👉🏻 Download the FREE GUIDE: “Best Questions to Ask in Law Firm Interviews": launch.angelavorpahl.com/best-questions-to-ask-visit Questions about income/expenses, clerkship/law firm, Dallas/NYC? Let me know! I'm an open book (I think)!!
Thank you so much for doing these videos (shout out from Trinidad and Tobago), if you can , can you do a video on Maritime law industry, the best firms/ companies in that sector to work for, their salary, perks, down sides... again thank you and keep up the great work
@@briandillon4305 Hi Brian!! I'll definitely put it on the list! I really want to do a video offering a cross-section of a ton of different types of legal practice areas, and maybe I can get Maritime law on there!! ;)
I know in law firms depending on the client and the amount of work coming in you could make more or less but what type of lawyer would be the highest paid field in Dallas/New York in a law firm??
@@tyannanoel7493 In the vast majority of law firms (and definitely in all BigLaw law firms), associates are paid a flat salary regardless of how many hours you bill or how many clients the firm brings in that year, so the firm's performance won't impact how much you make. Occasionally your bonus can vary depending on what particular billable hour mark you hit (for example, 2000 vs. 2200 billable hours), but in many cases you'll receive a set bonus simply based on your class year (1st year associate, 2nd year associate, 3rd year associate, etc.). The only time in your career when what you're paid COULD depend on how many clients you bring is when you become an equity partner, meaning you share in the law firm's profits based on various factors determined by the firm (one of which is usually how much client business you bring in that year). So in answer to your question, the highest paid positions are always going to be working in private law firms, and the law firms will not differ their pay based on the practice group you're a part of -- they pay all of their associates the same based on class year (not practice group). :)
I'm always surprised at how open you are and how helpful your content is. It's helped me stay positive every time I feel like I hit a wall with applications. Thank you!! You're definitely a source of inspiration.
I'm so happy to hear that!! It's my pleasure to share these experiences with you guys! Where are you in the applications process? Deciding between any schools in particular?
Thanks so much for being transparent. This is REALLY helpful! I'm making an LSAT vlog and showing all of my scores in hopes that it will help others the same way you are helping others by showing your income. Thanks again!
I'm so glad the video was helpful!! And that's a great idea to help others by being open with your LSAT scores. I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
Thank you so much, Angela for sharing your expenses of two different positions. It was so interesting to see the difference in living expenses in Dallas v.s. New York. This was helpful!
@@AngelaVorpahl Law school is something that I’m considering. I have a couple intérêts such as intellectual property, or public interest but I’ve been trying learn more career prospects after earning a JD. your career playlist has been SO HELPFUL! 😭😃
Wow this is great! Totally not click bait :) I currently work in tech but have been thinking about going to law school, these videos are super helpful, thank you
My question isn’t specific to this topic, but curious on your thoughts on someone going to law school/working as a lawyer later in life, 30+. I have a deep curiosity to understand and practice law, but am but sure if it’ll pay off finically if I go to law school this late in life.
Hi, Mascio! It's definitely true that law school is a big investment, both financially and time-wise, so it's definitely worth taking the time to think about whether you want to make the commitment and whether you think you would truly like working as a lawyer (something these videos are attempting to help with)! If you're on the fence, you could ask a local law firm (or NGO) if you could volunteer/intern/work part-time to help you make a decision as to whether you want to become a lawyer. If you're already decided, be aware that you also have the option of going to a law school that offers an evening program (in case you want to intern/work part-time during the day), with Georgetown Law's evening program being the most prestigious. I'm a huge fan of second career paths (I'm actually on a bit of one right now myself!), but there is for sure a sense of "starting from scratch" that you'll need to get comfortable with. In terms of the age factor, I wouldn't worry about it at all. There are more and more law students getting work experience after college and before applying for law school (and of course even more so in an evening program), so you won't be the only person in your position. Whatever you choose, I totally applaud you for considering it! Most people would automatically write it off as too much work and too much time, without realizing that life is long and you have WAY more time than you think, and it's totally worth pursuing what you're being drawn towards. If you think that being a lawyer is what you want to do, I say go for it!!!
Thanks for asking this question as I know many of us are in a similar position. I am 40+ aspiring to become a second career lawyer. Angela's advice is really sound. +1 Angela's advice & +1 your question :)
Bar exam results will be released in my state tomorrow!!! 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
Angela Vorpahl THANK YOU!!!! Sorry, I know it was unrelated to the video but I was kinda freaking out while watching RUclips and I was like “hey, this is a channel about law school and law jobs so I’ll post here”.
I truly appreciate all your videos and how candid you speak about your experience. Seeing that you’ve held some prestigious positions in the public and private sector, what is your long term vision on how you are going to continue utilizing your law school degree to create opportunities for your career and life.
Oooh good question. And one I've been thinking about for the better part of the last two years :). After much soul-searching and new-experience-getting I think my next focus is the world of international human rights. I was lucky to be able to save up enough money to pursue a master's degree in exactly this subject in Buenos Aires, Argentina while working pro bono for various NGOs, so I'm excited to see where this new road leads :)
Angela Vorpahl that literally what i want to do when i grow up and to see you echo that truly reaffirms how amazing you are. I’m only a second year student in undergraduate but its a little scary to think about how ambiguous the path to career fulfillment is too. I truly wish you good luck, I’m rooting 100% for you and hopefully one day I’ll meet you at the top.
@@billyjoseph9758 Those are incredibly sweet words, thank you!! One piece of advice I would offer about career paths is to definitely embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty :) I think that the biggest disservice we do to ourselves is allowing the industry convince us that there is only one way to do things, or only one path to follow. Careers (just like anything in life) are truly limitless, and you can mold them and shape them into whatever you want them to be (even if you don't necessarily know what that is yet). So keep making choices based on what interests you, excites you, challenges you, and always keep one ear cocked to the side to stay aware of what else is going on outside of your current path to see if it's a curve in the road you may want to take :)
This was super helpful, thank you! Currently a 3L and considering whether to clerk or to go straight to my Biglaw job. While I know it will a decision that pays off in the long run, I can't help but want to make that Biglaw cash right away (after 3 years of making negative income). I'm also afraid that if I don't apply to clerk now (which, if successful, would land me a clerkship either immediately after graduation or 1 year into working), I won't apply once I've started working, and I'd be forgoing that opportunity. Anyway -- appreciate your frankness about savings and expenses. Definitely heeding that warning about not getting shackled to the job by choosing a particular lifestyle.
Hi! First of all, congratulations on your biglaw position, that's amazing and so exciting!! With respect to the judicial clerkship, it's definitely always an option going forward, but you're right that the further you get into your practice the more difficult it will be to take a year to do it -- definitely not impossible, and definitely not doable, but I say more difficult because at that point you'll be staffed on cases with scheduling orders in the works and the firm will need to remove you from those and assign those to someone else. Again, definitely no reason you can't still do it, and definitely no reason it wouldn't be incredibly beneficial (especially if you're thinking of clerking for a judge that your firm practices in front of regularly and could really benefit from additional perspective on the judge's practices and preferences). If you're looking for some advice, mine would be that if you think clerking is something you think you might want to do, to go ahead and apply. Yes, the process can be time-consuming if you're applying to a lot of different judges, but that way you'll have gone through the process already, you'll have done all the heavy lifting in terms of researching your judges and getting your materials ready, and you can see what interviews you get. If you get an interview or an offer that's wonderful and incredibly valuable, and if you don't, you'll have already gone through the process once which will make the process that much easier the second time around if you decide to apply again. And as far as the money, if you get a federal judicial clerkship the market rate for a judicial clerkship bonus at the federal district court level is around $80,000. So along with a $70,000 judicial clerkship salary, that won't completely make up for a first year associate salary, but it will get really close, plus the bonus of having the experience and prestige of a federal clerkship on your resume. So my advice would be to definitely go for it and see what happens :) Angela
I come from a totally different background (let´s say that I´m an european engineer working through the EU) and your channel just caught my attention. I´m really amazed at the huge difference of the paychecks you american professionals get, compared with us in Europe :). Also, interesting that you are living now in Buenos Aires...I was there two weeks and, without a doubt, for me it was the most captivating city of the world. If you wish, you could do a video of your life there. Thank you for sharing
My pleasure! I'm so glad the video resonated with you! I agree, Buenos Aires is an amazing city. I don't focus on it too much on RUclips, but you can see the day-to-day way more in my Instagram feed (@angelavorpahl)!
I’m also from Texas and I am about to take the LSAT soon-ish, but I was wondering, did you had any problems practice in NY after taking the Texas bar Exam? Also, is it possible to go back to Texas and practice there? Thank you so much! I really appreciate your videos!
Hi, Pablo! Shout out Texas! 1. What types of problems do you mean? I had to study for and take the NY Bar before starting to work up there -- it wasn't a fun experience (studying for the Bar never is) but it was definitely worth it and I shortened my study timeline from 2.5 months to 6 weeks. 2. Yes, totally! As long as you keep up your state CLE hours and State Bar Association dues every year, you continue to be licensed in every state where you've been admitted.
