The Legal Equestrian

Q&A, Part II: Should I go to law school? (The perks)

I recently wrote a post addressing a question I often receive: Should I go to law school? My post, while some thought a bit negative, I believe to be realistic. The legal market is not in good shape right now, and it is extremely hard to find a job. Many job listings are looking for mid-level associates (those with 3-5 years of experience – hard to get if you just graduate and only have maybe a year and a half of internship experience) or for those with at least 10 years of experience (I don’t think I need to get into that one).

Despite the grim state of the legal market (right now), it is much better than it was a few years ago, and according to some news outlets, it is bouncing back. So, why should you go to law school?

Because you love the law. If you have a passion for law and all things legal, law school is for you. The 3 years you are there are spent reading about the law, writing about the law, being awkwardly called on spontaneously and mostly without warning about the law, doing internships, and other activities involving the law, etc. You will enjoy law school and definitely enjoy whatever job you land after you graduate.

Because you want to help people. Being a lawyer, for the most part, is about helping people. In all of my internships, I have helped various members of the population from different demographics. It can be depressing, but knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life makes it worth it at the end of the day. Plus, there are so many areas of the law in which you can help people that you are bound to find something that interests you whether its the law of older people (yes, that exists), family law, personal injury law, etc. You will be making a difference in your client’s life, and that is especially rewarding.

Because you have a passion for working long hours. Law involves long hours, especially if you work at a big firm. However, not everyone minds working long hours. If you’re one of those people, then aiming for a big law job might be the perfect idea for you. I have friends that work from 8:30 in the morning until 7 at night. I know others than work from 9 am to 3 am, if they’re lucky. Being comfortable with working crazy, long, and sometimes unreasonable hours is essential, especially if you are aiming to work for a big law firm, and if you’re okay with that, the legal profession is definitely right for you. Note: Not all legal jobs are like this. Government and public sector jobs tend to be 9 to 5, as are corporate jobs, for the most part.

Because you want to make money. It’s not a secret that the legal profession, if you get the right job, pays a lot of money. Many law firms will start first year associates at a six figure salary. If you also clerk for a judge the year before you join the law firm, you may get a bonus. I found a firm once that offered a six figure starting salary plus a $50,000 bonus just for clerking. Like I said in my last post, don’t go into the legal profession because you want to make money – you’re not guaranteed to get a job like the one I mentioned above – but if you do well and go to a good school, you’re more likely get hired by one of those companies that pays their lawyers very, very well.

Because you want to learn the intricacies of the legal system and be a part of that world. If you want to be a part of the legal world and know how the legal system works, going to law school is the perfect way to learn. You are highly encouraged to take internships during your summers and even during the semester at law school. These are extremely important for experience, job prospects, and for learning. Law school doesn’t do much to prepare you for legal practice – though it does prepare you on how to read and interpret cases. However, those internships will do wonders for your experience and immersion into the legal world.

You can’t imagine yourself being anything other than an attorney. I think this speaks for itself. If you have always wanted to be an attorney and can’t imagine not being one, then obviously law school is right for you.

You are willing to make certain sacrifices early on to be financially stable and successful later in life. Sometimes your career will involve long hours. You may have to forego riding; seeing your friends, family, or significant other; going out on the weekends; or even eating normal meals when it comes to your job. Your plan for having a family by 30 may be put on hold due to the long hours being asked of you at a firm. You will be asked to make sacrifices. I highlighted some of the ones I’ve heard of in my previous post. But – if you don’t mind doing so, then by all means, law may be right for you – especially a job at a big law firm – one that may not let you go home at 5 because there’s a huge trial happening the next day. The upside of making these sacrifices? You may make partner in a firm or at least become a senior associate a lot faster than those who aren’t willing to make the sacrifices. Being a partner or senior associate not only means a higher paycheck but also a more stable, satisfying job (Read: Remember when you were a lowly associate? Now you will have your own that reports to you).

While law school and the legal profession can be miserable, taxing, and downright frustrating, there are many rewards associated with it. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize those, especially when you are down on your job. Not everything about being a lawyer is completely negative, and if this is something you want to do, it’s best to educate yourself on both sides of the profession – not just the positive and not just the negative. Weigh the pros and cons, and consider what’s in your heart. You will make the right decision.

As always, I am always here to answer any questions having gone through the law school application process, law school, internships, job searching, post-graduate work, etc. If you have a question, you can tweet me, Facebook me, or shoot me an email. I would love to hear from you and give you advice, if I can!

