Mid-career men and women professionals describe their pervasive sense of 'lateness' retraining in law. Against industry patterns of lawyers wishing to leave the profession, these individuals had chosen to assert or reassert a desire to become lawyers partway through existing careers. What cultural narratives mediate the process of making this…

Interviews with 9 women and 12 men over 40 enrolled in university revealed that job layoff was a primary motive for seeking additional qualifications or studying for a new career. Fourteen considered their layoff experience as an opportunity to redirect their lives, but it did not necessarily result in career advancement. Different external and…