@@jumpingjake123 Not at all actually! I was a polsci and spanish major :) You're definitely right, though, that having a STEM background is a big selling point if you're looking to get into IP. And particularly if you're looking to get into patent law, law firms love to see a computer science or electrical engineering background. That being said, it's not impossible to break into the niche without those backgrounds, but it will help to be really intentional about choosing your internships, extracurriculars, and courses to reflect that interest. Are you interested in pursuing law school, or currently pursuing it now? :)
So coming out of law school getting hired at a big law firm in Dallas vs. New York regardless of field of practice. What state would you say would be better when it comes to getting more hands on teaching and learning the field of practice you want to do. And what are the differences in pay for a 2nd year associate for the two states???
Hi, Ty'Anna! I would definitely say that the firm itself and not the city will be the determining factor in the level of hands-on experience you get, and generally you will get a lot more experience and a lot faster in a smaller, boutique-sized firm than in a larger firm. The pay for a second year associate will also have everything to do with the firm and not the state. While it's true that traditionally the NYC firms set the biglaw "market rate" salaries for associates, nowadays most of the biglaw firms in the big legal markets around the country match those rates or get within $5k-$10k of matching (like Dallas, Houston, Austin, in Texas). There are also some smaller boutiqe firms around the country (like Susman Godfrey based in Houston, TX) that pay above-market associate salaries. I hope this helps!!
This was an awesome video! From your personal experience did you enjoy working in Dallas or New York more? I'm assuming the work was more demanding in New York, but do you think the pay increase made up for it? I'm going to be a 1L this fall (hopefully in person) and I have been loving watching your videos!
Hi, Emily! It's so awesome to hear the videos have been helpful! And very exciting that you'll be starting the journey this Fall :) Your question is a bit tough because the jobs I had in Dallas and NYC were so different. The judicial clerkship job in Dallas was absolutely amazing (as any judicial clerk would agree I'm sure) because you get to work one-on-one with the judge and see how trials are run and judicial opinions are written. But those jobs are designed to last only one year, so staying longer wouldn't have been an option even if I wanted to (p.s. some judges do have "career judicial clerks" that stay forever, but that's the exception not the norm). A more fair comparison would be between working for my law firm in the Dallas office or the NYC office. The pay would have been the same, but would obviously have gone a lot further in Dallas because of the drastically lower cost of living. With respect to the work, I worked the same amount as my friends who were associates in the Dallas office, but you're correct that as a general rule at other firms, the NYC office generally does work more. That being said, I absolutely love love love NYC and my time there was a total adventure and I wouldn't have traded it for anything :)
Angela Vorpahl thanks so much for getting back to me! I really appreciate it as I’m really looking forward to starting law school and even beginning to think what area/sector I’d be best suited to. It was great to see your breakdown for both locations. Thanks again!
Angela, I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for posting such informative content. A quick question! I just graduated from undergrad at Emory; have already taken the LSAT twice, but am taking it a final time next month to go to law school in Fall 2021. What were your overall thoughts on SMU? I'm gonna apply there in the fall and want to consider it as a serious option. I see about 27% of their grads get biglaw/fed clerkships out of school. Any insight you could share on the post grad opportunities and anything on the school in general would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Adam! I had a really great experience at SMU Law, both personally and professionally. SMU Law has a really dominant presence in Dallas, and given that Dallas has a very vibrant legal market (that in many cases matches the salaries for the major NYC, DC, SF markets) as well as quite a few federal judges located there, it's a great way to position yourself for a strong entry-level position if you're interested in practicing in Dallas. SMU Law grads are also very strongly competitive in Houston as well. Austin is a tougher market to break into because UT is located there so you would essentially have to beat out UT grads for a spot, which is much tougher to do. In order to qualify to participate in OCI at SMU Law, generally speaking in a strong economic year you would need to at least fall within the top third after 1L year and in a weaker economic year at least the top 25% after 1L year (to be competitive for BigLaw positions, if that's your goal). The only downside to SMU Law is the high rate of tuition, given that it's a private law school, but if you have a higher LSAT/GPA combo than the median, SMU Law definitely does offer scholarship money, so I would encourage you to for sure look into that. If there are any other specific questions you have, don't hesitate to let me know! Angela
Hmm as an associate you may have a little leverage if you billed hours way above the minimum requirement and don't feel like your bonus reflected that additional effort. As an equity partner, I assume you have much more negotiating power, particularly if you brought in a lot of client business to the firm in a particular year, and don't feel like your profit distribution reflects the value of those client relationships.
How was your transition from Texas to Ny (prices) & how did you make sure to live below your means? Thank you so much. I’m currently in Tx and want to move to NYC, but rent! 😂❤️
Hi Sara! I made a video all about preparing for judicial clerkship interviews which you can check out here (ruclips.net/video/cvNAvdHKnl8/видео.html), but I'm also hoping to eventually create a step-by-step mini course including all the steps to land a federal judicial clerkship! In terms of landing a biglaw associate position, I've also created a few videos on how to answer law firm interview questions that you'll encounter in the on-campus interviewing process to land a biglaw firm job, but I have also created an entire course walking you guys through exactly how the process works and how to come out the other side with an offer! And YES! I took and passed the Texas Bar, and the next year I took and passed the New York Bar. It was intense, but I'm so glad I did it! The good news now is that the UBE (Uniform Bar Exam) exists, so if you take the UBE and score high enough, you can apply to practice in any other UBE state! Is law school the next big thing coming up for you? :)
Hi Angela, Really interested in working in big law. Does attending and Ivy League or T14 law school really make or break you when it comes to those jobs? You mentioned in video you had a clerkship; were you top of your class to get that position as well as the firm job?
Hi, Khalid! You definitely don't have to go to a T14 law school to work in BigLaw -- I didn't, I went to SMU Law in Dallas, TX, which was ranked about No. 50 at the time. That being said, law school ranking + class ranking is the combo that BigLaw puts the most emphasis on, so the lower your law school is ranked, the higher your class ranking needs to be. I actually have a video coming out on exactly how the BigLaw hiring process works, so stay tuned for that! ;) Judicial clerkships similarly have very high class ranking standards -- many judges will put cut-offs on their applications, like top 15% or top 10% to apply. I don't know exactly what my class ranking was when I applied for clerkships -- SMU only had 3 published class ranking cut-offs: top 10%, top 25%, and top 50%, so I know I fell within the top 10% but beyond that I don't know where I fell. I hope this helps!!
Hi Angela! Thanks for another amazing vid. As a person who are considering TX and NYC as options for my future law school location, I wonder working as a law firm associate in Dallas would make a difference in income than judicial clerkship.🤔
Yes, 100%. BigLaw law firms in Dallas pay the same market rate as BigLaw law firms in New York, which right now is in the range of $190k starting salary and $15k end-of-year bonus. So basically you'd be in the position of roughly having the law firm associate salary from the video and the judicial clerkship expenses living in Dallas, TX! :)
@@sincerely_grace_ Ooh tough question. Texas is my home state, so it was very comfortable for me to work there and be near the people I went to law school with and my family, and have that personal and professional community already created for me. When I moved to NYC I knew no one so I had to start from scratch building a community for myself, but NYC is an AWESOME place to do that. NYC is full of people not native to New York, and everyone is trying to build their careers and meet new people, so there are a ton of options of meet-up groups and alumni groups and food groups and professional groups that you can use as a way to get your footing and build a life for yourself. Also, even though it's been said so many times before, I LOVE the energy of NYC -- it's fast-paced, motivated, booming with culture, completely diverse -- it also has amazing food and endless things to see and ways to spend time. I loved my time there :)
Angela Vorpahl thanks for answering a tough question! Haha I’m not a Texan but definitely need to consider your thoughts which are from your hands-on experience!!
@@sincerely_grace_ Haha yeah I know my response isn't super helpful if you're not from there, but I guess I would say that in Texas work life is still going to be very busy, but personal life is generally going to move at a slower pace, be more focused on family (because it's common for people to get married earlier and start having kids earlier than in other parts of the country), and you'll need to be a fan of warm weather because we have it about 10 months of the year :)
Hey Angela, thank you for your transparency. Do you have any suggestions for a person with no ties to Texas? I heard the living standards are great and want to live there, but that just doesn't seem to cut it.
If you have no ties to a state where you would like to get a job after law school you'll have to get a bit creative! You could always accept a job with a law firm based in your law school state but with an office in Texas, you could also seek out an internship with an organization in Texas during your 1L or 2L summers, and if you're dead set on a state you could always transfer to a law school in that state! The current flexibility of your options will depend on what law school you're attending and what year you are, but keep in mind that if you know what state you want to practice in then you'll also need to study for and take that particular state's Bar Exam :)
My biggest question: What is the difference in hours worked between these two jobs? How would you compare the work/home life balance in both positions?
