Top Law Schools

Hi all,

2L at a T5. I'm interested in going into M&A, but know that the market took a bit of a hit during COVID. My understanding is that it's starting to rebound but do you think it's okay to say that I'm interested in M&A? Or am I better off just saying something like restructuring and then just adjusting my interests when I get a preference sheet over the summer?

I'm mostly just worried that I won't get hired if I say something like M&A and they don't have a need for it right now.

I have to imagine that hiring partners are not *so* short-sighted as to pass on an otherwise strong candidate because that person expresses an interest in a practice area that is biglaw’s bread & butter but is temporarily slow.

Remember that you are a productive asset with an expected useful life of 3-7 years (i.e. a business cycle or two), that won’t be joining the firm full-time for another c. 18 months. In other words, the particular state of the market today is almost irrelevant. And all this assumes that your declaration of an interest is taken seriously (which it isn’t AFAIK).

Conversely, by bandwagoning on a practice area that is hot (like restructuring) but where you cannot substantiate your interest (with coursework, experience, etc.), you run the risk of not seeming genuine.

Caveat: I am another 2L so I don’t know what I’m talking about, yadda yadda...

P.S. what is a “T5”? I’m at one of those schools and have never heard anybody use the term (nor anyone else)

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:57 pm

Hi all,

2L at a T5. I'm interested in going into M&A, but know that the market took a bit of a hit during COVID. My understanding is that it's starting to rebound but do you think it's okay to say that I'm interested in M&A? Or am I better off just saying something like restructuring and then just adjusting my interests when I get a preference sheet over the summer?

I'm mostly just worried that I won't get hired if I say something like M&A and they don't have a need for it right now.

Could be wrong, but my understanding is at the top firms corporate practices have been slammed, so I don't think you have to worry that much about it (if you're aiming for those firms, which I'm assuming if you're at a T5 you would potentially be aiming for)

My V100 (so not even a "top" firm) has been absolutely slammed with M&A after the drop off at the beginning of the pandemic. No sign that it's going to let up any time soon, I think you are fine saying you want to do M&A.

I work at a V10. Trust me, the market is very active and has made up for its slow down. Saying you want M&A isn't going to hurt you.

even though there was a downturn, I honestly don't think saying M&A at this point is worse than saying you want litigation, particularly if we're talking about new york. i don't think M&A is necessarily easier to get than litigation, but i don't think it's harder.

Echoing those above, I am a junior at a V20 and we are extremely busy with M&A work.

Also, as you said, there was a drop off at the beginning, so you have some good questions to the attorneys interviewing you.