Self-Employed Analyst and Consultant on Health Care Finance and Policy

Name: Allan Baumgarten

Major: Hebrew and Urban Studies

Law School: University of Minnesota

Description of your job: Analyst and consultant on health care finance and policy. Publish annual reports analyzing health market trends and issues in nine states. Self‑employed.

Since graduating, I have generally avoided "traditional" law office practice, though I maintain my law license, participate in the Health law section of the Bar and have worked with attorneys to provide expert analysis and testimony in certain cases.

Do you have any advice for students who are considering going to the same law school you did? Sharpen your skills in research methods and writing.

If you had a chance to go through law school all over again, is there anything you would do differently? I am glad that I completed the double degree program in public affairs and law, but found that most of the responsibility for trying to integrate the two programs will fall on the student ‑ both programs encouraged me to draw connections between the two fields of study, but didn't see it as their role to make it happen.

Is being a lawyer what you expected it would be? Why or why not? I found law school to be less interesting than I expected and did not pursue traditional legal jobs when I was about to graduate. My first job was conducting program evaluation research in a legislative staff office, though I had the title of Staff Attorney and some law‑related duties. Later on, after I had started to develop expertise in health issues, I approached some local law firms about developing a consulting practice. At that time, they were not sure how to deal with the idea. Since then, several Minnesota law firms have developed health consulting groups.

Do you have any final advice? I think that a significant percentage of law school graduates will migrate into other careers within 10 years after completing school. Law school does help you with research, analysis and writing skills that are valued and valuable in other careers.