Question Angela, is the salary you used for your clerkship/law firm the salary you had for all years? (aka you didn't get a raise?) In general, how hard/easy is it to get a raise and how does your salary go up over the years in clerkships/associate positions?
Hi Alexa! The judicial clerkship salary is lockstep according to federal government guidelines -- they have a very mechanical determination of salaries based on position, location, and years of experience. Here's the most recent: www.uscourts.gov/careers/compensation/judiciary-salary-plan-pay-rates. I'm not sure if within each department federal agencies also have a discretionary amount for bonuses or rasies. With respect to law firm salaries, they are completely discretionary by law firm since it's the private sector, but generally speaking biglaw firms tend to also have lockstep salaries and bonuses, meaning that each associate class goes up the same in salary and bonus each year. Here's the highest version of that payscale for biglaw: www.abajournal.com/news/article/cravath-announces-associate-bonuses-did-the-firm-top-milbank. I hope this was helpful! Angela
Hi Angela, posting this comment a little late but hopefully you can still see it! I was wondering as to how many states you are allowed to practice Law? Are you able to practice law in Dallas as well ( or have you taken the bar there)?
Hi, Rohan! Traditionally you had to sit for the Bar of each state where you wanted to practice law, so I had to take both the Texas and New York Bar exams. The good news is that now 27 states have adopted the UBE (uniform bar exam) so you can take the UBE and be admitted to practice law in any state that accepts the UBE!
It totally depends on the law firm (i.e. the highest salaries are usually only available at bigger law firms), but to give you a sense of what those starting salary numbers are check out this (www.nalp.org/0521research) and this (www.nalp.org/class_of_2018_buying_power_index). Are you heading into law school, or already neck deep in it? :)
@@siddharth7339 Very cool! I actually run a free FB for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
Hey. I just discovered your channel and am loving your content! I'm so happy to have found this information as I'm about to start law school in the fall. I am still waiting for a lot of decisions from schools, but I've already been admitted to SMU. As an SMU grad, could you talk about how easy or difficult was it for you to get a clerckship and big law? I'm actually more interested in doing big law overseas or here in TX. Thanks.
Congrats on already getting admitted to SMU Law!! I had a wonderful time there :) With respect to judicial clerkships, it's going to be very competitive no matter what law school you go to or where you apply, but the good news is that Dallas has a strong concentration of judges, they know SMU as a high-quality law school, and being in Dallas gives you a chance to get a 2L judicial externship before you apply for clerkships your 2L summer. How competitive you are for judicial clerkships will largely depend on what law school you go to, class ranking, previous academic or public interest experience, and the type of clerkship you're going for. Judicial clerkships are available with federal judges or state judges. For federal clerkships you have (1) U.S. Supreme Court clerkships, which of course are the most competitive and generally (although not always) go to T14 law school grads, (2) federal appellate clerkships, Texas is in the 5th Circuit so if you were to go to SMU Law you would mainly be competitive for a clerkship in the 5th Circuit (of which one judge is located in Dallas, so it's very competitive), and (3) federal district court clerkships, of which I think 15-20 judges are located in Dallas, so that's a huge bonus! Some state judges will also have the funding to hire a judicial clerk -- definitely the justices of the Supreme Court of Texas, and some state appellate courts as well. I haven't done a video on applying for judicial clerkships yet, but I did do one on preparing for the judicial clerkship interview if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/video/cvNAvdHKnl8/видео.html With respect to getting a BigLaw job out of SMU Law, the good news is that Dallas has a very vibrant legal industry, and SMU was for the longest time the only law school in Dallas, so a lot of the partners and associates at Dallas firms graduated from SMU so there's a very extensive presence of BigLaw firms at SMU on-campus interviewing (OCI). You will generally need to rank within the top 15% of the class after 1L year as well as make the flagship law review to be competitive for a BigLaw job (in the traditional sense), and if you want additional insight on that process, feel free to check out my video on law school ranking vs. 1L class ranking here(!): ruclips.net/video/EurwlmjKsms/видео.html I hope this helps! Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!! Angela
Angela your videos are fantastic. Thank you so much for being so transparent (it must be really difficult to put yourself out there)! It really does help those of us preparing to enter the legal job market/law school.
Thanks, Tom!! I love hearing that these videos are helping up-and-coming lawyers! I know there's not a ton of information out there about the legal industry, so that's what I'm trying to help remedy with these videos :)
@@TXCTellsAll Oh my gosh I know and I had no idea at the time how that would impact my life all these years later. That's a big reason why I want to make the financial conversation so much more central for law students than it currently is!
Thanks for the video. I have 2 questions: 1. Where do you work now (location and sector)? & 2. I was a volunteer associate at a state's general attorney's office for a year would that count as one year experience?
Hi Ruzzel! I'm currently working pro bono in international human rights law in Buenos Aires, Argentina!! So, a very signifcant 180 turn :) With respect to your second question, most likely not (to be honest I've only ever heard of firms giving an "associate year" credit for judicial clerkships), but you could always ask once you're in salary negotiations, the worst they can say is no :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks for getting back with me. In your case, it is really a 180 deg turn. But if that's make you fulfilled, why not. In my case, maybe that is the main reason why I cannot get a legal job for more than a year now and it is very frustrating. It is very competitive out there.
@@rec5742 Just out curiosity, what type of law do you (or are you looking to) practice? What state/city are you located in? And how many years out from law school are you?
@@AngelaVorpahl I am in Annapolis-Baltimore area, Maryland. But I am licensed in DC. I have a non-US J.D. degree and I finished my LLM at Univ. of Baltimore in 2015. Prior to my LLM, I was a special education teacher and I still have my license as a teacher. With my background, I am trying to go for special education or disability law. Like what I said, I worked at attorney general's office, I can also be in civil litigation. But it is a tough market in either side.
@@rec5742 Yeah I've heard that finding a job with a non-U.S. JD is tough but unfortunately don't have any experience with it personally. Did the law school's career services department provide you guys with any leads or advice for finding positions, or LLM alumni to reach out to that were in the same position and we're able to find work?
Hey, I have been hoping that you might do a video on what your getting your phd in and why you quit law?? I ask because might want to pursue a life as a professor after a stint in big law.. thankyou
Hi, Jon! I should totally do a video on that! In the meantime, the short answer is that I'm getting my master's of law in international human rights, so I definitely haven't quit law, just BigLaw :) My transition from BigLaw was based on a lot of factors, but the biggest one was that I realized I REALLY enjoyed the litigation aspect of the job, but I wasn't in love with the subject matter I was litigating (read: intellectual property), AND that some of my colleagues were SUPER into it (e.g. following industry developments in the news, sending blog articles in their free time) and I wanted to find the thing I was SO into that I pursued it even in my free time. And when I took the time to actually sit down and think about what that thing might be for me, my mind kept coming back to this internship I did in law school working with refugees on their asylum cases. And so that's how the journey away from BigLaw began :) On the professorship question, I think that being a professor would be AMAZING! That being said, I once heard a "BigLaw attorney turned professor" talk about the career transition and she gave some really interesting insights. She said that she took the professorship to slow down and spend more time with her family (since she was working 14 hours/day, 6.5 days/week in BigLaw), but that as much as she found the academic subject matter interesting, she really missed the fast-paced professional environment of BigLaw and being surrounded by other brilliant, talented attorneys that she could constantly consult and work with develop ideas and strategies. She said that being a professor was a much more solitary job than she realized it would be, and that a ton of her time was spent alone researching (since that's one of the biggest requirements for full-time professors). Of course career choices are incredibly personal to each individual, and what one person enjoys is going to be someone else's nightmare, and everything in between. But for me, thinking more on this over the years, I personally think I would really enjoy being an adjunct professor in a particular area that really interested me, and then also have a practice in (for example) strategic human rights litigation so that I could develop and enjoy an expertise and then share that knowledge with other lawyers and law students. Of course these are all just pipe dreams, but crazier things have happened in this world :)
Strangeish/random question but I was wondering what is the typical attire for lawyers? In the office vs in court, if there’s differences between different firms etc.
Good question! The general dress for lawyers in the office (for pretty much any lawyering job) is going to be "business" -- not suits and ties, but slacks, button-down shirts, skirts, blouses, blazers, that kind of thing. That being said, some offices tend more toward business formal (suit jacket and tie) and others tend more towards business casual (polo and casual shoes). The best rule of thumb is to always dress in a suit on the first day (or the first week), and then look around and see what the other associates are wearing and then mirror their dress. It's always good to go too formal on the first day, it shows you're professional and care about your appearance, and then as you work at a place longer and get a better feel for the vibe you can relax down from there. Law offices on the West Coast tend to be more business casual, while law offices everywhere else tend to be a bit more old school business formal, but I think that trend is actual relaxing quite a bit. For more formal events like client meetings or court hearings, you'll definitely go business formal (suit).
