Army Intel to Privacy Law at 30?
Up front disclaimer: I am very much in the conceptual/good idea fairy stage of planning, so I have no LSAT scores as a baseline and I might get some terminology wrong. Apologies in advance.
Where I’m at: As I transition into the civilian world after 8 years in the Army, I’m looking to fully use my GI Bill and find a decent career. I am currently setting myself up for a career in infosec/risk management through certs and my first Masters degree (recently finished). It’s a field I’m very passionate about and relates closely to my experience. I’m also definitely going back to college as a full time student to get an MBA (and/or a JD if that’s the path).
Why I’m here: I recently found out that there are lawyers that specialize in privacy and cybersecurity law, which sounds very interesting. I work with our JAGs a lot regarding security and intelligence oversight issues, so initial research makes this feel right up my alley. Definitely not a 1:1 but I think it’s relevant experience.
The ask: I’m looking to see if anyone has made a similar decisions or has some input for me to meditate on to help me decide. I don’t want to take time away from other certs I’m working towards for the LSAT if it’s a bad idea in the first place.
Following is my rationale for and against getting a JD so far:
Why get a JD:
- i plan on being a full time student anyways, so why not get a JD or dual JD/MBA? The GI Bill will pay for all or majority of it.
- getting a JD opens me up to the law side of the security industry that can also be lucrative.
- if I decide to stay on the original path, a JD would still look great for cyber risk management jobs
Why not get a JD:
- that’s a lot of work. Never stopped me before, but the Army has made need tired and I want a siesta.
- going into law seems to always be starting from the bottom no matter your non-law experience. It makes sense, I’m not ranting against it. But as most folks in this page note, it is pretty discouraging after 30.
I typed a lot more than in thought I would, so thank you in advance for anyone who reads this and gives input.