u/CryptographerMost517

If I have a DHL Express package. Will they be delivering tomorrow?

Package being delivered to Louisiana (USA) from the UK. Most recent update package leaving Atlanta.

Spent the last 6 years working full-time as a chemical engineer while attending law school part-time at night. Recently passed the Louisiana bar exam and now planning to take the Texas bar in February as I look to transition fully into law.
One challenge I’m running into is that because I worked full-time throughout law school, I don’t really have the traditional legal resume. No summer associate position, no clerkships, no internships, etc. My experience is almost entirely engineering/industrial experience while balancing school at the same time.

I’m proud of the path because working full-time while surviving law school was brutal, but I also wonder how employers view candidates like me compared to traditional law grads who went the standard route.

I’m hoping to eventually move to Texas and find a role where my engineering background actually adds value instead of being seen as unrelated experience.

Areas I’ve considered:
Energy law
Environmental/regulatory
Industrial or toxic tort litigation
Process safety/compliance
Engineering consulting + legal hybrid roles
Patent/IP adjacent work (though I don’t have patent prosecution experience)

For attorneys or engineer-to-law transitions:
Did your technical background help you stand out?
How hard was it to get that first legal role without traditional legal experience?
Any advice on positioning yourself during the transition?
Is Texas generally receptive to nontraditional candidates with industry experience?

Would appreciate any insight from people who’ve taken a similar path.