Ok but I’m going to graduate toward the lower middle part of my class from a small non-prestigious school. What could I expect to make because it certainly isn’t 192k
@@rodeocontentmedia4327 My pleasure! I also run a free FB group for law students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey, would you like the link to join? :)
Hi angela Thank you for posting this video. I would like to know if the job in New York, That year you made more than in Texas. Is it because you had one year of experience in a federal courtship? If so that is very good. Is that the norm after working one year as a federal courtship? Thank you.
Hi, Bryan! As a general rule, private law firms pay a lot more than government positions since law firms are able to generate a lot of revenue for the legal services they provide wheras the government has a specific budget and specific salary levels that they apply lockstep to their employees based on a calculation of experience and academic level. Law firms love associates who do federal judicial clerkships, so law firms are not only more willing to hire former judicial clerks, but many are also willing to pay them a judicial clerkship bonus to make the job offer more appealing.
Any advice for a freshman in college on where to start when trying to get accepted to law school? Should i start preparing this early and if so what do I need to do to prepare myself? Thanks for the help loved the video
Hi, Chris! What I would recommend is: (1) choose a major that you're interested in, not one that you decide to pursue just because you think it will make you competitive for law school, because you're much more likely to do well in a major that interests you (and you want to get your GPA as high as possible), you might actually discover another career path along the way that you'd like to explore, and law school admissions department really like to see interesting and diverse backgrounds; (2) as early as you can, seek out internships in places where lawyers work so that you can see them in action and get to know their day-to-day to see if it's a career you think you'd enjoy (keeping in mind of course that there are hundreds of different types of legal jobs and thousands of lawyers and that everyone will have a different take on the profession so be sure to make up your own mind and not necessarily listen to an overworked and disgruntled lawyer).
@@thiagogregory1 Hi! For paid positions as a summer associate, yes, you'll need to be a 1L or 2L, but you can definitely find unpaid internships in local law firms, non-profits, and government agencies (like the local District Attorney's office). I interned all in college with the TX State Legislature as well as with a lawyer who ran political campaigns. I'm not sure where you are in the process, but if you're in school and have access to some type of career services then definitely make an appointment with them and see if they have any contacts with local places where lawyers work. And worst case scenario you can always google a place near you where you're interested in interning, call them up, let them know that you're interested in pursuing a legal career and ask if they could use some free help in exchange for getting some insight into their day-to-day :)
Hello I'm a real estate agent and account executive and I'm doing really well, but I've been always interested in going to law school. But I just feel I'm a little to old for that now(40). Your input would be helpful :)
Hi Juan Carlos! I actually get this question quite a bit from nontraditional students and the short answer is it's never too late to go to law school and that law school classes are made up of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who are getting a law degree as a second career! The longer answer is that as a nontraditional student, you may be in a situation where a part-time evening program is a better fit and/or may not want to go through the traditional law firm hierarchy and instead start your own law firm or work at a smaller law firm where you'll have more hands-on interaction with clients. I'm looking to make a full-blown video about this topic in particular so stay tuned!!
Could you let us know how we can make extra or side money as a law firm associate without having our non-compete agreement make a problem for us? Like can we buy stocks or invest our savings in private equity?
hey,I am Japanese university student and belong the faculty of law.My university has the plan to go to the James E Rogers College of law after the next year to get J.D..Before I go, I have to improve my English. Anyway,your video is fantastic
Hi! Thanks so much! I'm so happy to hear the video was helpful! I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
All law schools offer some form of scholarships. Most are merit-based, meaning they are offered based on LSAT and GPA scores. But some law schools offer diversity scholarships or scholarships for particular background experiences. :)
So those numbers are too small to read, when making a 6 figure in one your accual take home is, well your loosing about 10-12000 from income tax and the rest of the deductions correct?
Hi Alexandra! At that point in my life, I absolutely LOVED living and working in NYC. It was exciting and romantic in all the ways I was looking for, and at the time, all of my friends in Dallas were married, in long-term relationships, buying houses, and thinking about kids, and since I was not in that stage of my life at all I felt completely out of place (which was a big reason for me pursuing the move in the first place). That being said, NYC is a very expensive city, and so I definitely think it would have been a different experience if I wasn't making $175,000 per year, although in all honesty I probably still would have made the move and just lived in a cheaper apartment and cut down on food expenses. Keep in mind that Dallas is also an amazing city, with a MUCH lower cost of living (so your money goes a lot further), and the people in Texas are top notch. So you really can't go wrong. :) Are you thinking of deciding between the two cities?
I don't know the number specifically for corporate lawyers, but the general stats I've seen for law firm associates in general is that about 50% leave their firm in the first 3 years and about 85% leave their firm in the first 5 years, so there's definitely a lot of attrition.
Haha I actually had to google "Harvey Specter" to know who you were talking about. Suffice it to say I have never seen an episode of Suits. I should just break down and watch it, though, I've heard good things!
@@AngelaVorpahl Oh I did just remember it because you look like Donna Paulsen in the Suits 😉. And after you do that can you comeback to me? I will appreciate it.
Yes I did! I'm originally from Texas and went to law school in Texas (SMU Law in Dallas). I accepted a federal judicial clerkship in Dallas because (a) that's primarily where I interviewed, (b) a federal clerkship is so valuable that the general rule of thumb is that you accept it no matter where it's located, and (c) the plan was always to live and work in Dallas. As I was getting closer to finishing my 1-year clerkship, there was an opportunity that came up to work in the NYC office of the law firm where I had summered (in Dallas), and so I sat for the New York bar at the end of July, finished my clerkship in August, and then started working for the law firm in NYC in September! It was quite a whirlwind! Nowadays with the UBE (Uniform Bar Exam), you can sit for the UBE in any state that allows it, and if you score highly enough, you can apply to practice in any other state that accepts the UBE. So it's a LOT easier to practice in multiple states now, which is awesome.
@@AngelaVorpahl do you know whether non-us students who has JD can work as clerkships or not? Does it depend on the kind of clerkships? (Like local clerkships →OK but government clerkships→NO…) I want you make the video talking about non-us students !!
@@chabatake3607 I definitely have plans to talk about international lawyers and law students looking to practice law in the U.S. Don't worry, it will get made :) In answer to your question, I'm not an expert on this topic, but my understanding is that positions working for the federal government (both federal judges and federal agencies) are restricted to U.S. citizens and so in order for international students to get those roles they would need to be unpaid.
Why is it that a person clerks? Is there a reason why one does it for one year? Kind of blows my mind. I would imagine the numbers would look considerably better now.
Hi David! The short of it is that judicial clerkships are AMAZING. Particularly at the federal level, they are considered the most prestigious job you can get directly out of law school, and so they are incredibly valuable for your future job opportunities. Doors that may have been closed to you before based on law school or class ranking, can absolutely be opened for you following a federal clerkship. They are also a fantastic source of substantive experience because you are literally helping a judge research and write his/her opinions, which is an incredibly high-level project, especially for a brand new baby lawyer. In terms of timing, most judges hire their clerks for only 1 year, but some judges do have 2-year clerkships, and others will occasionally hire "career clerks" to work for them long-term, it just depends on what the judge is looking for because he/she gets to make that call. Are you considering a judicial clerkship? :) Angela
I was awarded the scholarship through the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation -- they award scholarships through various colleges and law schools in the country, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the candidates chosen that year :)
Hi Kaila! SMU Law gives out a few full scholarships, and the one I applied for had a strong emphasis on involvement in public service and democratic institutions. I interned for the TX State Legislature all 4 years of college, working for different state representatives and senators, and I my sense is that undergrad experience really helped me ultimately get that scholarship. So definitely check out if the law schools you're interested in have scholarships geared toward certain backgrounds or experiences you've had, and of course the higher your LSAT score (and secondarily your GPA), the more scholarship money law schools are likely to offer you. Also keep in mind that if you're interested in scholarship money to check out lower ranked law schools where your LSAT/GPA combo may be slightly (or very much) higher than the law school's median LSAT/GPA because law schools are always looking to incentivize students who will raise their median numbers (because that, in turn, helps to increase the law school's ranking).
This video was very good in terms of financial prospects when it comes to the two different legal positions addressed. I was actually looking for the differences in terms of actual work-life balance, work volume, and responsibilities between the two. So, a sister video based on that type of content would be of great help to new graduates like myself.
Good question. It depends on several factors, which I discuss in this video here if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/video/e1-7VGVAH48/видео.html -- but in terms of working in a law firm, all associates will be paid the same regardless of practice group (whether that's corporate, litigation, bankruptcy, etc.).
Hi Jonathan! I definitely wouldn't count yourself out of anything before you start! The truth of the matter is that the most powerful metric to getting into law school is your LSAT score. And I've had students who spent over a year studying like crazy for the LSAT and increased their score by over 20 points. So law school admissions are very much centered on optics and statistics, and if you can master those things you have an amazing opportunity to have lots of doors open to you :)
👉🏻 Download the FREE GUIDE: “Best Questions to Ask in Law Firm Interviews": launch.angelavorpahl.com/best-questions-to-ask-visit
Questions about income/expenses, clerkship/law firm, Dallas/NYC? Let me know! I'm an open book (I think)!!
