Comments on: Legal Careers http://trudalane.net/2007/09/27/legal-careers/ David Randall's blog of law, the Internet, and current events Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:01:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Erik Schmidt http://trudalane.net/2007/09/27/legal-careers/#comment-5942 Erik Schmidt Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:41:45 +0000 http://trudalane.net/2007/09/27/legal-careers/#comment-5942 Professor Randall, I'm going to bookmark this post. The next time someone asks me if I think they should go to law school, I'll send them the link. Jesser, I see more of my colleagues in law school thinking about the kind of jobs you mention. Unfortunately, the preferred route into many of those jobs is via BigLaw. The truth seems to be that in many respects it is an employer's market. They can afford to be very choosy in who they hire, and they can demand BigLaw experience. It's a strange situation when so many law students are getting jobs at big firms, knowing that they'll jump ship in three or four years. They've heard horror stories about the huge number of billable hours they'll have to rack up, but they go for it anyway, on the theory that the experience will allow them to get into the legal job they really want to be doing. Also, I wonder if during this glut of law school grads, we'll start seeing more JDs moving into fields traditionally dominated by MBAs. Professor Randall, I’m going to bookmark this post. The next time someone asks me if I think they should go to law school, I’ll send them the link.

Jesser, I see more of my colleagues in law school thinking about the kind of jobs you mention. Unfortunately, the preferred route into many of those jobs is via BigLaw. The truth seems to be that in many respects it is an employer’s market. They can afford to be very choosy in who they hire, and they can demand BigLaw experience.

It’s a strange situation when so many law students are getting jobs at big firms, knowing that they’ll jump ship in three or four years. They’ve heard horror stories about the huge number of billable hours they’ll have to rack up, but they go for it anyway, on the theory that the experience will allow them to get into the legal job they really want to be doing.

Also, I wonder if during this glut of law school grads, we’ll start seeing more JDs moving into fields traditionally dominated by MBAs.

]]> By: JesseR http://trudalane.net/2007/09/27/legal-careers/#comment-5941 JesseR Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:34:55 +0000 http://trudalane.net/2007/09/27/legal-careers/#comment-5941 As someone who has little interest in pursuing a BigLaw job, I wonder if the phenomenon outlined in the WSJ article will prompt more law students (and future law students) to pursue smaller firm jobs, public interest or government legal careers? Though they may not start off with a 160K/year plus a hefty 'signing bonus,' these types of careers are not as tightly bound by the illustrious 'Golden Handcuffs' that seem so prevalent in the BigLaw environments. Also, student loans do not need to be paid off immediately, and one that lives modestly for a few years (save that Fendi briefcase and Jag for later...) can still have a rewarding career in public interes or smaller firm environment. As someone who has little interest in pursuing a BigLaw job, I wonder if the phenomenon outlined in the WSJ article will prompt more law students (and future law students) to pursue smaller firm jobs, public interest or government legal careers? Though they may not start off with a 160K/year plus a hefty ’signing bonus,’ these types of careers are not as tightly bound by the illustrious ‘Golden Handcuffs’ that seem so prevalent in the BigLaw environments. Also, student loans do not need to be paid off immediately, and one that lives modestly for a few years (save that Fendi briefcase and Jag for later…) can still have a rewarding career in public interes or smaller firm environment.

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