<p>I am a current undergrad who is extremely interested in politics. I don't want to run for office or anything, but I am strongly considering becoming a political consultant & helping candidates run their campaigns. Would a law degree be valuable for me? What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Sure, a lot of politicians/political consultants have JD’s. But most started off practicing law. If you want strait politics, just hop on a campaign after graduation–make connections and transition to a staff job. The idea that the JD is versatile is a hoax. If you are not going into law, the JD is truly worthless. Now, if you have 200k to blow or want to get into debt, and hide for another 3 years…knock yourself out. If you’re dying for grad school, you’re probably better off with a masters in public policy or public administration. At least you can save a year or two in tuition, and get a more relevant degree.</p>
<p>Just taking a quick look at a lot of American politicians’ Wikipedia pages… a ton of them have JDs from the top 14. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean EVERY single one of them needs to have a law degree. It’s certainly not on the wrong track, however.</p>
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<p>A JD isn’t going to help with this. You’d be far better off spending three years working as a congressional staffer or otherwise gaining hands-on experience in the area you’re interested in consulting on.</p>
<p>kevinatrs–those who do hold a JD, 95% of the time started off practicing law. This doesn’t seem like something the OP is interested in, so the JD would make no sense then.</p>
<p>If you already have a law degree, then it’s a useful way to enter politics.</p>
<p>If you do not already have a law degree, then it’s (1) ridiculously expensive, (2) not THE BEST way to enter politics.</p>
<p>If you wanted to run for office then a JD would help a ton</p>
<p>Again, see #6.</p>
<p>It depends on what you want to do “in politics.” If you could elaborate, you may get a better answer.</p>
<p>The answer is No if you don’t plan on practicing law. Get a public policy degree instead, then work in consulting. Or a degree in theology. It doesn’t matter. You can still work in the government and build a network.</p>
<p>I agree with everyone who says that you shouldn’t splash out 200k on law school for the sole reason of getting into politics. I’m just going to allow myself to rephrase your question for you: “What degree would BEST enable me to pursue a career in politics?” The answer, as many have pointed out, is most likely public policy (since it’s also more economical). However, if you plan to practice law, with the intention of delving into politics, the law degree is definitely the smart option.</p>
<p>In conclusion, don’t get a law degree JUST to get into politics.</p>
<p>Definitely not. Public policy or look for work straight out of undergrad.</p>
<p>The answer is absolutely - no. I am very involved in politics and was the campaign manager for my local state delegate for the 2010 election. Most of my closest friends are very involved in politics. If you want to be a consultant or manage a campaign, you need to get on a campaign as soon as possible. My right hand person in the campaign was a paid intern who is a junior in college. He has met every key person in politics in the state. Politics is first and foremost about who you know. Then, it is about passion, organization and the ability to motivate others. Three years in law school would be a waste of time, will not give you any of the skills you need and will leave you 3 years behind the kids who already have several years under their belts. You should already be involved in college politics and in the local political scene. The other thing you will need to be able to do to move up through the ranks as a consultant or a manager is to relocate. You have to be able to move from election to election. There is some luck involved too. If you hitch your star to the right person early on, you can go to the top with him or her. Of course, Andrew Young is an example of that not always turning out well.</p>
<p>i think getting a job working in politics (campaigning, etc.) would prove to be more valuable than the work and money of a JD, ESPECIALLY, if you don’t actually want to be a politician.</p>
<p>An MBA would be better if you want consulting.</p>
<p>yeah don’t get a JD if you don’t want to practice law. Save yourself $200k and do something else. Honestly, I know a few people who graduated recently from my school who are already holding surprisingly influential staff positions in various Congressional offices. They don’t have JDs, just regular old Bachelors and some campaign experience.</p>