AboutSally A. Kane Expertise As a recent law school graduate who excelled in law school, I can answer questions regarding the law school experience including preparing for and applying to law school, excelling in law school, law review, legal writing tips, the law school curriculum, exam success, financing law school, balancing work and school, clerkships and externships, job interviewing and more. I do not answer homework questions.
Experience I have thirteen years’ experience in the legal field, ten as a litigation paralegal and three as a corporate attorney. During law school, I juggled many priorities including a full time job, law school and a newborn baby. In law school I served as a law review editor, wrote for student publications and completed two externships, one with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and one with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Publications I have published law and career related articles in a variety of publications including Legal Assistant Today, The Legal Intelligencer, Juris and The Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting.
Education/Credentials I possess a B.A. in Writing from Edinboro University, a Paralegal Certificate from Duquesne University and a J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law.
Question Hi. I just saw this site and it is wonderful! I have read through a lot of your previous posts. This is my situation and I was hoping you could help me out. I want to have a special agent position with a federal law enforcement agency. The ideal agency that I would love to be apart of is the FBI. I don't HATE accounting, but neither can I say that I love it either. I will test (and hopefully pass) my CPA very soon. That is for sure. However, the steps after that is where I need advice. (Option #1) I know that if I have a JD degree and a CPA, then i KNOW for SURE that these federal agencies will hire me in a heartbeat. However that is an easy 5 years (LSAT test and getting in school) and a load of debt. I could then work for the government and even after I retire, I could still work a few hours with my degrees and experiences. Its a very valuable option. (Option #2) The other option is that after I finish my CPA, I study a foreign language while working at a local Police Department. If I have my CPA and a foreign language and some work experience as either an auditor or as a police officer, I'm sure that I could get in. This option doesn't "guarantee" a position like the way option #2 would, but it is easier in my opinion.
Bottom line? I love the physical aspect of Law Enforcement. I am a very active person. But I also have brains! (and I don't want to waste them). I think that federal law enforcement will allow me to combine my brains AND my desire for physical activity. The only REAL problem that I have with Option #1 is that after I get hired as a special agent, I do NOT want to be stuck just doing paperwork. I want to deal with people! (make raids, deal with criminals). Your thoughts? I can barely wait to see what you will reply! (I'll take anything haha)Thank you so much!
Answer Dear Stephan,
If you are merely using law school as a potential stepping stone to FBI employment and if you are an active person who loves the physical aspects of a job, then you may not find law school very personally rewarding. Law school is quite expensive and time-intensive and does not offer many physical challenges. Moreover, I wouldn’t want you to waste your time, money and energy in law school only to land a job as a “paper-pusher”.
FBI Special Agent candidates must qualify under one or more of four entrance programs: Law, Accounting, Language, and Diversified. Since you will soon have your CPA, you already qualify for the FBI’s accounting program. If you have any work experience, you may qualify for the diversified program as well. Studying a foreign language may make you a more competitive candidate for a special agent position as well.
In sum, I think there are easier, less costly and time-consuming ways than law school to land your dream job as a special agent. I would recommend applying to the FBI after you pass your CPA or gaining some work experience and/or studying a foreign language and then applying to the special agent position. If you are unable to secure a special agent job through any of these routes, you might consider law school as a last resort.
