"I'd like to work in biglaw for a while..." Forum

[ChardPennington]

Moving somewhere to do appellate work would be sweet but my understanding is there are about 12 people who do that and they all went to better law schools than I, so I'll probably just stick with that I'm doing.

[09042014]

Moving somewhere to do appellate work would be sweet but my understanding is there are about 12 people who do that and they all went to better law schools than I, so I'll probably just stick with that I'm doing.

A guy at my firm SCOTUS clerked and still the firm made him switch into something practical. Appellate work is flame, at least as a specialty.

[ChardPennington]

Moving somewhere to do appellate work would be sweet but my understanding is there are about 12 people who do that and they all went to better law schools than I, so I'll probably just stick with that I'm doing.

A guy at my firm SCOTUS clerked and still the firm made him switch into something practical. Appellate work is flame, at least as a specialty.

Yeah looks like I'm boned on that one.

Lit is pretty chill though apart from discovery so it's all gravy

[patogordo]

contemplating asking the patent pros firm i worked for 1L if they're still interested

[09042014]

contemplating asking the patent pros firm i worked for 1L if they're still interested

I wish I did prosecution.

[rpupkin]

contemplating asking the patent pros firm i worked for 1L if they're still interested

I wish I did prosecution.

What's stopping you? Aren't you patent bar eligible? I know that it's rare for someone to go from lit to pros (it's usually the other way around), but aren't there shops that would be happy to have you doing patent prosecution?

[existenz]

Don't let these Debbie Downers dissuade you. They just want all the biglaw benefits for themselves.





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[09042014]

contemplating asking the patent pros firm i worked for 1L if they're still interested

I wish I did prosecution.

What's stopping you? Aren't you patent bar eligible? I know that it's rare for someone to go from lit to pros (it's usually the other way around), but aren't there shops that would be happy to have you doing patent prosecution?

I had a tough go of it since my UGPA was pretty terrible. If I start hating big law really hard, I might make a switch.

[rpupkin]

I wish I did prosecution.

What's stopping you? Aren't you patent bar eligible? I know that it's rare for someone to go from lit to pros (it's usually the other way around), but aren't there shops that would be happy to have you doing patent prosecution?

I had a tough go of it since my UGPA was pretty terrible. If I start hating big law really hard, I might make a switch.

Ah. Makes sense. I always forget that those prosecution folks actually care about undergrad grades.

[09042014]

I wish I did prosecution.

What's stopping you? Aren't you patent bar eligible? I know that it's rare for someone to go from lit to pros (it's usually the other way around), but aren't there shops that would be happy to have you doing patent prosecution?

I had a tough go of it since my UGPA was pretty terrible. If I start hating big law really hard, I might make a switch.

Ah. Makes sense. I always forget that those prosecution folks actually care about undergrad grades.

It was really surprising how much they did. Several interviews basically stopped dead in the water when it came out I had a 2.8.

[jd20132013]

I mean, do people actually think they're going to "enjoy" biglaw? Don't most people, especially those that post here, recognize that it's something that you do to get the loans paid off? I kind of feel like the associates here are attacking special snowflake 0L strawmen. If you paid attention in your summer to what people that weren't on the "summer committee" were actually doing surely you'd know what you were in for.

Or am I just overly cynical?

[DoveBodyWash]

i emailed an older friend who's a first year at a swiss verein in NYC after reading this thread

I have a closing tmw. I went home at 3:30 am on tuesday 5 am today and probably will not go home till late tomorrow. Got 8 hours of sleep in two days. So yes - slave labor.

lol yay..

[nygrrrl]

I did not expect this thread to be this excellent.

[patogordo]

contemplating asking the patent pros firm i worked for 1L if they're still interested

I wish I did prosecution.

What's stopping you? Aren't you patent bar eligible? I know that it's rare for someone to go from lit to pros (it's usually the other way around), but aren't there shops that would be happy to have you doing patent prosecution?

I had a tough go of it since my UGPA was pretty terrible. If I start hating big law really hard, I might make a switch.

yea the firm i worked at is not biglaw. my ugpa was at least >3 though. i have stupid loans though so not sure i could survive the pay cut.

