Is Working During Law School a Good Idea?

When I started law school, I taught an LSAT preparation class a few times per week. I enjoyed helping students and figured a part-time job would be easy to manage. 

However,  as law school ramped up,  I found it too hard to juggle my work and my studies. It was not worth sacrificing crucial (and expensive) academic experiences for spare cash. Law school is such a gargantuan task on its own; it can be risky to compound the stress with additional responsibilities.

The high cost of law school tuition can make part-time work tempting, especially if you lack financial aid and face a heavy debt burden. Not all law jobs pay handsomely, and not all law school graduates land a well-compensated job after graduation.

Overall, my advice would be to hold off on finding employment until at least your second semester of law school. In your second or third year, your schedule will have more flexibility, and you’ll have a better sense of how to manage your time and responsibilities in law school.

Still, if you are considering taking a job during law school, think about these questions:

Is The Job Worth the School Time Missed?

Full-time law school programs require a lot of attention. Since law classes emphasize close reading of cases and vigorous classroom discussions, students who fail to keep pace with their readings will soon feel lost. This isn’t like college, where you can slink into the back row of a lecture hall and take notes on carefully organized lecture slides.

Working with a law school degree might make sense for part-time programs, but even students in such programs should prioritize their coursework over other commitments. Competition among students can put you at a significant disadvantage, especially during the first year of law school, widely considered the most difficult. 

Is The Job Worth Missing Out on Campus Activities?

Law schools offer aspiring lawyers a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional growth outside the classroom. Campus activities foster meaningful lifelong friendships and professional connections–and sometimes outlets to blow off steam.

Even if your job does not interfere with your studies, you should still consider whether it is diverting your time and energy away from campus life. Some jobs might compensate for this sacrifice by providing other opportunities, like working on a start-up, political campaign, or nonprofit. But if your job isn’t opening doors for your future, you may regret neglecting campus life.

[Next Read: Advice for the Summer Before You Start Law School]

Do You Have Access to Law-Related Work Opportunities?

Aspiring lawyers gain the most benefit from law-related work opportunities, like serving as a research assistant for a law professor or a legal assistant at a law office. 

Some law offices may even help cover the cost of preparing for the bar exam as an added benefit. Likewise, working part-time for a bar exam prep company can also help offset the costs of preparing to take the bar examination after graduation. Bar prep companies often give discounts on bar prep classes to students who act as sales representatives to recruit students and disseminate information. This is not precisely law-related work, but it is generally low-key and easy to integrate with campus life.

Will The Job Violate Any School Regulations?

While the American Bar Association removed its 20-hour-per-week limit on student employment in 2014, some schools continue to restrict student jobs. Make sure your work complies with your school’s student employment regulations.

Would The Job Adversely Affect Your Mental Health?

Law school is already stressful and mentally exhausting, so it is not a good fit for high-pressure jobs. If you want to work on the side, choose a job that helps you relieve stress, like creative work or working with animals or young children.

Would A Summer Position Better Serve Your Needs?

If working during the school year seems untenable, use your summers to save up some cash. Summer positions at law firms can be very well compensated, and some students can pay for most or all of the expenses for the year by working during the summer and use any leftovers towards their tuition. 

Can You Save Money in Other Ways?

If you plan to go into the public sector, other financial resources are available to you beyond financial aid. The PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) program is a government program that forgives the remaining balance on lawyer’s student loans so long as they work in applicable public sector jobs and make a minimum of ten years of payments. Some law schools offer their own loan repayment plans as an incentive for alumni to work in the public sector.

Finally, one small but easily overlooked tip: The cost of books and supplies can add up, so see if your university bookstore sells used books to students at a reduced price. Even better, reach out to other students to see if they’d be willing to sell you their books from past classes. Check out online resale markets or school forums, and you may be able to get your books at bargain rates.

[Next Read: How to Survive and Thrive the First Year of Law School]