1L SA (low V100) vs. Fortune 500 Company Forum

[Anonymous User]

Looking to get some perspective. Have offers from a Fortune 500 company in the field I would like to specialize in (tech) and 1L SA from a lower V100 firm.

I prefer the Company's offer, it's a huge name and just sounds like a better experience overall, but the pay is 3.5x less than a biglaw firm (I'm in a major market, so you can guess the amount).

Will be aiming for a biglaw firm in 2L. My grades are not stellar, but I interview very well. I'm a non-URM male.

Thoughts?

[barkschool]

Looking to get some perspective. Have offers from a Fortune 500 company in the field I would like to specialize in (tech) and 1L SA from a lower V100 firm.

I prefer the Company's offer, it's a huge name and just sounds like a better experience overall, but the pay is 3.5x less than a biglaw firm (I'm in a major market, so you can guess the amount).

Will be aiming for a biglaw firm in 2L. My grades are not stellar, but I interview very well. I'm a non-URM male.

Thoughts?

1lSa - at least you'll have an opportunity to lock up next summer without going to oci. Having a summer at a company v. a law firm isn't going to vault your career any further.

[Anonymous User]

Looking to get some perspective. Have offers from a Fortune 500 company in the field I would like to specialize in (tech) and 1L SA from a lower V100 firm.

I prefer the Company's offer, it's a huge name and just sounds like a better experience overall, but the pay is 3.5x less than a biglaw firm (I'm in a major market, so you can guess the amount).

Will be aiming for a biglaw firm in 2L. My grades are not stellar, but I interview very well. I'm a non-URM male.

Thoughts?

1lSa - at least you'll have an opportunity to lock up next summer without going to oci. Having a summer at a company v. a law firm isn't going to vault your career any further.

I see your point. I want to go through 2L OCI though. The firm is not strong in the practice area I'm interested in, and I think I can get a better ranked firm in 2L

[Anonymous User]

Looking to get some perspective. Have offers from a Fortune 500 company in the field I would like to specialize in (tech) and 1L SA from a lower V100 firm.

I prefer the Company's offer, it's a huge name and just sounds like a better experience overall, but the pay is 3.5x less than a biglaw firm (I'm in a major market, so you can guess the amount).

Will be aiming for a biglaw firm in 2L. My grades are not stellar, but I interview very well. I'm a non-URM male.

Thoughts?

1lSa - at least you'll have an opportunity to lock up next summer without going to oci. Having a summer at a company v. a law firm isn't going to vault your career any further.

I see your point. I want to go through 2L OCI though. The firm is not strong in the practice area I'm interested in, and I think I can get a better ranked firm in 2L

Seems like you want to work at the company. Just do that if the money isn't important to you.

[inter-associate]

Looking to get some perspective. Have offers from a Fortune 500 company in the field I would like to specialize in (tech) and 1L SA from a lower V100 firm.

I prefer the Company's offer, it's a huge name and just sounds like a better experience overall, but the pay is 3.5x less than a biglaw firm (I'm in a major market, so you can guess the amount).

Will be aiming for a biglaw firm in 2L. My grades are not stellar, but I interview very well. I'm a non-URM male.

Thoughts?

1lSa - at least you'll have an opportunity to lock up next summer without going to oci. Having a summer at a company v. a law firm isn't going to vault your career any further.

I see your point. I want to go through 2L OCI though. The firm is not strong in the practice area I'm interested in, and I think I can get a better ranked firm in 2L

The point is that you can enter OCI without any worries of not finding a job. Most people interview much better when they already have an offer, as it turns the process around a bit (you choosing firms instead of them choosing you). Also, from my perspective as an interviewer, a fortune 500 summer position does not provide any meaningful boost in job prospects, while a 1L SA does.

All that said, if you have the grades/school to almost guarantee a job in 2L OCI and you don't care about the money, then the company job won't hurt you.

[Anonymous User]

Op here. Thanks for the input.

I am more excited about the company. One of those big names I'd kill to work in-house for down the road.

I have the school and interview skills to do well in OCI...grades not so much.

Sounds like 1L SA is objectively the better decision. I thought it might be more unique/help to have a big client name going in for OCI but it sounds like having a firm trumps all that.

[Anonymous User]

No one cares what you did 1L summer.
Take the 1L SA and the $$$. You'll barely do anything and you'll be wined and dined all summer.

If you don't care about the $, do whatever you want.

[barkschool]

Op here. Thanks for the input.

I am more excited about the company. One of those big names I'd kill to work in-house for down the road.

I have the school and interview skills to do well in OCI...grades not so much.

Sounds like 1L SA is objectively the better decision. I thought it might be more unique/help to have a big client name going in for OCI but it sounds like having a firm trumps all that.

I skipped over the part about having less than favorable grades.

I would ABSOLUTELY take the 1lsa in that case. Work on locking up future employment, no reason to gamble on 2l oci unnecessarily.

[Anonymous User]

If you think you have long term aspirations of going in house then it would be a good experience you won't have again. On the other hand, it's a lot more money to do the firm thing for the summer.

[nealric]

Op here. Thanks for the input.

I am more excited about the company. One of those big names I'd kill to work in-house for down the road.

I have the school and interview skills to do well in OCI...grades not so much.

Sounds like 1L SA is objectively the better decision. I thought it might be more unique/help to have a big client name going in for OCI but it sounds like having a firm trumps all that.

I skipped over the part about having less than favorable grades.

I would ABSOLUTELY take the 1lsa in that case. Work on locking up future employment, no reason to gamble on 2l oci unnecessarily.

This. In-house gigs tend not to lead to permanent offers. Law firm 1Ls usually do. Better to have the offer in your back pocket. I say this as an in-house lawyer.

[Clearly]

firm by a long-shot.