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For Love or Money?

craven_morhead — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:12:32 -0800

Career Filter: have landed a high-paying legal internship at a big firm, but find myself thinking wistfully about a job at the District Attorney's Office. Should I stay or should I go? For those conversant with the whole law-internship system, I have a biglaw 2L summer gig, that feels like it will turn into an offer at the end of the summer.

I'm in the top 15% or so of a top 25 law school. Interned as a state district court clerk my 1L summer. I've always fancied myself as a bit of a public speaker and a trial lawyer.

If I jump ship, I give up 2/3 of my salary, bar stipends, and security, since the DA's office won't hire until after bar results are in. At the firm, I like the people and the work is fairly complicated, but it doesn't have me at the edge of my seat. More importantly, I can't really get behind the cause (making money for corporations). No debt, FWIW.

Is it worth jumping ship?

Legal headhunters - the real deal?

elquien — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:59:29 -0800

Looking for advice and/or anecdotes about a legal recruiting company called Pemberton Co., and about legal/corporate recruiting companies in general. So, I'm pretty miserable in my job as an attorney at a small speciality firm. And I keep getting calls from legal headhunters asking if I'm interested in applying for various positions at large law firms in my city (mid-size Midwestern city, for reference). Until recently, I was turned off by the idea of using such a company to get a job, but because of recent events at work, I've become interested.

My questions are:

1) Has anyone had experience with Pemberton Co. specifically?

2) Has anyone had experience with legal or corporate headhunters in general?

I already told them that I'm not paying them anything, and they said of course, the law firm pays if I get hired. I don't see the harm in talking to them, but I'd like advice from any others who have experienced this process.