What are my realistic lateral options Forum
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What are my realistic lateral options
2018 graduate doing workers’ comp defense for my states (south) AG’s office. T1 graduate w/ median to below median grades. Comp isn’t the worst, but don’t want to get pigeonholed in this area.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
In current conditions, your prospects are pretty bad; basically no biglaw firms are hiring, except *maybe* people refocusing to bankruptcy/restructuring. Some firms have an uptick of L&E work right now, and your current experience plays into that area, but idk if they'd add headcount there even if they had a need. Even in a pretty good market, I'd say that your chances of pivoting into biglaw aren't awesome, although some L&E groups are less selective than biglaw generally. Your credentials probably restrict you to the geographic area where you are and whatever firms do work similar to what you're doing now---mostly L&E, insurance defense, possibly broader civil litigation. You may be able to work up over time with some hustle and networking.Anonymous User wrote:2018 graduate doing workers’ comp defense for my states (south) AG’s office. T1 graduate w/ median to below median grades. Comp isn’t the worst, but don’t want to get pigeonholed in this area.
Does your AG office do any cross-staffing or internal transfers? You could try to switch divisions to do something you're more interested in for the same state employer.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
I would second this. I worked at a big law L&E department and I know of one associate who started off in WC. It's a useful background to have for L&E because plaintiffs routinely file lit and WC claims simultaneously and WC is (at least in my state) a very different beast.2013 wrote:I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
I would second this. I worked at a big law L&E department and I know of one associate who started off in WC. It's a useful background to have for L&E because plaintiffs routinely file lit and WC claims simultaneously and WC is (at least in my state) a very different beast.2013 wrote:I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
Throw an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
Not sure this is good advice. I think SSC clerkships in Iowa are usually T14 students, top 10% at Iowa, top 5% at Drake, etc. so I don't know if OP would be competitive. There are less reputable flyover SSCs than Iowa (which has a genuinely good SSC) that might be less competitive, especially in the South, but do you really want to spend a year of your life clerking for an elected hack on the Mississippi Supreme Court or something?objctnyrhnr wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 11:18 pmThrow an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
Yeah, a huge part of the value of SSC (outside of Delaware, I guess) is the ties you build to that market. Clerking for the Supreme Court of Arkansas or Nevada or Connecticut seems like a huge waste of time if you don't want to actually live in that state.Iowahawk wrote: ↑Sat May 09, 2020 11:07 pmThere are less reputable flyover SSCs than Iowa (which has a genuinely good SSC) that might be less competitive, especially in the South, but do you really want to spend a year of your life clerking for an elected hack on the Mississippi Supreme Court or something?
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
My AG’s office does hire across different sections and it’s definitely something I have considered. Haven’t tried because I am just coming up on a year and didn’t want to make a move until I put at least a year in. It’s a lot easier to move within once you have your foot in the door, which is good for me obviously. Only problem is hiring has been pretty stagnant since Covid-19 began. I’m not sure whether that’s a function of people not leaving because of job security or there not being money to fund positions because of budgetary constraints. All I know is that I am on a list-serve that tells me all the openings within the AGs office and I would routinely see attorney openings across a lot of sections before Covid-19. Since Covid-19 I haven’t see one attorney job posted.decimalsanddollars wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 3:27 pmIn current conditions, your prospects are pretty bad; basically no biglaw firms are hiring, except *maybe* people refocusing to bankruptcy/restructuring. Some firms have an uptick of L&E work right now, and your current experience plays into that area, but idk if they'd add headcount there even if they had a need. Even in a pretty good market, I'd say that your chances of pivoting into biglaw aren't awesome, although some L&E groups are less selective than biglaw generally. Your credentials probably restrict you to the geographic area where you are and whatever firms do work similar to what you're doing now---mostly L&E, insurance defense, possibly broader civil litigation. You may be able to work up over time with some hustle and networking.Anonymous User wrote:2018 graduate doing workers’ comp defense for my states (south) AG’s office. T1 graduate w/ median to below median grades. Comp isn’t the worst, but don’t want to get pigeonholed in this area.
Does your AG office do any cross-staffing or internal transfers? You could try to switch divisions to do something you're more interested in for the same state employer.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
Iowahawk wrote: ↑Sat May 09, 2020 11:07 pmNot sure this is good advice. I think SSC clerkships in Iowa are usually T14 students, top 10% at Iowa, top 5% at Drake, etc. so I don't know if OP would be competitive. There are less reputable flyover SSCs than Iowa (which has a genuinely good SSC) that might be less competitive, especially in the South, but do you really want to spend a year of your life clerking for an elected hack on the Mississippi Supreme Court or something?objctnyrhnr wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 11:18 pmThrow an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in
I would do SSC in my state. I interviewed for some out of law school, but wouldn’t go to Iowa or a flyover state for it. My long term GF is an attorney so it’s hard to have the autonomy to take jobs out of state without screening her career over.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
burritotaco wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 5:00 pmI would second this. I worked at a big law L&E department and I know of one associate who started off in WC. It's a useful background to have for L&E because plaintiffs routinely file lit and WC claims simultaneously and WC is (at least in my state) a very different beast.2013 wrote:I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.
I would be interested in L&E, I was always under the assumption it was a little harder to break into though.
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Re: What are my realistic lateral options
Are you OP?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 4:12 pmburritotaco wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 5:00 pmI would second this. I worked at a big law L&E department and I know of one associate who started off in WC. It's a useful background to have for L&E because plaintiffs routinely file lit and WC claims simultaneously and WC is (at least in my state) a very different beast.2013 wrote:I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.
I would be interested in L&E, I was always under the assumption it was a little harder to break into though.
I think now is better than ever to break into L&E. L&E at a market-paying firm is hard to land, but spots at Littler, Jackson Lewis, Ogletree, etc. could be potential options. Just have to be geographically flexible.
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