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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]BIG law attorneys -- what do staff attorneys do? Are they associates who aren't on a partner track?

TIA, I've only worked in the government and am looking at positions with private firms. [/quote]

The last thing you want to be is a staff attorney. They primarily do document review (e-discovery) work. They get zero respect in their firms and are the first to be let go when things get slow. [b]They are glorified paralegals.[/b] They are definitely not associates who are not on partnership track – they are much lower than that on the totem pole.   [b]It’s a terrible job and you don’t want it.[/b][/quote]

Unless, of course, you want to eat, pay rent, and keep your utilities on.[/quote]

This person is ridiculous.  Ignore their drama. [/quote]

Not ridiculous. Drama is real for newly minted attorneys in this crowded buyer's market.

As an example: Within the past decade, West Virginia University School of Law--a very low ranked law school--placed a significant number of its freshly minted graduates in biglaw as staff attorneys doing document review. Pay was better than almost all other options and many would have been unemployed in a role requiring a law degree and bar membership if not for these biglaw document review positions based in the state of West Virginia.[/quote]

DP, but... what? The example you give perfectly illustrates why the PP's "drama" should be ignored. Staff attorney roles are perfectly good jobs for the right candidate. Whether that's someone who went to a lower ranked school and might be struggling to find an associate position, or someone mid-career who just wants a 9-5 and doesn't care about prestige, or whatever. The PP who is saying that "the last thing" you want to be is a staff attorney, or that being a staff attorney is somehow too demeaning to be worth it (something that is also very relative depending on the firm, as staff attorneys can have different status depending on the firm and the kind of work they are assign, as well as their pay and benefits) is fixating on the fact that staff attorney roles are less prestigious, and ignoring that they are full time jobs with benefits practicing law, often with some good job security, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

The "drama" is made up by competitive young attorneys who are deeply insecure and think the prestigious of your school, position or firm is the most important possible thing. It's not.[/quote]

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