While in law school (and even before law school), I recall being told very often by several practicing attorneys that I needed to focus on one practice area and that I should avoid changing practice areas often (or at all) because it was frowned upon in the legal industry. I took this advice to heart and interned and/or worked at several different firms, legal clinics, and companies to see if I liked one particular practice area over another. Although I’ve stayed in the federal law world (my preference) throughout my legal career, I’ve switched practice areas at least five times since I graduated from law school, contrary to the advice I received.
I’ve also been told by practicing attorneys that those who can’t practice the law teach it. As a law student, I wasn’t sure what to think of this advice. I personally thought my law professors were not only amazing teachers but amazing lawyers, too. Their credentials and résumés before they became professors were something to aspire to as a law student. And now that I am a full-blown licensed attorney who has been practicing law for a bit and is an adjunct law professor, I can tell you that the advice I was told about teachers is absolutely false.
Unfortunately, there are people—yes, even practicing attorneys—who will say ridiculous things about the limits of what you can or should do with your law degree. But your juris doctor actually provides endless professional opportunities, and those opportunities do not necessarily end once you graduate, pass the bar (or not), or establish a long record of legal practice.
I entered law school part-time and took night classes because I worked full-time during the day. I had bills to pay, and I was financially on my own. I transitioned to full-time studies during the middle of my law school career, but I was still working, and I held several internships because, as I mentioned above, I wanted to make sure I knew what practice areas I enjoyed (or not). I still managed to join school clubs, hold leadership roles, learn the law, and, most importantly, make lifetime friends. My law school friends have been my biggest supporters throughout my career and my life. I stress the importance of building genuine relationships in the legal world because it can be a very lonely place. The events I discuss below show how true this is.
After I graduated from law school, I did not pass the California bar exam. This was likely because I had to work while studying for the bar. I did receive some bar study scholarships, but that only covered bar tuition and not rent, utility bills, food, and other emergency expenses. As a law school graduate with law school debt and no generational wealth as financial security, I can tell you right now, even the memory of these restrictions still stings. And if you’ve been following my columns, you all already know that my parents are immigrants. Children who grow up with immigrant parents in America often experience many challenges, including financial ones and cultural understanding or integration difficulties. Because of shame, it took me a long time to tell my parents that I did not pass the bar exam the first time around. I sat in my thoughts for several months after receiving the bar results—I knew I needed to make a game plan. I am usually a person who not only makes a plan A but also a plan B all the way to a plan E.
I decided to work and ended up getting hired at a technology company in their legal department. I had the opportunity to earn money, take a mental break from the bar exam, and learn business immigration law. After doing some research online, I ultimately decided to take the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). The UBE is a standardized exam created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and is adopted by several states. The states that adopted the UBE have a required number that is considered a passing score. This score can be transferred to other jurisdictions that adopted the UBE. A law school friend and I decided to take the UBE in Arizona because Arizona had the fewest testable topics. We took a road trip together from San Diego to Phoenix to take the exam. We both ended up having passing scores for the state of New York; she happens to be from New York, so this was a bonus for her. I also decided to pursue my LLM in tax, so I left my job with the technology company to complete my degree. The jurisdiction of New York wanted my friend and me to fly out in person to participate in an interview and get sworn in as lawyers afterward. There were specific dates for specific bar takers, and my friend and I were scheduled to go in person while I was still pursuing my LLM during finals week. This is a shared memory that I’ll never forget. This is when I actually became an Esquire. And yes, when I returned, I had to take a final exam (the tax litigation exam, to be exact). Again, I cannot stress the importance of having and maintaining friendships in the legal world because it truly can be very lonely. You need your support group.
Once I graduated with my LLM in tax, I started my career as a tax attorney at a small firm that operated like a Big Four accounting firm. I then shifted to Big Law and worked on the opioid multi-district-litigation matter for about four and a half years. I next shifted to a midsize law firm practicing maritime litigation for a couple of years.
While being a full-time litigator, I was offered the opportunity to teach the course Legal Writing 1 at my alma mater. I was so honored and couldn’t refuse. A nice bonus is that I still get the opportunity to teach law students in the spring semester, but this time, it’ll be Legal Writing 2, which happens to be one of my favorite classes!
I recently transitioned out of litigation, so my life is no longer controlled by billables. My role now is very different, and the learning curve is undeniable, but that has been the case every time I transitioned to a different practice area, job title, or company.
If I had taken the advice I was given when I was younger, I probably wouldn’t have ended very far from where I started. The path to success is not linear, and many times, it does not, in the end, look anything like we initially thought it would. But that’s okay, so long as you’re moving forward. Give yourself the chance to succeed. Your law degree can open many doors for you—if you let it.
The GPSolo Council was informed that our very own Jim Schwartz passed away in late December 2024. For those who didn’t know Jim well, he was part of the GPSolo family for a very long time. He was a guiding force behind GPSolo’s publications (both GPSolo magazine and GPSolo eReport) for as long as I can remember. Jim was among the senior, seasoned members of this Division who built the foundation for this award-winning magazine. I just happen to be running it now and do my best to honor what they have done before me. Jim also made our Division a welcoming place for newer, younger lawyers like me. He really had a heart of gold. After the passing of Eleanor Southers last September, it hurts my soul to lose yet another essential member of our publications team, whom I hold very dear to my heart and whom I consider my extended GPSolo family. Tomorrow is never promised. I will feel this for a while.
