Common interview question: transactional v litigation? Forum

[desertlaw]

I found success just in showing that I thought things through, and that I could see myself doing both....

"Ya know, I have given this a lot of thought. Because I grew up with sports and competition, I could see myself enjoying and doing well in a competitive litigation enviromnent, wanting to beat the other side. However, amongst my friends and in my past work experience, I am the person who is always organizing things and wanting everything to be a win-win. I think that's more of my natural state, so that's probably why I am leaning corporate. But thankfully your firm would let summer (and maybe junior) associates rotate a bit and I plan to take full advantage of that this summer and at least deciding which practice areas are not a good fit for me."

[keg411]

sea -- what about after you've already secured the SA?

The firm I am SAing at does both lit work and business work (a lot of real estate, energy stuff, etc.). The firm brought me in and really talked up the lit side (their lit side is about 1/3 of what the firm does and the rest is business and energy work). I know that they think I am a lit person, but I think I want to go into the business/energy side of the firm.

Any negatives with this? I figure I can just wait until I get a full time offer before I say that since you choose your practice area post-offer. Just don't know if that would piss some people off or not.

If there's only a small summer class and they really want you to do lit... you're probably going to end up doing lit. You can certainly ask for assignments in the business/energy group and see if you make connections there, but if the firm wants you in a particular practice group, fighting it is probably one of the worst things you can do.

[Anonymous User]

sea -- what about after you've already secured the SA?

The firm I am SAing at does both lit work and business work (a lot of real estate, energy stuff, etc.). The firm brought me in and really talked up the lit side (their lit side is about 1/3 of what the firm does and the rest is business and energy work). I know that they think I am a lit person, but I think I want to go into the business/energy side of the firm.

Any negatives with this? I figure I can just wait until I get a full time offer before I say that since you choose your practice area post-offer. Just don't know if that would piss some people off or not.

If there's only a small summer class and they really want you to do lit... you're probably going to end up doing lit. You can certainly ask for assignments in the business/energy group and see if you make connections there, but if the firm wants you in a particular practice group, fighting it is probably one of the worst things you can do.

It's around 20-30 people. In that range. So not super small at all.