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How hard is it to jump ship to corporate work after a year of lit? If possible, what would I have to do? (Lateral?)

boomp

I know people who jumped in the other direction (Corp -> Lit), and it always involved lateraling. You also have to be prepared to drop a class year.

OneMoreLawHopeful wrote:I know people who jumped in the other direction (Corp -> Lit), and it always involved lateraling. You also have to be prepared to drop a class year.

does going past 2nd year hurt my chances of making the change?
What years were those who made the jump?

Anonymous User wrote:

OneMoreLawHopeful wrote:I know people who jumped in the other direction (Corp -> Lit), and it always involved lateraling. You also have to be prepared to drop a class year.

does going past 2nd year hurt my chances of making the change?
What years were those who made the jump?

I don't know anyone who jumped after 3rd year, and the 1 I know who jumped in her 3rd year had to drop 2 class years (she jumped at the end of her 3rd year and entered as a second year, so it was effectively 4 -> 2). I can't imagine that going any further would help.

Part of the problem is a fear that the lateral candidate is burnt out and thinks a practice area change will improve things.

On the plus side, the only guy I know who successfully lateralled after just 1 year of practice did it by jumping corporate -> lit, so a willingness to do this might make you a more attractive candidate earlier on (though a less attractive one later).

OP why do you want to switch?

Rahviveh wrote:OP why do you want to switch?

OP here. I haven't started working yet, but I wanted to try both trans + lit before I decide. But my firm hires IP lit people into the IP Lit practice group, unlike the other practice groups, so I just wanted to see if there was a way out if I end up not liking Lit.

OneMoreLawHopeful wrote:I know people who jumped in the other direction (Corp -> Lit), and it always involved lateraling. You also have to be prepared to drop a class year.

Two people at my firm (STB) are switching currently (one Corp -> Lit and the other Lit -> Corp) and staying with the firm. They are each dropping a class year, however (staying a first year rather than rising to second year). My instinct would be that doing this while lateraling would be harder, but perhaps not. Depends on the firm, and it was probably to their advantage that they wanted to switch at the same time. IMO, dropping a class year is actually an advantage, too, in the long run.