Why big law?

[Patriot1208]

Ya, being an overworked and poorly paid PD sounds a lot better.

[bigben]

Seriously. I interviewed with some big firms in NYC over flyout week. Some of them were even the more palatable ones in terms of people (GDC, Paul Weiss).

But it sucked. Completely. You do mind numbing work for 5 years before they force you out.

Are there any other reasons besides paying off debt and good exit opportunities? Isn't 4-5 years a long time to hate your life?

I find myself dreading the possibility of having to work at one of these sweatshops, when I know I should just feel blessed to have any job offers.

Does big law have any redeeming qualities?

So you went on some interviews and somehow that allowed you to conclude that the work sucks?

[Anonymous User]

Seriously. I interviewed with some big firms in NYC over flyout week. Some of them were even the more palatable ones in terms of people (GDC, Paul Weiss).

But it sucked. Completely. You do mind numbing work for 5 years before they force you out.

Are there any other reasons besides paying off debt and good exit opportunities? Isn't 4-5 years a long time to hate your life?

I find myself dreading the possibility of having to work at one of these sweatshops, when I know I should just feel blessed to have any job offers.

Does big law have any redeeming qualities?

So you went on some interviews and somehow that allowed you to conclude that the work sucks?

Obvi

[A'nold]

One thing I never understand in these discussion is why people think that they would be qualified to do some of these things early on. For example. as much as taking a depo would be cool, I couldn't do that now. I'd need to see it done a few times, and have strategies either pointed out to me, or learn them by observation. I was also under the impression you would guided through depos by a more senior person for a while, even if you do start to take them early on.

Depending on new associates to perform research - and not miss anything - and then write that either into a memo or a draft brief.....is actually a good deal of responsibility.

Re: doc review: a lot of the firms I interviewed with K that out.

I got to sit in on depos this summer at a boutique firm.

[ToTransferOrNot]

One thing I never understand in these discussion is why people think that they would be qualified to do some of these things early on. For example. as much as taking a depo would be cool, I couldn't do that now. I'd need to see it done a few times, and have strategies either pointed out to me, or learn them by observation. I was also under the impression you would guided through depos by a more senior person for a while, even if you do start to take them early on.

Depending on new associates to perform research - and not miss anything - and then write that either into a memo or a draft brief.....is actually a good deal of responsibility.

Re: doc review: a lot of the firms I interviewed with K that out.

I got to sit in on depos this summer at a boutique firm.

I got to sit in on depos this summer at a biglaw firm.

[Anonymous User]

One thing I never understand in these discussion is why people think that they would be qualified to do some of these things early on. For example. as much as taking a depo would be cool, I couldn't do that now. I'd need to see it done a few times, and have strategies either pointed out to me, or learn them by observation. I was also under the impression you would guided through depos by a more senior person for a while, even if you do start to take them early on.

Depending on new associates to perform research - and not miss anything - and then write that either into a memo or a draft brief.....is actually a good deal of responsibility.

Re: doc review: a lot of the firms I interviewed with K that out.

I got to sit in on depos this summer at a boutique firm.

Boutiques are a different animal in terms of early responsibility.

[09042014]

K through JD's seem to have the worst time with realizing work sucks.

[270910]

K through JD's seem to have the worst time with realizing work sucks.

+1. And it's no secret; one big reason why firms seem to prefer people with WE.

[bigben]

I got to sit in on depos this summer at a boutique firm.

Sitting in on depos seems common for any law student working anywhere over the summer. Especially large firms. What kind of "boutique" was it?

[Adjudicator]

I've thought a lot about this. I always had law in the back of my mind as something I might excel at, but when I was younger I decided against it because I thought it would be too much time, too much work, and not the kind of life I wanted.

Fast forward to 4 years after graduating from UG, 4 years of working dead-end, mind-numbing retail jobs for no money, and I've learned a few things that I wish I would have known sooner:

1) Life is about working
2) Working is not meant to be fun all the time
3) Most people have lots of free time, or lots of money, but few people have both

Now law is looking pretty good. I'm tired of having all the free time in the world but no money; I'm tired of having to stress about bills. I'd rather try the opposite for a bit and see where it takes me.

Why biglaw? Because by most measures, it is the best overall job that you can get right out of law school, and I'm tired of being unambitious. I want to try being the best, and see what happens.

[ResolutePear]

I've thought a lot about this. I always had law in the back of my mind as something I might excel at, but when I was younger I decided against it because I thought it would be too much time, too much work, and not the kind of life I wanted.

