What happens after BigLaw? Forum

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bluesky11

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What happens after BigLaw?

Post by bluesky11 » Thu May 03, 2012 3:37 pm

Forgive my ignorance. I've learned from this board that people often work for 4 or 5 years in BigLaw to pay off their debt. Where do they typically end up afterwards, and if you're making 150k plus, how much might you make after leaving BigLaw. I'm just trying to underst and the career path of your typical T14 grad.

Also, let's say you don't go into biglaw after graduating. How might your career and salary differ from someone who did choose big law once you're 5 or 10 years out. In other words, is the benefit of biglaw limited to high salary, or do you end up with better jobs in thevlong run than someone who went a different route? I realize there are a lot of variables, but I'm tryint to understand the benefits and drawbacks of different paths.

Thanks.

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Doorkeeper

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by Doorkeeper » Thu May 03, 2012 4:53 pm

1. Stay in biglaw
2. Academia
3. Go in-house at a company
4. Go into fed gov
5. Go into DA office
6. Go into NGO work on issue(s) of importance to you
7. Magical fairies and pixie dust.

Lawlexrotica69

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by Lawlexrotica69 » Thu May 03, 2012 4:55 pm

Doorkeeper wrote:1. Stay in biglaw
2. Academia
3. Go in-house at a company
4. Go into fed gov
5. Go into DA office
6. Go into NGO work on issue(s) of importance to you
7. Magical fairies and pixie dust.
I think I'll go with number 7.

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annet

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by annet » Thu May 03, 2012 5:03 pm

Doorkeeper wrote: 7. Magical fairies and pixie dust.
Am angry this is not properly quantified anywhere. I would like to base all future career decisions on my chances of maximum pixie dust. But only if there are also unicorns.

Flanker1067

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by Flanker1067 » Thu May 03, 2012 5:07 pm

Basically every legal employer has ex-biglaw lawyers. There are some employers that more or less require biglaw experience, like in house counsel, there are others that prefer it and then there are jobs where it isn't necessary but they still hire ex-biglawyers.

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SunshineMagic

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SunshineMagic » Thu May 03, 2012 9:16 pm

Can you do bigpussylaw to save up to start solo/small firm?

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SaintsTheMetal

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SaintsTheMetal » Fri May 04, 2012 5:22 pm

SunshineMagic wrote:Can you do bigpussylaw to save up to start solo/small firm?
my 0L plan.. I'm hoping to start a solo/small criminal defense firm after biglaw.. i'd like to hear if anyone has any relevant info on this too

rad lulz

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by rad lulz » Fri May 04, 2012 5:26 pm

It gets harder to afford coke and prostitutes

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nshapkar

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by nshapkar » Fri May 04, 2012 7:02 pm

rad lulz wrote:It gets harder to afford coke and prostitutes

+1

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SunshineMagic

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SunshineMagic » Tue May 08, 2012 3:01 pm

rad lulz wrote:It gets harder to afford coke and prostitutes
damn really?

SunshineMagic

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SunshineMagic » Tue May 08, 2012 3:03 pm

SaintsTheMetal wrote:
SunshineMagic wrote:Can you do bigpussylaw to save up to start solo/small firm?
my 0L plan.. I'm hoping to start a solo/small criminal defense firm after biglaw.. i'd like to hear if anyone has any relevant info on this too
I'm just a dumb ho but I think it would be hard to go from bigpussylaw to gangsta defense law... Unless you had done white collar defense in bigpussylaw

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SaintsTheMetal

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SaintsTheMetal » Tue May 08, 2012 4:35 pm

SunshineMagic wrote:
SaintsTheMetal wrote:
SunshineMagic wrote:Can you do bigpussylaw to save up to start solo/small firm?
my 0L plan.. I'm hoping to start a solo/small criminal defense firm after biglaw.. i'd like to hear if anyone has any relevant info on this too
I'm just a dumb ho but I think it would be hard to go from bigpussylaw to gangsta defense law... Unless you had done white collar defense in bigpussylaw
Its not like you will ever likely be able to practice the same things at a small/solo firm as a BigLaw firm.. Nomatter what your are interested in doing at your small firm, you are probably not going to be doing big Corporate law at a small firm.. I don't see why it would be harder to go into Criminal law would be harder to get into than anything else that small or "full service" firms do

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jcm043

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by jcm043 » Tue May 08, 2012 11:01 pm

SaintsTheMetal wrote:
SunshineMagic wrote:
SaintsTheMetal wrote:
SunshineMagic wrote:Can you do bigpussylaw to save up to start solo/small firm?
my 0L plan.. I'm hoping to start a solo/small criminal defense firm after biglaw.. i'd like to hear if anyone has any relevant info on this too
I'm just a dumb ho but I think it would be hard to go from bigpussylaw to gangsta defense law... Unless you had done white collar defense in bigpussylaw
Its not like you will ever likely be able to practice the same things at a small/solo firm as a BigLaw firm.. Nomatter what your are interested in doing at your small firm, you are probably not going to be doing big Corporate law at a small firm.. I don't see why it would be harder to go into Criminal law would be harder to get into than anything else that small or "full service" firms do
i"ll throw my .02 in. Down here in the South, we obviously do not have a lot of BigLaw. It is much easier to take the leap and go solo from law school. You can also join the Indigent Defender board of your county/Parish, Public Defender's office or the DA's office. Working the in DA office will allow you to under stand the workings of the office and what deals can be made with who. (I could never work for the DA. Too many cock suckers in there.) When you just to the dark side, you will know whats up. Its all about getting clients in the door.

(I plan to practice criminal defense. I just have to decide if I want to join a PD's office for a few years or go straight solo

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Excellent117

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by Excellent117 » Wed May 09, 2012 12:17 am

Retire after 5 years because of the guaranteed millions that all lawyers make.

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SaintsTheMetal

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by SaintsTheMetal » Wed May 09, 2012 5:37 pm

jcm043 wrote:
SaintsTheMetal wrote: i"ll throw my .02 in. Down here in the South, we obviously do not have a lot of BigLaw. It is much easier to take the leap and go solo from law school. You can also join the Indigent Defender board of your county/Parish, Public Defender's office or the DA's office. Working the in DA office will allow you to under stand the workings of the office and what deals can be made with who. (I could never work for the DA. Too many cock suckers in there.) When you just to the dark side, you will know whats up. Its all about getting clients in the door.

(I plan to practice criminal defense. I just have to decide if I want to join a PD's office for a few years or go straight solo
WHO DAT!

That sounds like a good plan though.. something I could definitely see doing myself.. i assume you will be looking to go to a local school for a near full ride then? I imagine starting out solo or as a PD is not gonna pay off any kind of substantial debt you would get from a tier 1 school

nfohey

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Re: What happens after BigLaw?

Post by nfohey » Fri May 11, 2012 12:32 pm

Excellent117 wrote:Retire after 5 years because of the guaranteed millions that all lawyers make.
Sounds like a plan to me.

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