What do you do for a living?

Retired since 2007 as a Sergeant in a local Sheriff's Dept. Worked the jails, not the street and preferred it that way. All the perks and none of the risks.

Prior to that, a jack of all trades. Government/non-profit research administrator for awhile. Then, briefly practiced law. Still licensed (inactive status) in CA and DC. Easy to restore both to active status but no reason to do so. Was a stock broker for awhile too. I also have a commercial driver's license which I got to in order to try out trucking as a business/occupation. That didn't last long. LOL!

Law enforcement was the job that best suited me and that I enjoyed most. It also provided me w/the quality of life and security in retirement to which I've become accustomed. ;)
 
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sgt1372 said:
Retired since 2007 as a Sergeant in a local Sheriff's Dept. Worked the jails, not the street and preferred it that way. All the perks and none of the risks.

Prior to that, a jack of all trades. Government/non-profit research administrator for awhile. Then, briefly practiced law. Still licensed (inactive status) in CA and DC. Easy to restore both to active status but no reason to do so. I also have a commercial driver's license which I got to in order to try out trucking as a business/occupation. That didn't last long. LOL!

Law enforcement was the job that best suited me and that I enjoyed most. It also provided me w/the quality of life and security in retirement to which I've become accustomed. ;)
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If you don't mind me asking...

Why did you only briefly practice law? I mean, getting that license is no small feat. Did you leave it for a different career or did you just not like practicing?

Did you go to law school? As I recall, California is the only state that does not require a law school degree before allowing one to sit for the bar.
 
JollyDeathCow said:
If you don't mind me asking...

Why did you only briefly practice law? I mean, getting that license is no small feat. Did you leave it for a different career or did you just not like practicing?

Did you go to law school? As I recall, California is the only state that does not require a law school degree before allowing one to sit for the bar.
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Before I started working, I went from one graduate school to another trying to figure out what I wanted to do w/my life.

Attended Berkeley, (AB, Social Work), SF State University (MA, Psychology), Harvard Graduate School of Education (MEd taken in lieu of an EdD) and then I graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center w/a JD.

Took the DC bar while still living there and then took the CA bar when I returned to CA. Passed both on the 1st try. Practiced just a few years in a top tier SF law firm and then a few years w/another firm. Liked law school better than the practice of law.

I was actually a "reader" (ie., grader) for the essay portion of the CA Bar Exam for many years.

My legal "specialty" was securities fraud litigation. Forgot to mention that after I quit the law, I actually tried being a stock broker for awhile. Passing the Series 7 license exam, based on my securities law training, was a breeze but working for a stock brokerage also did not appeal to me.

I then tried running a couple of small businesses (sports art & memorabilia and high end audio equipment) for a few year before I lucked out and jumped thru all the hoops to become an LEO.

Entered the Police Academy at age 46; oldest cadet in the class.

Passing the academic portion of the Academy was a breeze based on my legal training. Scored top in my class for academics. My prior training w/firearms also qualified me as top in my class in shooting. And, I was still in good enuf shape to easily pass near the top of my class in physical agility.

End of the story of my life. LOL! ;)
 
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sgt1372 said:
Before I started working, I went from one graduate school to another figure to find out what I wanted to do w/my life.

Attended Berkeley, (AB, Social Work), SF State University (MA, Psychology), Harvard Graduate School of Education (MEd taken in lieu of an EdD) and thenI graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center w/a JD.

Took the DC bar while still living there and then took the CA bar when I returned to CA. Passed both on the 1st try. Practiced just a few years in a top tier SF law firm and then a few years w/another firm. Liked law school better than the practice of law.

I was actually a "reader" (ie., grader) for the essay portion of the CA Bar Exam for many years.

My legal "specialty" was securities fraud litigation. Forgot to mention that after I quit the law, I actually tried being a stock broker for awhile. Passing the Series 7 license exam, based on my securities law training, was a breeze but working for a stock brokerage also did not appeal to me.

I then tried running a couple of small businesses (sports art & memorabilia and high end audio equipment) for a few year before I lucked out and jumped thru all the hoops to become an LEO.

Entered the Police Academy at age 46; oldest cadet in the class.

Passing the academic portion of the Academy was a breeze based on my legal training. Scored top in my class for academics. My prior training w/firearms also qualified me as top in my class in shooting. And, I was still in great shape to easily pass need the top of my class in physical agility.

End of the story of my life. LOL! ;)
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Impressive as hell! You should be our Vice President - our current one sure didn't pass the Kali Bar Exam on the 1st try. 😂 AFAIK the only three day exam in the country, and that third day damn near wiped me out mentally. GULC '94 here, magna cum. Spent a summer at Berzerkeley in 1981 while interning at PG&E - don't know how the hell you made it four full years there!
 
The Amazing Virginian said:
Impressive as hell! You should be our Vice President - our current one sure didn't pass the Kali Bar Exam on the 1st try. 😂 AFAIK the only three day exam in the country, and that third day damn near wiped me out mentally. GULC '94 here, magna cum. Spent a summer at Berzerkeley in 1981 while interning at PG&E - don't know how the hell you made it four full years there!
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Go Hoyas!

GULC '81. Not magna but did make it one the editorial board of a lesser law review.

Attended night school for 4 yrs while working as a law clerk for Wilmer Cutler & Pickering (now Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr).

