What if you don't want BigLaw? Forum

bnssweeney · Post by **bnssweeney** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:36 pm

Has anyone here went to/going to law school without the intention of pursuing BigLaw even though you will be accumulating so much debt? Is BigLaw the only option to pay off your debt? What about those who want to work at a smaller firm?

bk1 · Post by **bk1** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:42 pm

Plenty of people go with the intention of using LRAP/IBR/PAYE to pay off their debt while they work at a public interest job (though, tbf, many of these people actually end up in biglaw). This probably isn't that smart of an idea outside of the very tippy top schools (HYS) where public interest jobs are easier to attain.

There are small firms that pay biglaw salaries, but they are far rarer than large law firms that pay those kinds of salaries. It just isn't reasonable to go into law school with the goal of trying to work at one of those firms.

bnssweeney · Post by **bnssweeney** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:46 pm

bk1 wrote:Plenty of people go with the intention of using LRAP/IBR/PAYE to pay off their debt while they work at a public interest job (though, tbf, many of these people actually end up in biglaw). This probably isn't that smart of an idea outside of the very tippy top schools (HYS) where public interest jobs are easier to attain.

There are small firms that pay biglaw salaries, but they are far rarer than large law firms that pay those kinds of salaries. It just isn't reasonable to go into law school with the goal of trying to work at one of those firms.

I am going to be honest here, and I am not confident that I will end up at Harvard, Yale, etc. Is the public interest option out, then?

bk1 · Post by **bk1** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:55 pm

It's still an option from any school, it just tends to actually make sense to take out sticker price debt to do it at those schools than it does to take out sticker price debt to do it at other schools.

Are other schools worth taking sticker price debt if you are dead set on public interest? Maybe. I don't really know since I didn't look into public interest stuff that much because it wasn't my goal when choosing schools. You'd have to ask someone else that.

cinephile · Post by **cinephile** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:07 pm

If I were planning on public interest and taking out a lot of debt, I'd only looks at schools with strong LRAP programs. IBR/PAYE/PSLF seems like it could be subject to change and any moment - and I don't like the term "may be forgiven" in the promissory note. Better to make your school pay off your loans (but you still would have to find an LRAP qualifying job, so double check what counts!).

UnicornHunter · Post by **UnicornHunter** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:17 pm

Tons of topics on this on TLS.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=220431

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... litary+law

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +law+firms

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