Thank you so much for doing these videos (shout out from Trinidad and Tobago), if you can , can you do a video on Maritime law industry, the best firms/ companies in that sector to work for, their salary, perks, down sides... again thank you and keep up the great work
@@briandillon4305 Hi Brian!! I'll definitely put it on the list! I really want to do a video offering a cross-section of a ton of different types of legal practice areas, and maybe I can get Maritime law on there!! ;)
I know in law firms depending on the client and the amount of work coming in you could make more or less but what type of lawyer would be the highest paid field in Dallas/New York in a law firm??
@@tyannanoel7493 In the vast majority of law firms (and definitely in all BigLaw law firms), associates are paid a flat salary regardless of how many hours you bill or how many clients the firm brings in that year, so the firm's performance won't impact how much you make. Occasionally your bonus can vary depending on what particular billable hour mark you hit (for example, 2000 vs. 2200 billable hours), but in many cases you'll receive a set bonus simply based on your class year (1st year associate, 2nd year associate, 3rd year associate, etc.). The only time in your career when what you're paid COULD depend on how many clients you bring is when you become an equity partner, meaning you share in the law firm's profits based on various factors determined by the firm (one of which is usually how much client business you bring in that year).
So in answer to your question, the highest paid positions are always going to be working in private law firms, and the law firms will not differ their pay based on the practice group you're a part of -- they pay all of their associates the same based on class year (not practice group). :)
@@AngelaVorpahl thank you very much
I'm always surprised at how open you are and how helpful your content is. It's helped me stay positive every time I feel like I hit a wall with applications. Thank you!! You're definitely a source of inspiration.
I'm so happy to hear that!! It's my pleasure to share these experiences with you guys! Where are you in the applications process? Deciding between any schools in particular?
Jesus crist 192k 2 years out of lawschool 😂lolol great video as usual though keep it up fantastic stuff
I know, the salaries law firms pay are truly insane!! I'm glad you liked the video, though, more to come!! :)
@@AngelaVorpahl WLB sucks. Too many work hrs/billable hrs required per week.
Awesome review. Im still undecided, mainly because of the cost and my age...
Thanks so much for being transparent. This is REALLY helpful! I'm making an LSAT vlog and showing all of my scores in hopes that it will help others the same way you are helping others by showing your income. Thanks again!
I'm so glad the video was helpful!! And that's a great idea to help others by being open with your LSAT scores. I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl yessss!!!!
Thank you so much, Angela for sharing your expenses of two different positions. It was so interesting to see the difference in living expenses in Dallas v.s. New York. This was helpful!
Hi Shirley! I'm so happy to hear it! Is law school something you're considering or are you already in the heat of it? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Law school is something that I’m considering. I have a couple intérêts such as intellectual property, or public interest but I’ve been trying learn more career prospects after earning a JD. your career playlist has been SO HELPFUL! 😭😃
@@shirleycarrillo23 I'm so happy to hear it! 💜
Wow this is great! Totally not click bait :) I currently work in tech but have been thinking about going to law school, these videos are super helpful, thank you
Excellent!! I'm so glad the videos are helpful!! Let me know if you have any questions about law school and I'd be happy to share all I know! :)
Exactly the video I needed thank you!!!
Yay!!! I'm so glad!!
Best helping channel for law students
Yay!! I'm so glad these videos are helping you guys out!!
I love your videos!!! And thanks for being open!
My pleasure! And I'm so glad the videos have been helpful!! :)
My question isn’t specific to this topic, but curious on your thoughts on someone going to law school/working as a lawyer later in life, 30+.
I have a deep curiosity to understand and practice law, but am but sure if it’ll pay off finically if I go to law school this late in life.
Hi, Mascio! It's definitely true that law school is a big investment, both financially and time-wise, so it's definitely worth taking the time to think about whether you want to make the commitment and whether you think you would truly like working as a lawyer (something these videos are attempting to help with)! If you're on the fence, you could ask a local law firm (or NGO) if you could volunteer/intern/work part-time to help you make a decision as to whether you want to become a lawyer. If you're already decided, be aware that you also have the option of going to a law school that offers an evening program (in case you want to intern/work part-time during the day), with Georgetown Law's evening program being the most prestigious.
I'm a huge fan of second career paths (I'm actually on a bit of one right now myself!), but there is for sure a sense of "starting from scratch" that you'll need to get comfortable with. In terms of the age factor, I wouldn't worry about it at all. There are more and more law students getting work experience after college and before applying for law school (and of course even more so in an evening program), so you won't be the only person in your position.
Whatever you choose, I totally applaud you for considering it! Most people would automatically write it off as too much work and too much time, without realizing that life is long and you have WAY more time than you think, and it's totally worth pursuing what you're being drawn towards. If you think that being a lawyer is what you want to do, I say go for it!!!
Angela Vorpahl thank you so much! I really appreciate your perspective and taking the time to respond!
@@mdgamble Of course!! My pleasure!!! Best of luck with your plans!! Let me know how it goes!! :)
Thanks for asking this question as I know many of us are in a similar position. I am 40+ aspiring to become a second career lawyer. Angela's advice is really sound. +1 Angela's advice & +1 your question :)
Bar exam results will be released in my state tomorrow!!! 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
Ahhhh!!! I forgot that was happening!! How did it go???
Angela Vorpahl I PASSED!!!!!!! I PASSED!!!!!!! 90th percentile!!!! 👌🏻 WOOOOOOOO!!!!
Angela Vorpahl THANK YOU!!!! Sorry, I know it was unrelated to the video but I was kinda freaking out while watching RUclips and I was like “hey, this is a channel about law school and law jobs so I’ll post here”.
I truly appreciate all your videos and how candid you speak about your experience. Seeing that you’ve held some prestigious positions in the public and private sector, what is your long term vision on how you are going to continue utilizing your law school degree to create opportunities for your career and life.
Oooh good question. And one I've been thinking about for the better part of the last two years :). After much soul-searching and new-experience-getting I think my next focus is the world of international human rights. I was lucky to be able to save up enough money to pursue a master's degree in exactly this subject in Buenos Aires, Argentina while working pro bono for various NGOs, so I'm excited to see where this new road leads :)
Angela Vorpahl that literally what i want to do when i grow up and to see you echo that truly reaffirms how amazing you are. I’m only a second year student in undergraduate but its a little scary to think about how ambiguous the path to career fulfillment is too. I truly wish you good luck, I’m rooting 100% for you and hopefully one day I’ll meet you at the top.
@@billyjoseph9758 Those are incredibly sweet words, thank you!! One piece of advice I would offer about career paths is to definitely embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty :) I think that the biggest disservice we do to ourselves is allowing the industry convince us that there is only one way to do things, or only one path to follow. Careers (just like anything in life) are truly limitless, and you can mold them and shape them into whatever you want them to be (even if you don't necessarily know what that is yet). So keep making choices based on what interests you, excites you, challenges you, and always keep one ear cocked to the side to stay aware of what else is going on outside of your current path to see if it's a curve in the road you may want to take :)
This was super helpful, thank you! Currently a 3L and considering whether to clerk or to go straight to my Biglaw job. While I know it will a decision that pays off in the long run, I can't help but want to make that Biglaw cash right away (after 3 years of making negative income). I'm also afraid that if I don't apply to clerk now (which, if successful, would land me a clerkship either immediately after graduation or 1 year into working), I won't apply once I've started working, and I'd be forgoing that opportunity.
Anyway -- appreciate your frankness about savings and expenses. Definitely heeding that warning about not getting shackled to the job by choosing a particular lifestyle.
Hi! First of all, congratulations on your biglaw position, that's amazing and so exciting!! With respect to the judicial clerkship, it's definitely always an option going forward, but you're right that the further you get into your practice the more difficult it will be to take a year to do it -- definitely not impossible, and definitely not doable, but I say more difficult because at that point you'll be staffed on cases with scheduling orders in the works and the firm will need to remove you from those and assign those to someone else. Again, definitely no reason you can't still do it, and definitely no reason it wouldn't be incredibly beneficial (especially if you're thinking of clerking for a judge that your firm practices in front of regularly and could really benefit from additional perspective on the judge's practices and preferences).
If you're looking for some advice, mine would be that if you think clerking is something you think you might want to do, to go ahead and apply. Yes, the process can be time-consuming if you're applying to a lot of different judges, but that way you'll have gone through the process already, you'll have done all the heavy lifting in terms of researching your judges and getting your materials ready, and you can see what interviews you get. If you get an interview or an offer that's wonderful and incredibly valuable, and if you don't, you'll have already gone through the process once which will make the process that much easier the second time around if you decide to apply again.
