Which Pre-Law job is better? Forum

FinanceStudent28 · Post by **FinanceStudent28** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:09 pm

Which job would look better to law school admissions and potential law firm employers?

Investment Banking Analyst at a boutique M&A shop

OR

Paralegal/Legal Assistant at top50 Vault law firm

Any advice would be great.

guano · Post by **guano** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:10 pm

FinanceStudent28 wrote:Which job would look better to law school admissions and potential law firm employers?

Investment Banking Analyst at a boutique M&A shop

OR

Paralegal/Legal Assistant at top50 Vault law firm

Any advice would be great.

probably IB analyst, but it won't make anywhere near as big an impact as your grades (or LSAT, for admissions)

holdencaulfield · Post by **holdencaulfield** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:27 pm

IB Analyst is much more impressive.

FinanceStudent28 · Post by **FinanceStudent28** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:30 pm

holdencaulfield wrote:IB Analyst is much more impressive.

guano wrote: probably IB analyst, but it won't make anywhere near as big an impact as your grades (or LSAT, for admissions)

Thanks guys.

Would taking the paralegal/legal assistant job be worth it for the contacts/experience though?

What if it was arguably the most prestigious firm for the type of law you are interested in?

hos9903 · Post by **hos9903** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:24 pm

I have a similar question regarding prelaw jobs.

I was applying to law schools and post-grad jobs at the same time. Now I have acceptances at schools I feel comfortable attending. However, I also was offered a position at a consulting firm in Texas that works with oil&gas. The money with the company is good, but I would really on consider doing it for a year if the OCI benefits were significant.

Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated

edit: I have very little interest in that line of work, or in being in Texas longer than a year, so networking benefits during/after law school would be limited

FinanceStudent28 · Post by **FinanceStudent28** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:31 pm

hos9903 wrote:I have a similar question regarding prelaw jobs.

I was applying to law schools and post-grad jobs at the same time. Now I have acceptances at schools I feel comfortable attending. However, I also was offered a position at a consulting firm in Texas that works with oil&gas. The money with the company is good, but I would really on consider doing it for a year if the OCI benefits were significant.

Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated

edit: I have very little interest in that line of work, or in being in Texas longer than a year, so networking benefits during/after law school would be limited

I would say give the job a try.

Law school is always going to be there.

BlakcMajikc · Post by **BlakcMajikc** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:58 pm

FinanceStudent28 wrote:
hos9903 wrote:I have a similar question regarding prelaw jobs.

I was applying to law schools and post-grad jobs at the same time. Now I have acceptances at schools I feel comfortable attending. However, I also was offered a position at a consulting firm in Texas that works with oil&gas. The money with the company is good, but I would really on consider doing it for a year if the OCI benefits were significant.

Any thoughts on this would be really appreciated

edit: I have very little interest in that line of work, or in being in Texas longer than a year, so networking benefits during/after law school would be limited
I would say give the job a try.

Law school is always going to be there.

Consider deferring for a year.

MHD610 · Post by **MHD610** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:05 pm

You should generally just take the job that most interests you. As responders have said, most of the admissions/hiring decisions are based on the numbers. After the numbers 1) admissions decisions are about your ability to tell a compelling story through your essays, and 2) law firm hiring decisions are about your personality and drive (or at least how much of it you can show in a 20-30 min interview). Being able to speak/write about your experience in a compelling way is often more important than the job itself. Re the paralegal job, it will certainly be valuable to get a feel for the day to day grind of biglaw (especially in your area of interest) before attending law school. You may hate the practice area (or the thought of being a lawyer/biglaw lawyer altogether), and decide to change course.

holdencaulfield · Post by **holdencaulfield** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:22 am

FinanceStudent28 wrote:
Thanks guys.

Would taking the paralegal/legal assistant job be worth it for the contacts/experience though?

What if it was arguably the most prestigious firm for the type of law you are interested in?

Sure; you'll probably have networking opportunities with both jobs. From there, it's weighing the practical experience (that interviewers probably won't care too much about) vs. the marketability of having IB analyst on your resume.

