Late 40s transition to BigLaw?
I can't find similar posts that give advice on this situation, so here goes:
I'm in my late 40s, non-American, and currently working in New York as a diplomat. I've been in diplomacy for almost 20 years, and between a long time in China and the Middle East I feel like I've taken all that I can out of diplomacy, not least because I feel like I'm over the intellectual challenge, having lived in and worked on a number of tough countries and tough issues (funnily enough, countries and problems you'll be reading in the news about today.
I've always had an interest in the law - the challenge of thinking, writing, crafting an argument, representing clients, and the intellectual precision that is required. I'm aware that the application process - particularly if I have any idea of attending one of the top schools - is likely to be both difficult and costly, and of the likely impact of AI on the legal field. But all this aside, I'd be just over 48 if I began studies in 2027 - and I'm guessing that's certainly too old for such a dramatic career change?