And as far as the money, if you get a federal judicial clerkship the market rate for a judicial clerkship bonus at the federal district court level is around $80,000. So along with a $70,000 judicial clerkship salary, that won't completely make up for a first year associate salary, but it will get really close, plus the bonus of having the experience and prestige of a federal clerkship on your resume. So my advice would be to definitely go for it and see what happens :)
Angela
@@AngelaVorpahl I forgot to reply to this, but this was really great advice and I've begun the application process! Thank you.
@@angelatobanana Awesome!! That's so exciting! Keep me posted on how it goes!!
Super helpful video, as always. Thank you!
Yesssss!!! My pleasure!!
I come from a totally different background (let´s say that I´m an european engineer working through the EU) and your channel just caught my attention. I´m really amazed at the huge difference of the paychecks you american professionals get, compared with us in Europe :). Also, interesting that you are living now in Buenos Aires...I was there two weeks and, without a doubt, for me it was the most captivating city of the world. If you wish, you could do a video of your life there. Thank you for sharing
My pleasure! I'm so glad the video resonated with you! I agree, Buenos Aires is an amazing city. I don't focus on it too much on RUclips, but you can see the day-to-day way more in my Instagram feed (@angelavorpahl)!
I’m also from Texas and I am about to take the LSAT soon-ish, but I was wondering, did you had any problems practice in NY after taking the Texas bar Exam? Also, is it possible to go back to Texas and practice there? Thank you so much! I really appreciate your videos!
Hi, Pablo! Shout out Texas!
1. What types of problems do you mean? I had to study for and take the NY Bar before starting to work up there -- it wasn't a fun experience (studying for the Bar never is) but it was definitely worth it and I shortened my study timeline from 2.5 months to 6 weeks.
2. Yes, totally! As long as you keep up your state CLE hours and State Bar Association dues every year, you continue to be licensed in every state where you've been admitted.
Great video! What kind of lawyer were you when you were in NY?
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I was an IP litigator, it was so much fun :)
@@AngelaVorpahl thanks for the response!
Does that mean your undergrad is in a STEM field?
@@jumpingjake123 Not at all actually! I was a polsci and spanish major :) You're definitely right, though, that having a STEM background is a big selling point if you're looking to get into IP. And particularly if you're looking to get into patent law, law firms love to see a computer science or electrical engineering background. That being said, it's not impossible to break into the niche without those backgrounds, but it will help to be really intentional about choosing your internships, extracurriculars, and courses to reflect that interest. Are you interested in pursuing law school, or currently pursuing it now? :)
So coming out of law school getting hired at a big law firm in Dallas vs. New York regardless of field of practice. What state would you say would be better when it comes to getting more hands on teaching and learning the field of practice you want to do. And what are the differences in pay for a 2nd year associate for the two states???
Hi, Ty'Anna! I would definitely say that the firm itself and not the city will be the determining factor in the level of hands-on experience you get, and generally you will get a lot more experience and a lot faster in a smaller, boutique-sized firm than in a larger firm.
The pay for a second year associate will also have everything to do with the firm and not the state. While it's true that traditionally the NYC firms set the biglaw "market rate" salaries for associates, nowadays most of the biglaw firms in the big legal markets around the country match those rates or get within $5k-$10k of matching (like Dallas, Houston, Austin, in Texas). There are also some smaller boutiqe firms around the country (like Susman Godfrey based in Houston, TX) that pay above-market associate salaries. I hope this helps!!
Angela Vorpahl thank you
@@tyannanoel7493 Any time!! :)
I subscribed in your channel and i'm new student in LLM program ( master in law )
Yay!! Welcome! I also have a free FB group for law students and prelaw students, would you like the link to join?
@@AngelaVorpahl please send me the link .
@@rimakerbal6366 Great! Here's the link: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork. See you inside!!
This was an awesome video! From your personal experience did you enjoy working in Dallas or New York more? I'm assuming the work was more demanding in New York, but do you think the pay increase made up for it? I'm going to be a 1L this fall (hopefully in person) and I have been loving watching your videos!
Hi, Emily! It's so awesome to hear the videos have been helpful! And very exciting that you'll be starting the journey this Fall :)
Your question is a bit tough because the jobs I had in Dallas and NYC were so different. The judicial clerkship job in Dallas was absolutely amazing (as any judicial clerk would agree I'm sure) because you get to work one-on-one with the judge and see how trials are run and judicial opinions are written. But those jobs are designed to last only one year, so staying longer wouldn't have been an option even if I wanted to (p.s. some judges do have "career judicial clerks" that stay forever, but that's the exception not the norm).
A more fair comparison would be between working for my law firm in the Dallas office or the NYC office. The pay would have been the same, but would obviously have gone a lot further in Dallas because of the drastically lower cost of living. With respect to the work, I worked the same amount as my friends who were associates in the Dallas office, but you're correct that as a general rule at other firms, the NYC office generally does work more. That being said, I absolutely love love love NYC and my time there was a total adventure and I wouldn't have traded it for anything :)
Angela Vorpahl thanks so much for getting back to me! I really appreciate it as I’m really looking forward to starting law school and even beginning to think what area/sector I’d be best suited to. It was great to see your breakdown for both locations. Thanks again!
@@emilyanne817 Any time!! :)
Angela, I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for posting such informative content. A quick question! I just graduated from undergrad at Emory; have already taken the LSAT twice, but am taking it a final time next month to go to law school in Fall 2021. What were your overall thoughts on SMU? I'm gonna apply there in the fall and want to consider it as a serious option. I see about 27% of their grads get biglaw/fed clerkships out of school. Any insight you could share on the post grad opportunities and anything on the school in general would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Adam! I had a really great experience at SMU Law, both personally and professionally. SMU Law has a really dominant presence in Dallas, and given that Dallas has a very vibrant legal market (that in many cases matches the salaries for the major NYC, DC, SF markets) as well as quite a few federal judges located there, it's a great way to position yourself for a strong entry-level position if you're interested in practicing in Dallas. SMU Law grads are also very strongly competitive in Houston as well. Austin is a tougher market to break into because UT is located there so you would essentially have to beat out UT grads for a spot, which is much tougher to do.
In order to qualify to participate in OCI at SMU Law, generally speaking in a strong economic year you would need to at least fall within the top third after 1L year and in a weaker economic year at least the top 25% after 1L year (to be competitive for BigLaw positions, if that's your goal).
The only downside to SMU Law is the high rate of tuition, given that it's a private law school, but if you have a higher LSAT/GPA combo than the median, SMU Law definitely does offer scholarship money, so I would encourage you to for sure look into that.
If there are any other specific questions you have, don't hesitate to let me know!
Angela
How much leverage do you have to just ask for a raise at a Big Law firm as opposed to being paid according to the pay scale based on seniority?
Hmm as an associate you may have a little leverage if you billed hours way above the minimum requirement and don't feel like your bonus reflected that additional effort. As an equity partner, I assume you have much more negotiating power, particularly if you brought in a lot of client business to the firm in a particular year, and don't feel like your profit distribution reflects the value of those client relationships.
Thank you so much.
My pleasure! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video!!
How was your transition from Texas to Ny (prices) & how did you make sure to live below your means? Thank you so much. I’m currently in Tx and want to move to NYC, but rent! 😂❤️
Hi Charline! Good question and I have quite a few thoughts :) Send me a DM either on Instagram or LinkedIn and I can respond with an audiogram!
Super helpful and very interesting
Thanks, dude!! :)
Is there a video of how you landed those jobs as a clerk and associate?! Also, how did you practice in both Texas and New York? Passed both bar exams?
Hi Sara! I made a video all about preparing for judicial clerkship interviews which you can check out here (ruclips.net/video/cvNAvdHKnl8/видео.html), but I'm also hoping to eventually create a step-by-step mini course including all the steps to land a federal judicial clerkship! In terms of landing a biglaw associate position, I've also created a few videos on how to answer law firm interview questions that you'll encounter in the on-campus interviewing process to land a biglaw firm job, but I have also created an entire course walking you guys through exactly how the process works and how to come out the other side with an offer!
And YES! I took and passed the Texas Bar, and the next year I took and passed the New York Bar. It was intense, but I'm so glad I did it! The good news now is that the UBE (Uniform Bar Exam) exists, so if you take the UBE and score high enough, you can apply to practice in any other UBE state!
Is law school the next big thing coming up for you? :)
Hi Angela,
Really interested in working in big law. Does attending and Ivy League or T14 law school really make or break you when it comes to those jobs? You mentioned in video you had a clerkship; were you top of your class to get that position as well as the firm job?
