to get a law degree or not?

Question

Hello,
I graduated from college in Dec 06 with a Bus-Finance degree. I got a job in the field a semester before I graduated. I absolutely hated it!! But I was so far into it I just wanted to finish and get out!! (stupid idea by the way). However, I did meet my soon to be husband in the program :)So there is a plus to the story.
After I graduated I got a job as a counselor/advisor for a local college. And I really like it. Anyway I definitely would like to continue my education and do a masters and eventually a Ph.D. So naturally I thought about doing a masters in counseling to continue my career in college counseling. Now I have a dilemma...we are going to move to Spain in a few years. We love the lifestyle there. But they don't have counselors/advisors at the colleges/high schools there. That position doesn't even exist. (boyfriend's from there).
So I had to reconsider that.

Then I thought about teaching: teaching ESL. I could do that both here and abroad. Now I don't know if that's a "good" degree to have. I would like to do something I can also be successful in.
Then I thought about law: specifically immigration law. Because I really like to work foreigners, different cultures etc...But then how would a law degree transfer from here to Spain? And what kind of law can I practice when the immigration laws are different.
I do not want to do corporate law! So anyway I am so lost. I have taken a year off to figure out what I want to do. But I'm lost. Any ideas or suggestions based on personal experience?? I am a bit scared because I already did a degree I am not using so I don't want the cycle to repeat! Because I was miserable doing the business degree. I SHOULD HAVE changed my major!!! UGH! :(
Thank you greatly for all you responses!!!

Answer 1

Exposure to other cultures is a minor part of practicing immigration law. The culture you'll gain the most familiarity with is the immigration service, and while a lot of the individual officials are nice, the department as a whole is the poster child for bureaucratic nonsense. As you suspect, it's also not a job you can take overseas with you. If you really want to help people abroad, consider something Foreign Service or nonprofit-related instead.

Answer 2

What has all this to do with getting a law degree? You already have a first degree, you can do a PhD in any discipline, any subject, providing you can find a univ and supervisor who will be interested in your research. There are plenty of opprtuntiies for doctorate research in the field of counselling, so choose something you are really interesed in. Try to formulate some relevant question sthat you would like to address in your research. I wish you well, doctorate research is challenging and inspiring and completely worthwhile.

Answer 3

If there's an International high school where you want to move, they probably have a college counselor.
I know some people with law degrees who teach ESL to lawyers. And people with PhDs who do any number of jobs.
Do the degree you want and get the job you want; they don't have to be related at all (as you've seen).

Answer 4

Foreign law degrees have limited applicability in the US. I would find out if the state in which you live allows you to sit for a bar exam when your degree is from a foreign university.

Keep in mind that Spain is a "Civil Law" country with a completely different legal structure from ours.

Answer 5

Well my degree is in law now and I have worked in the legal field for years now. It is a tough field. I am debating completing law school or not. It is a tough quest, but I think you just have to stick to your goals and follow the road that is best for you.

Answer 6

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