Big Firm or Midlaw? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Rising 3L here deciding between two full-time offers:

First is a big firm in Texas (think VE/BB) in a major city (Dallas/Houston). SO has family in the area.

Second is a top firm in a small market (think ABQ, SLC, Tucson, etc.). I have close family ties there and both SO and I would like to end up there long term. Pay is less than biglaw but still pretty good (110-130) with pretty slow raises from year to year; career max would be about $500k including bonus. Short partnership track. More generalist practice (would do tax/M&A/securities/maybe some RE). COL is slightly less than TX city.

Will have about $100k in debt. I'm interested in tax and/or corporate work. Really like my summer at both firms.
Can give more details if needed. Must decide by 10/1.

[oblig.lawl.ref]

Rising 3L here deciding between two full-time offers:

First is a big firm in Texas (think VE/BB) in a major city (Dallas/Houston). SO has family in the area.

Second is a top firm in a small market (think ABQ, SLC, Tucson, etc.). I have close family ties there and both SO and I would like to end up there long term. Pay is less than biglaw but still pretty good (110-130) with pretty slow raises from year to year; career max would be about $500k including bonus. Short partnership track. More generalist practice (would do tax/M&A/securities/maybe some RE). COL is slightly less than TX city.

Will have about $100k in debt. I'm interested in tax and/or corporate work. Really like my summer at both firms.
Can give more details if needed. Must decide by 10/1.

I've heard elsewhere here that the plan of just lateralling into your preferred market after a few years is not such a sure bet. I would imagine this is doubly true in a smaller market. If a different state, you may have to plan to take the new state's bar as part of the move, which lots of people do but having just finished the bar a month ago myself, I really hope to not have to go through the process again.

If you want to be in the smaller market and you have an offer at one of the best firms in that market, I'd say take it and run and start laying down roots. I realize you may be giving up some "prestige" or something and maybe your resume would look shinier in ABQ with VE Houston or whatev on it but idk if it will be worth it in the long run.

[AT9]

Just a 2L so take this FWIW. As a top firm in your desired area, isn't this the type of place you want to be long-term? Unless it's easy to transition from TX biglaw to your preferred market, I don't see the benefit (other than paying off the debt faster) in going to TX biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

I think Midlaw is the way to go here. Texas cities are already pretty low COL, so if other city is even lower and youll be making 110-130, that's probably comparable to market biglaw pay, and you'll still be able to pay off your loans quickly. If you want to end up in the other city too, just go there.

The reason a lot of people don't go to more high paying mid-sized firms like the one you have an offer from is because they generally have very few SA spots. People will go to biglaw for 3-4 years (weirdly easier to get because of class sizes) than lateral out into a smaller firm, mainly to pay off loans/get the experience. I doubt you'd get a lot of substantive experience in tax/corporate in biglaw if you don't plan on sticking around for 4-5 years, or in another way you'll likely get a lot more substantive experience at the smaller firm, so you become marketable a lot quicker.

[2014]

Do you know any attorneys who have made the jump from Texas to the small market? Like everyone else above I'm skeptical this jump would be easy down the road. If you do choose Texas be damn sure you end up in a transferable group or on transferable deals. Getting shoe horned into a practice that doesn't exist in the small market would really close the door.