Top Law Schools

Ok. So I'm headed to law school in September. Not sure where exactly but most likely either Harvard or Stanford. I have a number of reasons for going into Law, but one of those reasons is it leads to a good career. The thing is, I don't know if I really want to work the insane hours of Big Law. Are there other types of private law careers where I can still make a decent living to start (say 100 to 120K), have good future earning potential and not work the insane hours of big law? It seems everyone on here is either Big Law or Public Interest. I'm wondering if there is a middle ground.

Are there other types of private law careers where I can still make a decent living to start (say 100 to 120K), have good future earning potential and not work the insane hours of big law? It seems everyone on here is either Big Law or Public Interest. I'm wondering if there is a middle ground.

If you are at high-level schools with good grades, there are a few elite boutiques hiring right out of law school that are known for decent pay and normal quality of life. Keep in mind also that few stick with biglaw for life, but doing biglaw opens up doors to in-house and in smaller firms where life is easier.

There are also a few in-house gigs that are straight out of law school affairs- one that comes to mind is the Exxon-Mobil tax division.

nealric wrote:

Are there other types of private law careers where I can still make a decent living to start (say 100 to 120K), have good future earning potential and not work the insane hours of big law? It seems everyone on here is either Big Law or Public Interest. I'm wondering if there is a middle ground.

If you are at high-level schools with good grades, there are a few elite boutiques hiring right out of law school that are known for decent pay and normal quality of life. Keep in mind also that few stick with biglaw for life, but doing biglaw opens up doors to in-house and in smaller firms where life is easier.

There are also a few in-house gigs that are straight out of law school affairs- one that comes to mind is the Exxon-Mobil tax division.

Good to know. I just can't stomach the idea of slaving away for 80-100 hours a week. But I do want challenging and interesting work. I hope these two things aren't mutually exclusive.

I actually worked for a Canadian Sub of Exxon in Canada, and I can say its easily the worst company I ever worked for.

I just can't stomach the idea of slaving away for 80-100 hours a week.

Just FYI, 80-100 hours a week is way on the high side even for biglaw. 60 hours is much more common (especially outside of NYC).

nealric wrote:

I just can't stomach the idea of slaving away for 80-100 hours a week.

Just FYI, 80-100 hours a week is way on the high side even for biglaw. 60 hours is much more common (especially outside of NYC).

well that seems a little more barable.

They're out there but they're hard to get, especially right out of school.

Don't delude yourself that you'll be doing challenging and interesting work right out of school either -- almost no one gets to do that no matter where they go.

If you're banking on an interesting job where you don't have to work too hard, law school is not for you.

There are plenty of them, particularly in smaller markets. At the firm i work for in Denver associates work probably 50-55 hours per week, seem challenged and happy enough, started at 120K, and are usually not from elite law schools (lots from Univ of Colorado, which is still a good school). And from what i have been told there are other Denver firms similar to this. I'd guess other mid sized markets are similar, but i could be wrong.

But true, straight out of school the work is not that interesting, i would guess. but the other great thing about a smaller market is that the fun work will probably come quicker.