Q&A: Should I go to law school?

I get this question a lot, and I see a lot of equestrians on Twitter that want to go to law school or say they want to be lawyers. I wanted to provide a realistic view of the “Should I go to law school?” question and a realistic view of what being a lawyer actually is versus what it’s made out to be (Spoiler Alert: It is not an episode of Law & Order).

Simply asking Should I go to law school? is a loaded question because there are so many factors that go into that decision. I can’t really tell you whether you should go to law school. So… why am I writing this post, right? I can tell you some things you should take into account before you make the decision to possibly put yourself into hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and a majorly subpar job market.

First, get a feel for what the legal world is like. You can do this in various ways, but my biggest suggestion to anyone that asks me about going to law school is get an internship at some type of legal-related job. You could intern at a law firm, government agency, or even with a local judge. All of those internships will give you a taste of what it’s like being a lawyer. Will you get to do actual lawyer? No. But you will get to see real life lawyers and what they do day-to-day, and if you’re lucky and prove yourself, you will get to do some legal-related work… just nothing that can be considered “practicing law.”

The reason I suggest getting a feel for the legal world is because law school has a huge flaw. It does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the real legal world. It does nothing to prepare you for being a lawyer. It does nothing to prepare you for going to court. Sure, most schools offers classes in trial strategy, or on writing legal briefs, or even clinics which is where you will be a “Student Attorney” often handling real cases under the guise of an attorney (often a professor). But, as someone who took all of those classes in law school, I still was in no way, shape, or form prepared to be a lawyer when I graduated and started my first full-time legal job.

This brings me back to the internships thing. The biggest and most valuable preparation I had for being a lawyer was my internships that I did during my time in law school. So even if interning at a law firm or a government legal agency sounds super lame especially during one of your college summers – it can not only save you from 3 years of misery, but if you do decide to become an attorney, you will have a leg up on those who didn’t have an internship.

Second, why are you becoming an attorney? Gone are the days of not knowing what you want to do after college so you’ll just go to law school. The job market is not equipped from that. You are no longer guaranteed a legal job after you graduate from law school and pass the bar. While my law school fortunately has a high employment rate after graduation, and I (thankfully) secured full-time employment shortly into my last year of law school – I still have friends who don’t have legal-related jobs and are unemployed and have been for an entire year at this point. Also, I still don’t have a job for after this first job I have ends (and yes, I am majorly stressed about that). If you are becoming an attorney because you don’t know what the hell else to do – that is the absolute wrong reason to go to law school. You will be miserable. I know someone who went to law school as a back-up if his writing career didn’t take off, and he hated every second of it, didn’t do well, and didn’t even take the bar after we graduated. Now listen, your choice is your choice. If you think going to law school even though you don’t know what you want to do is right for you, then by all means do it. I am not here to tell you how to live your life – I am just here to give you a realistic perspective on what doing something like that could mean for your job prospects, happiness, and most importantly, financial security after graduation, especially if you will be paying for law school yourself.

This brings me to another part of why you are becoming an attorney: If you’re doing it solely for the money, don’t do it. You will be unhappy, miserable, depressed, etc. Like I said, the job market sucks. It is hard to find a job, and I am not going to lie to you about that. Can you make hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars practicing law? Yup. You can. But you also better be prepared to sacrifice your social life, family life, romantic life, riding life, pretty much any life you have aside from the one you have working. I know this sounds dramatic, but let me share a few stories.

  • One of my supervisors at my second internship told me that her good friend, who worked at a very large firm in New York City (Read: Cha-ching!), had planned a trip to a foreign country each year to see some of his family members. The trip was pre-paid, already planned, and something that was done every single year. Well, a big trial came up, and his supervising partner told him he wasn’t going on the trip. When the person said that he had this trip planned, had already paid for it, and went on it every year, the partner said that was too bad, he was needed at the office, and he wouldn’t be going. However, they did reimburse him for the pre-paid trip.
  • The same firm had booked several rooms in a hotel nearby for their employees to go to in order to shower, freshen up, and take naps. Other than that, the employees weren’t allowed to go home if they were working on an important project.
  • My good friend who recently started working full-time at a big firm based in both my state and in New York told me she has to make a certain number of billable hours each week. Now, I don’t know her actual salary, nor would I ask, but my guess and impression from what I know about the firm and her job is that she gets paid pretty well. For those of you who don’t know what billable hours are, it’s an amount of time you spend doing work that you can bill a client for. This has to be actual work – not sitting on your cell phone, going on Facebook, etc. The billable hours aspect is often quite rigorous and stressful, but it’s a huge part of law firm life. I asked her what a typical day at the firm is like for her. She told me she gets to work around 8:30 am and doesn’t leave until 7 pm. She also told me some of her friends at other firms will leave the office to go to happy hour and get dinner and then go back only to leave at 3 am and return at 8:30 – 9 am again.
  • Finally, I know someone who worked at a big law firm in New York City many years ago (Read again: Cha-ching!) She told me that not one day went by where she didn’t hear someone screaming or crying in their office.

