Is it hard to work during law school?
Asked by: Sean Weimann | Last update: September 24, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (58 votes)
Law school can be a demanding time, requiring long hours of studying and research. However, many students also choose to work during their time in law school. While this can help to offset the cost of tuition, it can also be challenging to balance work and school.
Is it possible to go to law school and work full-time?
Even though the American Bar Association (ABA) dropped their 20 hour a week work limit for full-time law students, many law schools themselves typically limit how many hours a law student can work per week, making it impossible for a professional to keep a full-time job while also attending law school.
What is the hardest year in law school?
Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.
Is it illegal to work while in law school?
In the past, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar restricted full-time students from working more than 20 hours per week. In 2014, however, the ABA eliminated that limit. Instead, individual law schools may maintain employment policies for their students.
How hard is law school realistically?
Law school is very hard—harder than college or university. This is due to a heavy course load, a high-stress environment, and difficult course material. But completing law school is not impossible; over 40,000 law students make it to graduation each year.
Can You Hold a Job and Work in Law School?
Is law school harder than med school?
Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.
How many hours a week is law school?
That being said, you can expect to devote roughly 50-60 hours, on average, per week to attending classes and studying. This means completing most law school programs alone is a full-time job.
Is it recommended to work during law school?
While it is not recommended that you work full time if you are attending law school full time, full-time work may be unavoidable for some people. If you are working full-time while in law school, you are not alone! Many people work full time and attend law school in the evenings.
How to make money while in law school?
- Research or teaching assistant. ...
- Student representative for companies. ...
- Other on-campus jobs. ...
- Part-time jobs. ...
- Summer jobs. ...
- Start your own small business. ...
- Tutoring. ...
- Freelancing.
Can you have a girlfriend in law school?
Dating in law school is not impossible — somewhere between classes and homework, there is time for romance. Time for brunch with friends. Time for family. Time for “Parks and Recreation.” But — like a lost iPhone — you just have to find it.
What age do most finish law school?
Very few receive their law degree before the age of 23. That is because most people graduate from high school at 17 or 18. Those who go directly to college typically graduate around age 21 or 22. Law school usually takes two years, so the earliest age of getting a law degree would be 23.
What type of lawyer makes the most money?
Patent Attorney Salary
Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.
What GPA is required for law school?
Obtain High GPA & LSAT Scores
According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students need a GPA of at least 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into any top 10 law schools.
Should I go to law school at 30?
Older applicants should clarify their past career path, their reasons for pursuing law and specific postgraduate goals. It's never too late in life to apply to law school. Although most applicants are under 25, about 1 in 5 are 30 or older and a much smaller proportion are over 40.
How do people pay for law school?
The primary funding options are Scholarships and grants—the “free” money this is either funded by your law school or funded by private organizations, civic groups, etc.; Loans which can be federal loans or private/alternative/institutional loans.
Is it hard to get hired after law school?
Many law students and graduated law students struggle to find a job after law school. It is no secret that the legal job market is at an all-time low. Law students and new lawyers compete for the few jobs that have openings.
How do people afford to live during law school?
Additional ways to cover your expenses!
Loans and scholarships are the only way to get money while you're in law school. Lots of law students will hold a job of some kind while they are in school.
Is law school financially worth it?
Key Takeaways
Law school can be a path to a lucrative career—but it can also lead to significant debts. The average law school graduate debt is $160,000, while the starting annual salary is much less.
Can you be a lawyer and have another job?
Having multiple income streams of income is increasingly valuable, smart, and possible—even for legal professionals. These income streams can come in the form of lawyer side hustles—a job that you work on top of your main full-time job.
Is law school really stressful?
The combination of long hours, competing with peers, and pressure to perform at a high level can lead to law student burnout. Stress is also a key contributor. Unmanaged stress leads to burnout in any industry, and most law students report significant stress—even when compared to other graduate students.
Do law school students get summers off?
As a traditional law student at a three-year law school, you have two summer “breaks.” The first is between your first and second years of law school (your “1L summer”). The second is between your second and third years of law school (your “2L summer”).
How busy are you during law school?
The rumors are true: law school is a lot of work! You should expect to be assigned anywhere from 10 pages to 200 pages of reading for each class! Then, multiply that number by 4-5 classes, and each class will likely meet 2-3 times per week! This is in addition to other assignments that you will have to work on.
What is the hardest part of law school?
The workload is the first thing that comes to mind when former law students say that law school is hard. You will be expected to do a lot of reading, most often on dense legal cases that will require you to understand (or look up) legal jargon.
How old are lawyers when they graduate?
What Is The Average Age Of Law Students? The average age of law students is 25 or younger. Only 20% of law students are 30 or older. While only a small percentage of law students are above the age of 40, there have been several successful older graduates.
Can you have a life while in law school?
During exams, this won't be true. But during the semester, you can and need to have a life, for the sake of your sanity. I even went as far as getting a giant German Shepherd in law school. And somehow finding time to go to playgrounds.