Going to law school and then going into PE as investor?

STEM+Econ undergrad. Although I don't intend to practice law, I'm beginning to think a law degree is more useful than a business one. If I work in PE before law school, can I go to law school and then back to PE? I know it's kind of rare, but just curious.

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I have a JD/MBA. Only go to law school if you want to be a lawyer. First, on the technical side, minimal number of your courses will be useful as a PE investor - in fact, minimal number of courses will be relevant to the practice of corporate law, which is mostly learned on the job. Second, your recruitment pipeline will also be gone - PE firms don't go to law schools, you'll have to somehow talk your way into the b-school recruiting events or go back to your old firm. Third, you will spend 3 years networking with future lawyers, which, while useful, pales in comparison to building a network at a top b-school. Fourth, you are giving up 3 years of your life rather than 2 for an MBA - huge opportunity cost.

Whatever legal aspects you need for the job of investing, you will learn on the job, and you'll probably end up surprised when you know more about certain specific elements of M&A/securities law than the 2nd/3rd year associates tasked with papering your deals.

 

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