I know those stories aren’t uplifting. I know that those stories also aren’t all typical. There are lawyers that love their jobs, that love working crazy hours, that love the high-stress environment, that are willing to make those sacrifices for the big money. And, if you’re one of those people, then all the power to you. But my point is, if you’re solely doing it for the money, you will likely burn out within a few years and want to pick a new career and/or find yourself deeply depressed.

Third, are you willing to do the work? Law school is not a walk in the park. I remember being in college and studying 15 minutes before my final exam and still getting an A. Law school is not like that – I don’t care who you are. You will work your ass off. You will read a lot. You will write a lot. You will be expected to take a 2 – 5 hour exam at the end of the semester where you may need to recall any and all information you learned during the year. Oh, and by the way, you’re taking multiple exams. A usual law school semester is 4 – 5 classes, and each of them usually has either a final exam or a large paper that you need to actually be working on throughout the semester (Read: You cannot do your final paper the night before. It just won’t happen).

Fourth, you will have to make sacrifices, including ones that involve riding. While I would love to write a huge paragraph on this. Just know that you will have to ride less at some points in the semester, especially during your first year when your grades matter the most. I think really what we all need to see is: Less pony time. And, I know this shouldn’t be a deciding factor. Plus, riding horses is expensive, and sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to ensure a successful, secure future for ourselves that will allow us to continue our passion, but there are other jobs out there that will allow us to do the same thing without sacrificing our sanity and forcing us into a career we potentially didn’t want in the first place.

I know that this post may have sounded super negative, but I always get asked about law school, and I felt the need to be realistic about the whole process. I do plan on writing a post about the positives of going to law school and being a lawyer, but I do think the potential negatives and risks need to be put out there, especially because not everyone is willing to be realistic about the state of the legal field, law school, being a lawyer, etc.

If you are considering going to law school, or are in law school, and have questions, I am always here to answer them! I will try my best to be positive but authentic (Read: I won’t lie to you, and no one else should either). You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, Ask.fm, or shoot me an email!

Riding facilities & social media policies

Can a barn tell me what I can and cannot post on my social media account(s) about my riding, horses, training, and other things pertaining to the barn?

Social media limitations. I have to admit that I had never heard of this type of limitation until last year due to someone I follow on Tumblr. She stated she wasn’t allowed to post much about the barn at which she rides because of its “social media policy.” I thought this was quite interesting as it was something I had never experienced in all my time riding.

Last year, I took some videos of my trainer riding my horse and riding my old barn manager’s horse. My old barn manager’s horse threw several bucking fits during the approach to a small oxer, and I got them all on video. My trainer was never unseated. In fact, it looked like her ass had superglue on it. I posted the videos to my Facebook page as a way of showing just how badass my trainer was. My Facebook was, and is still, completely private. In fact, it’s so private that you can’t even find me if you do a search for my name, so there was really no risk of the video being seen by anyone other than my friends.

I received a text from my old barn manager a few days later asking that I take the video down as she did not want it “all over the internet.” Aside from the fact that there was no possible way it could be all over the internet given that my Facebook was private, and that was the only place I had posted the video, I was a bit taken aback. Was she really trying to dictate what I was allowed to post to my private social media account? I told her that a. my Facebook is private and that no one who wasn’t my friend could see it and b. I didn’t really appreciate that she was telling me what I, an adult, could place on my Facebook page. I did oblige and take it down, mostly because I said to myself “would I rather be right or be happy?” Since I was already having issues with her, I decided I would rather be happy, and I removed the video.

