While the legal profession is traditionally viewed as one you enter straight out of university, a powerful wave of latecomers is breaking the mould, demonstrating that passion and purpose have no age limits when it comes to pursuing a career in law.
In a profession traditionally dominated by fresh-faced graduates moving straight from university into legal roles, a quiet revolution is unfolding as more individuals break the mould to pursue a legal career later in life.
Ruth Beran, national career strategist at the College of Law, revealed that around 50 per cent of the students and graduates they see in career consultations are “later law graduates”, amounting to over 300 individuals each year.
Speaking with Lawyers Weekly, four professionals who transitioned into law after careers as professional athletes, award-winning journalists, healthcare professionals, and career counsellors share their journeys, offering a refreshing and insightful perspective on what it means to pursue a legal path later in life.
The motivation to switch
Michael Wells enjoyed a decade-long career as a professional rugby union player, earning captaincy honours and the pride of representing Australia, before fully immersing himself in the legal profession.
For the former athlete, pursuing law was always part of the bigger picture – a goal on the horizon, just not one he was ready to pursue immediately.
“The pursuit of a legal career was always on foot, whilst I was a professional athlete. I don’t think there was a turning point that led me to leap, there was always going to be a time when sport finished and a move into a separate career was inevitably going to occur,” Wells said.
“The turning point was the realisation that the opportunity cost of another year in sport, as opposed to making the transition into a vocation in law, was becoming too significant.”
For Naomi Shivaraman, the journey into law was sparked by a longstanding fascination with the legal system, cultivated through her extensive experience covering high-stakes investigative journalism for major outlets like 60 Minutes and Channel 7.
“I was an award-winning journalist and producer for 25 years in news and current affairs, mainly at 60 Minutes and Channel 7,” Shivaraman said.
“Large aspects of my role involved covering court matters. I always found the legal industry and strategy involved intriguing and was fortunate to follow cases from a media perspective, and routinely dealt with a variety of plaintiffs, defendants, accused, victims, and complainants.”
Before embarking on a distinguished 25-year legal career, John Kormanik built a strong foundation within the American healthcare system, thriving in demanding hospital environments and leading large teams.
“Before law school, my profession was as a respiratory therapist. From 1986 to 1993, I steadily moved up the ranks and was, at the time I decided to switch careers, a supervisor in charge of a 40-member team,” Kormanik said.
“I continued my hands-on work in the Level 1 trauma unit of a major metropolitan medical centre and was also in charge of the pediatric intensive care team.”
When his daughter was born, Kormanik became acutely aware of how his demanding job was encroaching on precious family time, prompting him to start a new chapter as a lawyer despite the financial pressures of a mortgage and a newborn.
“The thing was, my daughter was born in 1993, and as time moved on, I was less able to leave my work at work and saw my healthy daughter suffering from all sorts of maladies. I didn’t want to live that existence,” Kormanik said.
“So, one day I told my wife I wanted to change careers and go to law school. She supported me in doing so even though we had a house, a mortgage, and a baby. I took the leap in spite of my/our fears.”
For Jason Rickersey, although he spent time working as a career counsellor, becoming a lawyer was a lifelong ambition – one he patiently waited to pursue until the time felt right.
“For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to study law. Something about it just appealed to me. But when I first applied for the course during high school, I didn’t get in,” Rickersey said.
“Later in life, I happened to be working at Murdoch University. After a few years working there, I felt I was capable of doing more. I also felt that it was the right time to pursue my goal of completing a law degree.”
Navigating law school as a mature-age student
Starting law school is challenging at any age, but mature students often face additional complexities balancing life, work, and study.
Beran shared that a 2023 study by COL found that those over the age of 30 entering the legal profession reported that the most significant challenges they faced included “balancing work and personal life, having to adapt to changes in the legal profession over a longer period of time, and the potential disadvantages of being older”.
Already employed at the university where he was completing his law degree, Rickersey expressed how he enjoyed some “logistical” advantages – but he was quick to acknowledge the sacrifices involved.
“I was fortunate that I was already working at the university where I was studying, so that made things easier logistically,” Rickersey said.
“That said, I still had to put the work in. This meant spending a lot of time on weekends studying and doing assignments – time I used to spend on hobbies and things like going to the beach.”
To navigate the challenges of being a mature-age student surrounded by younger peers, Rickersey emphasised the importance of focusing on personal progress rather than comparisons.
