Just graduated this past May and passed the bar in July. Actually just got my first permanent legal job today, start Monday.
It is actually a good time to go to law school as schools are lowering tuition, giving more scholarships than ever. A GPA and LSAT that used to get you into a top 20-30 school can now get you into a top 10-15 school. Why is the reason why you would need to think long and hard about it. There are not that many jobs out there. It is that simple. If you get into a good school, and then do well in that school you have a very good shot of getting a good job. But that is a lot of maybes.
As for aviation law I only know of one law firm in South Florida that does only aviation law. One of the partners is John Travolta's CP and his 707 captain. They are doing well but they really found themselves in a perfect niche market. A few others firms in South Florida do a very good amount of aviation work but South Florida is a huge aviation market compared to most areas of the country.
As for what you should do. That all depends, the first thing you do is take the LSAT, don't do great, take it again. The better the LSAT the better the school and/or scholarship. Unless you are former military or have some deep connection to the school all the law school cares about is your GPA and LSAT. LSAT is the most important thing. So there is no reason not to take it.
As for part time law school. Some schools have night programs that usually take 4 years instead of 3. They are not really part-time though. There is absolutely no way you could fly and go to law school.
There are a lot of positives and negatives about going to law school. You have to really want to become a lawyer IMO to do it. Now if you can go to school for little money with some type of scholarship or something, that changes the way I view it though.
Unless you have a true passion for law the blunt truth is unless you are going to law school for free you better get into a good school or at the very least a good school for the region you live in.
The economics is about the same. At least junior FOs have unions and federal work rules to prevent long hours. Junior associates get paid about the same as junior FOs, but are expected to be billing 400 hours a month... and that's if they get a job. Unemployment rates out of law school are insane. Work that used to be done by junior associates is either offshored or automated. The profession is in absolute shambles.
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You are right about the rates.Especially from schools outside of the top 50 rank. And the associate work, such as doc review, which some gets off shored but if the firms/company want decent work the review stays in the U.S. to outsourcing companies. The only schools that really can guarantee you a job are in the top 14-20. But if you get the job they are making plenty more than a junior FO. The lowest wage I have seen is $40k and that is typically for state government jobs that give you great experience or at very small firms. The starting salary for my classmates tend to be in the $56k-$64k range while large firms will be higher than that.
Ok, here is the way I see it as someone who has practiced Law for more years than I want to admit and am also a pilot. I chose law school while working in law enforcement. Actually took the LSAT on a bet. I have never regretted my decision even though my heart is in aviation. Being an attorney has allowed me to provide for my family, be home at night and enjoy flying. Now the facts.
2. A law degree opens many doors outside of practicing law;
3. There are many jobs for new attorneys beginning with starting as a new prosecutor in a local District Attorney's office with starting pay around 40k with benefits (in Texas). Career prosecutors can top out over 100k in the bigger cities with great retirement;
4. Every city, state and federal agency has lawyers and there are always vacancies;
5. Law firms from big to small hire each year in the spring to fill associate positions. Those firms range from small criminal defense and civil firms who hire with a small salary and an "eat what you kill" bonus system to the big corporate (deep rug firm) who hire top of the class at 70k and up;
Just my humble opinion
From someone who just was recently licensed to practice law and graduated from the the top school in my 8 million + region with top 40% grades it was still not easy for me to find a job. Law degrees open doors after you have practiced law for a while or already have experience in something else. Fresh out of law school with not much else but a BA and JD law school opens
one door and that is to become a lawyer. Government jobs are uber competitive even for $40k pay. Federal government jobs are given to students from the top schools or with top 10% grades, or sometimes 2 year interns. I know one guy in my class of 400 who got a federal government attorney job, (not a clerk job) he had to move to the border of Texas and Mexico.
As for 3. There are no where near "many jobs" many markets are saturated with attorneys. Law school admissions have finally declined but there are still more graduates than jobs. Law firms big and small do hire every year and there are always openings but there are more lawyers than openings. The majority of openings typically require 2-4 years experience.
