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FARB-FinAudRegB
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I have a bachelor's degree in accounting with currently 124 college credit hours. I like accounting. I presently tutor accounting at the college I graduated from and have every intention of doing whatever it takes to pass the rest of my CPA exam.
I also like American law and want to become a lawyer. Since I hear that the CPA exam is more difficult (or equivocally difficult) than the bar exam (in the state I live in - Michigan), I want to pass both exams. That is to say, if I can pass the CPA exam, then I can pass the bar exam. I would like to be pass both; I want both licenses. I am aiming to be both a professionally certified accountant and a professionally certified lawyer.
Being a CPA comes first (or at least passing the remaining parts of the CPA exam) since I am closer to getting that done. The lawyer part I am much more fuzzy on. My role models, Tim Gearty and Peter Olinto of Becker CPA Review, are both CPAs and JDs. It was different back then for them in their respective states because of different set of states laws and rules that they had to abide by to get their certifications... I think, maybe. (wasn't it? how did those two go about getting both certifications? They had to deal with different rules than I will be having to deal with.)
Nowadays (since about 2001), in Michigan where I live, CPA candidates must have 150 college credit hours and a year's worth of work experience under a CPA at a PCAOB-designated CPA firm, in addition to passing all four parts of the exam. (Before 2001, the 150 college credit rule and the year's work experience requirement did not exist, I believe.) The CPA firms around the Detroit, Michigan area don't take me seriously when I say that I don't have my 150. If I pass the four sections of the CPA exam but don't have my 150, they still would not take me seriously. That means that they won't hire me, which means that I won't get that required work experience out of the way. If I start going to law school and finally get my 150, will they want to hire me? What do you think? Or should I get my law degree, pass the bar exam, then work for the CPA firm? What are my prospects? How is this possible? Do you know any CPAs and JDs personally who have attained both certifications within the past 8 years? If so, how did they do with the 150 and work experience requirement to deal with?
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CPA Exam: Won Series 4-1
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nic4747
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| Posted: 26 Jul 2009 at 10:02 | IP Logged
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I think CPA firms will take you very seriously if you pass all the CPA exams but don't have your 150.
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FAR - Oct 2008 - Pass
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BEC - Jan 2009 - Pass
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FARB-FinAudRegB
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| Posted: 26 Jul 2009 at 12:39 | IP Logged
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I'm skeptical about that since hearing about the conversation my dad had with his contact/acquaintance who is a CPA at a CPA firm. A month ago, my dad casually told this contact that I passed the FAR part of the CPA exam, my first of four parts of the CPA exam. The ensuing question was whether I had my 150, for the purpose of discussing the possibility of hiring me. Since the answer was no, the conversation ceased.
Once I pass all four sections of the CPA exam, do you think this CPA contact would still have that resolve?
I suppose that I could try to put together a string of internships that accumulate to the one year's work experience. Is it possible to do that?
How do you think CPA firms would react to the idea that I would be going to law school to get my 150?
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nic4747
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I would downplay the whole going to law school thing. Lawyers make way more money then accountants and most people would probably assume you are going to bail once you get your law degree.
Some people do place a huge importance on the 150 hours, your dad's friend being an example. But I promise that the vast majority of recruiters value passing the CPA exam more than getting the 150 hours. After all, the exam is the hard part, getting the extra credit hours is relatively easy.
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FAR - Oct 2008 - Pass
REG - Nov 2008 - Pass
AUD - Jan 2009 - Pass
BEC - Jan 2009 - Pass
Using Wiley book and software
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vicky
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| Posted: 26 Jul 2009 at 15:19 | IP Logged
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A CPA firm will most likely take your interest in a future career as a CPA more seriously if you don't embark on the JD journey. Law school is a very expensive alternative to rack up additional credits. Lawyers get paid better than CPA's. As a recruiter in a CPA firm I would not take you seriously, knowing that you would bail asap or too busy with the bar exam after a little while. You probably have not started your career yet. Get some work experience and a CPA under your belt and then think about a JD after a few years.
I would not take the reaction of your dad's acquaintance too seriously. My interpretation is that the 150 hour only was not the killer but he probably thought you had just started with all of it and you may still be a year or two away from getting ready. If you had passed all four exams, I think the reaction would have been different. Getting a bunch of credits cleared away online is easy and cheap.
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Topic: I want to be CPA and JD & need advice
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