Litigation or Corporate? Forum

(On Campus Interviews, Summer Associate positions, Firm Reviews, Tips, ...)
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.

Litigation or Corporate?

Litigation
36
51%
Corporate
34
49%
 
Total votes: 70

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:17 pm

I'm posting this anonymously because I think my post history might out me and I'd like to be as discreet as possible regarding this inquiry. I would really appreciate any feedback from folks who are practicing.

I'm a 3L at a TT with an offer at a NYC v20. I will have almost no debt when I graduate.

I did a mix of litigation and corporate work over the summer. In general, I found the corporate work to be mind-numbing and much preferred litigation and white-collar work. I also thought that the fire-drill nature of deal work was unpleasant. At the end of the day though, it seems like that both lit and corporate can be soul-sucking.

I don't do well psychologically when I don't sleep-- that's really my main concern about deal work and being a junior corporate associate. I will have minimal debt and had given some thought to becoming a solo practitioner down the line, but I'm beginning to think that a steady, six-figure job with reasonable hours might be the better end-goal. There are SO MANY people who say that corporate work is the right move... but I'm just not sure.

Should I just do corporate? I told the firm I wanted lit; I can switch over, but should probably do so sooner rather than later.

Please talk some sense into me. Thanks in advance.
Last edited by Anonymous User on Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Desert Fox

Diamond
Posts: 18283
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:34 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Desert Fox » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:20 pm

Do you want to be a lawyer? Lit

Else, Corp
Last edited by Desert Fox on Sat Jan 27, 2018 6:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
B.B. Homemaker

Gold
Posts: 3452
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:00 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by B.B. Homemaker » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:22 pm

Lit is also generally way more predictable than corporate. You have relatively more advance notice of deadlines and less likelihood of getting an urgent client call at 5 PM and having to all-nighter it up.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:25 pm

To answer Desert Fox's question-- I'm beginning to think exiting law might be a smart move, hence my inclinations toward corporate, as well.

User avatar
Desert Fox

Diamond
Posts: 18283
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:34 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Desert Fox » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:38 pm

Anonymous User wrote:To answer Desert Fox's question-- I'm beginning to think exiting law might be a smart move, hence my inclinations toward corporate, as well.
IF you are thinking of leaving I'd go corporate. Lit Summer work is entirely "make work" bullshit. Real practice isn't writing a bunch of memos on new topics.
Last edited by Desert Fox on Sat Jan 27, 2018 6:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


Cogburn87

Bronze
Posts: 467
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:26 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Cogburn87 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:42 pm

Corporate. Easier to leave the profession compared to litigation (litigators are, of course, fucked 4 life).

bk1

Diamond
Posts: 20063
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by bk1 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:51 pm

B.B. Homemaker wrote:Lit is also generally way more predictable than corporate. You have relatively more advance notice of deadlines and less likelihood of getting an urgent client call at 5 PM and having to all-nighter it up.
Based on what I've gathered, I think "way more predictable" is a definite overstatement. It is more predictable, but you can't control when a partner will turn something back around to you. If something needs to be filed today and a partner sends you major edits back at 6pm, you're going to be working late. It doesn't matter that you knew the filing deadline a month in advance if the partner doesn't get something back to you with plenty of time left. Of course I defer to those with experience on this issue, but I wouldn't expect lit to completely insulate you from firedrills.

@OP: I agree with DF, if you don't like legal work (i.e. litigation work) then I'd lean towards transactional. Considering you're already contemplating no longer being a lawyer, my suspicion is that you aren't gunning to do legal work.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:48 pm

Everything that people are saying makes complete sense, but I just want to push back a little. Obviously, exit options are going to vary from person to person. But when we think about exiting law, aren't the jobs that you step into mostly just a continuation of transactional work, but at the scale of a single company? If I hate corporate work, what's to say I'd be any happier going in-house? Please feel free to call me out if I sound like an idiot.

bk1

Diamond
Posts: 20063
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by bk1 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:55 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Everything that people are saying makes complete sense, but I just want to push back a little. Obviously, exit options are going to vary from person to person. But when we think about exiting law, aren't the jobs that you step into mostly just a continuation of transactional work, but at the scale of a single company? If I hate corporate work, what's to say I'd be any happier going in-house? Please feel free to call me out if I sound like an idiot.
Yes, the traditional transactional exit is in-house legal work and that will likely be what you have most open to you as a transactional associate. But the point is that it will be exponentially easier to go from transactional to non-legal than it would be to go from litigation to non-legal. Nobody is saying that transactional will making leaving the law easier (and they're not saying that if you hate law that you should go in-house); what they're saying is that it will be easier to get something non-legal from transactional.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 7:12 pm

bk, do you do lit or transactional? thoughts on your experience thus far?

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:27 pm

At shitlaw defense firm. I have a good friend in big law that does transactional work. His war stories put me to sleep. Conflict/drama I face in lit is much more interesting to me. I think it depends a lot on your personality. Not sure about exit plans, but at least in my market companies often look for an in house gc with lit experience.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:29 pm

Cogburn87 wrote:Corporate. Easier to leave the profession compared to litigation (litigators are, of course, fucked 4 life).
How hard is it generally to exit the legal profession from a solid transactional practice? Different anon, but also thinking I may want to leave law after a few years.

