Rising up the ladder: law or finance?

[makker]

What do you fellow SFers think which one is a better degree to have when talking about career opportunities. I have a passion for both, but I feel like for a degree I can only choose one.

When talking about law here, I mean in the context of corporate law. It is for certain that with both degrees you can get a job at a top investment bank / consulting agency, just different roles. However, when aiming for the biggest bucks, which one pays off more?

 

[deaddog]

Not as rosy as you apparently think, at least WRT a JD. Check out this article (as well as countless others you can find via Google)
http://www.slate.com/id/2272621/

 

[illegalcheeser]

Definitely not law. Speaking as someone who even got a BIGLAW job (rare enough)

 

[imschatz]

Originally Posted by makker

What do you fellow SFers think which one is a better degree to have when talking about career opportunities. I have a passion for both, but I feel like for a degree I can only choose one.

When talking about law here, I mean in the context of corporate law. It is for certain that with both degrees you can get a job at a top investment bank / consulting agency, just different roles. However, when aiming for the biggest bucks, which one pays off more?
I don't care who you are .. but that statement is pure bullshit. No way is a job "for certain" after completing a program. Keep that attitude and you'll be one of the sore losers asking your university for your money back.

 

[unjung]

Originally Posted by makker

I have a passion for neither, but I have heard that these are the best ways to acquire currency.
FTFY.

 

[CDFS]

Don't be a *****, study both.

 

[makker]

Of course one could study both, but the amount of study years your taking up from potential working years is just immense.

As a European, completing a masters degree in law/finance is the generic 4 years. Then if you want an MBA (of course not necessary but may work as a salary booster) its plus 2 years. On the other hand, if you major in finance and have an MBA, thats 6 years spent on the school bench and then another 3 years for a J.D.

 

[mrhills0146]

Originally Posted by makker

...It is for certain that with both degrees you can get a job at a top investment bank / consulting agency, just different roles. However, when aiming for the biggest bucks, which one pays off more?

Really????

Sounds like someone has a lot to learn!!!!

 

[makker]

It IS entirely possible. Unless of course you come from some middle-of-nowhere school, chances are you will not get far in your career anyway.

Or is someone telling me a B.Sc in finance from Wharton (with a good GPA of course) will not grant them a job at an investment bank?

 

[IUtoSLU]

These threads make me depressed.

 

[maverick]

I think anyone would say a "finance" career can pay more than a law career. But depends specifically what you mean.

 

[intent]

Finance. You can pretend to be a BIG TIMER and build yourself up that way. See Madoff, etc.

In law it's pretty obvious when you suck.

 

[IUtoSLU]

Oh, the insightful comments of college sophmores.

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by makker

It IS entirely possible. Unless of course you come from some middle-of-nowhere school, chances are you will not get far in your career anyway. Or is someone telling me a B.Sc in finance from Wharton (with a good GPA of course) will not grant them a job at an investment bank?

a. There is no such thing as a BSc in FINANCE from Wharton. b. Even if you could graduate from there with a decent GPA, it would not guarantee you a job at an investment bank. There are other factors here. c. If you think that getting into an investment bank as an analyst would guarantee you a career in IB, you're sadly mistaken

 

[crazyquik]

I can't really give good advice to a European.

But for an American; both suck, kill yourself now.

With that said, an accounting undergrad degree (+ maybe the masters) and a J.D. is nothing to sneeze at. As horrible as the legal market is (and will continue to be, due to systemic shifts in the industry), having both "C.P.A." and "J.D." after your name helps a lot.

Or, I suppose, accounting and an MBA with a finance concentration.