Lateral Hiring for Big Law Forum

[Lumieres]

For the people who have been practicing for 2+ years, how difficult is it to get hired in big law after spending a few years working as an associate at a small firm?

Also, do grades/ECs like law review still matter at this point?

[84651846190]

Unless you're coming off a prestigious clerkship, it's extremely hard to get into biglaw if you're not already in biglaw. This is especially true for junior associates. Your best bet is to do an Article III federal clerkship and try to break your way in. Going from a small firm to biglaw is very hard to do, and it's pretty much impossible if you didn't have the grades to get biglaw in the first place.

[holdencaulfield]

Agree it's very tough. For laterals with 2-3 years, they generally require the same grades/school that they require for new recruits. They also generally require biglaw or clerkship experience.

[Anonymous User]

What about a midsized law firm that doesn't pay market but is nevertheless respected regionally?

[Anonymous User]

Also, what if you did have top grades, but just decided to pursue something different for a few years?

[Anonymous User]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

[lawyerwannabe]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This post literally adds nothing to the thread. You don't address OP's question at all.

Also, just because people give what appear to be pessimistic answers does not mean that those same answers are not realistic. We are all glad you are doing Biglaw caliber work. Just not sure how that helps the OP.

[AllTheLawz]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This isn't biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This isn't biglaw.

It's called an analogy.

[Anonymous User]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This post literally adds nothing to the thread. You don't address OP's question at all.

Also, just because people give what appear to be pessimistic answers does not mean that those same answers are not realistic. We are all glad you are doing Biglaw caliber work. Just not sure how that helps the OP.

It adds to the thread in the sense that my post intends to minimize the impact of negativity in the other posts here. Duh

[AllTheLawz]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This isn't biglaw.

It's called an analogy.

No it isn't. Getting a non-biglaw firm when people said you wouldn't is not analogous to getting a biglaw firm when people said you wouldn't. They have an entirely different set of requirements and odds.

[lawyerwannabe]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This isn't biglaw.

It's called an analogy.

I want to be a billionaire. I have a good idea for a business, but it isn't mindblowing. People told me it is unlikely (because it is). I don't listen to these people. I automatically become a billionaire?

[lawyerwannabe]

Don't listen to these negative ppl. You can get to biglaw. I was bottom of my class at a crap tier 2 and now I'm at a near 100 atty firm making good money and doing biglaw caliber work. Ppl here were telling me I should drop out of school. That I would not get any decent job. That might reflect their own inabilities. That's why they need these guaranteed tracks to success.

This post literally adds nothing to the thread. You don't address OP's question at all.

Also, just because people give what appear to be pessimistic answers does not mean that those same answers are not realistic. We are all glad you are doing Biglaw caliber work. Just not sure how that helps the OP.

It adds to the thread in the sense that my post intends to minimize the impact of negativity in the other posts here. Duh

By "analogizing" to a completely different situation involving an outcome not asked about by the OP? Makes sense.

[Anonymous User]

More like here's an example that demonstrates ppl on this site are overly negative. Therefore take their over-negativity into account.