Career Advice For Judicial Officer Wanting To Move To NYC?

Goal: move to NYC and make $100k+

I currently serve as a magistrate in my state. My day-to-day includes issuing arrest warrants, emergency protective orders, involuntary commitments, bail hearings, search warrants, etc. But I do NOT have a law degree. In my state, you can become a magistrate without one, but you have to go through a very rigorous certification process.

For context—there was even a judge who applied to be a magistrate in my office, and they couldn’t pass our certification exam and were let go. Most magistrates are lawyers, but some of us aren’t. Also, you cannot move into upper management/cheif magistrate without a law degree, and even then, upward mobility is extremely limited.

I’ve been a magistrate for 3 years and advanced quickly. I now train newly hired magistrates. But my job no longer serves me. I’m extremely underpaid, there’s no upward mobility, no real perks, and I feel like I’ve gotten everything I can out of it. I actually love what I do—but it’s time to move on.

The problem is… I feel stuck.

I have very unique experience as a judicial officer making legal decisions, but I cannot seem to get another job in the legal field. Before this, I was a deputy clerk in the largest court in my state—handling 1,000+ case dockets daily, working with 12+ judges… complete chaos lol.

I understand I won’t find an equivalent role without a law degree, but I can’t even land paralegal roles. A lot of these jobs require experience I technically don’t have in the way they want it.

Example: I’ve reviewed countless motions, orders, and legal documents—but I don’t draft them. I don’t have access to LexisNexis or Westlaw (my state doesn’t pay for it), so I haven’t used those systems, even though I do legal research in other ways.

I had an interview where they explained their paralegals review incoming search warrants. When they asked about my experience, I told them I literally issue search warrants—ensuring they’re legally sound, supported by probable cause, and properly scoped. My name authorizes them.

They looked confused. And eventually it turned into: “Why are you even here?”

Because from their perspective, I’m going backward.

Because, I am lol. I can’t go forward.

l've also applied multiple times over the past year to higher-level clerk roles within the NYC court system.

I've only received one interview denial letter-otherwise, it's just been complete radio silence.

I know long-term I need to go to law school. I’ve applied and been denied. Initially, I applied to part-time programs without LSAT requirements. Then I took the LSAT and scored very low (thought I did very well). I was hoping my experience and recommendations (from judges) would offset that, but it didn’t.

So I know I need to retake the LSAT.

But I’m 30, with real bills, and law school is a long-term plan. I’ve even considered getting an MLS, but it’s pointless if I’m ultimately going to law school.

At this point, I don’t know what I can realistically do in the meantime. I know I won’t be a judicial officer elsewhere, and I’ve accepted that. But I actually love the legal field—it’s all I know. I’ve been in the judicial system for 6 years and it’s my only full-time experience.

So any advice, thoughts, suggestions??? Clearly can’t be a paralegal in nyc making 70k, but I can’t even land an interview for anything to begin with.