Hi, I'm a hedge fund attorney in my early 30s. I was a finance major in college (and a good one) so I understand the business side a little bit better than most attorneys. Unfortunately, I went to undergrad during the financial crisis and didn't get a finance job because I had no idea what I was doing and I somehow ended up in software testing before going to law school. I've tried to get into the financial sector since, but I've pretty much given up hope over the last year now that I have a little bit of experience as an attorney and now everyone thinks I suck at math and can only do lawyer things. I do a bunch of investing in my spare time to the extent that I can given the trading policies I'm subject to. I'm happy to answer any questions that I can as I have seen things from several different perspectives. I'm also a big believer in the power of forums like these. I never looked online for help and largely relied on career services (lol) for help in college. Then I looked to forums for getting into law school and ended up at Harvard Law School and then a top-top tier law firm. I've since moved to a boutique law firm so I can have more of a life.
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How much do you make per year total comp?
All you need to say is "I am not uncertain" and you're in the clear.
Former attorney and now internal equity analyst at a family office. You're correct that there's an assumption out there that lawyers can't do math. But you know what's the bigger myth? That math matters. Generating alpha is more about critical thinking, diligence and conviction. The math skills one needs to confirm a good idea are minimal. If you want to be an investor then use your free time to generate ideas and use your perch inside the fund to bounce them off people.
Thanks for the AMA. Your answers have been enlightening thus far!