Sex & Money: Why Compassion Matters for Lawyers
By Jeena Cho • October 16, 2014 •Writers in Residence
Editor's Note: Ms. JD is currently seeking pre-law and law school students, as well as legal professionals, to serve as its 2015 Writers in Residence! To apply for the Writers in Residence Program, please read this post and submit all of the necessary information and materials to wir@ms-jd.org by Saturday, November 1, 2014! I'm sitting with my client who is grieving the death of his wife. She died from cancer. They spent and borrowed every penny in an effort to save her life. As I sit with him, I realize how poorly law school has prepared me for this moment. I think back to my 1L…
Sex & Money: Lead with Kindness
By Jeena Cho • September 11, 2014 •Writers in Residence
Dear readers, Last month, I wrote What I Wish I Knew in My 20’s, and it was full of wonderful advice from lawyers across the country. As I reflect back on my 10+ years of law practice, I received plenty of advice - some I followed, some I ignored. Often, the advice was good and helpful. Other advice that I thought was good turned out to be bad. I wanted to share one particular piece of advice I regretted taking. When I was a baby lawyer, I was invited to sit in on a deposition with one of the managing partners…
Sex & Money: What I Wish I Knew in My 20’s
By Jeena Cho • August 03, 2014
As we get older, we gain life experience and wisdom. Often, I’ll learn something and think “gosh, why didn’t someone tell me this sooner?” This is where advice comes in handy. I asked my female lawyer friends and colleagues the following question “what advice would you give to your 20-something year old self?” I was overwhelmed by the response. It really touched my heart and I wanted to grab each bit of advice and store it inside, so I can recall it when I really need it. Here’s the advice I received from my wonderful female lawyer friends. Love, Relationships,…
Sex & Money: On Motherhood - for Those Who are Unsure
By Jeena Cho • June 02, 2014
Dear Readers, it’s hard to believe but I’m already half way through the year long journey as Resident Writer here at Ms. JD. This passing of time, which only seems to go by faster as I get older makes me pause and consider this question of entering motherhood. I remember all throughout my 20’s, the conversation was always around birth control. Not wanting to get pregnant before I was “ready.” Now that I’m in my mid 30’s, the conversation has shifted and there’s a sense of urgency. This question to have or not have children is becoming ever more complicated…
Sex & Money: Going Back to School from Full Time Employment
By Jeena Cho • April 21, 2014 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law
A reader sent me a Tweet and asked what financial advice I had for returning to law school from full-time employment. She provided the following details about her current financial situation and I went to work crunching numbers. You can see my master spreadsheet here. Current Financial Situation Annual Income: $45,000 (Net: $31,800) Employer 401(k) match: 5% Potential salary increase: 5% per year Current student loan: $5,900 at 6.55% interest Credit card: $2,600 at various interest The reader wants to stay in her current field - disability and health law in public interest. Her expected income with a JD? $60,000 with…
Sex & Money: Fail, Fail, Fail. Rinse and Repeat
By Jeena Cho • April 01, 2014 •Writers in Residence
In talking about sex and money, a common theme that comes up often is failing or the sense of being a "failure." This comes up in the context of being good enough - being a good enough mom, being a good enough lawyer, being a good enough wife, the list goes on. When I work with my clients, there's a lot of shame, guilt and embarrassment around debt, as well as personal finances. For most of my life, I was completely focused on being successful. I expected nothing short of perfection from myself. If I didn't get an A, if…
Sex & Money: Getting to Zero - Fighting Student Loan Debt
By Jeena Cho • March 02, 2014 •Writers in Residence
As a bankruptcy lawyer, I’ve worked with hundreds of people in helping them get out of debt. Recently, I’ve seen more recent grads coming into my office with six-figure student loan debt. Oftentimes, when I meet with recent grads, they’re in full freak out mode. The $120,000 loan may as well be $1,200,000 because it’s all scary and overwhelming. The fear leads to increased stress and anxiety. When we’re in stressful situations, our body responds by releasing stress hormones, which prepares our body for flight or fight response. The response is great if you’re being attacked by a saber-tooth tiger…
Sex & Money: What I Wish I had Learned About Money at 17
By Jeena Cho • January 31, 2014 •Writers in Residence
Recently, I taught a CLE on discharging student loans in bankruptcy. As I prepared for the class, I realized that the thing I wish I had known was how challenging it would be to get out from under student loan debt. When I started college at 17, it felt as though money was this abstract thing that was promised at the end of law school. The price of admission was 7 years of really hard work and 6-figure debt. It seemed obvious - of course, I would take on the debt. Of course, I would succeed. Of course, I would…