Cogburn87

Bronze
Posts: 467
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:26 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Cogburn87 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:35 pm

Easier than litigation, where you develop skills that are utterly useless to anything outside of litigation.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


dixiecupdrinking

Gold
Posts: 3436
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:39 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by dixiecupdrinking » Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:48 pm

I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:01 pm

dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

I was the second anon, but my interests/goals/desired practice group (Cap Markets/M&A) are all transactional-focused, and I simply wanted to know how easy it was to transition to more of a business role if that ends up being something that I want to pursue. Obviously it may have been a better idea to go straight to business and then business school, but at this point there is no looking back, especially if there is a chance that (if I even eventually want to) I can turn a top corporate gig into something more purely business.

dixiecupdrinking

Gold
Posts: 3436
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:39 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by dixiecupdrinking » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:14 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

I was the second anon, but my interests/goals/desired practice group (Cap Markets/M&A) are all transactional-focused, and I simply wanted to know how easy it was to transition to more of a business role if that ends up being something that I want to pursue. Obviously it may have been a better idea to go straight to business and then business school, but at this point there is no looking back, especially if there is a chance that (if I even eventually want to) I can turn a top corporate gig into something more purely business.
That's fine. Do corporate if you want to do corporate. I'm talking about people who want to do lit but feel the need to keep options "open" by doing transactional.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:17 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

I was the second anon, but my interests/goals/desired practice group (Cap Markets/M&A) are all transactional-focused, and I simply wanted to know how easy it was to transition to more of a business role if that ends up being something that I want to pursue. Obviously it may have been a better idea to go straight to business and then business school, but at this point there is no looking back, especially if there is a chance that (if I even eventually want to) I can turn a top corporate gig into something more purely business.
My limited understanding from talking to folks on both ends recently is that it is very hard to do at the associate level now.

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


Cogburn87

Bronze
Posts: 467
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:26 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Cogburn87 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:19 pm

dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.
(guy who didn't read OP's follow-up post)

Hutz_and_Goodman

Gold
Posts: 1651
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:42 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Hutz_and_Goodman » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:47 pm

dixiecupdrinking wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

this

It's not a good plan to develop expertise in something that you don't like so that you can exit into doing that outside of big law

dixiecupdrinking

Gold
Posts: 3436
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:39 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by dixiecupdrinking » Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:56 pm

Cogburn87 wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.
(guy who didn't read OP's follow-up post)
I read it and I think OP should still do lit.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:34 pm

Neck and neck!!

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


User avatar
DoubleChecks

Gold
Posts: 2328
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:35 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by DoubleChecks » Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:42 pm

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
dixiecupdrinking wrote:I hate this "keep your non-law options open" shit. You already closed more doors by going to law school than you probably will at any other stage of your career. Don't choose a practice area you'll like less to make it easier to do something different. You're committed already. Do what will most likely fit with your interests and goals.

this

It's not a good plan to develop expertise in something that you don't like so that you can exit into doing that outside of big law
I disagree, and in large part, this is due to the fact that OP states he will have no debt. This gives him flexibility. Has he sunk a lot of cash and opportunity costs already? Yes, but it isn't as if he knew he wanted to be a lawyer (very few truly do) before he got to this point in his life, graduating soon from law school.

So no, planning ahead instead of staying on this train going to a destination you do not want to go to is smarter, imo. For what it is worth, I was in a situation like that, had my options open, jumped at an EARLY but nonetheless great opportunity and am now 10000x happier. Not doing law at the moment. Committed is one thing, but living a life you'd hate is another. Living a life you'd hate for a couple years though so that the rest of your life is better? Bearable.

bk1

Diamond
Posts: 20063
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by bk1 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:53 pm

Anonymous User wrote:bk, do you do lit or transactional? thoughts on your experience thus far?
I'm not actually working as a lawyer yet. I looked into both and tried both. I preferred lit (though not by a gigantic margin), but I don't personally think my choice was all that meaningful. I'm not you, I don't have your preferences. My suggestion is try to focus on what your work will be day-to-day as an associate at the firm in the respective departments (check out the stickied thread above with lawyers describing their work). I'd also assume that when things are busy in either department, you're going to be working a lot and sleep will be hard to come by.

bk1

Diamond
Posts: 20063
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by bk1 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:56 pm

DoubleChecks wrote:I disagree, and in large part, this is due to the fact that OP states he will have no debt. This gives him flexibility. Has he sunk a lot of cash and opportunity costs already? Yes, but it isn't as if he knew he wanted to be a lawyer (very few truly do) before he got to this point in his life, graduating soon from law school.

So no, planning ahead instead of staying on this train going to a destination you do not want to go to is smarter, imo. For what it is worth, I was in a situation like that, had my options open, jumped at an EARLY but nonetheless great opportunity and am now 10000x happier. Not doing law at the moment. Committed is one thing, but living a life you'd hate is another. Living a life you'd hate for a couple years though so that the rest of your life is better? Bearable.
I don't have DoubleChecks's experiences but I agree with this. On top of that, OP already said he preferred transactional based on his experience so far so it's not like OP would be choosing something he loathed over something he loved if were to pick trans over lit.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432497
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Litigation or Corporate?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:12 pm

DoubleChecks wrote: I disagree, and in large part, this is due to the fact that OP states he will have no debt. This gives him flexibility. Has he sunk a lot of cash and opportunity costs already? Yes, but it isn't as if he knew he wanted to be a lawyer (very few truly do) before he got to this point in his life, graduating soon from law school.

So no, planning ahead instead of staying on this train going to a destination you do not want to go to is smarter, imo. For what it is worth, I was in a situation like that, had my options open, jumped at an EARLY but nonetheless great opportunity and am now 10000x happier. Not doing law at the moment. Committed is one thing, but living a life you'd hate is another. Living a life you'd hate for a couple years though so that the rest of your life is better? Bearable.
Double, where did your career end up taking you? Thanks for chiming in!

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Legal Employment”