“I didn’t compare myself to them either, as everyone is on a different journey. That helped me focus on my studies. I also found having a full-time job was good, as it gave me something to think about when I wasn’t studying. Similarly, studying was a good way of taking my mind off work,” Rickersey said.
For Kormanik, his maturity set him apart from his peers and proved to be a valuable asset rather than a hindrance during his time in law school.
“I believe I was much better off as a mature-age student in law school. Perhaps one of the benefits was my previous profession. At the end of the day, I knew no one was going to die in law school. The professors were human beings too, and they didn’t intimidate me,” Kormanik said.
Drawing on his previous professional experience, Kormanik approached university like a full-time job, a mindset that helped him balance his studies with family life and fully embrace both roles.
“I also was able to treat law school and my studies as a job. I arrived on campus at 7am and left at 5pm. When I was home, I was a husband, father, dog walker, landscaper, etc,” Kormanik said.
“My studies were important; my family was important. By treating law school like a job, I was able to have the best of both worlds; I did quite well in school (better than my goal) and was able to experience the joys of family life.”
Now in her final year of law school, Shivaraman has balanced the demands of a full-time media career with her legal studies, admitting there were times she felt like the oldest person in the room – but she never let that hold her back.
“I started my law degree whilst working in a full-time role as a producer/journalist at 60 Minutes. The first two years of university were tough, especially getting accustomed to academic essays and research,” Shivaraman said.
“I had moments of feeling like the oldest student in the class, but it also led to developing lovely friendships. With many of these new friends being straight out of high school, they offered helpful suggestions in navigating student life. Age is just a number!”
Wells’ path into law was unconventional, shaped by his athletic career, which meant he missed out on the “stereotypical university or law school interactions”, and completed his PLT during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although he didn’t have the traditional mature-age student experience, Wells openly shared the challenge of accepting that his age doesn’t always align with the legal expertise of his peers.
“Given my insatiable desire for perfection and my competitiveness, a by-product of my sporting career, it is at times difficult to accept that my age isn’t necessarily indicative of my legal experience,” Wells said.
Overcoming challenges in entering law later in life
Entering the legal profession later in life brings challenges, ranging from fierce competition and financial pressures to age-related biases and a lack of traditional networks.
One of the most significant and daunting challenges Shivaraman faced in her journey into law was the judgment she encountered from legal recruiters who questioned her suitability due to her unconventional career path.
“The judgment from legal recruiters at transitioning from another career. When I was trying to get a foot in the door, I was scoffed at by some legal recruiters and was unsuccessful with some applications to some large firms. I think that my age was perceived as a barrier to entry, but mainly to the narrow-minded,” Shivarman said.
Kormanik shared that the biggest challenge for him was the financial strain of completing law school while also supporting a family – a responsibility many of his peers didn’t share.
“Law school is not inexpensive. I accumulated debt. As I mentioned, I had a family to support and nurture. The challenge was to follow my passion and not be driven by money,” Kormanik said.
As an older law student, Wells pointed out the lack of access to early clerkships and graduate opportunities, key experiences that many younger graduates benefit from, which can make it harder for mature-age students to get their” foot in the door of the legal profession”.
For Rickersey, one of the biggest hurdles he faced was navigating graduate program applications, which often included outdated or irrelevant questions that didn’t reflect his stage in life.
“I found some online graduate program applications challenging. The recruitment processes were fine, but they asked things like which high school I went to,” Rickersey said.
“For me, high school was no longer relevant and not something I put on my résumé. I still did these applications, though, as I was determined to get into the legal sector. So, I adopted the mindset of doing what was needed to get my foot in the door.”
When advising mature-age students on how to overcome the challenges they face, Beran emphasised the importance of recognising the transferable skills they already possess, as these can equip them to thrive in the legal profession.
“I often suggest that ‘later to law’ lawyers consider what transferable skills they have that are useful in legal settings. For example, a nurse [who] is making a career change can highlight skills like communication, teamwork, ability to deal under pressure etc,” Beran said.
“It is worth considering what value the ‘later to law’ profession can add to an organisation. For example, if the student/graduate is skilled in IT, are there ways to work in the firm as a consultant in IT while getting supervision in law?”
Perceptions and misperceptions: Age as an advantage or disadvantage?
Wells acknowledged the disadvantage of entering the legal profession later in life, particularly when he compares his current position to that of his peers of the same age who began their legal careers immediately after university.
“Yes, in terms of where they are now. There are people I would have gone to school with, started university with, who are on the partnership track or senior associates, barristers, and the like,” Wells said.
