Top Law Schools

I'm a rising 3L at a T25 school, working at a regional midsize firm that's well-known in the area but not known outside the mid-sized Midwestern city I'm in. Base is 105k. My concern is that the type of work we do is considered "shit" by others in the profession and so might make it hard to lateral later on down the line. Lots of Insurance Defense/toxic torts/workers comp/oil and gas. The thing is, I've actually enjoyed the work and the firm itself, and I feel like I've gotten lots of substantive assignments. But I don't want to "kill" my career by doing work that other firms turn their nose up at. What do?

If you like the work, chances are you will probably enjoy working as an attorney for a longer period of time.

105k is a lot of money for the Midwest. Take the offer and don’t look back.

2013 wrote:105k is a lot of money for the Midwest. Take the offer and don’t look back.

I agree with this. You received a great offer. 105k is also a lot for insurance defense.

Also, your previous experience and T25 is not really a thing that allows you to be picky and decide to do M&As with Kirkland & Ellis instead/down the line. You are simply not going to ever have that chance most likely due to experience & education.

But, you may eventually get staffed on large products liability cases / toxic torts where the firm is local co-counsel with a more national ligation firm. This would be your time to make a good impression and eventually lateral should the opportunity arise. Some of the national traditional BigLaw firms actually do this sort of "shitlaw"/insurance defense work (but not workers' comp) when you are talking about millions at stake.

That's just a normal firm; 105k is a lot of money in that region.

You haven't really experienced or seen "shitlaw" if you think that's shit.

Stop caring about what others consider "shit law" and focus on what you, and only you, want to get out of your legal career.

I don't have experience in insurance defense, but I imagine it will give you great experience with litigation, settlement negotiations, and you might even try a case or two. And then you can spin a 3-4 years at an insurance defense firm into something plaintiff oriented. I tell all my clients "I got tired of working for the bad guy" and they love it.

Go for it. I'd pretty much do any type of legal work for $105k straight out the gate.

This will probably give you really great trial experience. Also, as others have pointed out, $105k buys you a LOT in the Midwest. Take it and don't look back.

AVBucks4239 wrote:Stop caring about what others consider "shit law" and focus on what you, and only you, want to get out of your legal career.

I don't have experience in insurance defense, but I imagine it will give you great experience with litigation, settlement negotiations, and you might even try a case or two. And then you can spin a 3-4 years at an insurance defense firm into something plaintiff oriented. I tell all my clients "I got tired of working for the bad guy" and they love it.

Go for it. I'd pretty much do any type of legal work for $105k straight out the gate.

That's not possible. People on law forums only care about how others in the legal field perceive them.

So many factors that only you know will determine this decision. I say this as someone who weighed an offer from a similar firm starting at $95k against biglaw.

If you like being in Des Moines or Indianapolis or wherever you are, and like the firm, and think you could see yourself there long term, then it would be an excellent outcome for you coming out of school.

If you think you want to try a bigger market sometime (and you have the credentials for it), then it's a lot harder to go from $105K in Omaha & Sons to Insert V10 Here instead of the other way around. But it's pretty hard to pick up on whether that's the case because your only concern seems to be that other firms will look down their nose at the firm you're at now.

What would your alternative be to taking the six-figure job coming out of school?