Top Law Schools

.

if you want lots of $, fed gov't is definitely not the way to go.

You want to "make it rain" or have "power/influence". Why not make it rain in corporate finance? Why are you even going to law school?

Hey I mean I don't know much about transactional myself, because I am going to be a litigator, but heres my 2 cents. For you I would take the most $ out of all your options if you really know that you aren't interested in prestigious PI or clerking. That's really why you go to HYS, but for transactional you really only have to work hard one year at Columbia and you should get some pretty good firms if you finish around median or so.

As far as government you could look at the SEC, FTC, and other agencies in DC. I don't know how much they hire str8 from law school, but I know in DC a lot of people go big law to gov and vis versa. In house is a great option and its what most ppl strive for when they are transactional. So I mean ur on the right path. I'd say take the money, and open up your options. Less debt means less years you HAVE to work Biglaw.

Lawyers don't have power or influence, and you don't make it rain from in house (obviously). And it takes forever to do either of those in pretty much any field, including law. You need to really examine what it actually is you want that will be better than your current job, like in detail, maybe with a therapist, because law school is not a fast track to being some super impressive person. That said, not everyone is miserable in biglaw, so don't let that put you off - it's about personality (more introspection and is there anyone in biglaw you can talk to? If nothing else, there have been some good "day in the life" threads on TLS).