Big4 outlook Forum

[Anonymous User]

What does the career trajectory look like if you start at the Big4 in a bar-eligible role, like tax consulting? Strictly speaking, I won’t be working as a real atty. Legal tax practices were too hard to break into as a new graduate without a top-3 LLM.

And are consultants ever able to transition to tax firms after a few years?

[nealric]

It will depend a lot on what sort of experience you get. Big 4 is a big place, and there are dead-end roles, and roles that will be great career builders. The exit options will depend on your role in the Big 4 and your prior experience (i.e. accounting background or not).

[CanadianWolf]

Broadly speaking, it is difficult to move from a non-Washington National Tax office of a Big 4 accounting firm to Biglaw, but much depends upon one's experience and background as noted above. Even with WNT experience, such a move can be difficult, but--again--depends upon the particulars of one's experience and background.

There are several practice areas for which Big 4 accounting firms recruit attorneys. Some of those areas are mergers and acquisitions, international tax, SALT, and tax controversy.

Do you have a current offer or offers or placement at a Big 4 accounting firm ?

If yes, for which practice area/areas ?

Are you willing to share your educational background and name of tax LLM program ?

Feel free to direct message (PM) me.

[hangtime813]

There are far more tax attorneys at the big4 than in biglaw, but Big4 is a fine place to make a career out of if you love tax and in house options are usually available too, especially if you have quantitive experience.

[Anon2468]

Big4 is great experience if you're in the WNT/Int'l/M&A groups, but the money's not really there (for the amount of work) until partner level.

There are many in house opportunities if you stay until manager.

A move to biglaw is not that hard if you're in NYC, but the sooner the better.

[nealric]

Big4 is great experience if you're in the WNT/Int'l/M&A groups, but the money's not really there (for the amount of work) until partner level.

There are many in house opportunities if you stay until manager.

A move to biglaw is not that hard if you're in NYC, but the sooner the better.

Yes, the vast majority of corporate tax departments are staffed by people who stayed in Big 4 until Manager or Senior Manager. But I note that 90%+ of corporate in-house tax jobs are looking for someone with a strong quantitative background. It helps a lot of you are a CPA too. There are pure tax counsel roles in-house, but they are harder to come by and tend to be associated with the very largest companies.