2015 graduate...how to get first attorney job Forum

[Madam President]

Median grades at Minnesota. 3 small law internships. Wanted big law going in.

Graduated summer 2015

Spent the last two years as a loan officer at Bank of America . I make 100-120k depending on commision...

I am an top sales producer... Ranked #2 out of 150 refinance bankers YTD

I'm successful because I leverage my legal knowledge & skills (contracts, real estate, business & personal taxes, negotiating, problem solving, persuasive writing, research)

I feel like all the firm's I would want to work at (starting at 100k+) wouldn't even interview me because its been three years since I passed the bar and never practiced law.

Open to suggestions.

What should I do?

I live in dallas

[Anonymous User]

Going directly from your position to Big Law is going to be hard to nearly impossible. There might be routes to Big Law that go through other jobs. What kind of law are you interested in practicing? Lit? Transactional? If transactional, any specific area? To be honest, it's going to be hard.

The real question you should be asking, though, is why the hell you want to leave a 120K a year job as a loan officer to go into Big Law?? What are your average daily hours like? On an hourly basis, you might be making more than a first year at a market paying firm. Do you have a spouse or children? If so, are you ready to sacrifice a lot of the time you spend with them? Are you ready for some radical changes in terms of how you live and spend your non-work hours (and how many non-work hours you have available)? Are you ready to work on projects that are almost certainly a lot more boring than what you do now and that involve far less human contact? I think a lot of people here are going to tell you you're foolish for wanting to give up what is probably a fairly humane job that pays more than well for the Big Law grindhouse,

[Anonymous User]

Continue to be a loan officer at Bank of America, and make 100-120k depending on commission.

+1

[Anonymous User]

There are some firms moving into Dallas. Obviously don’t try Kirkland, but there are other amlaw firms opening offices there. Maybe they will consider hiring someone depending on your connections at the current employer (i.e., do you know the high up bank people).

It’ll be hard going directly to biglaw though. Maybe do some pro bono at legal aid or something for a bit?

[Anonymous User]

Going directly from your position to Big Law is going to be hard to nearly impossible. There might be routes to Big Law that go through other jobs. What kind of law are you interested in practicing? Lit? Transactional? If transactional, any specific area? To be honest, it's going to be hard.

The real question you should be asking, though, is why the hell you want to leave a 120K a year job as a loan officer to go into Big Law?? What are your average daily hours like? On an hourly basis, you might be making more than a first year at a market paying firm. Do you have a spouse or children? If so, are you ready to sacrifice a lot of the time you spend with them? Are you ready for some radical changes in terms of how you live and spend your non-work hours (and how many non-work hours you have available)? Are you ready to work on projects that are almost certainly a lot more boring than what you do now and that involve far less human contact? I think a lot of people here are going to tell you you're foolish for wanting to give up what is probably a fairly humane job that pays more than well for the Big Law grindhouse,

Yes, knowing the answer to all of this is pretty critical. Many people exit biglaw for your type of job because they want to do something with more business development potential. I think you should ask yourself why you want to leave and what specifically a firm job will give you that your current job doesn't.

[Anonymous User]

Spent the last two years as a loan officer at Bank of America . I make 100-120k depending on commision... Stay here and keep doing this

I am an top sales producer... Ranked #2 out of 150 refinance bankers YTD So what? Biglaw isn't sales, it's long hours and grunt work, and you don't have experience to enable you to get a foot in the door

Sorry to be harsh, but it's going to be a longshot since you haven't ever been a lawyer.