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Don't law firms, like software companies, usually have a small inner circle of founders and key staff who make the decisions and keep most of the profits? And
by leereeves 4y ago
Don't law firms, like software companies, usually have a small inner circle of founders and key staff who make the decisions and keep most of the profits?
And don't law firms treat the average staff lawyer worse than software companies treat the average developer?
- ghaff 4y agoNot necessarily founders but BigLaw has partners at various levels and then associates plus various support staff. And, yes, BigLaw (like investment banking) has a reputation for really working associates hard in addition to having something of an up or out structure. Which probably works OK for law because a lot of the associates probably went to law school because they weren't sure what else to do with their liberal arts degree--and don't necessarily want to stay in law long-term anyway.
- dbcurtis 4y agoUp or out is right. But the most common “out” path is to a corp legal department. Better hours, and now the partner that used to work your ass off buys you lunch to court your business.
- ghaff 4y agoYeah. Though I know a lot of lawyers who migrated into non-law positions after a few years, including politics (also usually for a few years depending on their leanings and the climate--e.g. White House) but also a variety of other things. As you say, there are also a variety of corporate legal positions including government affairs and the like in addition to straight law jobs.