Teddy Ray was approaching a milestone birthday when he began dreaming aloud about a dramatic career pivot.
“If I were 10 years younger, I think I’d go to law school,” Teddy, then a Methodist pastor and small business owner in Lexington, Kentucky, recalled telling his wife after he began reading U.S. Supreme Court decisions for fun. “I’m sure I said it a dozen times, and finally she’s like, ‘Look, you will never be 10 years younger, but God willing, you’ll be 10 years older. What do you want to do with your life?’”
In early 2021, Teddy set his sights on several top-tier law schools. In March of that year, he learned he had gotten into Yale Law at 40 years old…