Re:Ask HN: Was a dev. Became a lawyer. How do I become a dev...
by YvsXQqxkTc9KeiG on Sunday December 26, 2021 @08:35AM
(#29692255)
Recovering litigator here. I was a web dev before law school (self-taught; my degrees are all non-STEM). I'm now in data/ML engineering. It took me ~5 years to complete the transition.
Focus on Python, especially if you're interested in NLP.
If you want to get back up to speed quickly, consider a bootcamp (~2 months F/T, ~6 months P/T). There are programs focused on data science. Bonus if you can convince your firm to pay for it.
Leverage your background to position yourself as a consultant. There's lots of demand for basic data analytics tooling in the enterprise space, for example. Once you have a few projects under your belt, it shouldn't be hard to lateral.
Don't waste your time with "legal tech" unless you'd rather spend more time arguing with tech-averse lawyers than coding. There's a lot more opportunity and a lot less frustration in the general market.
Re:Ask HN: Was a dev. Became a lawyer. How do I become a dev...
by ss108 on Sunday December 26, 2021 @12:22PM
(#29694282)
Thanks for this.
Why did you decide to go into data and ML stuff? Just interest? Do you think it would have taken less time to transition to a more conventional web dev role?
Focus on Python, especially if you're interested in NLP.
If you want to get back up to speed quickly, consider a bootcamp (~2 months F/T, ~6 months P/T). There are programs focused on data science. Bonus if you can convince your firm to pay for it.
Leverage your background to position yourself as a consultant. There's lots of demand for basic data analytics tooling in the enterprise space, for example. Once you have a few projects under your belt, it shouldn't be hard to lateral.
Don't waste your time with "legal tech" unless you'd rather spend more time arguing with tech-averse lawyers than coding. There's a lot more opportunity and a lot less frustration in the general market.