If you’re already employed by a major company, then it’s safe to say that you have some work experience. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a little more experience by going back to school. It’s all about staying in motion if you’re really serious about your career, and this means that you must make sure that you look into anything and everything that can help you move to the next level.
If you’ve thought about law school, then you definitely wouldn’t be the last employee to think about it. There’s usually the assumption that it will lead to a better career than what you have, with a lot more money. However, will your employer pay for law school? That’s a question that I get asked a lot, since I’m in law school now.
From everything that I’ve looked at, very few employers are going to pay for you to go to law school. For starters, law school is a deep investment, and your employer has to make sure that you’re actually going to follow through with it. If you’re not someone that’s going to finish the schooling, then they have just wasted good money trying to give you another skill.
On the other hand, if you work for say, the military, you might be able to get your law school education for free. Even if you haven’t joined the army yet, you might be able to get enough money to go to law school essentially for free. Now, keep in mind that if you pursue this type of track you will end up serving in the military for a set number of years, in order to pay back the military for sending you through school. It’s really a catch 22, in a way. If you really don’t want the required service contract, then you will need to find another way to pay for law school.
However, here’s some food for thought. While a lot of people think that it would be the end of the world to serve in the military, this is actually a great chance to pick up some work experience that no one can deny. You will be getting your education for free as well as getting valuable work experience, two things that can set you up for a great life. Now, because you will be part of the service, you will still be held to the same honor code that any other solider would be. This is just something to think about. You don’t have to feel like a second career automatically means heavy loans and other problems — it could be the best thing that you could ever do for yourself!
If you do want to try to ask your current employer about paying for part of your law school education, you might want to build the proper case. Go back and actually request your undergrad transcript, as well as your LSAT scores. If you look good on paper, you could end up having part if not all of your education paid for by your employer. Again, don’t be surprised if you’re expected to stay with the company for a set number of years after you致e received your law school education.
What you will really struggle with is trying to justify the extra education as something that will benefit your current organization. If you know that you could be an asset to the company with a law school education, then definitely take the time to explain this. On the other hand, if you know that it has no value to the company that you’re working for, and then you shouldn’t waste your time — look for scholarships instead.
Overall, there are plenty of things to think about as you get to the subject of who pays for law school. However, you shouldn’t let it stop you from really getting things done — why not start today?