV]

2. I Have No Reason To Work

I have a modest but adequate income and my outdoor interests suit my rural life well enough that as long as I can walk there won't be any boredom.

Possibly another degree is the way to go. My interest is really more in the history and evolution than in the practice of law. I'm not sure where you'd pursue such an interest other than a Law School.

[Shakespeare]

3. You're aware, I assume, of the cost of law school?

I can think of many other intellectually engaging activities I could engage in while burning through $100,000 or more of my retirement income...

[ThomWV]

5. Not a Problem

The school I would attend. if any) is only about 12 miles from here. So it would just be school and transportation, not living, costs I'd have to deal with and that wouldn't be a problem.

[Nikia]

7. Here is a website

http://www.abanet.org/publiced/undergrad/
I am not sure if you would be able to attend any of these schools where you live.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[philosophie_en_rose]

4. Don't hold yourself back!

Law schools need different perspectives to add to discussions, and you'd be surprised at the number of older students in law school. Don't hold back to save room for someone else. For all you know, that spot could be going to someone with no interest in the law at all.

[Floogeldy]

6. The statistics prove . . .

. . . The other person who may have taken that seat would probably have flunked out. ;)

[philosophie_en_rose]

8. Look to your left. Look to your right. One of you won't last the year.

Got to love the warm fuzzies of law school.

[CarpeDiebold]

9. good. one less malpractice-lawsuit chaser to worry about

:P

[Floogeldy]

10. I was thinking . . .

. . . we could use a few less alcoholic, pill-popping, or just plain negligent doctors who kill and/or fuck up people's lives forever when they make a mistake. ;)

[Laelth]

11. I will (I hope) graduate from law school on May 12.

And, no, I don't think it would be terrible selfish to do what you propose. Most of the younger students won't have time to make the world a better place for the next 20 years. They'll be slaving away trying to pay off their student loans. You, in fact, would be the kind of person who could change the world if you had the inclination to do so, and I think you would. Passing the bar means you have a job for life. All you have to do to practice law is pass the bar. Then, nobody can stop you. You can't be fired (if you work for yourself, and nearly half of all lawyers work for themselves). And nobody can stop you from filing the suit that gets appealed all the way to the Supreme Court and changes the law.

Indeed, I strongly encourage you to go to law school. It would be nigh impossible, I think, not to use the power of a law degree for good once you got it. Your younger peers, on the other hand, have to look out for themselves before they can consider the needs of society as a whole.

:thumbsup:

-Laelth