I also pointed out to her that other riders/boarders at the barn had made videos in the past and published them to public YouTube accounts. These videos didn’t just show them riding but also showed things such as bad behavior of lesson horses that they rode and some falls by other riders at the facility who were also riding lesson horses. My old barn manager’s response was that I was more associated with the barn since I ran their Facebook page, website, and worked for them (on a free, as needed basis – I was never actually employed by the barn).

When I moved barns, I moved to a place that was originally built private facility, no boarders at all. However, the owner decided to start a very small boarding/lesson business, and he opened his property to, for all intents and purposes, complete strangers that wanted to keep their horses at his barn. On the rule sheet that is handed out to each boarder, there is an explicit rule stating that boarders/riders are not allowed to take photos of the owner’s house. This is understandable. When I decided to move there to get away from my old barn, I saw the rule and asked the barn manager if I was allowed to take photos in and around the barn. I asked this question because I love taking photos of my horses and having videos of myself riding. Additionally, I often posted those photos/videos on my social media accounts – some of which are public. The barn manager said yes. Additionally, she followed me on my public Instagram and was friends with me on Facebook, so she saw me frequently posting photos/videos I had taken to those accounts.

Not once was anything said to me about this.

I published a post a few weeks ago about fancy barns and how sometimes they are not functional or suitable for horses. (Editor’s Note: I took that post down due to the events that transpired below. I have decided not to republish the post. See below as to why.) The post was mostly inspired by what is now my old barn. I used photos I had taken in/around the old barn as part of the post. Not one photo contained a picture of the house. I truly believed I was well within my rights to post the barn photos as I had never been told otherwise. However, I received a text from my old barn manager who was tipped off about the post from a friend of hers who reads my blog. She told me that the barn owner would not want photos of his barn on such a well-known site, and she asked me to take the photos down.

Now, I was under no obligation to take the photographs down. She was well within her rights to ask me to remove them, but I was also well within my rights to post them. I ended up taking the post down because, to me, the post was not worth the potential trouble and drama I would have to go through if I said I wasn’t going to take the photographs down. However, my taking the post down was not, in any way, admitting I was wrong – because, to be frank, I wasn’t wrong.

After speaking with some of my Twitter followers, I found that some other barns have these social media policies in place as well. Some of my followers were completely okay with them while others found them to be unnecessarily limiting. What struck me the most was that no one was asked to sign anything stating that they agreed not to post anything regarding the barn on social media.

I hate to break it to these barns, but the social media policy they have in place, that their boarders/riders have agreed to, may not be enforceable without a signed document. I know that a lot of times the horse world operates differently, but when it comes down to it, say I wanted to challenge the request for me to take down the photos of my old barn… I could simply say that I didn’t agree to not post photos of the barn; I was told that I could take photos of the barn; I posted photos of the barn previously and was not told that wasn’t allowed; and, most damning of all (in my opinion), I didn’t sign anything.

So, if you’re a barn, and you want to limit what a boarder or rider can post on social media, you need to think carefully about putting that request and policy into a writing that must be signed by the boarder/rider. Otherwise, you may one day get one that wants to challenge you – or a lawyer, like me – who says, “well, I didn’t sign anything with that policy on it, so I’m under no obligation to honor your request.”

The reason you will need a signed writing is because you are essentially asking your boarders/riders to give up their right to post things on social media regarding one’s horses, riding, lessons, and showing. To me, memorializing this in a signed writing is the best way for both parties to be clear on what’s expected, on both ends. It can also minimize or even prevent any misunderstandings in the future.

So, if you are a barn that wants to implement a limitation on what someone can put on social media, what should you do?

