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Comment by czbond | Hacker News Reader

I need to ask some questions. Stay with me here. I've helped hire/build/lead engineering teams - so I'm asking to help structure the guidance I give, as you're looking for a life change. Q's) Why are you leaving law? Why interested in engineering? What types of tasks interest you the most in engineering? Do you know your personality type (Big 5 / MBTI, etc)? What does success and happiness look like in 10 years for you in this path?

Attorneys can make fantastic engineers - depending on personality type. Sometimes straight engineers can see the "trees, not the forest". Some attorney types are good at "forests, and seeing the trees". I firmly believe the logic paths taught in law school should be required in engineering disciplines. Often, the engineering mind can make things too complex to begin, or too pedantic to continue.

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Thanks for the response! Here are my reasons.

First, I think the legal industry as it stands is due for a huge shake up. Alot of junior associate work will be automated away.

Second, I enjoy creating things. Law doesn't really put me in a position to do that. Making my first silly game was really cool.

Third, my personality fits better with engineers. People are more relaxed and interested in solving problems rather than focusing on appearances.

Fourth, the dream. I spent sometime in the West coast and want to see if I can make it as an entrepreneur.

Does that help?

Thanks in advance!

Yes - it does a lot. It seems like the switch would be good for you. I agree that junior associate and mid-associate work is being iterated away. Don't discount the intersection of the two interests in law practices of cybersecurity, robotics, and machine learning law among burgeoning areas. Those are locations one could make a mark "on the intersection". I was trying to determine how extroverted your personality is; I have a CompSci but I'm fairly extroverted - and it has become a "secret power" of mine. As an aside, you don't need CompSci or Law to become an entrepreneur. If you want to be a non-web oriented engineer - a CompSci program would be heavily useful. A web engineer can get entry with a head full of knowledge, projects, and a good "code school". Edit I realized how disjoint each sentence is, but hopefully it helps.

Awesome thanks. I agree there's definitely some interesting possibilities between law and tech especially in regulatory research. Do you have a particular preference for undergrad v grad?

I'm a lawyer and coder. Happy to talk about that intersection and opportunities there if you'd like. My email is in my profile :)

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