While he admits it’s natural to compare his path to those who followed the traditional route, Wells considers himself incredibly fortunate to have gained the career and unique experiences he did as a professional rugby union player.
“There is always that level of comparison, but there is also a realisation that the grass is not always greener. I had an incredibly fortunate sporting career, allowing me to travel the world, which exposed me to experiences and people I never would have met if I remained siloed in a legal career and the stereotypical university process and transition into a career,” Wells said.
“More importantly, I was able to gain life lessons and interpersonal skills that others may not have got; these skills, whilst now evident to all, are highly valuable in a commercial sense and client relations.”
While initially unfazed, Rickersey soon came to appreciate just how competitive the legal job market can be for graduates trying to break into the profession.
“I didn’t feel one way or the other about this. But then I realised that there are a lot of law students and grads competing for a finite number of jobs. Law is a very popular course, which makes getting a job competitive. That’s not a bad thing, though – just something to be aware of,” Rickersey said.
He noted that students who progress straight from high school into university and then into legal careers often have a structural advantage.
“Plus, school leavers and others who go from university straight to the legal profession are more likely to be able to work part-time and study full-time,” Rickersey said.
“This means it’s easier for them to get legal work experience while studying. So, they can often start their legal career sooner – and with legal experience – than someone with other commitments.”
Shivaraman encountered misconceptions from legal recruiters, who she felt were limited by a narrow view of what makes someone a good fit for a law firm. Despite not following the traditional pathway into law, she emphasised the unique strengths her previous career brings.
“Mainly, I felt from my dealings with legal recruiters, there was a misconception that I would not suit the law firm environment as I didn’t follow the conventional path,” Shivarman said.
“However, the main advantage of having an earlier career is that you’ve already established a work ethic, communications skills, and have the life experience to be able to work with clients who are going through hugely stressful times.”
In contrast, Kormanik’s experience was quite the opposite – he found that his maturity was viewed as a distinct advantage by those within the legal circles he was entering.
“Absolutely not. I thought the perception, at least in the circles in which I was seeking employment – state appellate courts and federal district courts – viewed my maturity as a bonus. I was more likely to be trustworthy and have a world-view shaped by having experienced ‘real life’,” Kormanik said.
Advice for others
Rickersey encourages anyone considering a career in law later in life to take the plunge and fully commit – but he also offers a candid reminder about the sacrifices involved, especially in terms of free time.
“If you want to make a career change to law later in life, go for it. You often have a better idea of who you are once you’ve got some life experience. This means you tend to choose things you want to do, not things you feel you should do,” Rickersey said.
“Just be prepared to allocate free time – that you would normally have spent with family or doing hobbies – to study. When you finish, you’ll end up with a great skill set that is valued by many employers.”
While many may want to complete their law degree quickly to make up for lost time, Rickersey recommends studying part-time to allow for essential time to “reset via exercise, socialising and spending time with family and friends”.
He added: “On a lighter note, working in a law firm is nothing like Suits (one of my favourite TV shows by the way). Paralegals don’t get private offices, you’re not running all over town on your own meeting clients and making deals, and a Harvey Spectre-type isn’t going to cover for you if you mess up!”
Drawing from his journey, Wells emphasised that transitioning into law requires patience and a relentless drive for excellence, cautioning against expecting to become an expert overnight.
“You don’t make the transition expecting to be an expert on day one, but you shouldn’t make the transition on the basis that you don’t want to be an expert,” Wells said.
“It is the desire to pursue perfection and achieve excellence that should spur a career transition into law; without such motivation, it is hard to justify the necessary sacrifices and time constraints that are inherent to a legal career.”
Wells also advised the importance of having a “compassionate and accommodating support system, be that family or friends” for those starting a legal career later in life, noting that “transitions are difficult and the later in life you are, the more competing demands there are”.
Shivaraman urged mature-age law students to believe that achieving a legal career later in life is entirely possible, stressing the need for exceptional organisation and persistence.
“Know that it is doable and chase it if you want it. You just have to be super organised with your time. With study, you can’t afford to do the assignment the night before. Just start chipping away at it when you first receive it,” Shivaraman said.
“Also, never take no for an answer. You will be rejected, but use that to drive you more. Recognise the skills you already have and those that you cannot learn in a classroom.”
For those contemplating a mid- or late-career transition into law, Kormanik urges you to simply “do it”, sharing that “if you’re serious about making the transition into law, do not let the nay-sayers hold you back”.
