More stressful: 1L law school or 1st year associate? Forum

[20130312]

I'm a 1L, but voted 1st year associate anyway because it has to be more stressful than sitting around playing video games for three months and then freaking out for one month.

[nealric]

I found 1L year more stressful than my first year of big law. Some of that can be attributed to the fact that I worked during 1L year and was maintaining a long distance relationship. I am in tax, which I think actually becomes more stressful as you get more senior. First years don't have to make any of the judgment calls that keep tax lawyers up at night.

Do you just write a whole bunch of debt or equity memoranda over and over again?

1st years tend to be research monkeys first and foremost. Ofen, the partner is already 90% sure of the answer to somethig, and just needs confirmation and a few cites. There is also tax diligence and associated diligence memoranda. Debt equity stuff is there (especially in securitization deals), but I would be surprised if it takes up a significant portion of most tax associate's time.

Even as you get more involved in structuring deals, the buck is still going to stop with a partner. No firm is going to have associates signing off on tax opinions.

[seespotrun]

It really depends on the practice area, the firm, and what happens while you're on the ground.

This. I'd also add to that list "the partner to whom you're assigned."

[AreJay711]

Hell, I've found 2L to be more stressful than 1L. 1L was a cakewalk.

[Cavalier]

I think the beginning of OCI is more stressful than both. That said, I voted for 1L. Even though it involved less work, I found it terrifying because I had no idea how I'd do on exams, whether I'd get a job or end up in debtor's prison, etc. Big law involves lots of work, often at unpredictable times, but I don't find myself consistently worried like a did three years ago.