[joonix]

No, you won't make partner. Nobody does anymore. It's more risky to go to law school with hopes of being partner than to join a startup.

You should factor in quality of life, predictability of work hours and number of them, hourly billing requirements, quality of people you will work with (shitty), job security (shitty), and debt ($240k+ at high interest rates!).

IP is hot right now, but it might not be in a few years, and demand for your technical background may wane. Software patents are shaky anyways.

Don't ruin your life. If you absolutely want something else, why not try a top MBA? Technical expertise may help you.

I'm a newly minted lawyer who wishes he went the programming (or maybe IT) route.