How cooked am I? Took the LSAT because IB looks improbable

So I recently took the LSAT because it looks like I won’t be getting into IB and not sure what else to do. I have an offer for full-time at a big 4 in valuations, but I don’t see that being a very good route (unlikely to be able to make it out and the pay isn’t amazing). For background, I go to a non-target state school and have a 4.0 and three internships related to finance and banking but have been unable to break into IB. Does anyone have advice about law schools that are good for M&A? How are the working conditions and how would I get into said firms assuming I go to a top 14 law school? I’ve decided finance is probably hopeless at this point so I’m pivoting to law but don’t exactly know what to expect. Anything helps.

7 Comments
 

If you can see yourself working as an attorney for the rest of your career (whether in big law, in house etc), then go for it. Sometimes I wish I at least would have considered doing law school myself as well. Seems like such an interesting profession from my POV.

But if youre doing it only for the sake of making up for the missed “prestige” of not making it into IB PE, then dont. Just go into Big 4 valuation and try your hardest to lateral. Market will most likely be back by the time you are recruiting. Or idk, think for yourself whether IB or finance is really your interest. Explore if you need to, nothing wrong with that. But law school is just too pricey and time consuming for you to pursue something you dont care about. You are still too young!!

 

(1) Law schools that are good for IB are (i) schools where the business school sends a lot of kids to IB and (ii) schools that send a lot of students to the top Big Law firms such as Wachtell, Skadden, Kirkland, etc.

(2) The attorney-to-banking path is a well worn one. Just ask Blankfein, Gorman, Moynihan, George Roberts, Wasserstein, Robert Rubin, and co. It has some tangible benefits, albeit mostly in soft skills.

 

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