  • Outline the policy in writing. This is the number one reason that boarders and riders could dispute a request to take down a photograph – it’s not in writing. You must delineate the policy in writing including what it covers and what mediums are covered. You may also, if you wish, state why you have this policy in place. It may help your clients understand why you are limiting their right to post things on their social media account(s).
  • Get a signature. A written policy taking away or limiting someone’s right to do something is useless if it is not signed by that person. If the person is under 18, you need to get the signature of a parent or guardian. If the person is over 18, that person’s signature will suffice. Without a signature, the written policy really is useless if the individual chooses to post anyway.
  • Recognize that some clients will fight you on this. Some clients will take great offense on being told they can’t post certain things to their personal social media account(s) especially if those account(s) are private. As a result, be prepared to experience some pushback, and be prepared to explain why this policy is beneficial to both your business and to the client. You should also be prepared to lose clients over this. To be perfectly honest, if I visited a potential facility that had a policy where I could not post things about my horses on social media, I would put that facility at the bottom of my list and only go there if I was really desperate. But again, that is just my own feeling on the situation.
  • Get the advice of legal counsel. You are limiting someone’s right to free speech and freedom of expression here, so you may want to get your policy reviewed by an attorney. That way, anything that may end up being completely unenforceable in court will be modified or made enforceable. Are clients guaranteed to take you to court? Of course not – but, you want to be prepared, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
  • Be upfront about the policy. You should always be up front about any policy your facility has. That way, a client can’t turn around and claim they were unaware of what they were signing when they signed it. Additionally, your reputation for honesty will stay in tact. You will also get a chance to explain the policy when the client isn’t angry that you said “hey… we have this policy… and you violated it.” Emotions won’t be high, and the situation is less likely to turn volatile and unable to be fixed. I personally think it’s best to always explain any contract you are having a client sign. Even though the client may be “reading” the policy, doesn’t mean they are actually reading the policy.

I have not heard of many barns that have social media policies, but they do exist. If you are considering joining the ranks, following the aforementioned tips can save you some unnecessary trouble and legal fees if a client decides to challenge the policy in court (yes, this can happen).

If you are unsure of how to word your policy or other steps to take, the best thing to do would be to hire legal counsel experienced in this type of policy limitation. The above post should not be construed as legal advice. It is legal education, and it does not form an attorney-client relationship.

I got asked to leave my barn… now what?

I’ve been to a lot of my barns in my life, and I have never actually been told that I had to leave one. I’ve heard stories of people being kicked out or having to leave because the barn suddenly got sold and was being shut down, but I figured that would never happen to me. I’m a pretty good boarder (if I do say so myself), and I tend to pick barns that have pretty stable ownership environments.

I’ve tweeted about this quite a bit, but if you don’t follow my tweets, I recently got asked to leave my barn. The kicker is that it wasn’t because I did anything wrong. My former barn is owned by someone who isn’t really into horses, and he has a barn manager that lives on-site and runs the albeit small but existent boarding/training/lesson business. I moved there last September, so I had only been there about 6 months. About a month ago, the barn manager came down to the barn one night when I was there and told me that she had spoken to the barn owner that day, and he informed her that his daughter wanted to move back home and bring her horses back (so far, so good.. I hadn’t picked up on what this meant). Then she went, “I’m really sorry, but we have to ask you to find another barn.” Cue me internally going AHHHHHHH. I was speechless. Thankfully my dad was there to say something because I literally didn’t know what to say. My dad asked if there was anyone else who could leave, and the barn manager said that the barn owner felt since I was the newest boarder to move in, it was only right to ask me to leave.

Feelings on that aside – I guess it makes sense. Even though I was being asked for a totally legitimate reason – after all, he does own the property – I still felt sad, offended, and upset. But ultimately, he owns the property and can do what he wants with it when he wants (within the confines of the boarding contract I signed, of course). I asked how long I had to find a new place, and she said about two months, which was more than fair. Under the boarding contract, they really only had to give me 30 days.

Although I was a bit anxious about having less than two months to find a new barn that I liked and that would accept outside trainers and that offered great care so that I didn’t have to worry about my horses if I couldn’t make it up there one evening, I felt surprisingly calm. Maybe this was because I had done the barn search many times before and had a running list of barns in case of emergencies. Maybe it was because I was too shocked that I had gotten asked to leave a barn for the first time ever in my riding career and for a reason that didn’t involve me doing something wrong nonetheless. Maybe it was because I knew, deep down, that even though this was a slight – okay big – hiccup, everything happens for a reason, and the universe would provide me with a place to go that was more than adequate.

Luckily, I have a lot of contacts in the horse world. I put out feelers, and I ended up finding a few places. The winner was a barn recommended to me by my farrier. The barn manager usually doesn’t allow outside trainers, but my farrier called in a special favor for me (another lesson: Don’t burn bridges in the horse world, though I’ve said that a million times before).

My new barn in the summer. From top left, the main barn, the outdoor wash stalls, the ring, and a satellite view of the property.

My new barn in the summer. From top left, the main barn, the outdoor wash stalls, the ring, and a satellite view of the property.

So, if you get asked to move barns, don’t panic! There’s good ways and bad ways to deal with this. Here are my tips.

