A Question for Juris Doctors, by Bryan Caplan

About half of J.D.s don't work as lawyers.  But this doesn't mean their legal educations were bad financial investments.  Law degrees might open doors to desirable careers outside the law, most obviously via signaling. 

Soon after my wife finished law school, for example, top Silicon Valley tech firms started poaching elite graduates from top U.S. law schools for non-legal jobs.  Entry-level salaries at top law firms leapt about 50% in a few short years.  Of course, top firms in the late 90s might be an extreme outlier of an extreme outlier.

Question for anyone with a J.D.: In your experience, how effective is the J.D. at opening doors to desirable non-legal jobs?



(9 COMMENTS)