Advice for an NQ
 

Hello, junior lawyer called in 2020 looking for some advice from the laojiaos here

I am currently working in one of the pseudo international firms in a corp practice. Pay is decent for a junior assoc but hours are long (regularly 2/3 am and havent had a day of leave since starting as a trainee). It is not so much the long hours which are the deal breaker but rather also I find that my own development has stagnated and also I dont see a very long runway for the area of law I am practising.

I have been looking around and considering my options and grateful if a senior here can offer some advice from a career development perspective:

(1) moving to another practice in a B4 firm - from what I understand, despite meagre pay for the long hours, working in a B4 firm really builds up the skills and competency levels of the juniors. was wondering whether it is timely for a soon-to-be 1PQE to join one of the more up-and-coming practices such as funds or fintech etc.

(2) moving to the same/similar practice in an international firm - pay is definitely better and I understand that a number of international firms are hiring associates at my seniority because I am nearing that 2 year mark since I started training which is the end of the 2-year training period for a UK lawyer.

Thanks in advance!

B4
 

Hows the market perception of associates now as between the B4 firms? asking from the perspective of a junior lawyer focusing on career progression

hallo junior associate called in 2020 here looking for some advice from the seniors on the forum

in your experience, which is a better move from a development and career progression standpoint:

(1) moving to one of the more 'up-and-coming' practices such as funds, fintech etc. in a B4 local firm

(2) moving to a more 'traditional' practice such as banking in an international firm.

(2) offers a much better pay package of course, but I have heard that lawyers who have trained in B4 are viewed better by the market due to the more rigorous training (and workload).

Grateful for your thoughts!

A&G
The others

Pick something that you at least like doing. If you hate regimentation, banking will kill you. If you hate everything, then go for the money.

What international firm are you taking about? Latham? CC? Ashurst? DRD? No one is gonna **** on your training if you go to the first couple and their peers.

Heard wmh pays their staff and associates very well, i was told even last year during covid they have received good increments and bonus.

In house
 

Why not go in-house? Same legal skills, provide solutions to business, and without being assessed on your hourly billings?

join TMT practice in intl firm

your exit options will be really good

Agree. Don't even need to be locally qualified. Can still advise on data privacy. Easy peasy.

I take my fch from my delisted law school out and paste it on my 4head while walking my dog sometimes

Now investigations also pretty hot. Keep seeing investigations counsel jobs on linkedin.

What kind of lawyers they looking for. Surely not chinatown crim lawyers right? How many big 4 teams actually do pure crim/investigations? Wendell Wong's team in Drew, Hamidul Haq's and Yusfiyanto's teams in R&T, Jason Chan in A&G. Can't think of anymore

This guys Paras Lalwani good to work for in Drew? Anyone heard of him before? CECA?

Baker McKenzie Celeste Ang does investigations too? Any feedback?

Any one knows if any B4 disputes team is hiring?

Always hiring

Tan Chee Meng's team at WP?

Market leader.

Once the CECA floodgates are opened they'll be hard to close. Case study DBS and other big banks. Hope the government will have the foresight not to expand CECA to the Singaporean legal industry.

out of big 4, i think kabir singh in cc

And join SPC? No thanks

What’s wrong with SPC?

Heard they are hiring

Just dont apply man it's a real **** show

Lol their reputation is well known. Shag man

Which b4 liti not shag?

What’s SPC rep? Need to know as I just got an interview offer gg

Then don't need to ask us - just go in and find out.

In view of the rising emphasis on mental health - any other lawyers here who are constantly anxious as a result of work? I have an anxiety disorder and find it incredibly hard to relax and dissociate myself from work

DSC more worth it

He doesn't know what he's in for.

Good luck

I am too. Feeling very distressed and have difficulties sleeping.

Really can anyone shed light on the culture in WongP SPC? :/

Are you all able to find someone to marry?
Or just breakup halfway? Even after engagement?

If you have friends, ask them to ask someone who knows. Surely one of them can give insight.

These things (any firm for that matter) should not be put on a public forum. I recommend not going in blind to any firm and asking your friends.

Now covid I’m sure a lot of us lawyers have broken up or in the process of calling off engagements etc.

How do you all cope with this ?

Move inhouse.

Try not to take SSRIs as they may cause ED.

only if both parties are lawyers. pro tip for guys: don't date another lawyer. date a teacher or someone in healthcare, counselling or social work. Much better, trust me. And likely chioer too

What is the current outlook for corp ? Approaching 1PQE soon. Doing general liti, with a bit of corp in a smaller mid-sized firm.

Thinking of moving from liti to corp.

If u want to do corp, better move ASAP. small mid firm doing liti + corp means you're more or less a small firm litigator doing the occasional contract review work. very sub-optimal exit options unless you really want to stay in liti.

need to pivot entirely to corp in a reputable large firm for optimal outcomes. your liti experience for the past year will be disregarded entirely. You'll more or less be regarded as starting from scratch as a corp NQ

Yup move to big4 corp asap. Or if can’t then the better corp midsized like slb, cnp, etc