What are the employment options after BigLaw? Forum

A forum for applicants and admitted students to ask law students and graduates about law school and the practice of law.
Post Reply
BerkeleyLaw

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:21 am

What are the employment options after BigLaw?

Post by BerkeleyLaw » Sat Mar 16, 2019 2:10 am

Would you do in house? MidLaw? Also, would the salaries dip or does it depend?

How many years is it ideal to stick it out in biglaw before shifting laterally?

User avatar
cavalier1138

Moderator
Posts: 8007
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:01 pm

Re: What are the employment options after BigLaw?

Post by cavalier1138 » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:32 am

Depends on your practice area and the firm.

If you're in a corporate practice group, in-house is a normal exit. But for litigation/regulatory, government is a common path to take. Or you could continue in private practice elsewhere. Yes, your salary will dip. And the time you need to be in biglaw depends on which job you're trying to exit to.

Short answer: there's no formula. Be specific about your goals, and you'll get specific advice.

QContinuum

Moderator
Posts: 3594
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:52 am

Re: What are the employment options after BigLaw?

Post by QContinuum » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:47 am

cavalier1138 wrote:Depends on your practice area and the firm.

If you're in a corporate practice group, in-house is a normal exit. But for litigation/regulatory, government is a common path to take. Or you could continue in private practice elsewhere. Yes, your salary will dip. And the time you need to be in biglaw depends on which job you're trying to exit to.

Short answer: there's no formula. Be specific about your goals, and you'll get specific advice.
To add to what cavalier says above (all of which is true), the salary dip usually also corresponds to a dip in your hours/workload. BigLaw pays a ton but also works you half to death. Most BigLawyers, as they age and start families, desire better work-life balance (or simply any work-life balance).

Post Reply

Return to “Ask a Law Student / Graduate”