Become a lobbyist or pursue a big law career Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm currently a junior staffer working on the Hill. Despite being here for a very short period of time, a span of a few months, I've been promoted and now cover policy areas that many staffers would have had to wait years to get and is lucrative in the long run, finance, taxes, telecom, among others. Exit option here is to leave in about 3-4 years and find a lobbying gig. Current pay is very low.

On the other hand, I am set to start law school at a strong regional school this fall in hopes of landing a big law gig for a few years and take any opportunities that may come my way and run with it. If given the chance, do in-house for a tech company.

Thoughts on which path I should pursue?

[OutCold]

People are going to yell at you for posting as a 0l on this forum. That aside, I assume that when you say a strong regional school, you're looking at something outside of the T14 or whatever number people are using these days. If that's the case, your chances at biglaw are going to be very slim. Your chances of going inhouse at a tech company right out of school or at any point thereafter are effectively non-existent (though you score a few points if you have a STEM background). I would stay on the hill for a few years or retake/reapply in another cycle if you have a decent gpa and are set on law.

[trebekismyhero]

What is a strong regional? If you are not at a t14 you are definitely counting your chickens before they hatch when it comes to getting big law.

Are you going part time? If you are going to law school full time you will lose a lot of the opportunities to go be a lobbyist after 3-4 years. You wouldn't start over necessarily because you can probably start at a higher position on the hill after law school, but you'll need to spend a couple more years there after school before being able to cash out.

[deadpanic]

"Strong regional" law school sounds like this scenario ends up with you paying a ton of money and 3 years of your life to go back into the same line of work. As others have pointed out, big law is extremely unlikely from such a school.

I knew several people who worked on the Hill then came to law school only to just go back to working on the Hill. The law degree didn't really advance them, either.

It sounds like you kind of want money/prestige rather than to actually practice law. That coupled with just a strong regional law school tells me you should probably just try to switch to lobbying in a few years.

[Anonymous User]

People are going to yell at you for posting as a 0l on this forum. That aside, I assume that when you say a strong regional school, you're looking at something outside of the T14 or whatever number people are using these days. If that's the case, your chances at biglaw are going to be very slim. Your chances of going inhouse at a tech company right out of school or at any point thereafter are effectively non-existent (though you score a few points if you have a STEM background). I would stay on the hill for a few years or retake/reapply in another cycle if you have a decent gpa and are set on law.

OP here. Apologies about that, my anonymous function wouldn't work in any of the other forums.

[A. Nony Mouse]

People are going to yell at you for posting as a 0l on this forum. That aside, I assume that when you say a strong regional school, you're looking at something outside of the T14 or whatever number people are using these days. If that's the case, your chances at biglaw are going to be very slim. Your chances of going inhouse at a tech company right out of school or at any point thereafter are effectively non-existent (though you score a few points if you have a STEM background). I would stay on the hill for a few years or retake/reapply in another cycle if you have a decent gpa and are set on law.

OP here. Apologies about that, my anonymous function wouldn't work in any of the other forums.

Yes, OP, I'm afraid that's kind of the point. If you want to reopen this in Ask a Law Student/Grad, feel free.