Top Law Schools

T2 student missed biglawl, these are my options and I need to decide today.

Firm 1
- 40 attorneys, basically a small full service firm
- Associates start b/t 60-70k, summer pay is pro-rated
- Only 1 SA per year, the last 3 received offers
- Have confirmed with former associates that the attys legitimately only work 45-55 hours per week
- Partner:Associate ratio is around 2:1
- Really enjoyed the associates and the hiring partner, although it seems like an old boys club that is growing, so socially there's a dichotomy at the office b/t the old boomer partners and the handful of young associates

Firm 2
- 60 attorneys, very niche practice area within commercial lit, but can't say much more w/o outing - it's not common.
- Associates start b/t 80-90k, summer pay is pro-rated
- 3 or 4 SAs every year, but historically at least 1 and sometimes 2 are no offered
- The firm has grown significantly in the last 5-10 years and the office has a younger/more modern feel. Partners are generally non-boomer and very chill. I could see myself fitting in.
- I really liked the people, but scared of being no offered and also scared that working here would severely limit my exit options b/c it's so niche.

Also, neither firm defers offers for clerkships, so that sucks. I'm leaning Firm 1 right now just because I think an offer is more likely. I will graduate with about 40k in debt.

Everything about firm 1 seems pretty much ideal for a law firm except the salary, although your debt looks low enough to handle it. Looks like partnership prospects are realistic, which will definitely make the lower associate salary easy to swallow. Enjoy whichever you choose!

Firm 1. Getting the offer is your first consideration.

Danger Zone wrote:Firm 1. Getting the offer is your first consideration.

Yep. Firm 1 easily.

I would choose Firm 1. The pay is lower but everything else more than balances the decision back in their favor. And your debt is low enough that you can afford to go there (unless you're in NYC or some other place where 70k is a struggle).

Anonymous User wrote:T2 student missed biglawl, these are my options and I need to decide today.

Firm 1
- 40 attorneys, basically a small full service firm
- Associates start b/t 60-70k, summer pay is pro-rated
- Only 1 SA per year, the last 3 received offers
- Have confirmed with former associates that the attys legitimately only work 45-55 hours per week
- Partner:Associate ratio is around 2:1
- Really enjoyed the associates and the hiring partner, although it seems like an old boys club that is growing, so socially there's a dichotomy at the office b/t the old boomer partners and the handful of young associates

Firm 2
- 60 attorneys, very niche practice area within commercial lit, but can't say much more w/o outing - it's not common.
- Associates start b/t 80-90k, summer pay is pro-rated
- 3 or 4 SAs every year, but historically at least 1 and sometimes 2 are no offered
- The firm has grown significantly in the last 5-10 years and the office has a younger/more modern feel. Partners are generally non-boomer and very chill. I could see myself fitting in.
- I really liked the people, but scared of being no offered and also scared that working here would severely limit my exit options b/c it's so niche.

Also, neither firm defers offers for clerkships, so that sucks. I'm leaning Firm 1 right now just because I think an offer is more likely. I will graduate with about 40k in debt.

You're joking right? You're already anonymous. There's no "niche" groups anymore. There's multiple firms that likely do this practice these days.

Laughable that you're worried about outing at a 60 person firm who likely has no clue what a TLS is

Actus Reus wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:T2 student missed biglawl, these are my options and I need to decide today.

Firm 1
- 40 attorneys, basically a small full service firm
- Associates start b/t 60-70k, summer pay is pro-rated
- Only 1 SA per year, the last 3 received offers
- Have confirmed with former associates that the attys legitimately only work 45-55 hours per week
- Partner:Associate ratio is around 2:1
- Really enjoyed the associates and the hiring partner, although it seems like an old boys club that is growing, so socially there's a dichotomy at the office b/t the old boomer partners and the handful of young associates

Firm 2
- 60 attorneys, very niche practice area within commercial lit, but can't say much more w/o outing - it's not common.
- Associates start b/t 80-90k, summer pay is pro-rated
- 3 or 4 SAs every year, but historically at least 1 and sometimes 2 are no offered
- The firm has grown significantly in the last 5-10 years and the office has a younger/more modern feel. Partners are generally non-boomer and very chill. I could see myself fitting in.
- I really liked the people, but scared of being no offered and also scared that working here would severely limit my exit options b/c it's so niche.

Also, neither firm defers offers for clerkships, so that sucks. I'm leaning Firm 1 right now just because I think an offer is more likely. I will graduate with about 40k in debt.

You're joking right? You're already anonymous. There's no "niche" groups anymore. There's multiple firms that likely do this practice these days.

Laughable that you're worried about outing at a 60 person firm who likely has no clue what a TLS is

It's probably just as laughable that you insist a guy list the two firms he's deciding between today when he almost certainly is the only guy making that choice today.

What's the motive? Are you a strikeout simply looking to spam the firm he doesn't pick?

Nope. Just laugh at people who assume the worst about vague firm descriptions.

Current associate.

2 months ago I listened to a sobbing no-offered summer explain that he could have gone to Skadden, who (according to the summer) has a 100% offer rate. I felt bad for the guy. The people at the firm that recommended the no-offer couldn't care less. Lesson: go with #1.

.

Be thankful you have a choice and go with your gut. Not many of us get to choose what works best, we just get what we get and sometimes they happen to be pretty badass (most of the time note).