My ex graduated GULC a couple yrs before me. Worked at the Comptroller of the Currency and for various law firms in SF b4 we split. We studied together for the CA bar while living in a condo at the top of Taylor St w/a view of the City; just a short walk to Masonic Auditorium to take the test.

It was right out of "The Paper Chase." She passed on the 1st try too. :)

And we have consecutive CA bar #'s. LOL! ;)

--------------------------------

BTW, I attended Berkeley during the Vietnam War, 3rd World Strike and all that nonsense.

Classes often weren't held. What a joke!
 
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sgt1372 said:
Before I started working, I went from one graduate school to another trying to figure out what I wanted to do w/my life.

Attended Berkeley, (AB, Social Work), SF State University (MA, Psychology), Harvard Graduate School of Education (MEd taken in lieu of an EdD) and then I graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center w/a JD.

Took the DC bar while still living there and then took the CA bar when I returned to CA. Passed both on the 1st try. Practiced just a few years in a top tier SF law firm and then a few years w/another firm. Liked law school better than the practice of law.

I was actually a "reader" (ie., grader) for the essay portion of the CA Bar Exam for many years.

My legal "specialty" was securities fraud litigation. Forgot to mention that after I quit the law, I actually tried being a stock broker for awhile. Passing the Series 7 license exam, based on my securities law training, was a breeze but working for a stock brokerage also did not appeal to me.

I then tried running a couple of small businesses (sports art & memorabilia and high end audio equipment) for a few year before I lucked out and jumped thru all the hoops to become an LEO.

Entered the Police Academy at age 46; oldest cadet in the class.

Passing the academic portion of the Academy was a breeze based on my legal training. Scored top in my class for academics. My prior training w/firearms also qualified me as top in my class in shooting. And, I was still in good enuf shape to easily pass near the top of my class in physical agility.

End of the story of my life. LOL! ;)
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Thanks for the reply. Your academic history is impressive ( I always figured that if I won the lottery I would quit my job and just go back to school to study whatever the hell I felt like.. just gather knowledge and perspectives... you know, after blowing millions on all the typical stuff).

I bet those cadets were begging to cheat off of you on the legal portion of the exam. I actually imagine that as a lawyer it would be frustrating to attend those classes with cadets. I used to do some work for the prosecutor's office 1/2 of everything we had to do in preliminary exams was chew out the officers for their lack of understanding in in whatever legal problem blah blah we had to let the guy go...

And yes, I absolutely loved law school too. I'm the only lawyer I know, other than you now, who says the same thing. I mean, I enjoy practicing, but Everyday in law school was like blowing my mind with some new understanding of something I thought I understood before but obviously had no idea… say, the Constitution or what a mortgage really is and how it works, or a check for that matter...

Anyway, thanks again for sharing.
 
The Amazing Virginian said:
Impressive as hell! You should be our Vice President - our current one sure didn't pass the Kali Bar Exam on the 1st try. 😂 AFAIK the only three day exam in the country, and that third day damn near wiped me out mentally. GULC '94 here, magna cum. Spent a summer at Berzerkeley in 1981 while interning at PG&E - don't know how the hell you made it four full years there!
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Yeaa but that third day is just arts n crafts lol
 
sgt1372 said:
Before I started working, I went from one graduate school to another trying to figure out what I wanted to do w/my life.

Attended Berkeley, (AB, Social Work), SF State University (MA, Psychology), Harvard Graduate School of Education (MEd taken in lieu of an EdD) and then I graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center w/a JD.

Took the DC bar while still living there and then took the CA bar when I returned to CA. Passed both on the 1st try. Practiced just a few years in a top tier SF law firm and then a few years w/another firm. Liked law school better than the practice of law.

I was actually a "reader" (ie., grader) for the essay portion of the CA Bar Exam for many years.

My legal "specialty" was securities fraud litigation. Forgot to mention that after I quit the law, I actually tried being a stock broker for awhile. Passing the Series 7 license exam, based on my securities law training, was a breeze but working for a stock brokerage also did not appeal to me.

I then tried running a couple of small businesses (sports art & memorabilia and high end audio equipment) for a few year before I lucked out and jumped thru all the hoops to become an LEO.

Entered the Police Academy at age 46; oldest cadet in the class.

Passing the academic portion of the Academy was a breeze based on my legal training. Scored top in my class for academics. My prior training w/firearms also qualified me as top in my class in shooting. And, I was still in good enuf shape to easily pass near the top of my class in physical agility.

End of the story of my life. LOL! ;)
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Anyone who changes profession beyond 40 is an inspiration. My sister (48 - don't tell her I said so), just qualified as a nurse and remains on track to qualify as a mid-wife some time in her early 50s.
 
David Lennon said:
Technician/Mechanic in the Motor Trade 26 years now and I think I'm due a change.
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I used to complain that a mechanic gets a higher hourly rate than a machinist when a machinist goes to school longer and the tools cost more. But then I changed the valvecover gaskets on a 7.3 a little while back and I was sore for a week and it all made sense.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
I used to complain that a mechanic gets a higher hourly rate than a machinist when a machinist goes to school longer and the tools cost more. But then I changed the valvecover gaskets on a 7.3 a little while back and I was sore for a week and it all made sense.
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4 years training here with college etc.
When I started at 16, carburetors were finishing and I've seen huge changes in technology and now electric cars. Endless amounts of new tools that we have to own to make your employer money and diagnostic equipment that I own to carry out "simple servicing". Think I'm due a change before I'm a dinosaur.
I have a huge respect for other trades.
 
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