Hi, Khalid! You definitely don't have to go to a T14 law school to work in BigLaw -- I didn't, I went to SMU Law in Dallas, TX, which was ranked about No. 50 at the time. That being said, law school ranking + class ranking is the combo that BigLaw puts the most emphasis on, so the lower your law school is ranked, the higher your class ranking needs to be. I actually have a video coming out on exactly how the BigLaw hiring process works, so stay tuned for that! ;)
Judicial clerkships similarly have very high class ranking standards -- many judges will put cut-offs on their applications, like top 15% or top 10% to apply. I don't know exactly what my class ranking was when I applied for clerkships -- SMU only had 3 published class ranking cut-offs: top 10%, top 25%, and top 50%, so I know I fell within the top 10% but beyond that I don't know where I fell.
I hope this helps!!
Hi Angela! Thanks for another amazing vid. As a person who are considering TX and NYC as options for my future law school location, I wonder working as a law firm associate in Dallas would make a difference in income than judicial clerkship.🤔
Yes, 100%. BigLaw law firms in Dallas pay the same market rate as BigLaw law firms in New York, which right now is in the range of $190k starting salary and $15k end-of-year bonus. So basically you'd be in the position of roughly having the law firm associate salary from the video and the judicial clerkship expenses living in Dallas, TX! :)
Angela Vorpahl that is so nice to hear! As you experience both states, can you tell me what’s the best part working in TX vs NYC each?
@@sincerely_grace_ Ooh tough question. Texas is my home state, so it was very comfortable for me to work there and be near the people I went to law school with and my family, and have that personal and professional community already created for me.
When I moved to NYC I knew no one so I had to start from scratch building a community for myself, but NYC is an AWESOME place to do that. NYC is full of people not native to New York, and everyone is trying to build their careers and meet new people, so there are a ton of options of meet-up groups and alumni groups and food groups and professional groups that you can use as a way to get your footing and build a life for yourself. Also, even though it's been said so many times before, I LOVE the energy of NYC -- it's fast-paced, motivated, booming with culture, completely diverse -- it also has amazing food and endless things to see and ways to spend time. I loved my time there :)
Angela Vorpahl thanks for answering a tough question! Haha I’m not a Texan but definitely need to consider your thoughts which are from your hands-on experience!!
@@sincerely_grace_ Haha yeah I know my response isn't super helpful if you're not from there, but I guess I would say that in Texas work life is still going to be very busy, but personal life is generally going to move at a slower pace, be more focused on family (because it's common for people to get married earlier and start having kids earlier than in other parts of the country), and you'll need to be a fan of warm weather because we have it about 10 months of the year :)
Hey Angela, thank you for your transparency. Do you have any suggestions for a person with no ties to Texas? I heard the living standards are great and want to live there, but that just doesn't seem to cut it.
If you have no ties to a state where you would like to get a job after law school you'll have to get a bit creative! You could always accept a job with a law firm based in your law school state but with an office in Texas, you could also seek out an internship with an organization in Texas during your 1L or 2L summers, and if you're dead set on a state you could always transfer to a law school in that state! The current flexibility of your options will depend on what law school you're attending and what year you are, but keep in mind that if you know what state you want to practice in then you'll also need to study for and take that particular state's Bar Exam :)
My biggest question:
What is the difference in hours worked between these two jobs? How would you compare the work/home life balance in both positions?
Hi Philip! Good questions. Send me a DM on Instagram (@angelavorpahl) and I can send you a voicenote with my thoughts!
Question Angela, is the salary you used for your clerkship/law firm the salary you had for all years? (aka you didn't get a raise?) In general, how hard/easy is it to get a raise and how does your salary go up over the years in clerkships/associate positions?
Hi Alexa! The judicial clerkship salary is lockstep according to federal government guidelines -- they have a very mechanical determination of salaries based on position, location, and years of experience. Here's the most recent: www.uscourts.gov/careers/compensation/judiciary-salary-plan-pay-rates. I'm not sure if within each department federal agencies also have a discretionary amount for bonuses or rasies.
With respect to law firm salaries, they are completely discretionary by law firm since it's the private sector, but generally speaking biglaw firms tend to also have lockstep salaries and bonuses, meaning that each associate class goes up the same in salary and bonus each year. Here's the highest version of that payscale for biglaw: www.abajournal.com/news/article/cravath-announces-associate-bonuses-did-the-firm-top-milbank.
I hope this was helpful!
Angela
Would love to know how you got a scholarship, what increased your chances, how you chose your school? Thank you. Love your videos.
Such good questions! If you can send these to me via Instagram or LinkedIn I can give you a full run-down on my thoughts via audiograms :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thank you. I believe I sent them and I you replied to my first questions! :) TY!
@@charlineorozco Ok great! I'll check them out!
Hi Angela, posting this comment a little late but hopefully you can still see it! I was wondering as to how many states you are allowed to practice Law? Are you able to practice law in Dallas as well ( or have you taken the bar there)?
Hi, Rohan! Traditionally you had to sit for the Bar of each state where you wanted to practice law, so I had to take both the Texas and New York Bar exams. The good news is that now 27 states have adopted the UBE (uniform bar exam) so you can take the UBE and be admitted to practice law in any state that accepts the UBE!
Angela Vorpahl thanks for taking the time to answer! Truly means a lot and your videos have been very helpful as I’m studying for the LSAT’s now
@@romat1890 That's awesome!! Good luck!! Let me know how it goes!
Hey Angela, very helpful video
But what can be the salary of a first year associate in a law firm in Dallas or in Houston?
It totally depends on the law firm (i.e. the highest salaries are usually only available at bigger law firms), but to give you a sense of what those starting salary numbers are check out this (www.nalp.org/0521research) and this (www.nalp.org/class_of_2018_buying_power_index). Are you heading into law school, or already neck deep in it? :)
Thank you for the help. Currently I’m in my second year of undergrad so just exploring my options.
@@siddharth7339 Very cool! I actually run a free FB for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
Yes i would loved to be a part of the group
@@siddharth7339 Great! Here's the link to join: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork See you inside!!
Hey. I just discovered your channel and am loving your content! I'm so happy to have found this information as I'm about to start law school in the fall. I am still waiting for a lot of decisions from schools, but I've already been admitted to SMU. As an SMU grad, could you talk about how easy or difficult was it for you to get a clerckship and big law? I'm actually more interested in doing big law overseas or here in TX. Thanks.
Congrats on already getting admitted to SMU Law!! I had a wonderful time there :)
With respect to judicial clerkships, it's going to be very competitive no matter what law school you go to or where you apply, but the good news is that Dallas has a strong concentration of judges, they know SMU as a high-quality law school, and being in Dallas gives you a chance to get a 2L judicial externship before you apply for clerkships your 2L summer. How competitive you are for judicial clerkships will largely depend on what law school you go to, class ranking, previous academic or public interest experience, and the type of clerkship you're going for. Judicial clerkships are available with federal judges or state judges. For federal clerkships you have (1) U.S. Supreme Court clerkships, which of course are the most competitive and generally (although not always) go to T14 law school grads, (2) federal appellate clerkships, Texas is in the 5th Circuit so if you were to go to SMU Law you would mainly be competitive for a clerkship in the 5th Circuit (of which one judge is located in Dallas, so it's very competitive), and (3) federal district court clerkships, of which I think 15-20 judges are located in Dallas, so that's a huge bonus! Some state judges will also have the funding to hire a judicial clerk -- definitely the justices of the Supreme Court of Texas, and some state appellate courts as well.
I haven't done a video on applying for judicial clerkships yet, but I did do one on preparing for the judicial clerkship interview if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/video/cvNAvdHKnl8/видео.html
With respect to getting a BigLaw job out of SMU Law, the good news is that Dallas has a very vibrant legal industry, and SMU was for the longest time the only law school in Dallas, so a lot of the partners and associates at Dallas firms graduated from SMU so there's a very extensive presence of BigLaw firms at SMU on-campus interviewing (OCI). You will generally need to rank within the top 15% of the class after 1L year as well as make the flagship law review to be competitive for a BigLaw job (in the traditional sense), and if you want additional insight on that process, feel free to check out my video on law school ranking vs. 1L class ranking here(!): ruclips.net/video/EurwlmjKsms/видео.html
I hope this helps! Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!!
Angela
Gotta give Props for the Fernet poster in the background
Hahaha I totally noticed that when I was editing! It's not very commonly known in the states!! ;)
Angela your videos are fantastic. Thank you so much for being so transparent (it must be really difficult to put yourself out there)! It really does help those of us preparing to enter the legal job market/law school.
Thanks, Tom!! I love hearing that these videos are helping up-and-coming lawyers! I know there's not a ton of information out there about the legal industry, so that's what I'm trying to help remedy with these videos :)
We graduated the same year and clerked at the same time. But I clerked in DC and ended up in Texas years later. We have alot in common!
One thing we dont have in common is you had NO student loans. Lucky you
That's so cool!!! Are you still practicing?
@@TXCTellsAll Oh my gosh I know and I had no idea at the time how that would impact my life all these years later. That's a big reason why I want to make the financial conversation so much more central for law students than it currently is!
