SA switching Litigation to Corporate - Tips? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all, I will be a SA at a NYC v5 this summer, and all throughout the interview process, I stated that I wanted to do work in litigation (either general commercial or possibly securities lit). However, as I've progressed through 2L year, I've realized that I really might be interested in switching to corporate work, most likely M&A. I find deals fascinating, I prefer the faster pace, and I am willing to sacrifice a few years of insane corporate hours to hopefully transition in-house for a better lifestyle some day.

The firm I'm going to doesn't formally hire into practice groups, but when during my callback they put me with all litigators without me asking, presumably because I said I wanted to do litigation during my screener. I would like to try both litigation and corporate during the summer, but I'm just worried that I'm already penned into litigation, and that the firm may be resistant to me switching so drastically.

For those of you who have transitioned from litigation to corporate over the summer, do you have any general advice for navigating the transition and ensuring that you don't piss off the wrong people? I may be over analyzing this, but advice/experience would be great. Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Depends greatly on the firm. If you're going to Cravath (which it sounds like you're not), you're probably out of luck; you're already slotted into litigation. If you're going to S&C, DPW or Skadden, no big deal. Just ask for corporate work during the summer, and they'll ask at the end of the summer what practice group you want to start in. Happens all the time that people switch. Don't know enough about Wachtell to comment.

Not an issue for you to worry about at all at S&C/DPW/Skadden (or most other firms).

[Anonymous User]

Depends greatly on the firm. If you're going to Cravath (which it sounds like you're not), you're probably out of luck; you're already slotted into litigation. If you're going to S&C, DPW or Skadden, no big deal. Just ask for corporate work during the summer, and they'll ask at the end of the summer what practice group you want to start in. Happens all the time that people switch. Don't know enough about Wachtell to comment.

Not an issue for you to worry about at all at S&C/DPW/Skadden (or most other firms).

I've met a few people switching Lit <-> Corp at Cravath during my cb's there. Especially considering OP hasn't summered yet. People can even split lit/corp at Cravath, it's just not advertised.

[Anonymous User]

Depends greatly on the firm. If you're going to Cravath (which it sounds like you're not), you're probably out of luck; you're already slotted into litigation. If you're going to S&C, DPW or Skadden, no big deal. Just ask for corporate work during the summer, and they'll ask at the end of the summer what practice group you want to start in. Happens all the time that people switch. Don't know enough about Wachtell to comment.

Not an issue for you to worry about at all at S&C/DPW/Skadden (or most other firms).

I will be at one of S&C/DPW/Skadden, so I'm relieved to hear that. Thanks!