Corporate Law

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>I am planning for the future and thinking about all possible options. First, what are the main differences between working as a transactional corporate lawyer or an investment banking anyalysist/associate? I know that ibanking usually is more quantitative and involves financial modeling but am unsure about the life of a corporate law associate? Which would allow me to have more free time, a nicer office, more money?</p>

<p>For after undergraduate, would it be better to try and get a job as a ibanking analyst? Do that for the 2 year program and then try and get into a top law school? Or at that point would it make more sense to try and get into a top bschool and go for the associate position at the ibank? Or I could try and apply to law school right after undergrad? Would 2 years as an analyst look good on a law school application. I know work experience is a necessary for bschool, but would i be too old for law?</p>

<p>Also, for undergrad trying to get into a top law school would it be better to go to a big school or a smaller liberal arts? I think i would have a better chance of getting an ibank job at an ivy or other top school but would a smaller college in general be better for applying to law right out of undergrad?</p>

2

<p>I don't know if my last message was confusing but bascially I wan't to know what the differences are between applying to law school and applying to bschool. Which is easier to get into? Would the ibanking anyalist route be a good route into law school? Or would it be better to just try and apply to law right out of undergrad?</p>

3

<p>Law and IB are totally different. You should not confuse the two career paths. They have very little to do with each other.</p>

<p>Perhaps what's confusing is that a lot of IB's are recruiting at the top law schools. However, when I say top, I mean TOP - generally only top 10 or maybe even top 5. Some IB's will only recruit at Harvard Law, Yale Law, and Stanford Law. Basically, these IB's are basically hiring you just for the name of your law school, as well as your proven work ethic that you developed as a law student. </p>

<p>The way I see it is, if you know you want to try IB, you should get a job as an IB analyst to see if you really like it. If you do, then you should get your MBA and then return as an IB associate. If you find out you hate it (and a lot of people do find out they hate it, despite the money), then it's good to find that out early. At that point, you can decide what you really want to do with your life.</p>

<p>While I can't imagine that IB experience would hurt your chances of getting into law school, I don't think it would help that much either. However, what is more important is finding out whether you like or don't like IB. Like I said, a lot of people who thought they would like it find out they don't like it. If you find out you don't like it, you'll be 23-24 and you'll be plenty young enough for law school. </p>

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I don't know if my last message was confusing but bascially I wan't to know what the differences are between applying to law school and applying to bschool. Which is easier to get into?

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<p>I don't know if any road is necessarily 'easier' than the other. They are just very different. The law school road is heavily academic - basically, it hinges very strongly on GPA and LSAT. The B-school road is mostly work related - you can have a stellar GPA and GMAT, but if you don't have good work experience, it will not be easy to get into a good MBA program. Hence, it's easier for certain people. If you're an academic superstar with no practical experience, then obviously getting into law school is easier. If you're one of those people who doesn't do well academically, but does very well on the actual job (I have known many people like this), then the MBA path is easier. </p>

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Would the ibanking anyalist route be a good route into law school? Or would it be better to just try and apply to law right out of undergrad?

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<p>Like I said, while the IB analyst position won't hurt your law school chances, it won't help very much either. Basically, if you know you want to be a lawyer, you don't have to work as an IB. However, if you think IB might be in your future, you should definitely try it out as an analyst. The worst thing that can happen is you go to law school, then get a job as an IB associate, and only then find out that you hate IB.</p>

4

<p>Ok thanks.</p>

<p>So what would be the best way to prepare for law school if you don't think ibanking would be good? What are the best ugrad schools to get into the best law schools?</p>

<p>At the lower levels how do the jobs differ? For example how would ones life as a corporate law associate differ from that of a assocaite at an ibank? Are the starting pays about equal? </p>

<p>Would it be easier to get a corporate law job coming out of top 30 law school or an ibank job coming out of a top 30 undergrad or bschool? Basically i wan't to know which is more of a sure thing, being able to land a good law or ibanking job, assuming you have similar credentials.</p>

5

<p>I have read that ibanks recruit at top law schools. But if you are a corporate m and a lawer at a top firm, is it possible to switch over to ibanking? If you knew you were not on the partnership track? </p>

<p>Do partners every switch over to ibanking? I have read on cravath and other law firm websites that they have alum at comanies like goldman? does that mean that those people work in the ibanking department as md or vp? </p>

<p>Also, I still don't understand what a corporate law associate would do at a top firm? only research?</p>

6

<p>A good book on the subject of I-banking is "Monkey Business." Check it out on Amazon.</p>