<p>Transitioning from biglaw to IBanking is not within my area of expertise, so I’ll have to leave that to others. The salary range for government/non-profit attorneys is much too wide for me to comment on also. If you wanted to follow that path, however, it is very important to prepare by saving and not living at or above your means while working with at large firm. </p>
<p>Yes, there are many more biglaw associates who want to go in house than there are jobs for them. In the current economy, employers are much more forgiving about hiring unemployed attorneys. In the past, it could be the kiss of death. It is so common to be laid off now, that it has lost much of its stigma. I still recommend that an associate not leave the current job, if possible, while looking. If your goal is to move in house, then typically more experience is necessary than if you want to make a lateral move to another firm. I’d say you want to start looking in the 4-8 yr range. If you want to make a lateral move to another law firm, the prime time is 2-4 yrs out. Most very sought after, upper level in house jobs require a mix of law firm and in house experience, so if preparing to go in at a senior counsel, assistant/associate GC level, then plan to spend a few years with a prominent firm, followed by a few years in house. Then you are better positioned to move to another company if that is necessary in order to move up through the ranks.</p>
<p>“Judging by the titles of so many threads, I don’t think any type of law is worth it.”</p>
<p>I’d like to bring up something I don’t see being discussed that much this board. But one thing I’ve found as I’ve progressed through my career as an attorney is that my job satisfaction has increased over the years.</p>
<p>I’m an in-house attorney at a Fortune 1000 company, and spend my days drafting and negotiating sales contracts. My work load is somewhat cyclical: it builds over the course of each fiscal quarter, and over each fiscal quarter to the end of the year. I’m astoundingly busy at times, particularly during the last month of our third and fourth fiscal quarters every year, when I find myselg juggling a dozen or more active negotiations at once. The stress level can be really high. There are thousands of people depending on me, and millions of dollars at stake. And I absolutely love it. I’ve honed my skills for a long period of time, and I’ve gotten to be really good at what I do. My clients love me, and they’re not shy about letting me know it. At the end of a really long, intense day, I leave the office with a powerful sense of euphoria at what I’ve accomplished.</p>
<p>It’s worth it in ways I couldn’t have imagined early in my career.</p>
<p>It’s not just the extrinsic rewards that keep attorneys working long hours - the intrisic rewards can be powerful, too.</p>
<p>hello Floridadad55. I am also interested in entering the field of law (corporate law to be more specific). I would like to know more about your experience with law schools. I am currently a high school junior and your comments on this career path would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind in terms of moving in house is that many companies use their outside firms as feeders for their legal departments. In addition to the connections, the company gets the security of knowing that this person has a great deal of institutional knowledge of its business. In most places, the practice of law is almost incestuous and there won’t be more than two degrees of separation between pretty much anyone with experience in the field and anyone else. And Cartera is right about finances. It is an accepted truism in law firms that associates need to pay off their law school debt ASAP so they can afford to go in house or to public interest. Sadly, I have personally known ore than a few who came to their partnership year and hadn’t done that, so when they didnt make partner and had to leave their firms, they were in deep trouble.</p>
<p>No question, but just wanted to say that sallyawp’s posts are very very insightful! :)</p>
<p>
Generally, the exact same salaries offered to people with smaller firm experience.</p>
<p>Closing old thread.</p>