What are my realistic lateral options Forum

[Anonymous User]

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.

[2013]

I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.

[decimalsanddollars]

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.

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.

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.

[burritotaco]

I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.

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.

[burritotaco]

I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.

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.

[objctnyrhnr]

Throw an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in

[Iowahawk]

Throw an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in

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?

[The Lsat Airbender]

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?

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.

[Anonymous User]

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.

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.

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.

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.

[Anonymous User]

Throw an ap to any non coastal state’s SSC you’d be willing to work in

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?

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.

[Anonymous User]

I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.

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.

I would be interested in L&E, I was always under the assumption it was a little harder to break into though.

[2013]

I’d try to get a job in L&E. Then you can start moving up that chain.

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.

I would be interested in L&E, I was always under the assumption it was a little harder to break into though.

Are you OP?

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.