Modify the behavior that got you “evicted.” This only applies if you were asked to leave because of something you did. Obviously, if you got asked to leave for something stupid, like complaining about a care issue with your horses, you are under no obligation to modify your behavior or expectations. You’re paying someone a lot of money to care for your horses, and if something is wrong with that care, you complain, and they retaliate by asking you to leave, you probably don’t want to be there anyway. However, if you get asked to leave for behavior that cannot be justified, like maybe you’re a bit too dramatic, or maybe you were caught “borrowing” someone else’s stuff one too many times, or you are very behind on paying boarding, lesson, or training fees, you need to seriously think about this behavior and make an effort to change it. Odds are if one barn isn’t going to put up with what you’re doing, others won’t either.

Network. You’ve probably met a lot of horse people throughout your career, so use those connections! You don’t have to say what happened – just say you’re looking for a new barn. Make sure to be specific about what you’re looking for. Since I was on a time crunch, I did mention that my barn’s owner needed the two stalls within the next two months just to hint that it was urgent I find a place as soon as possible. Also, finding a barn through word-of-mouth recommendation is likely to be better than finding one off the internet. I tend to trust recommendations from people whose opinion I trust and value. Your horse friends will know you too, and they will most likely be able to predict what facility you would like most. You can also ask your barn manager if they can recommend a place, especially if the parting is amicable (such as mine with my barn manager).

Try finding places via Facebook groups. There are a lot of Facebook groups out there. For example, there are a few geared especially towards New Jersey equestrians. I posted a few “ISO” ads specifying what I was looking for in a barn. I got quite a few recommendations, and I even visited some of the barns that were recommended to me. These groups can be especially beneficial in helping you find facilities to look at when you are forced to move. Oftentimes, barns don’t have websites, Facebook pages, or advertise on the internet, so you might be pointed to a good facility by someone on Facebook that you otherwise wouldn’t have found in your search.

Look on sites that allow barn managers/owners to advertise their facilities. There are a lot of websites out there that allows advertisements for barns that offer boarding, lessons, and training. You should definitely check these out. Oftentimes you can search by location, and some sites even allow you to search by services offered. One caution: This should not be your sole method of searching for a new facility. Not all barns have an internet presence, so if you focus only on barns that advertise online or have websites, you may be missing out on the perfect facility for you. That’s why I recommend networking with your horse contacts or utilizing Facebook groups. You’re much more likely to find barns that don’t advertise online that way.

Try not to harbor negative emotions towards your barn manager. If the parting is due to something similar to what happened to me (the barn owner needing two stalls for his daughter), then it won’t serve you to have negative feelings towards your barn manager. In my case, the barn owner is my former barn manager’s boss, so she really didn’t have a choice in asking me to leave, and she told me how sorry she was and that she was really sad about me and my trainer having to find a new place. I would not burn a bridge and treat your barn manager negatively if you are being asked to leave at the request of his or her boss or if the reason for leaving is something he or she cannot control. I am a huge proponent of not burning bridges in the horse world unless absolutely necessary, so I would advocate for not being cold towards your barn manager if the reason for your being asked to leave is something that had to be done in terms of needing space, or the property being sold, or the barn getting out of the boarding/lesson business. It may be hard – I admit I was a bit angry with my barn manager for a little bit – but it really is not useful in the long run or the short run. Plus, it will only cause you more stress. It’s really hard being angry at someone!

Stay calm. Don’t panic! This is hard, especially if you are on a time crunch, but panicking won’t do you any good. Know that you will find a place to go. Just be as proactive as possible. Follow the above tips. Search the internet. Go to tack stores and check out their advertisement boards. There are always places with stalls available, and you are bound to find another barn that will fit your needs. Panicking will only cause you unneeded stress and make you lose precious sleep! I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, and when one door closes, another opens. Accordingly, since the door on your current barn is closing, one at another barn – that you haven’t discovered just yet – is opening up for you to come right in.

My horse all moved in at the new barn. He is loving it and making friends at the new place already (through the stall dividers, of course - no more group turnout for this guy!)

My horse all moved in at the new barn. He is loving it and making friends at the new place already (through the stall dividers, of course – no more group turnout for this guy!)

Of course I miss my old barn. It was amazingly nice. The care was great. The barn manager was a sweetheart that was super flexible and did whatever she could to help. I knew that it wouldn’t be my forever home, but I never intended on leaving so soon. I know the barn manager had a hard time telling me I had to leave, and I know that she did not want me and my trainer to leave – but, in reality, the barn owner is her boss, and she has no choice in the matter, especially when the person needing the two stalls is his daughter. I know my dad would do the exact same thing.