[rayiner]

I mean, do people actually think they're going to "enjoy" biglaw? Don't most people, especially those that post here, recognize that it's something that you do to get the loans paid off? I kind of feel like the associates here are attacking special snowflake 0L strawmen. If you paid attention in your summer to what people that weren't on the "summer committee" were actually doing surely you'd know what you were in for.

Or am I just overly cynical?

The 0L's are missing the point ITT. Its not about 0L's thinking that big law will be fun. Its 0L's signing up for enough debt where they have to work big law for several years. 0L's are optimistic about the extent to which they will even survive that long.

You see it in the employment stats threads. People treat big law as an outcome that justifies the investment. But its not really true if you burn out within three years, which half of people will do (statistically).

All this is related to a phenomenon I've seen on TLS, which is that people think firms push out second or third years. I'm sure some people get fired, but largely people aren't getting "the talk" that early. Firms would love for you to stick around for 6-8 years before telling you you're not on the partner track. Its those associates make them the most money, and the big entry level classes to keep the pipeline full costs the firm money. What people don't understand is the sheer percentage of folks that can't even put up with firm life for three years and leave of their own accord.

[jd20132013]

Great point. It's a shame though. When I picked my otherwise entirely useless undergraduate major at 18 with the goal of going to law school there's no way I could have known all these realities. Just gave to grit my teeth as long as I can at this point I suppose.

[DoveBodyWash]

Great point. It's a shame though. When I picked my otherwise entirely useless undergraduate major at 18 with the goal of going to law school there's no way I could have known all these realities. Just gave to grit my teeth as long as I can at this point I suppose.

So much this.

[manu6926]

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[manu6926]

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[rpupkin]

No, most 0Ls with some work experience including myself have never thought that working in biglaw would be enjoyable. As others said, biglaw would give me the financial stability with which I can pursue enjoyable, rewarding careers.

Precisely. Such as.....uh......working at a different big law firm.

[LRGhost]

I mean, do people actually think they're going to "enjoy" biglaw? Don't most people, especially those that post here, recognize that it's something that you do to get the loans paid off? I kind of feel like the associates here are attacking special snowflake 0L strawmen. If you paid attention in your summer to what people that weren't on the "summer committee" were actually doing surely you'd know what you were in for.

Or am I just overly cynical?

0L's are optimistic about the extent to which they will even survive that long.

You see it in the employment stats threads. People treat big law as an outcome that justifies the investment. But its not really true if you burn out within three years, which half of people will do (statistically).

Whether you get fired or leave aside, and that's part of the problem (it's hard to tell if the people who leave sometime in year three were encouraged to leave or if it was completely volitional attrition), this is what I hate about the discussion. When you're giving advice to someone about attending a comparatively shitty law school, even with a scholarship, all people focus on are Big Law numbers. And that's probably fair. But as soon as those people are in schools with decent numbers, suddenly attrition rate and stats don't mean anything because the idea of 'hard work' sufficing in Big Law is obvious and everyone else is just a lazy fuck. Because clearly, people who gunned from HS to go to good universities and gunned there and on their LSAT to go to good law schools and gunned there to get to prestigious firms will suddenly stop caring about working hard when they're getting paid a lot of money.

[manu6926]

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[brotherdarkness]

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[rpupkin]

No, most 0Ls with some work experience including myself have never thought that working in biglaw would be enjoyable. As others said, biglaw would give me the financial stability with which I can pursue enjoyable, rewarding careers.

Precisely. Such as.....uh......working at a different big law firm.

No. Getting a phd in econ and seeking to enter academia, or starting a business or whatever.

Excellent.

[A. Nony Mouse]

No, most 0Ls with some work experience including myself have never thought that working in biglaw would be enjoyable. As others said, biglaw would give me the financial stability with which I can pursue enjoyable, rewarding careers.

Precisely. Such as.....uh......working at a different big law firm.

No. Getting a phd in econ and seeking to enter academia, or starting a business or whatever.

oh my god, what on EARTH does working biglaw have to do with getting a PhD in econ and entering academia? You shouldn't be paying for a PhD in anything, anyway.