Should I Jump Ship? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm an incoming associate at a DC/NY V10. I was originally set to start in September, work for a year, and then leave to clerk at the federal district and appellate level. My start date was delayed and I started putting out feelers. I was recently offered a job in my long term target market where both my clerkships are. It's a plaintiffs boutique with below Cravath scale compensation for base but pretty serious bonuses that are based on performance slash business generation. The secondary market is also much cheaper and overall I would likely make more at the plaintiffs firm my first year.

Long term, I would like to go plaintiffs side but I feel as though my outcomes would be better if I was to do a year a big law then clerk as opposed to a plaintiffs shop then clerk. I don't NEED the money right away, but starting immediately as opposed to the delayed start at the other firm is appealing. I would really appreciate any insight because I'm lost regarding what to do here.

[polareagle]

I'm an incoming associate at a DC/NY V10. I was originally set to start in September, work for a year, and then leave to clerk at the federal district and appellate level. My start date was delayed and I started putting out feelers. I was recently offered a job in my long term target market where both my clerkships are. It's a plaintiffs boutique with below Cravath scale compensation for base but pretty serious bonuses that are based on performance slash business generation. The secondary market is also much cheaper and overall I would likely make more at the plaintiffs firm my first year.

Long term, I would like to go plaintiffs side but I feel as though my outcomes would be better if I was to do a year a big law then clerk as opposed to a plaintiffs shop then clerk. I don't NEED the money right away, but starting immediately as opposed to the delayed start at the other firm is appealing. I would really appreciate any insight because I'm lost regarding what to do here.

Does the plaintiff's firm know that you're going to be leaving in a year to clerk for two? When was your start date delayed until? When could you start at the plaintiff's firm?

[RedGiant]

I got advice a long time ago--you can go from big to small, but the reverse is much, much harder. I think that holds true here. Even if you only do one year at V10, you will always have the cache of being V10 guy. You will likely not close the door with plaintiff's firm in small town--they would likely love to have you in 2-3 years also (in fact, probably prefer it). I would take the V10 (even if deferred) and continue on your clerkship path. Keep the firm in secondary market warm, checking in periodically and expressing that your long term plan is return to X City in 3ish years. GL!

[pobyrne]

I am not sure how long your start date is being delayed, but I tend to agree with the person who commented that you can always go from big to small firms. Having even one year of Big Law at a top firm on your resume is incredibly valuable. Your 5 to 10 year goals may change during your clerkships, and having Big Law and those clerkships will afford you maximum flexibility.

[Anonymous User]

I am in a similar situation and the universal consensus in my secondary market, even among biglaw alums, was that even the highest-end, biglaw-competitive firms and clients there do not value generic junior biglaw experience, e.g. they will not give much if any class year credit for it. The concerns were that:

1. You get a significantly lower level of substantive experience
2. You will have fewer of the connections you need to generate business and make partner (in small/midsize markets making partner is often the norm)
3. Most firms do not hire every year for every group so you can be stuck in biglaw for years waiting for an opening and/or have to choose a less-ideal firm

I imagine some of these concerns are even more present on the plaintiff's side. If you're fairly sure you want to move to this market and plaintiff's work, I think the extra year of networking and experience is worth more than a year in biglaw. Plus not having to move sounds nice. Try talking to lawyers in your long-term market and seeing what they think if you have connections.

[Dietcoke27]

Jump. You'll have so many options in 2 years coming out of 2 clerkships. If you really do start in January 2021 (rather than the world devolving and getting pushed back further), you'll have 9 months at a big law firm in a city you don't want to be in--will that actually add to your applications after two clerkships, or is it a lot of waiting around for something you don't really want? Are you going to learn more than how to write a good email? See now if plaintiff's side is what you really want rather than in 2 years when realistically you'll have to stay at the job longer than 9 months before moving, if you decide you don't like it. Plus if anyone asks in 2 years about why you took this plaintiff's job, the easy answer is that there was a pandemic and you weren't going to get enough time at the big law firm anyway.

Plus, you'll get your raise at the federal employee level sooner. They calculate it by weeks of employment, not graduation year. If you start working now, you'll move up the JS-11 scale three months sooner. And those jumps are really large!

[Anonymous User]

I'm an incoming associate at a DC/NY V10. I was originally set to start in September, work for a year, and then leave to clerk at the federal district and appellate level. My start date was delayed and I started putting out feelers. I was recently offered a job in my long term target market where both my clerkships are. It's a plaintiffs boutique with below Cravath scale compensation for base but pretty serious bonuses that are based on performance slash business generation. The secondary market is also much cheaper and overall I would likely make more at the plaintiffs firm my first year.

Long term, I would like to go plaintiffs side but I feel as though my outcomes would be better if I was to do a year a big law then clerk as opposed to a plaintiffs shop then clerk. I don't NEED the money right away, but starting immediately as opposed to the delayed start at the other firm is appealing. I would really appreciate any insight because I'm lost regarding what to do here.

Just a word on the plaintiffs' boutiques where your bonuses bank: a lot of it is smoke and mirrors. It's very case origination heavy rather than how well you or the firm performs. I've seen it at a couple blockbuster plaintiffs shops that do very well. I'd ask about anticipated bonuses if you do great work but don't necessarily originate cases.