But, as I’ve said a million times, when one door opens another closes, the universe always has a plan, everything works itself out, etc., whichever quote works for you. So far, I am loving my new facility (knock on wood). The staff is knowledgeable and incredibly nice. The barn manager is also incredibly nice, knowledgeable, more OCD about the horses’ care than I am, and speaks her mind like I do. The barn goes to shows, and a majority of the boarders and lesson people are amateurs which is perfect for me. After being at a barn with a ton of ill behaved, bratty, and screaming young children (the barn before my previous barn), I welcome peace and quiet with open arms as does my trainer. I am also looking forward to having a large ring to ride in with tons of jumps. I do miss the heated rooms, gorgeous amenities, and staff that seemed to always wake up on the right side of the bed, but this barn is a much better fit than my previous place. Plus, I don’t think my barn manager now ever gets into a sour mood.

If you take one thing away from this piece, it’s this: don’t panic. It’ll all work out. If you’re sick of hearing me say that, ignore it, but keep it in the back of your mind. You’ll see eventually.

Q&A: Paying for law school and your riding passion

I received a question from an anonymous follower stating they wanted to go to law school but were concerned about the cost and being able to afford riding while paying off debt.

This is a very real and valid concern. I am not going to lie and pretend that I am in debt or that I had to take out student loans because I didn’t. Thankfully, my parents were in a position to fund my education from high school to law school. However, not everyone is so lucky. I have many friends that had to pay for law school themselves and graduated with some serious debt.

Law school isn’t cheap. Tuition for my law school was over $50k per semester. Most law schools are on par with this cost, so at most, you’ll be taking out $150k just on tuition. This number doesn’t include books, other fees, or the cost of living if you go to a school where you are unable to commute from home. Obviously, if you have money saved up, or if you get a scholarship, that total number could be less, but in the interest of being realistic, I am giving the real numbers. Tuition will vary by school as well. I attended a private law school, which is a bit more money than a public law school. If you attend a public law school in your state, you will most likely get reduced tuition for being an in-state resident. Even if you are not an in-state resident, your tuition will still be less simply because it’s not a private institution.

Of course, riding isn’t cheap either. Whether you have your own horse, lease, or take lessons – you’re most likely spending a good chunk of change on your passion every single year. Taking on another commitment that will require a lot of money can put big strain on your finances.

The good news is that most student loans do not have to be paid back immediately. You typically will have a six-month grace period before you start making payments. That means, if you have a job, you will have some income to use in paying back your student loans. Additionally, if you take a job that qualifies as “public service,” and work in that job for 10 years, your student loan burden may be forgiven.

If you haven’t started law school yet, and have some time before you do, there are some things you can do to minimize the potential financial burden:

  • Get a part-time job while in high school or college, if possible. This will allow you to save up some extra money that can be used to pay for law school tuition, textbooks, or other living expenses. On the flip-side, you can also use this money for your riding expenses. Either way, more money is always a good thing especially when you will be taking on another costly commitment.
  • Study hard for the LSATs. You must take the LSATs before you can apply for law school. The higher your score, the more likely you will be awarded a scholarship which will take the financial burden off of you. Take a prep class or buy a prep book so that you can begin studying the types of questions that will be on the test. The LSATs are pretty much a “game,” and you just need to crack the code in order to do well.
  • Get good grades in school. This is especially important in college. Good grades + a good LSAT score will definitely improve your chances of securing a scholarship.
  • Good grades and a good LSAT score will also help your chances of getting into a higher ranked law school which in turn will increase your chances of securing a well-paying job after your graduate. The legal market isn’t exactly in the best shape, so doing everything you can to ensure your have a good chance of getting a job out of law school is imperative.
  • Tap other potential financial helpers. Will your parents pay for some of the cost? What about your grandparents? It’s not always possible, but sometimes parents/grandparents are willing to help foot some – or all – of the graduate school bill for their child/grandchild.

