Published: August 11, 2008 01:42 am            

After graduation:

Heading into the world of law

Joey Pickstone received his bachelor’s degree in political science and business at West Virginia University in the fall of 2005.

After taking some time off to test the waters around the Pittsburgh area, Pickstone returned to West Virginia University in the summer of 2007 to pursue his MBA.

On Aug. 8, Pickstone graduated with his MBA with a concentration in general business administration. One of the most pressing issues that any student faces after completing college education is what to do next.

The most obvious of choices is to seek employment that pertains to the degree that one has earned. However, Pickstone has aspirations of even more education after having received his MBA.

After planning to take a year off after he received his second degree to work and save up money, Pickstone has intentions of applying to law school to receive a degree in corporate law. Though his sights are not set on a definite school, Pickstone says the Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh areas are frontrunners because of their opportunities and chances of receiving internships.

This journey to law school is something that Pickstone has always sought after, even when he was a young child. He attributes this to his late grandfather. His grandfather, who was a knowledgeable businessman, was passionate about his career.

Even as an undergraduate at West Virginia University, Pickstone was always on the pathway to practicing corporate law.

He studied political science with an emphasis in law and took a plethora of classes relating to the business realm. When asked why he did not just go straight to law school after his undergraduate degree, he said that he wanted as much knowledge and experience going into law school, and obtaining an MBA would give him the advantage needed to succeed better in law school.

He said applying to law schools is a “cut-throat” process. Anything that can put him ahead of the competition will better his chances of success. In addition, having an educational foundation of business and administration can only help him in the marriage of studying law and corporatism.

After completing his third degree, Pickstone hopes to practice corporate law one day in the North Atlantic region. When asked if he was worried about finding a job, which is a common concern of anyone finishing school, he said, “not really.”

With all his schooling and experience, he has no doubt that he will be able to practice law one day. His combination of integrity, focus and competitiveness will also give him an edge. Pickstone is open to the idea of starting his own law firm one day.

Going through the rigors of gaining several degrees is almost a necessity now due to the difficulty with getting a job with just a bachelor’s degree.

More and more people are going to some form of graduate school these days. To stay ahead of the competition, it is almost a requirement in many field to have some form of a post-baccalaureate degree.

        

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