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Post by **romothesavior** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:35 am

I think most of the people on TLS who have paralegaled will tell you it doesn't make much difference.

blsingindisguise · Post by **blsingindisguise** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:37 am

If this was really just about money vs. prestige I'd say money. Prestige is bullshit. But it sounds like it might also be a matter of a more vs. less interesting job. Also you have to think about money long term, not just starting pay, and the civ rights thing might give you better training and more options.

Oh wait, you're a 0L going to work as a paralegal? LOL. This choice does not matter at all to your legal career. I know people who para'd at top firms and it was of no help to them in trying to get biglaw.

sanetruth · Post by **sanetruth** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:41 am

blsingindisguise wrote:If this was really just about money vs. prestige I'd say money. Prestige is bullshit. But it sounds like it might also be a matter of a more vs. less interesting job. Also you have to think about money long term, not just starting pay, and the civ rights thing might give you better training and more options.

Oh wait, you're a 0L going to work as a paralegal? LOL. This choice does not matter at all to your legal career. I know people who para'd at top firms and it was of no help to them in trying to get biglaw.

I'm not saying the better firm would help me get better jobs, but rather that the worse firm would raise eyebrows for potential future employers. Even when I mentioned the firm that gave me the offer to attorneys I know they reacted like that.

Typical thoughts from these people:

http://abovethelaw.com/2007/09/where-do ... rance-law/

sapp · Post by **sapp** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:14 am

Also a 0L so this is probably the blind leading the blind but here are my thoughts:

Both firms will give you insight to the industry and both will have a relatively neutral impact on your law school.

However, as long as you're not a complete tool, networking with more prestigious firms/partners could be more beneficial than networking with less (if you're looking to eventually make your way into a prestigious firm post law school). But that's all contingent upon how well you network, you maintaining those connections, and your work/personality being impressive enough that those that you consider more prestigious would want to help you. Since the time that you'll be looking for an internship/associate position is so far off it doesn't really matter all that much, if it does at all.

I would go for the less prestigious firm for better pay and work on cultivating a few good relationships with the people you come into contact with there. The connections you make at either will only matter if you maintain them. In general, a smaller less prestigious firm will have people that are more willing to invest personally into a paralegal who hopes to be a lawyer some day than a larger, busier, more prestigious firm. You'll probably get more hands on experience in the less prestigious firm too. (And make -> save more money to help with ls)

The less prestigious firm is not at all likely to raise eyebrows from future employers. It's experience, and experience is good. Plus, by the time you're looking for a SA or post ls job your 0L paralegal job will be in the past and there will be more important things that they're concerned with (grades, your 1L/2L summer jobs, etc).

FWIW I've worked as a legal assistant for a private practice attorney and in a position where I've come into contact with some big name firms. I learned more about the actual practice of law and got more practical experience with the private practice attorney but working in the other position gave me more experience with researching. If you want to talk more in depth about any of this feel free to pm me.

sanetruth · Post by **sanetruth** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:37 pm

anyone else on this?

ggocat · Post by **ggocat** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:47 pm

Happiness > Money > Prestige

sundance95 · Post by **sundance95** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:58 pm

sanetruth wrote:anyone else on this?

I currently work as a paralegal. You need to figure which firm will treat you less like shit. (It would be preferable to not be treated like shit at all, but let's not get your hopes up. These firms exist, but are about as common as the spotted owl.) Whichever firm this is is the credited response. You would think that the TT firm would have less stuck up attorneys, but this is often not the case: lower tier grads sometimes feel the need to prove their superiority by taking it out on support staff.

I would agree with other posters that the prestige level of your previous firm where you worked as a paralegal will not have a discernible impact on your admissions cycle or later job offers, unless you manage to befriend or have a mentoring relationship with one of the T14 attorneys. Unlikely in a very large firm.

HTH.

-a paralegal lucky enough to work at a spotted owl firm.

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