Switching firms as 3L? Forum

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Switching firms as 3L?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:33 pm

How difficult would it be for me to switch law firms now during my 3L year? I was at a top firm this summer and really liked the firm. The problem is now that I think I really want to go into Bankruptcy/Restructuring, and my summer firm really doesn't have much of a practice there.

I'm in Bankruptcy Law now and have loved it. It makes a lot of sense to me. I did have a couple offers for last summer with firms with good Rx practices, but for several reasons (including having worked in my prior career with alumni of my summer firm), I picked the firm I summered with.

I would be happy at my current firm, but I'm nervous about passing up a practice that I find super interesting for one that I find just relatively interesting. I worked in finance before law school, so I think I want to be in biglaw long term, if that matters. Also if it matters, I have very good grades from a T6 law school.

mwells_56

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by mwells_56 » Mon Nov 21, 2022 1:17 pm

Hiring market is a bit slow these days but people generally do this all the time.

lshopeful17

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by lshopeful17 » Mon Nov 21, 2022 1:25 pm

mwells_56 wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 1:17 pm
Hiring market is a bit slow these days but people generally do this all the time.
Thanks. Any advice on how to actually proceed? Should I just email recruiting a resume and cover, or should I bet reaching out to Rx attorneys for a chat first?

mwells_56

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by mwells_56 » Mon Nov 21, 2022 4:44 pm

lshopeful17 wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 1:25 pm
mwells_56 wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 1:17 pm
Hiring market is a bit slow these days but people generally do this all the time.
Thanks. Any advice on how to actually proceed? Should I just email recruiting a resume and cover, or should I bet reaching out to Rx attorneys for a chat first?
Always better to have someone you know going to bat for you if you can swing it. Otherwise look around firm websites, see if they have any postings for 3Ls or even juniors. Follow up with an email to recruiting.

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existentialcrisis

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by existentialcrisis » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:18 pm

I assume you’re going into this eyes wide open re: BK’s limited exit options outside firms?

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:33 pm

existentialcrisis wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:18 pm
I assume you’re going into this eyes wide open re: BK’s limited exit options outside firms?
Can you expand on this?

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by Sackboy » Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:34 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:33 pm
existentialcrisis wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:18 pm
I assume you’re going into this eyes wide open re: BK’s limited exit options outside firms?
Can you expand on this?
As a specialty, 99.99% of employers aren't looking to hire people who practice bankruptcy law. Why would Apple or [insert stable company] want to do that? Also, if you're at the point of bankruptcy, you're not hiring an in-house bankruptcy counsel. You're just bringing on a firm's team. From a skills standpoint, you're a bastard-child of a litigator and a corporate lawyer. If they need a litigator, they'll just hire someone who does actual litigation. If they need a corporate counsel, they'll hire an actual corporate lawyer. This can cause a lot of bankruptcy folks to get stuck at firms.

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existentialcrisis

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Re: Switching firms as 3L?

Post by existentialcrisis » Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:22 pm

Sackboy wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:34 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:33 pm
existentialcrisis wrote:
Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:18 pm
I assume you’re going into this eyes wide open re: BK’s limited exit options outside firms?
Can you expand on this?
As a specialty, 99.99% of employers aren't looking to hire people who practice bankruptcy law. Why would Apple or [insert stable company] want to do that? Also, if you're at the point of bankruptcy, you're not hiring an in-house bankruptcy counsel. You're just bringing on a firm's team. From a skills standpoint, you're a bastard-child of a litigator and a corporate lawyer. If they need a litigator, they'll just hire someone who does actual litigation. If they need a corporate counsel, they'll hire an actual corporate lawyer. This can cause a lot of bankruptcy folks to get stuck at firms.
Yeah this.

I can see why BK is interesting/exciting and if you’re p decent you can definitely stick around a firm for a long time. It also does have some rare but very lucrative exits with certain funds.

But generally, BK has all of the fire drills and late nights of the major transactional practices without the standard in house exits a lot of people are looking for.

If you want lots of opportunities for in house job that combines solid pay and gentle hours, BK is not the way to get there.

Like if you understand this and still wanna do BK, then I get it. Some people live for this stuff. But if you’re looking to switch from like m&a or securities or something to BK this is 100 percent something to be aware of and think long and hard about.

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