Which of these options would be best? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Currently applying to a few different types of jobs as a 3L with median-ish grades at a T30. I've given up, largely, on getting Big Law (barring a miracle, not happening). So I'm looking at state appellate clerkships, assistant AG positions, and federal agency positions. I have an interview coming up for an assistant AG position. Are these job types solid options for someone wanting to try to get into decent firms in private practice after getting 2-3 years' worth of experience? My ego has me still wanting to mass-mail Big Law since it feels like I failed my pre-law school ambitions pursuing these gigs, but at this point the rational side of me is saying to not waste any more time on that. I wanted Big Law before law school, but went to a T30 thinking maybe I'd get lucky (plus I'd already retaken the LSAT several times, although my score increased my final two takes). Granted, I know lots of people say to avoid Big Law.

[Sackboy]

State AG to decent non-biglaw firm isn't uncommon. Unlikely, in most circumstances, that you'd go state AG to biglaw.

[trebekismyhero]

Currently applying to a few different types of jobs as a 3L with median-ish grades at a T30. I've given up, largely, on getting Big Law (barring a miracle, not happening). So I'm looking at state appellate clerkships, assistant AG positions, and federal agency positions. I have an interview coming up for an assistant AG position. Are these job types solid options for someone wanting to try to get into decent firms in private practice after getting 2-3 years' worth of experience? My ego has me still wanting to mass-mail Big Law since it feels like I failed my pre-law school ambitions pursuing these gigs, but at this point the rational side of me is saying to not waste any more time on that. I wanted Big Law before law school, but went to a T30 thinking maybe I'd get lucky (plus I'd already retaken the LSAT several times, although my score increased my final two takes). Granted, I know lots of people say to avoid Big Law.

I have classmates (from a t30 as well) that were median and below median and went from ADA and State AG to big law and others on the corporate side who went from in-house/small law to big law. But most had to go to a mid-law firm in between (particularly those in lit). No harm to continue to mass mail to big law firms, although median from T30 as a 3L will be hard with the economy the way it is. But if you put in the work and continue to network over the next few years, no reason you can't end up in big law.

[Anonymous User]

I went from a state appellate court clerkship to biglaw—it’s possible.

[2013]

Is your T30 Florida? If so, yes, median is probably not going to cut it.

Is your T30 ND? There’s still hope.

It’s good that you’re being realistic, but if you’re at ND or a similar school, I wouldn’t give up completely on biglaw just yet.

And as others have mentioned, you can always break into biglaw later. It’s not guaranteed but your chances probably go from less than 10% now to like 30% in a year or two after you get experience.


Edit!! To answer your question, any of those options is fine.

[Anonymous User]

Currently applying to a few different types of jobs as a 3L with median-ish grades at a T30. I've given up, largely, on getting Big Law (barring a miracle, not happening). So I'm looking at state appellate clerkships, assistant AG positions, and federal agency positions. I have an interview coming up for an assistant AG position. Are these job types solid options for someone wanting to try to get into decent firms in private practice after getting 2-3 years' worth of experience? My ego has me still wanting to mass-mail Big Law since it feels like I failed my pre-law school ambitions pursuing these gigs, but at this point the rational side of me is saying to not waste any more time on that. I wanted Big Law before law school, but went to a T30 thinking maybe I'd get lucky (plus I'd already retaken the LSAT several times, although my score increased my final two takes). Granted, I know lots of people say to avoid Big Law.

Honestly I know this feels like it SUCKS right now. But I do want to highlight that an assistant AG at a state AGs office (if you want to be a litigator) is SUCH a good experience! You will actually get to be in court which is invaluable experience and something you can sell to a federal agency later (or potentially big law but I don’t know as much about that).

[Anonymous User]

Is your T30 Florida? If so, yes, median is probably not going to cut it.

Is your T30 ND? There’s still hope.

It’s good that you’re being realistic, but if you’re at ND or a similar school, I wouldn’t give up completely on biglaw just yet.

And as others have mentioned, you can always break into biglaw later. It’s not guaranteed but your chances probably go from less than 10% now to like 30% in a year or two after you get experience.


Edit!! To answer your question, any of those options is fine.

