Law Firm Summer Associate Offers. Big v. Small Firm (long)

[HDPM]

If you know you want to live where the small firm is, I would go that way. If you don't know, go with the big firm. I am biased against big firms tho, and have either been in smaller firms or public sector stuff. I might not be the best for career advice. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] It sounds like the smaller firm is much better to work for. I would also lean heavily toward the firm where you will make partner, and make partner faster. Then you have to like your partners and they have to like you.

As to billables, I would not believe the 1600 hour requirement. If you want to make partner you will be billing 2000 or more. I don't care what they say. Law is not something that you succeed at without working nights and weekends. I don't bill, but just to do what I do in the public sector has me working some weekends and nights. And some 18 hour days thrown in when it gets bad. And that is of course nowhere near as bad as what big firm drone associates have to do. My wife is in a small firm and was able to make partner quickly by big firm standards. Even in small town small firms people don't bill 1600 and get far ahead I don't think. But 1800-2000 hours in a decent environment is doable and not total torture. I think based on our limited experience it is better both financially and personally to make partner at a firm you like and doesn't ruin your life completely to work in. You still will work hard tho.

[Publos Nemesis]

Agreed. My parents both worked for the government and then both went to private practice. They worked nights and weekends at both.

I decided to whore myself out earlier in life so I am doing investment banking. The lawyers we work with (m&a) get screwed as bad as we do. This is especially true of the associate lawyers.

I would take the big law firm though. At least they will wine & dine you even if they are stealing your soul....

[beset7]

Yeah the 1600 requirement is hard to believe. Especially considering they do have some fairly big clients (developers and a few decent sized cities). I get the impression like it's a place where people work hard but then take a lot of mini-vacations. I guess I wouldn't know the real deal until I took the job.

The big firm draw is hard to shake. I went to law school thinking that I'd probably have to grind it out at a big firm for a few years and then go in-house, small firm or public sector. But now that I have an option to skip the 2400 hours working with ego driven gunners, i'm very very tempted.

As for the weenie thing: they aren't really weenies but you have a point. Probably a little bit more liberal then me but a lot of the guys at the small-firm have a hardball reputation and are involved in community work I approve of.

Investment Banking: I always tell my friends who are considering law school to make the big dough they should just become iBankers.

Those of you who know attorneys who have been burnt out by a big firm and then moved to public sector, small-firm or in-house corporate jobs: Do you think those people count the big-firm experience as valuable or would they have just skipped all that if they could?

[11t]

I'd go with #2.

DYSW

[beset7]

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I'd go with #2.

DYSW

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Because life is too short? You like stinky cheese? Free gym memberships are cool?