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The Dirty Truth About Trade School Versus Law School | The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

2025-01-23 Entertainment
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Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe
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Description

Have you heard the one about the jailhouse lawyer with a law degree from Yale and a trade school diploma from Lincoln Technical College? The same jailhouse lawyer who went on to launch a networking platform that elevates the skilled trades and connects workers and employers all over the country? The former jailhouse lawyer in question is Darnell Epps, and if you’re not intrigued by the trajectory of his career path or the ambitious goals of his unique enterprise, perhaps you’ll be curious about the circumstances that led to a seventeen year sentence in a maximum security jail before he decided to close America's skills gap. #podcast #story #skills Subscribe to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/@therealmikerowe/videos If you like me, and even if you don't, follow me. Much obliged. http://instagr.am/mikerowe/ http://fb.me/TheRealMikeRowe http://twttr.com/mikeroweworks 00:00 Meeting Darnell 05:31 How Darnell became incarcerated 17:09 Becoming an inmate law clerk 29:52 Getting parole 44:59 Going to law school 50:21 Being exposed to the skills gap 56:48 Creating the app for workers, Thurgood

Top Comments (10)

@fearthehoneybadger 2025-01-23

A lawyer calls a plumber to fix a broken pipe. After an hour, he finished, he presents a 600 dollar bill to the lawyer. The guy exclaims, "I'm a lawyer and I only make 200 dollars an hour. The plumber says, "Yeah. That's all I made when I was a lawyer."

103 11 replies
@adamthornton9658 2025-01-24

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I think that was the fewest words I have ever heard Mike Rowe say in an hour. Great work bringing such an inspiring story to the world. I for one, loved every moment. Keep up the wonderful work!

78 2 replies
@richardmourdock2719 2025-01-24

Wow. Wow... Wow. I'll bet Mike introduces Darnell to Kris inglestadt... the lady from Vegas who has an endowment that funds efforts to get people into the workforce. A truly incredible story. I wish I could hit the like button ten times.

36
@bobthemagicmoose 2025-01-23

Before watching the video I'll say this: I worked in "big law" and there are a few things people don't realize about the legal profession: (1) Most people that go to law school don't make the "big law" salaries. (2) Those big salaries have almost no benefits (skimpy 401k, skimpy bonuses, expensive healthcare), (3) those big law jobs require at least ~40 hours a week of billable time for 50 weeks - all the extra time (emails etc.) not on the clock doesn't count so you really need to put in around 60 hours a week. (4) it's a pyramid - few people make it past senior associate and they will kinda force you out if you don't make it.

35 1 replies
@tommynikon2283 2025-01-28

THIS…..THIS story deserves a much bigger audience; a dropout, to Yale, ten years+ in jail= INSANE. Mike Rowe- thank you.

27
@MrBobconner1952 2025-01-24

Mr. Darnell Epps is one quality human being. This was an excellent interview. Thanks

23
@lifemasterkris1865 2025-01-23

I wouldn’t be shocked if I found out that my plumber makes more than my dentist.

22 1 replies
@johnanderson4174 2025-01-24

What an amazing guest and story! Hope for our future in this great country is being restored.

18
@AR-gn9iw 2025-01-27

Darnell had no notes. All impromptu. Amazing interview. No probing questions necessary.

13
@RumSpence 2025-02-07

I went to school to be an aircraft mechanic. I did that a few places for a few years, then installed electronic tolling, then fixed medical equipment, then worked for the railroad, then back to aircraft, then forklifts, then cell towers, then back to aircraft and now aircraft in Hawaii. Skills pay bills

7

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