There is a lot of information out there that paints a negative picture of big law, but do not let the myths sway you when making a decision about your future career. The best way to avoid making an incorrect career decision is to educate yourself and gather information to form your own opinion. Before taking the next step in making a career move, make sure you dig deeper into your research and conduct informational interviews to get all the facts. This post explores a few of the myths that currently exist regarding big law and provides suggestions on some of the facts to take into consideration.
Big Law Equals No Personal Life
For some people, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about big law is: big pay, zero personal time. This creates an automatic negative reaction which can immediately turn you off from working in the legal industry; however, failing to read between the lines may hurt your chances to be a part of something great. Work-life balance can be a big factor for candidates when making career moves and many law firms have responded by implementing agile work policies, wellness programs, and flexible work arrangements. The truth is that balance will always be a challenge in any job you have and it is up to each individual to identify an employer that provides the tools to help them strike the right balance in their lives. Firms recognize the need to support their associates in this area and are providing more resources to ensure the balance everyone seeks.
All Work and No Play
It is no secret that there is a lot of work that needs to be done for clients of large law firms, but that doesn’t mean that there is no downtime. Often times, large law firms plan activities to encourage networking within the office and to promote the culture of the firm. Examples of these activities include softball games as part of a firm team, a community service project, happy hours, summer associate events, in-office ice cream socials, office wide picnics, and holiday parties and so on. Attending these events and forming relationships with colleagues can make your work life more enjoyable. And, you never know, a client connection might even develop from a conversation you have at one of these activities.
Law School is the Only Training I Will Get
Access to training and resources do not end with law school graduation. One of the greatest advantages of working in a large law firm is the wealth of resources and training offered to lawyers. Firms recognize the need for new associates to ramp-up once they join the firm. Professional development within big law has vastly improved over the last decade as firms have come to have a greater understanding that training their associates is important to recruiting and retaining talent within the firm. Firms are focused on how they can contribute to an associate’s long-term success by making sure they start off on the right foot and receive training throughout each stage of their career.
There is No Opportunity to Make a Difference
Working in big law does not mean that you have to give up on dreams you may have in using your law degree to make the world a better place. Pro bono programs are an integral part of law firms and a large majority of them encourage or even require their lawyers to work on such matters. Being engaged in pro bono is not only important to the firm and community, but can also help advance your career by providing experience and training opportunities to junior lawyers. In many cases, taking on a pro bono matter will give a lawyer the opportunity to be the primary lead on a case, or possibly go to trial and argue before the court. There are ways to fit pro bono matters into lawyers’ busy lives at big law and it is known that those who do pro bono work will say that they are grateful for the opportunity to contribute positively to the world. Pro bono is important to the industry and has a great impact on a lawyer’s personal growth, which is a win-win for everyone!
Before making a career decision based on any of the common myths you may hear, it is wise to do your own due diligence and research to find the real truth. Big law has a lot of great things to offer new attorneys and it may be the right fit for you!