Choosing Based on Firm or Practice Area? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. Here's my dilemma:

I'm fortunate enough to have offers from two firms. V50 (top firm in secondary market) and V100. I think I'll probably end up doing general corp./M&A at V50. At V100, I'm guaranteed a practice area that I find very interesting (regulatory). V50 doesn't have that practice, but I think V50 will offer better exit ops though based on prestige/ranking/whatever.

So, here's my questions: Would it be foolish to pick a firm based on practice area? Or do most people end up picking a firm based on exit ops/prestige? I'm just trying to look at it long-term. What if I end up not enjoying the niche, regulatory practice? Thanks for any inputs/advice/etc.

[run26.2]

Why would you want to do what most people do? What if most people do the wrong thing?

It is difficult to say exactly what you should do bc no one has perfect information re your situation. What you should do is do the best job to figure out what long term prospects are like for regulatory attorneys at the V100 or for those who leave after practicing there. I think the people who love their jobs do much better work.

In general, there are too many threads asking about prestige vs something else (practice area, people, etc.). I think that unless you are at a very prestigious place (I would put a handful of firms in this category), the prestige difference is not enough to warrant choosing a firm ranked around 50 by Vault vs one ranked around 100 if the lower ranked firm would make you happier or allow ylu to practice in an area of your interest.

[Anonymous User]

Why would you want to do what most people do? What if most people do the wrong thing?

It is difficult to say exactly what you should do bc no one has perfect information re your situation. What you should do is do the best job to figure out what long term prospects are like for regulatory attorneys at the V100 or for those who leave after practicing there. I think the people who love their jobs do much better work.

In general, there are too many threads asking about prestige vs something else (practice area, people, etc.). I think that unless you are at a very prestigious place (I would put a handful of firms in this category), the prestige difference is not enough to warrant choosing a firm ranked around 50 by Vault vs one ranked around 100 if the lower ranked firm would make you happier or allow ylu to practice in an area of your interest.

Thanks for the input. Yeah, that's my approach as well (do what I want to do, etc.). But it's also true that I'm a 2L a.k.a. I have no idea what to expect. I heard generally that corp./M&A would be a 'safer' pick for someone who doesn't know 100% what he/she wants to do. It would lead to in-house jobs. The regulatory practice is in trade/development, which sounds interesting, but I have no idea where this will lead if I don't last long enough to make partner or whatever.

[Anonymous User]

Deleted for double-post.

[run26.2]

You have pointed out a dilemma. Unless you have some experience in the field you will go into, it can be hard to know which practice area you might like. You can use the summer to try different things, and some firms will let you branch out if you push for it. You might look into both of those possibilities before accepting at either place.