It's not ND or any of the schools in that range with 40%+ BL/FC, unfortunately. I applied to ND too late and was waitlisted. I'm not sure if litigation is really what I want, but I am open to it. I am interested in healthcare law, so I thought maybe if I could get in the healthcare fraud division with the state AG, that that would be good, transferable experience to firms, even if I were more interested in transactional healthcare attorney gigs long term. I would consider doing ADA, too.

[Anonymous User]

If Iowa, I will DM you.

[CanadianWolf]

Interesting that the responses do not address federal agency positions. OP, maybe you should specify which federal agencies you are targeting.

[jdoeman1234567]

Currently applying to a few different types of jobs as a 3L with median-ish grades at a T30. I've given up, largely, on getting Big Law (barring a miracle, not happening). So I'm looking at state appellate clerkships, assistant AG positions, and federal agency positions. I have an interview coming up for an assistant AG position. Are these job types solid options for someone wanting to try to get into decent firms in private practice after getting 2-3 years' worth of experience? My ego has me still wanting to mass-mail Big Law since it feels like I failed my pre-law school ambitions pursuing these gigs, but at this point the rational side of me is saying to not waste any more time on that. I wanted Big Law before law school, but went to a T30 thinking maybe I'd get lucky (plus I'd already retaken the LSAT several times, although my score increased my final two takes). Granted, I know lots of people say to avoid Big Law.

If you want Biglaw, your best bet is probably to string together a couple clerkships. You can theoretically go into biglaw after a couple years as an assistant AG, but Biglaw firms don't generally recruit people in those positions. I think you would have a good shot at biglaw if you crush 3L and snag a state supreme court clerkship. I'd apply to state high courts for 2023 immediately and plan on targeting intermediate state clerkships for 2023 as a backup. If you get the intermediate state clerkship, you will have a very good chance at a state high court and possibly some fed district courts in 2024.

[Anonymous User]

Absolutely try to get a federal agency position if you want to eventually get into big law. You'll want it to be as close as possible to the field you actually want to practice (i.e., if you think you want to do healthcare, go to agencies that are healthcare-focused or divisions of agencies that are healthcare-focused). I haven't heard of much movement from state AG to big law, although I'm sure it's possible, and I don't think firms care much about state appellate clerkships unless it's the state's court of last review. BUT some firms, especially with heavy regulatory or compliance practices, absolutely care about federal agency experience, and there are plenty that will recruit laterals who have connections to and can navigate federal agency processes -- but again, they will do this by recruiting you as a kind of subject matter expert into a practice group that is related to your agency work and they probably won't let you move around a whole lot, so pick an agency whose work is the subject matter you actually want to do.

[Anonymous User]

Absolutely try to get a federal agency position if you want to eventually get into big law. You'll want it to be as close as possible to the field you actually want to practice (i.e., if you think you want to do healthcare, go to agencies that are healthcare-focused or divisions of agencies that are healthcare-focused). I haven't heard of much movement from state AG to big law, although I'm sure it's possible, and I don't think firms care much about state appellate clerkships unless it's the state's court of last review. BUT some firms, especially with heavy regulatory or compliance practices, absolutely care about federal agency experience, and there are plenty that will recruit laterals who have connections to and can navigate federal agency processes -- but again, they will do this by recruiting you as a kind of subject matter expert into a practice group that is related to your agency work and they probably won't let you move around a whole lot, so pick an agency whose work is the subject matter you actually want to do.

Of course worth trying, but federal agency positions are generally harder to get than their private-side counterparts, which could explain why people didn't really address that as much as the state-level positions. Especially since OP mentioned an interest in healthcare fraud, would be a much better use of effort to target state AGs than, e.g., DOJ, FTC, FDA

[crazywafflez]

I generally find fed gigs are harder to grab than your generic AM Law firm gig. Could just be my market though.
I think if you can get a state app or state sup clerkship and then go to midlaw and then biglaw, that would be the easiest path. I'm thinking for litigation. No clue on transactional. I think state AG work could help with lit as well, but haven't seen it as much (but I'm in a small market and the state AG's office in my city is really small compared to the biggest city in my state).

Best of luck