Once you are in law school, there are things you can do to minimize your current and financial burden:

  • Study hard, especially your first year. The grading curve is hardest the first year, and once your ranking in law school is determined that June, it’s hard to drastically move up or down. Getting good grades will help you with getting an internship your first summer and with on-campus interviewing that happens right before your second year starts. Typically, to get the competitive paying internships at firms for your second year, you’ll need to have some stellar grades and be in some activities such as law journal and/or moot court. Keep this in mind. This will take up some of your riding time, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made so we set ourselves up for success in the future.
  • Go for internships that pay. Not every internship will pay. If you want to do public service work, then you will have to be prepared not to get paid during your internship or to trade the hours you work for academic credit. However, if you would like to work for a firm, then you are more likely to receive some type of salary (and it’s usually a lucrative one).
  • Get a part-time job, if possible. Obviously this is not always feasible, but getting a part-time paying job will help ease your financial burden. You can put that money towards riding, paying tuition or for textbooks, or other living expenses.
  • Consider a half-lease on your horse. Unfortunately, especially during your first year of law school, you might not have much time to ride as often as you’d like. If you can bear it, maybe consider half-leasing your horse to someone. This will cut down on expenses, ensure that your horse is being worked consistently, and take some of the burden off of you. Of course, this isn’t always a good option for everyone, especially if you don’t own a horse, but it is something to think about.
  • Talk to your trainer/barn manager about doing barn chores in exchange for working of board, lease, or lesson costs. Most barns are amenable to an arrangement like this, but be sure you can hold up your end of the bargain!
  • Network, network, network! When you reach your third year, you will want to start applying for jobs. If you did a summer associate position as a second year at a firm, you probably received a job offer once the summer was over. If so, you’re golden! If you do not have a job lined up, apply early. Apply for anything that you may have an interest in – or as I like to say, throw sh*t at the wall and see what sticks. I opted to do a clerkship after I graduated, and I had all of my clerkship applications out in the summer. Remember that some organizations don’t start hiring until the fall or even spring, so don’t freak out too much if you don’t have a job by the fall. In fact, do not listen to any job talk. It will make you feel incredibly insecure and behind if you haven’t secured anything. If you are having trouble finding a job, go to networking events. Talk to as many people as you can – you never know when you’ll make the right connection.

Upon graduation, you’ll have to start studying for the bar almost immediately. Again, this is very important so be prepared to sacrifice some riding time so that you don’t have to take the bar. Hopefully, you also have secured a job. Once you’ve reached your sixth month after graduation, you’ll have to start paying off your student loans. If you have a job, then you’ve already got a stream of income and have to worry a bit less about paying off your debt. Firm jobs usually pay a lot of money, so it most likely will cover your loans and your riding passion. If not, here’s some tips:

  • Continue sending out job applications. Again, throw sh*t at the wall and see what sticks. You’re jobless, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. In the meantime, get a part-time, or even full-time, job that can help cover some of your expenses. If you get a job at a company with a legal department, getting your foot in the door may be the right step to getting into the legal world.
  • Ask your barn manager or trainer if you can work off lesson costs, board costs, or lease costs. Again, take this seriously. It will help you out, and it is supposed to help your barn manager or trainer out. Consider half-leasing your horse out, if at all possible.
  • Consider a loan forgiveness program. Those options are linked above, and they do exist. For example, if you went into law school knowing you wanted to do public service work, you can get your loans forgiven within 10 years if you work in public service for those 10 years.
  • If you followed the ‘before’ and ‘during’ steps, you should hopefully have some money saved up for a “crisis” situation like this. By crisis I mean, jobless and unable to pay back your student loans right away. I don’t mean to be alarmist, but this is the reality for a lot of individuals, and it is something you need to be prepared for in the event that it does happen.

Do I have one clear, concrete answer for how to manage law school, student loans, and the expenses of riding? No, I don’t. Each person’s situation is completely different. What may work for one, may not work for another. All I can give is my advice based on my experience. What will increase your chances of getting a good job; how you can handle the expense of riding; how you can prepare for law school before you’re anywhere close to law school.

I hope that some of the above tips have been helpful. If you are considering law school and have any questions for me, feel free to comment below, tweet me, contact me on Facebook, or shoot me an email. If you prefer to remain anonymous, I’m at ask.fm. I’m willing to answer any and all questions, I promise.

The best piece of the advice I can give is be 100% sure you want to go to law school and be a lawyer. It is a tough road, a long road, and one with uncertain job prospects – at least for now.

ps. I plan on addressing a question asked of me every week. Feel free to submit them to my ask.fm account linked above or on my sidebar. And you can always contact me un-anonymously at any of my social sites!