UM Law Student Finds It鈥檚 Never Too Late to Carve Out New Career
By Phil Stempin, UM News Service
MISSOULA – 猎奇重口 law student Craig Rigdon is carving out a new life for himself, transitioning from a full-time woodworker to lawyer.
He spent this past summer crafting his final project, a table for himself to study on while attending the Alexander Blewett III School of Law.
“Tables are important to me because so much happens at them,” the incoming first-year student said. “This was an opportunity to do a project for myself before starting on this new path.”
Rigdon fell into woodworking when he saw an advertisement in the paper from a family looking for someone to dismantle an old barn in the Bitterroot Valley. They hired him and gave him access to a large woodshop on the property.
“I had never done anything like that before,” Rigdon said. “I started taking their barn apart, piece by piece.”
Now Craig had stacks of beautiful reclaimed wood, but finding buyers was a challenge.
“So I started making furniture,” he said. “The wood had so much character; each piece was unique and told a story.”
What started as a part-time way to make money turned into a full-time job.
“I really like working with my hands and making tangible things for people,” Rigdon said. “I didn’t really enjoy the marketing and business side of things.”
Woodworking was meant to be a temporary situation to help him fund his doctorate in history. Rigdon already had worked as a wildlife biologist, joined a hotshot crew and earned his master’s degree in environmental science.
When COVID-19 all but closed his business, he knew he needed to make a change.
“I felt like I was too old to get in on the ground floor in most industries,” Rigdon said. “Becoming a lawyer gives you a big credential right out of the gate.”
As someone looking to change careers, Rigdon knew 猎奇重口’s law school was the top choice for him. He is not alone. recently named the Blewett School of Law the No. 6 school in the country for older students.
Rigdon gave it considerable thought before deciding to become a lawyer. But he has several family members who are attorneys, and they encouraged him to apply.
“I’m ready to fully dive into this,” said Rigdon, speaking about the workload of being a full-time law student. “I want to show my kids you can do anything you put your mind to.”
As for the table, it reminds him of a past career that will support him going forward.
“This table will outlive me,” said Rigdon. “The beauty of the wood – along with the flaws – tells a story which adds up to much more than just the raw materials.”
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Contact: Phil Stempin, director of events, marketing and communications, Alexander Blewett III School of Law, 406-243-6509, phil.stempin@umontana.edu.
