JD --> MSJ?

[AQorTwenty]

I'm a freshly-minted lawyer at a tippy-top law firm (e.g. Latham & Watkins/Kirkland & Ellis), where I work doing a niche area of corporate work with securities, tax, and corporate governance law. I enjoy certain aspects of the law, like writing and many of the topics. I've realized, however, over the course of my various legal internships and the first month of work that I probably won't last more than 3-4 years as a practitioner (at least in a big law firm). 

I've always been interested in writing, and I'm wondering if there are any good opportunities in journalism that could be had with a JD+MSJ? I'd be interested in social justice/politics/legal/investigative reporting. Is this something that I'd even need the MSJ to transition into, or could I pull this off with just a JD? For what it's worth, I already have a theoretically good potential to network in journalism. My undergrad/law school university is also one of the tippy-top j-schools. 

Thanks for your time! 

[Sigaba]

14 minutes ago, AQorTwenty said:

I'm a freshly-minted lawyer at a tippy-top law firm (e.g. Latham & Watkins/Kirkland & Ellis), where I work doing a niche area of corporate work with securities, tax, and corporate governance law. I enjoy certain aspects of the law, like writing and many of the topics. I've realized, however, over the course of my various legal internships and the first month of work that I probably won't last more than 3-4 years as a practitioner (at least in a big law firm). 

I've always been interested in writing, and I'm wondering if there are any good opportunities in journalism that could be had with a JD+MSJ? I'd be interested in social justice/politics/legal/investigative reporting. Is this something that I'd even need the MSJ to transition into, or could I pull this off with just a JD? For what it's worth, I already have a theoretically good potential to network in journalism. My undergrad/law school university is also one of the tippy-top j-schools. 

Thanks for your time! 

My $0.02.

Make as much headway (and money) in your career as you can now. Address your interests in social justice with pro bono work and (if possible) by influencing your firm's choices of interns and new hires. Mentor if you have the temperament. Develop your expertise in your areas of practice so that your knowledge will be immediately marketable. Work on your writing every chance you get -- keep physical and digital copies of your work in multiple places

In a few years, revisit your desire to branch out after you've got enough years' experience that you can easily come back if you find that the grass isn't as green as you anticipated. If you do decide to branch out, consider lateral steps in addition to a career change.

The next year or two may be especially bad for those without jobs at tippy-top firms that provide a stable source of income, health insurance, and a back breaking workload as a distraction from the suck that (I think) is coming. 

[AQorTwenty]

9 minutes ago, Sigaba said:

My $0.02.

Make as much headway (and money) in your career as you can now. Address your interests in social justice with pro bono work and (if possible) by influencing your firm's choices of interns and new hires. Mentor if you have the temperament. Develop your expertise in your areas of practice so that your knowledge will be immediately marketable. Work on your writing every chance you get -- keep physical and digital copies of your work in multiple places

In a few years, revisit your desire to branch out after you've got enough years' experience that you can easily come back if you find that the grass isn't as green as you anticipated. If you do decide to branch out, consider lateral steps in addition to a career change.

The next year or two may be especially bad for those without jobs at tippy-top firms that provide a stable source of income, health insurance, and a back breaking workload as a distraction from the suck that (I think) is coming. 

Thanks for your $0.02, Sigaba. For clarity, I don't think I'd really be planning to make the move until 2022-2023, because, quite frankly, I may never get this kind of pay again in my life. My questions are more centered around if a MSJ is necessary for me to make a jump into journalism of the type I'm talking about a few years down the road? 

[Boolakanaka]

Probably not, as to needing the degree. Just by way of example, two of the more prominent legal reporters for NPR and NYT, have no advanced journalism or even a journalism degree. See:https://www.nytimes.com/by/adam-liptak and https://www.npr.org/people/2101289/nina-totenberg