Fast forward to 4 years after graduating from UG, 4 years of working dead-end, mind-numbing retail jobs for no money, and I've learned a few things that I wish I would have known sooner:

1) Life is about working
2) Working is not meant to be fun all the time
3) Most people have lots of free time, or lots of money, but few people have both

Now law is looking pretty good. I'm tired of having all the free time in the world but no money; I'm tired of having to stress about bills. I'd rather try the opposite for a bit and see where it takes me.

Why biglaw? Because by most measures, it is the best overall job that you can get right out of law school, and I'm tired of being unambitious. I want to try being the best, and see what happens.

This.

Perhaps working 80 hrs/week for 60k doesn't seem bad - but why not get 3 years of education and have a chance to either: work far less for as much $$ or make far more for about the same hours.

[Drummingreg]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

[Anonymous User]

I also find myself asking if I really wanna do this. On my CBs, I encountered many attorneys WHO COULDN'T EVEN HIDE THAT THEY HATED THEIR JOB in the interview. One firm, everyone seemed woefully unhappy. Comment's like, "it's not as bad as other places" don't make me feel better. I think I might just rather be a lazy semi-tenured Gov employee.

[ToTransferOrNot]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

You know that there are kinds of work that are only done in biglaw, and that many people want to do that kind of work, right?

[Patriot1208]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

You know that there are kinds of work that are only done in biglaw, and that many people want to do that kind of work, right?

--ImageRemoved--

[beachbum]

I've thought a lot about this. I always had law in the back of my mind as something I might excel at, but when I was younger I decided against it because I thought it would be too much time, too much work, and not the kind of life I wanted.

Fast forward to 4 years after graduating from UG, 4 years of working dead-end, mind-numbing retail jobs for no money, and I've learned a few things that I wish I would have known sooner:

1) Life is about working
2) Working is not meant to be fun all the time
3) Most people have lots of free time, or lots of money, but few people have both

Now law is looking pretty good. I'm tired of having all the free time in the world but no money; I'm tired of having to stress about bills. I'd rather try the opposite for a bit and see where it takes me.

Why biglaw? Because by most measures, it is the best overall job that you can get right out of law school, and I'm tired of being unambitious. I want to try being the best, and see what happens.

Best post in this thread.

[ToTransferOrNot]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

You know that there are kinds of work that are only done in biglaw, and that many people want to do that kind of work, right?

--ImageRemoved--

Large-scale Chapter 11 work.
Large antitrust cases
Basically any complicated commercial litigation - there are some boutiques that do it, but they hold hours just as brutal as biglaw.

Etc.. etc... etc....

[LawSchoolWannaBe]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

You know that there are kinds of work that are only done in biglaw, and that many people want to do that kind of work, right?

--ImageRemoved--

Large-scale Chapter 11 work.
Large antitrust cases
Basically any complicated commercial litigation - there are some boutiques that do it, but they hold hours just as brutal as biglaw.

Etc.. etc... etc....

Lots of patent lit work as well. Some boutiques/small lit shops may do some of this, but not all that much.

[rayiner]

Seriously. I interviewed with some big firms in NYC over flyout week. Some of them were even the more palatable ones in terms of people (GDC, Paul Weiss).

But it sucked. Completely. You do mind numbing work for 5 years before they force you out.

Is there any other reason besides pay off debt and good exit opportunities? Isn't 4-5 years a long time to hate your life?

I find myself dreading the possibility of having to work at one of these sweatshops, when I know I should just feel blessed to have any job offers.

Does big law have any redeeming qualities?

Where did you work before law school?

Straight through. But before you smugly give the punchline -- there ARE legal careers out there that I could be genuinely happy doing. Securing them and being able to pay off debt with them is another story...

ROFLCOPTER.

[nealric]

$$$$$dollar$$$bills$$$$$$ > Happiness

or

$ = Happiness

Take your pick

You know that there are kinds of work that are only done in biglaw, and that many people want to do that kind of work, right?

--ImageRemoved--

Large-scale Chapter 11 work.
Large antitrust cases
Basically any complicated commercial litigation - there are some boutiques that do it, but they hold hours just as brutal as biglaw.

Etc.. etc... etc....

Ever wonder why there are no M&A boutiques? Because that type of stuff requires the support network of a large law firm. Same thing with a lot of litigation. A 2-person law firm can't sort through 25 million discovery documents.