Perhaps I should begin by stating what in my view describes a traditional law student. Let’s begin with a young lady named “Jane”. Jane will generally graduate from high-school, obtain her undergraduate degree, and begin law school. Upon beginning law school she is between 21 and 23 years old. Jane is still young and very excited about her future as a lawyer.
A few weeks into her first or second term she decides to get a part-time job working 10 hours/week to cover incidental expenses. She has perhaps taken out some loans to help finance her education, but her family is footing most of the bill to help her realize her dreams. As her schooling continues she enjoys time with her friends and is very active in moot court, law review, and a few clubs. Three years after beginning law school, Jane models her cap and gown and begins studying for the bar.
On the other side of the fence we have “Bob”. Bob is a non-traditional law student. He received his undergraduate degree a few years ago and has been a vital part of the work force for 15 years. He is married and has 3 beautiful children. His wife stays home with the kids while he goes off to work. While far from “wealthy” they earn a decent living.
Bob has always wanted to go to law school, but when he got married and had children right out of college he gave up on that dream. It has, however, always been in the back of his mind. Bob is happy at work, but his dream of being a lawyer is really beginning to nag at his mind. He decides to go back to school.
Bob knows he cannot quit his job but finds a law school that holds evening and weekend classes. He is accepted. He goes to classes on Friday evenings and Saturdays and is enrolled in the extended schedule that will take 5 years to complete. He is not involved much in extra-curricular activities because of the demand on his time with work and family. He studies when the kids go to bed, but this is difficult for his wife because they spend much less time together. Although Bob earns a decent living, he knows that he will be deep in debt because he simply cannot afford to pay for law school at this time. Five years later Bob dons his cap and gown and wonders how he will find the time to study for the bar. He is now 39 years old.
The two examples above are fairly extreme opposites, but they represent very real-life situations of the vast diversity in law school students today. At the time of this post I am a non-traditional law student much like Bob. I am currently in my fourth term of law school. I have a full-time job, six children, and attend school on Saturday and Sunday. I have a 70 mile commute one way.
This website is geared toward all the “Bobs” out there who desire to become a lawyer but are not sure if they can do it. I hope to offer some encouragement and advice on how to succeed as a non-traditional law student.
8 users commented in " What is a Non-Traditional Law Student? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWelcome to the blogosphere. Your blog will be a comfort and resource to many who don’t fit the traditional model…the how’s of making it all work from a thirty to fifty year old’s perspective or older. If I can help at all…let me know.
I am 42 single mother of three boys. I have wanted to go to law school since I was 9. I have a successful career, but everything I do end up comparing it to Law school. I have talked about it so long my family comes to me for legal advise.
My youngest is autistic and school and therapy are a challenge. I have run out of excuses now. my oldest now drives and works so that relieves a lot of pressure. I am finally going to give it a try after registeringsiering for the LSAT 6 times. Wish me luck
Ah yes, excuses. I started back to law school when I was 35, and I had six children and a successful career at the time. I too had my share of excuses of why it would never work. But I finally decided that this is what I really wanted to do. If you have the desire and drive you can do it. Study hard and you will do fine on your LSAT.
If you have some time you could check out this post:
Good luck and hang in there. You can do it. If there is any way I can be of assistance let me know. Thank you for the comment.
First, “she” is not a “traditional” law student and she especially is not if she has to work, take out loans, etc. What she may represent is the modern reality of a law student. This is different from saying that such a law student falls into the category of “traditional.”
The legal tradition in this country needs to be examined, in my view, as starting with the creation of “the bar” and the reasons that necessitated such. Without insulting you by giving you that lecture, which you should have received in law school, suffice it to say that the “traditional” law student is defined by many more variables than age and marital status. In fact, these variables are likely of much less consequence, traditionally, than variables of race, class, and gender.
In fact, it is interesting to note that one of the colonies which also houses the second oldest law school in the country still does not require law school for admission to the bar, but does require a most rigorous examination of fitness by its members, including the requirement of recommendation by standing members.
It is interesting that one would use the word “tradition” without even inquiring as to what that “tradition” really is, from whence it came, or the purposes it was formulated to serve.
The traditional law student was presumptively white, male, of property-owning class and one deemed worthy by current members of the profession to enter the class of gentlemen. If I am incorrect, then answer this: WHO were the first law students at our FIRST law schools and what does the LEADERSHIP of the profession STILL look like today?
Tradition implies that something has been or is being carried across. It is necessary that any consideration of the tradition must begin with the past. Jane is actually more on Bob’s side of the spectrum than perhaps she OR Bob realizes.
Anon Atty makes some very valid points, and I am well aware of the “traditional” law student. However, the purpose of this site is not to delve into the history of the legal profession; rather it is meant to address issues of what are generally regarded as non-traditional students. Notions of a non-traditional law (or any for that matter) student generally conjure pictures of those who are going back to school after establishing a career or family.
A study of American history will undoubtedly reveal that virtually all of modern-day America is non-traditional. God no longer has his “traditional” place in our society. Sexuality no longer has its “traditional” place in our society. The “traditional” notions of marriage and family are being debated even now. The list could go on and on.
This site is not meant to teach history and its evolution to the modern day. It is simply to speak to what has generally become regarded as the “non-traditional” law student.
I feel a lot better after having read your blog this evening.
Larry - thanks for the blog. I am a non-traditional student in probably every sense of the word! I am a 2L in a law school where the average age of the entering class is 25. I have five daughters - all grown - and decided that even though I had a great career as a professional writer at a national software company, I really wanted to follow my dream and become a lawyer. You are right about family stuff - it always is a part of my day, too, even though the kids are grown. One daughter is getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan with the USAF. Another is preparing for the birth of a child, starting her first job as an RN, and coping with a spouse’s job that requires frequent traveling. With so many things going on, it’s hard to focus on studying - which is what i should be doing right now (even though it is 2:00 am). With that, I come to the end of the time I allotted myself for this post. But I am going to add your blog to my Favorites and visit again. Good luck to you! It’s good to know I’m not alone.
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