Current Law Student - Considering Going into IB instead of BigLaw

Hi all - as the title says, I'm a current third-year law student at a T14 law school and I'm considering breaking into IB as an associate post-graduation. I know that most of the positions within formal full-time associate programs are for MBA students, but I've seen some apps where pursuing a JD is ok. I also have relevant experience from before law school working in the Valuations group at a Big 4 firm for several years. 

I just finished a summer internship at a top-20 ranked biglaw firm in their NYC office, and I'm considering not taking the offer to return as a full-time associate. I just think the legal work that pertains to corporate deals is really boring (drafting the deal documents, negotiating legal stuff like reps and warranties, etc.), and as lame as it sounds, I do miss working in Excel and handling the business side of things, especially valuation

Is a jump like this likely, especially considering my background? Also, are there some aspects to biglaw that should sway me to return to the law firm? I think on average associate comp is higher in IB, but at the MD/Partner level it seems pretty similar. WLB seems to also be better in biglaw, or at least my firm doesn't seem super sweaty given the hours the associates typically bill. Also, it seems like the average biglaw career is longer than the average IB career, so a path to the top is more likely. But idk, any and all thoughts are helpful. Thanks! 

 

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