Rising up the ladder: law or finance?

dragon8 · Oct 30, 2010

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?

A Harvard MBA and a JD will let you accomplish those goals.

Svenn · Oct 30, 2010

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?

from my limited experience, prospects in the legal field are indeed bleak for the first few years out of law school... but I think eventually, especially as the baby boomer generation retires (which they're taking forever to do btw), there's going to be a lot of new opportunities. In the county I'm in for example, there's all sorts of positions in the public sphere (judge, prosecutor, defense) that are almost entirely filled by guys in their 50's/60's. I realize you were thinking more of working in a big firm though, which could be entirely different. You hear a lot of JD's complaining the first couple years out, but I don't think I've ever heard from any who, 5 or 10 years after passing the bar, were still scrounging around looking for peanuts; they all end up finding something.

teddieriley · Oct 30, 2010

I'm not particularly good at math or using Excel. Can I get into finance and make lots o' money?

calisanfran · Oct 30, 2010

Originally Posted by teddieriley

I'm not particularly good at math or using Excel. Can I get into finance and make lots o' money?

If you have lots o' money already, then yes.

IUtoSLU · Oct 30, 2010

Originally Posted by teddieriley

I'm not particularly good at math or using Excel. Can I get into finance and make lots o' money?

Only if you finish at the top of your class at Wharton or Harvard. Otherwise, please kill yourself.

acidboy · Oct 30, 2010

I've heard animal husbandry and gas tungsten arc welding are giving both aforementioned careers a run for its money

dragon8 · Oct 31, 2010

Originally Posted by acidboy

I've heard animal husbandry and gas tungsten arc welding are giving both aforementioned careers a run for its money

whats the starting salary for each?

nerdykarim · Oct 31, 2010

I'm a third-year JD/MBA concentrating in finance. You can totally study both.

I've been facing two challenges in my career track so far.

First, I'm at the University of Georgia. Both the law school and the MBA program are regionally well-regarded, but big firms like Deloitte and IBM don't seem to be very interested in me.

Second, I came into the program almost straight out of undergrad. As a result, I'm overeducated relative to my work experience and it's a little difficult to find a job. I'm interested in working at a consulting firm, so I'm thinking about applying to analyst positions at bigger firms and trying to work my way up from there.

djblisk · Nov 1, 2010

I'm a Corporate Attorney.

A Finance degree will get you bigger money if you are good not only numbers wise but also in sales.

legorogel · Nov 1, 2010

from european perspective its finance. Even better would be an combination of finance+enginerin.

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Rising up the ladder: law or finance?

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