2L/3L: Best Path To Gain Practical Skills/Experience
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 3:29 am
I am in a fortunate position to have offers to work as a manager (and general legal advisor) at several medium sized corporations ($10-150mil. cap) immediately upon graduating from the T14 I am currently a 2L at. Honestly, I never really had the intention of going to law school with the goal of ever practicing law full-time. Instead, I simply wanted to have the legal background to make more informed decision when managing a business. My duties would entail, but aren't limited to, overseeing general operations, advising on general legal matters (risk mitigation, employee hiring/termination, government contracts and private agreements, various licensing and supply/output contracts, etc.), and potentially acquiring corporations.
I understand that mastering law school exams is very different from having sound, practical legal judgment and transactional skills, and was therefore wondering what path you recommend I take prior to accepting a business manager position. To be clear, I do not necessarily care too much about the money or reputational benefit of being an associate at a big law firm, but I am mostly concerned about the substantive skills that I will acquire and which are transferable to an in-house position.
Please let me know whether being a summer associate (and then an associate for a couple years), working for a small general law firm with a great mentor, clerking for a judge, no experience at all, or perhaps another option will best prepare me to be a general legal advisor and manager at a business.
Much appreciated. Thanks.
I understand that mastering law school exams is very different from having sound, practical legal judgment and transactional skills, and was therefore wondering what path you recommend I take prior to accepting a business manager position. To be clear, I do not necessarily care too much about the money or reputational benefit of being an associate at a big law firm, but I am mostly concerned about the substantive skills that I will acquire and which are transferable to an in-house position.
Please let me know whether being a summer associate (and then an associate for a couple years), working for a small general law firm with a great mentor, clerking for a judge, no experience at all, or perhaps another option will best prepare me to be a general legal advisor and manager at a business.
Much appreciated. Thanks.