I'm talking about numbers - apparently (and this is based purely on what fed gov attorneys told me) there are a lot fewer applications when you apply straight out/2L summer as opposed to say applying via USAjobs...I think they get like a couple thousand applications per job on USAjobs. Of course, none of it is guaranteed but switching into fed gov post biglaw is not that easy. Also, the SEC starts first years on a salary that's almost similar to biglaw (I think around 140k) but they generally work normal hours and aren't even on call....A. Nony Mouse wrote:I don't think this is actually true. First, 2L summer --> postgrad hire isn't anywhere as much of a thing in government as it is in firms. Second, competition for the honors program isn't easier than for lateral positions. The only real advantage of the honors programs is predictability - you know when you can apply for those, you can't guarantee when a lateral position will open up. Also, many of the honors positions are in fields not related to what the OP wants to do. And you can't look at the total number of honors positions and see that as your pool of jobs, because they're distributed throughout a bunch of different federal agencies, looking for demonstrated experience and commitment in the agency's mission, and it's hard to be a competitive candidate in all the different areas that are out there.whysoseriousbiglaw wrote:Also, imo, if you want to do government in the long term, you should aim for government, etc. straight out of law school. The competition is much harder after a few years out than through honors programs or 2L summers.
It's certainly worth trying for, but I don't think you can count on it (and even if you did, I don't think it would make a significant difference wrt which school to pick - there wouldn't be a major difference between the three being considered; grades and experience are going to be more important).
(Immigration is a little bit of an exception to the "not many positions"' thing in that there are a lot of honors openings with EOIR, executive office of immigration review - but the vast majority of those are clerkships with immigration judges, which can be very valuable but are for 2-year terms, in a location over which you have no control, and the person has to reapply for a much smaller pool of jobs after their term is up, if they want to try for honors again.)
Finally, I feel compelled to add that doing immigration for the government is largely about figuring out how to send immigrants back - not exclusively, but largely. Since the OP mentioned non-profits as well I just wasn't sure what kind of angle she was interested in.
As for doing immigration post biglaw. I'm in biglaw and have interviewed for some non profit/local government jobs, and the big question they ask me is "why do you want to move out of corporate law/private sector". I think it's much harder than many people realize to do non-corporate law/private sector work once you spent a few years in biglaw. If you can land your "long term" job straight out of law school, I would take it over biglaw (just don't take out that many loans). A lot of interviewers will likely not believe you really want to switch and there are plenty of people who don't even bother doing biglaw in the first place that they can give an offer to.
I will say to do immigrant work at a non profit agency or even small firm you pretty much have to be fluent in Spanish (or another useful language, like Mandarin in certain metro areas).
Does anyone know people who have gone from biglaw to PI?