Robert_Bert · Post by **Robert_Bert** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:27 am

IB job, no question IMO.

lawyerchick · Post by **lawyerchick** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:35 am

FWIW, I recall reading on Northwestern's website that they prefer applicants who worked in non-legal roles prior to law school

$$$$$$ · Post by **$$$$$$** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:40 am

100% you take the investment banking job, this shouldn't even be a question.

FinanceStudent28 · Post by **FinanceStudent28** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:28 pm

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Black Hat · Post by **Black Hat** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:26 pm

Police Officer.

rad lulz · Post by **rad lulz** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:40 pm

09042014 · Post by **09042014** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:43 pm

lawyerchick wrote:FWIW, I recall reading on Northwestern's website that they prefer applicants who worked in non-legal roles prior to law school

The old dean compared paralegal work to waitressing. I don't think the new dean would make the comparison though. But that tells you how some people in the legal world view paralegals.

09042014 · Post by **09042014** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:44 pm

rad lulz wrote:Jeez do IBanking

Do oil n gas

Lol @ people giving up legit jobs to go to law school

TITCR.

Most biglawyers are a Ibankers bitch.

Doorkeeper · Post by **Doorkeeper** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:08 pm

Investment Banking Analyst. WITHOUT A DOUBT.

Many of the T14 law schools, including Yale, are actively looking to recruit more business oriented students.

Also, don't go to law school if you become an ibanker.

jingosaur · Post by **jingosaur** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:17 pm

Desert Fox wrote: Most biglawyers are a Ibankers bitch.

To be fair, most iBankers are also an iBanker's bitch.

But yeah, take the IB job. Law schools really like people with finance backgrounds and it gives you a lot of good options besides law school.

hos9903 · Post by **hos9903** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:35 pm

While the responses so far are probably correct, I think more information about the firm is needed. Specifically what market it's in and how big the firm is.

I was an analyst at "boutique" firm and while it was a great learning experience, the pay and range of opportunities were much more limited than what most people think when they hear "I Banker." That being said, I loved the "boutique" feel, and usually those are the firms that really value JDs with finance experience, because they need to be as efficient as possible with their operations. This was one of the reasons I decided to apply to law school.

FinanceStudent28 · Post by **FinanceStudent28** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:52 pm

rad lulz wrote:Jeez do IBanking

Do oil n gas

Lol @ people giving up legit jobs to go to law school

Most IB Analyst jobs are 2-3 year stints.

Very few make it to Associate.
Even fewer make it to VP.

And a tiny handful make it to director.

So there is a legit question of: Where do I go after this?

I'm considering law school.

Doorkeeper · Post by **Doorkeeper** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:31 pm

FinanceStudent28 wrote:
rad lulz wrote:Jeez do IBanking

Do oil n gas

Lol @ people giving up legit jobs to go to law school
Most IB Analyst jobs are 2-3 year stints.

Very few make it to Associate.
Even fewer make it to VP.

And a tiny handful make it to director.

Bro, it's the same shit in biglawl.

Most associate jobs are 5-6 year stints.

Very few make it to Partner.
Even fewer make it to Revenue Sharing Partner.

guano · Post by **guano** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:34 pm

Doorkeeper wrote:
FinanceStudent28 wrote:
rad lulz wrote:Jeez do IBanking

Do oil n gas

Lol @ people giving up legit jobs to go to law school
Most IB Analyst jobs are 2-3 year stints.

Very few make it to Associate.
Even fewer make it to VP.

And a tiny handful make it to director.
Bro, it's the same shit in biglawl.

Most associate jobs are ~~5-6~~3-4 year stints.

Very few make it to Partner.
Even fewer make it to Revenue Sharing Partner.

fixed

stillwater · Post by **stillwater** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:40 pm

the law degree is the most versatile degree ever. if you get one, you can do tso much stuffs.

jbagelboy · Post by **jbagelboy** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:54 pm

stillwater wrote:the law degree is the most versatile degree ever. if you get one, you can do tso much stuffs.

Cause it really teaches you to think like a lawyer, y'know?

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