Is a JD worth it for Rx?

Undergrad here, not sure of what's the best education option for what I want to do career-wise.I'm trying to go into Rx -- then exit to distressed investing -- and I'm not sure if a JD is worth it to break into Rx. Does anyone have any experience in the process of going to Rx banking from law school and, if so, if going to law school was worth the knowledge you get.I'm considering going to law school not only for the education but the network too, as I've heard that a lot of time it's the lawyers that hire bankers.

6 Comments
 

Weekly I wish I'd gone to law school. Distressed investing is a tough neighborhood with never-ending legal tussles and a-holes attacking from every direction because 'someone has to pay for my poor credit decisions'. I would enjoy my life so much more with a legal degree and license.

Global buyer of highly distressed industrial companies. Pays Finder Fees Criteria = $50 - $500M revenues. Highly distressed industrial. Limited Reps and Warranties. Can close in 1-2 weeks.
 

I would say it depends. Many top undergrads at target schools go to a great RX shop, and then exit to distressed. I would say a JD would be helpful and it'll give you a leg up because the space has so much legal work, but is it necessary? Definitely not.

 
Most Helpful

If you don't want to be a lawyer I wouldn't go to law school. You'll learn what you need to about the legal system by being a banker. The guys who go from law to banking aren't fresh out of law school, they are several years into their law careers. Banks don't recruit out of law school, so you'd have a more difficult time getting those gigs anyway, especially when you're competing for associate roles with MBA's with 4 years of work experience (albeit not in banking) and you are a 25 year old law student with zero work experience.

As far as having a network of lawyers? Associates at law firms are not choosing which bankers to work with, the partners already have those relationships. If you are in RX on the banking side long enough you will have more than enough contacts without spending 3 years in law school. In addition to the deals you work on, there are RX conferences where the whole purpose is to swap business cards.

 

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