Law degrees and horse racing?

[Merlinsky]

A horse crazy friend of mine has been accepted into law school but is having pangs. She wants to be involved with Thoroughbred racing, breeding,etc., has been obsessively following it for years now and studying pedigrees. She's really torn about whether waiting three years to get into the industry while suffering through the rigors of law school will be worth it. How useful is a law degree in the sport and what would you say are the most interesting opportunities for someone with a law degree (legal and non-legal)?

[Buffymommy]

Lots and lots of lawsuits are in horseracing....

Seriously, there are lawyers who specialize in equine activities. I will see if I can get more info for you.

[Riot]

Plenty of lawyers here in Lexington, specializing in equine law (externship opportunity for her?) - lots of rewarding potential there, I think.

[MisterB]

If you want to study horse flesh, go to Cornell.

[jman5581]

There are law firms with Equine practice groups... here's one for example..

http://www.skofirm.com/group-equine....0623638858c4da

[Riot]

Tell the horse crazy friend that in three years, she can be a lawyer who wants to get involved in the horse industry; or she can be just another person who wants to get involved in the horse industry.

The three years are going to pass in spite of whatever decision she makes - and three years passes rather quickly, too.

What can she do during those three years to best optimize her chances of developing a marketable skill that will gain her entry, valuable to someone within the industry that would wish to hire her?

Lawyers can still be gallop girls and grooms, if they so choose.

[jman5581]

Originally Posted by Riot

Lawyers can still be gallop girls and grooms, if they so choose.

Highly indebted ones... unless law school is free...

[Riot]

Defer, defer, defer that repayment ....

Best bet would be to go to the University of Louisville of St. Johns at night and work at Churchill Downs or Belmont in the mornings. U of L is literally right next to Churchill Downs. Less than 1 mile.

Experience is everything in the horse business, so if she thinks a law degree will be useful as a stock agent she is wrong. The law degree is something to fall back on, but is completely useless for somebody that wants to get involved in the stock business.

The big equine firms are Stoll and I belive Miller Griffin and Marks.

http://www.kentuckylaw.com/index.php?b=equine_law

[cloud_break]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

A horse crazy friend of mine has been accepted into law school but is having pangs. She wants to be involved with Thoroughbred racing, breeding,etc., has been obsessively following it for years now and studying pedigrees. She's really torn about whether waiting three years to get into the industry while suffering through the rigors of law school will be worth it. How useful is a law degree in the sport and what would you say are the most interesting opportunities for someone with a law degree (legal and non-legal)?

FWIW, I have a law degree, and much prefer the horse business. You can look at all the equine practice groups you want, fact is, you're still putting in 60 hrs a week at the office, not the track or farm.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by cloud_break

FWIW, I have a law degree, and much prefer the horse business. You can look at all the equine practice groups you want, fact is, you're still putting in 60 hrs a week at the office, not the track or farm.

See I keep hearing that oh a law degree can be really useful and that you don't have to be a lawyer but if you aren't, what can you be?

[satan's twin]

I parlayed my law degree into a wide circle of degenerate friends at Arlington Park who are quite anxious to give bad racing tips in exchange for very mediocre legal advice. Three years of my misspent youth wasted on a degree that could have been better served pursuing a more honorable and nobler profession, like handicapping.

[jman5581]

Originally Posted by cloud_break

FWIW, I have a law degree, and much prefer the horse business. You can look at all the equine practice groups you want, fact is, you're still putting in 60 hrs a week at the office, not the track or farm.

I think anyone considering law school should know that this is what most lawyers do. Because they sure don't make that big a deal of it while you're in law school. Although it's not really new news....most lawyers make good money for a reason. It takes smarts and determination. Law school takes determination...just to make a C.

[todko]

Gotta be a booming business defending trainers with "false positives" on drug tests. Think of the billing hours on that one . . .

On a more optimistic note . . . it's a huge industry . . . and any huge industry has need for counsel. Opportunities for counsel in buying horses, racetrack liability, insurance . . . you name it. Other barristers may send you work when their wealthy clients wish to embark on a ownership adventure.