UN Legal Job to Law Firm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The $190k is gross equivalent (I actually get paid net with tax reimbursement)

See...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, coming from an international organization myself, what you fail to mention is that in 10 years, you'll will likely be making around $200-250k no matter how hard you work, whereas if you go big law and you do well, you could be making 5X what you make now. I guess a lot of it depends on your age, the age of your kids, what you are looking for in your job.

Also, in 10 years, they will 100% be making $250k unless they slack off.

But in BigLaw, what is the change they will make partner, even if working hard? 25%?

5 percent or less, at least for an equity position.

[Anonymous]

DO NOT leave this job. i've seen a couple attorneys leave the feds for my firm and burn out due to shit work ethic. of four people: one lasted a year and left for a small firm, one was fired after 6 months (he was "too stressed out" to work and started taking 3 hour lunches), one is stuck as of counsel and is viewed as pretty middle of the road, and one made partner.

190k with the feds with job security and low stress, not to mention govt bennies (firm bennies suck ass, and usually zero 401(k) match) is a NO BRAINER.

[Anonymous]

NO NO NO

-signed, biglaw of counsel

[Anonymous]

So true . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:unless YOU can bring in business in a few years, that job will be temporary.

Quick question. Non lawyer here. What does this even mean? Are they cold calling companies to have firm represent them?

in pretty much every state, if you cold call non-lawyers, you can get disbarred because that violates the ethics rules. you have to basically know people, do speaking engagements, take over institutional clients at your firm, etc.

the business side of law firm life blows. i am about to make partner, and that is the one reservation i have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Part of the problem is that I feel underutilized. I'm a hard worker and can do more than I'm doing now. As one person mentioned, working much harder here will not result in more success because a lot is based simply on seniority. I have a couple of junior partner friends who are doing quite well financially (although working 24/7 and under intense business development pressure) and have very dynamic, albeit stressful, careers. Maybe the grass is just always greener . . .

agree with others, don't do it, I would actually love to have your job

you can try to improve your career inside the UN (my brother worked in the legal dep of an international organization in the EU and after several years moved to a totally different section where he is not doing legal work). or you can employ the free time you have to write articles, teach at a law school, or even cultivate an hobby or passion you have. law firm life is hard, billing 2000 + hours a year is not easy and life post 2008 is worse. I saw associates working hard for years and meeting their billable requirements being asked to leave because they did not make partners, and young partners lose their jobs because they did not have enough business or simply because their field is having a downturn (see real estate 2009-2011 in DC). working hard is not enough, you need to bring business in or your position is really shaky. post 2008 clients are not willing to pay as much as before, there is a lot of pressure to contain cost. you are not just comparing a different salary, different work/life balance, different pressure at work, you are comparing a job with security and presumably very good benefits (do you have a pension?) with a job where you can be gone tomorrow even if you work 12 hours a day and bill more than required.

[Anonymous]

Lmao! This is like deciding to leave heaven for hell because life is too good. Go on over to big law. Just bring a big box of Kleenex because you will be crying some bitter, bitter tears within a month after starting.

Yours truly,

6 years of big law and counting

[Anonymous]

I am in finance and it would never occur to me to leave my international org for private sector. Never ever. Job security, manageable hours, amazing benefits, and PENSION. Why??

[Anonymous]

"This is like deciding to leave heaven for hell because life is too good." +1!

[Anonymous]

I'm a fed lawyer who does interesting work. I have a low 6 fig salary. My big law friends who make 3x my salary are constantly asking how they can get into my agency.

[Anonymous]

OP, how did you get into the UN (aka Heaven on Earth)? Serious question. Does the career website even work?

About your question, I would also suggest going in-house to head up some legal dep't. for a company, if it is that you want a personal challenge. Int'l. government snaps drive and innovation, and BigLaw is a sly old fox. Many entities/start-ups could use your UN expertise.

So how does one crack the UN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how did you get into the UN (aka Heaven on Earth)? Serious question. Does the career website even work?

About your question, I would also suggest going in-house to head up some legal dep't. for a company, if it is that you want a personal challenge. Int'l. government snaps drive and innovation, and BigLaw is a sly old fox. Many entities/start-ups could use your UN expertise.

So how does one crack the UN?

+1 How does one best position oneself to get into the UN?