blow off big law job for the cause Forum

[vegeta]

Vote - the cause

[Anonymous User]

Vote - the cause

yo, you get bonus points for having a sweet handle.

[BEAST_mode]

Stay true to the cause. Solidarity, brother.

[Anonymous User]

YOLO

[fatduck]

YOLO

ಠ_ಠ

[Kring345]

The small firm seems like the exact kind of situation that I'd like to be in. But soul-crushing debt is soul-crushing. Any way that you can keep your offer on the table for 1 year then exit? Think they'd view biglaw as a good 'training ground' for you? They may understand if you mention your debt, and may be impressed by your integrity if you maintain good contact with them throughout 1 year of biglaw and maybe even stop in for a few hours every now and then to maintain relationships. Just a thought, because this seems like a brain-racking question to me. Good problem to have though.

[fish52]

Dude, take the small firm job and enjoy the quality of life. Seems everything you want is at the small firm. Have the balls to walk away from the 2-3 years of biglaw $ and preftige.

This.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I think you should take the market job and pay off your debt. Private sector IBR is a nice fall back plan but a dumb thing to opt into. You're making a conscious decision to be an indentured servant into your 50s, for what sounds like a very marginally better job for society. You're working for a smaller profit-seeking law firm over a larger one; it's not like this is saving the whales versus clubbing baby seals.

[shock259]

I would go for big law. If you only stay for a few years, you'll have options when you exit. If you go the small firm route and only stay for a few years, you'll probably have less options.

[cantaboot]

I agree with the above poster.
That said, I must say that it's very easy to get emotionally attached to/invested in a small firm that has nice people.
However, once you have the slightest dissatisfaction with the small law firm you may begin to wonder whether you made the right choice.
I think if OP ever has the chance of working at a smaller office of a biglaw firm in future, he should consider it.

[cinephile]

I'd go for the small firm job. Money does make things easier, but not if you're miserable in biglaw. If you're feeling iffy about it now, imagine how you'll feel a few months down the line wishing you had listened to your gut. I agree with the poster who said no one ever regretting picking quality of life over money.

[keg411]

Did you actually work at the small firm or did you just interview there? Keep in mind, if they're trying to woo you, they may be telling you things that are exaggerated and on the side of "too good to be true."

I'd go with the BigFirm if I were you. Only because they're essentially a known entity. Small firm just seems way too uncertain, even if you know you want to be in that market. Put a couple years in at the BigFirm and then start looking at real "midlaw/general practice" firms in your home market as opposed to smaller, niche-sounding firms. You say you don't want to be forced into a "niche" practice area at the BigLaw firm, but that's exactly what you'll be doing to yourself at the SmallFirm.

[kenji]

Look, frankly this is probably the wrong place to ask this. People on this site probably orgasm when they hear the word "biglaw". You have a chance to do what makes you happy. Our working years are very limited after all. Ignore the tls hard-on for "biglaw" and take the smaller firm.

[fatduck]

Look, frankly this is probably the wrong place to ask this. People on this site probably orgasm when they hear the word "biglaw". You have a chance to do what makes you happy. Our working years are very limited after all. Ignore the tls hard-on for "biglaw" and take the smaller firm.

i dunno man, all i think when i read this thread title is "blow job"