Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
Anyone who tells you it "doesn't matter at all" is just full of it (or salty). There's no way getting first class honors will not give you some advantage in a job application or in raising your profile to clients, the question is just of how much it helps.
As a general rule I would say it helps more in disputes work (which is very reputation driven and your performance in school is more indicative of your ability to do good work) than corporate. It is also less important the more years of practice you have. My degree and grades definitely helped when I did my first job change one year in, but I dont see it mattering if I was 6 PQE for example.
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This is correct. Without a FCH, going to intl firm practices nowadays is very difficult (it is not even easy with a FCH). A FCH will also help you considerably with progression in the legal service if you are so inclined.
If you wanna "rough" it out in local firms, it probably doesn't matter so much. They are all bleeding people - if you willing to stick it out with them, getting to salaried partner is generally not a problem.
For inhouse, doesn't matter so much as well. Unless you are applying for a disputes inhouse role, you will be disadvantaged as a liti lawyer, FCH or not.
But at the end of the day - if you are a great rainmaker or have great personal connections - that is the most important for law firms.