@@AngelaVorpahl yes. I have worked in fed govt since clerking. So it was interesting to see big law comparison since I didnt take that route
@@TXCTellsAll Very cool! I knew some clerks who went that route and absolutely loved it! I've always wondered about it myself :)
Thanks for the video. I have 2 questions: 1. Where do you work now (location and sector)? & 2. I was a volunteer associate at a state's general attorney's office for a year would that count as one year experience?
Hi Ruzzel! I'm currently working pro bono in international human rights law in Buenos Aires, Argentina!! So, a very signifcant 180 turn :) With respect to your second question, most likely not (to be honest I've only ever heard of firms giving an "associate year" credit for judicial clerkships), but you could always ask once you're in salary negotiations, the worst they can say is no :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thanks for getting back with me. In your case, it is really a 180 deg turn. But if that's make you fulfilled, why not. In my case, maybe that is the main reason why I cannot get a legal job for more than a year now and it is very frustrating. It is very competitive out there.
@@rec5742 Just out curiosity, what type of law do you (or are you looking to) practice? What state/city are you located in? And how many years out from law school are you?
@@AngelaVorpahl I am in Annapolis-Baltimore area, Maryland. But I am licensed in DC. I have a non-US J.D. degree and I finished my LLM at Univ. of Baltimore in 2015. Prior to my LLM, I was a special education teacher and I still have my license as a teacher. With my background, I am trying to go for special education or disability law. Like what I said, I worked at attorney general's office, I can also be in civil litigation. But it is a tough market in either side.
@@rec5742 Yeah I've heard that finding a job with a non-U.S. JD is tough but unfortunately don't have any experience with it personally. Did the law school's career services department provide you guys with any leads or advice for finding positions, or LLM alumni to reach out to that were in the same position and we're able to find work?
Hey, I have been hoping that you might do a video on what your getting your phd in and why you quit law?? I ask because might want to pursue a life as a professor after a stint in big law.. thankyou
Hi, Jon! I should totally do a video on that! In the meantime, the short answer is that I'm getting my master's of law in international human rights, so I definitely haven't quit law, just BigLaw :)
My transition from BigLaw was based on a lot of factors, but the biggest one was that I realized I REALLY enjoyed the litigation aspect of the job, but I wasn't in love with the subject matter I was litigating (read: intellectual property), AND that some of my colleagues were SUPER into it (e.g. following industry developments in the news, sending blog articles in their free time) and I wanted to find the thing I was SO into that I pursued it even in my free time. And when I took the time to actually sit down and think about what that thing might be for me, my mind kept coming back to this internship I did in law school working with refugees on their asylum cases. And so that's how the journey away from BigLaw began :)
On the professorship question, I think that being a professor would be AMAZING! That being said, I once heard a "BigLaw attorney turned professor" talk about the career transition and she gave some really interesting insights. She said that she took the professorship to slow down and spend more time with her family (since she was working 14 hours/day, 6.5 days/week in BigLaw), but that as much as she found the academic subject matter interesting, she really missed the fast-paced professional environment of BigLaw and being surrounded by other brilliant, talented attorneys that she could constantly consult and work with develop ideas and strategies. She said that being a professor was a much more solitary job than she realized it would be, and that a ton of her time was spent alone researching (since that's one of the biggest requirements for full-time professors).
Of course career choices are incredibly personal to each individual, and what one person enjoys is going to be someone else's nightmare, and everything in between. But for me, thinking more on this over the years, I personally think I would really enjoy being an adjunct professor in a particular area that really interested me, and then also have a practice in (for example) strategic human rights litigation so that I could develop and enjoy an expertise and then share that knowledge with other lawyers and law students.
Of course these are all just pipe dreams, but crazier things have happened in this world :)
Strangeish/random question but I was wondering what is the typical attire for lawyers? In the office vs in court, if there’s differences between different firms etc.
Good question! The general dress for lawyers in the office (for pretty much any lawyering job) is going to be "business" -- not suits and ties, but slacks, button-down shirts, skirts, blouses, blazers, that kind of thing. That being said, some offices tend more toward business formal (suit jacket and tie) and others tend more towards business casual (polo and casual shoes). The best rule of thumb is to always dress in a suit on the first day (or the first week), and then look around and see what the other associates are wearing and then mirror their dress. It's always good to go too formal on the first day, it shows you're professional and care about your appearance, and then as you work at a place longer and get a better feel for the vibe you can relax down from there.
Law offices on the West Coast tend to be more business casual, while law offices everywhere else tend to be a bit more old school business formal, but I think that trend is actual relaxing quite a bit.
For more formal events like client meetings or court hearings, you'll definitely go business formal (suit).
Angela, are you using a mcrophone?
Ok but I’m going to graduate toward the lower middle part of my class from a small non-prestigious school. What could I expect to make because it certainly isn’t 192k
I made a video on exactly this topic that you can check out here: ruclips.net/video/e1-7VGVAH48/видео.html :)
@@AngelaVorpahl wow you’re awesome, thank you!!
@@rodeocontentmedia4327 My pleasure! I also run a free FB group for law students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey, would you like the link to join? :)
Hi angela Thank you for posting this video. I would like to know if the job in New York, That year you made more than in Texas.
Is it because you had one year of experience in a federal courtship? If so that is very good. Is that the norm after working
one year as a federal courtship? Thank you.
Hi, Bryan! As a general rule, private law firms pay a lot more than government positions since law firms are able to generate a lot of revenue for the legal services they provide wheras the government has a specific budget and specific salary levels that they apply lockstep to their employees based on a calculation of experience and academic level.
Law firms love associates who do federal judicial clerkships, so law firms are not only more willing to hire former judicial clerks, but many are also willing to pay them a judicial clerkship bonus to make the job offer more appealing.
Any advice for a freshman in college on where to start when trying to get accepted to law school? Should i start preparing this early and if so what do I need to do to prepare myself? Thanks for the help loved the video
Hi, Chris! What I would recommend is: (1) choose a major that you're interested in, not one that you decide to pursue just because you think it will make you competitive for law school, because you're much more likely to do well in a major that interests you (and you want to get your GPA as high as possible), you might actually discover another career path along the way that you'd like to explore, and law school admissions department really like to see interesting and diverse backgrounds; (2) as early as you can, seek out internships in places where lawyers work so that you can see them in action and get to know their day-to-day to see if it's a career you think you'd enjoy (keeping in mind of course that there are hundreds of different types of legal jobs and thousands of lawyers and that everyone will have a different take on the profession so be sure to make up your own mind and not necessarily listen to an overworked and disgruntled lawyer).
@@AngelaVorpahl Where can I get internships in places that lawyers work? Don't I have to be a 1L/2L to work at a Law Firm?
@@thiagogregory1 Hi! For paid positions as a summer associate, yes, you'll need to be a 1L or 2L, but you can definitely find unpaid internships in local law firms, non-profits, and government agencies (like the local District Attorney's office). I interned all in college with the TX State Legislature as well as with a lawyer who ran political campaigns. I'm not sure where you are in the process, but if you're in school and have access to some type of career services then definitely make an appointment with them and see if they have any contacts with local places where lawyers work. And worst case scenario you can always google a place near you where you're interested in interning, call them up, let them know that you're interested in pursuing a legal career and ask if they could use some free help in exchange for getting some insight into their day-to-day :)
@@AngelaVorpahl Thank you!
@@thiagogregory1 Of course! Let me know what you find! :)
Whats your opinion on the scotus's refusal to hire clerks simply because they didnt go to a t14
Hello I'm a real estate agent and account executive and I'm doing really well, but I've been always interested in going to law school. But I just feel I'm a little to old for that now(40). Your input would be helpful :)
Hi Juan Carlos! I actually get this question quite a bit from nontraditional students and the short answer is it's never too late to go to law school and that law school classes are made up of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who are getting a law degree as a second career! The longer answer is that as a nontraditional student, you may be in a situation where a part-time evening program is a better fit and/or may not want to go through the traditional law firm hierarchy and instead start your own law firm or work at a smaller law firm where you'll have more hands-on interaction with clients. I'm looking to make a full-blown video about this topic in particular so stay tuned!!
Could you let us know how we can make extra or side money as a law firm associate without having our non-compete agreement make a problem for us? Like can we buy stocks or invest our savings in private equity?
I live in Dallas! I’m interested in being a corporate lawyer but I’m not sure if the pay will be worth it, any recommendations?
LOTS :) To be able to give you some more focused advice, where are you in the process -- in law school or deciding whether to apply?
Did you move from anywhere to dallas ?
I went to law school in Dallas, TX and I went to undergrad in Austin, TX! I went straight through from college to law school :)
If I may ask, what type of law do you practice?
I practiced IP litigation when I was in private practice, but now I'm a full-time law school coach!
hey,I am Japanese university student and belong the faculty of law.My university has the plan to go to the James E Rogers College of law after the next year to get J.D..Before I go, I have to improve my English. Anyway,your video is fantastic
Hi! Thanks so much! I'm so happy to hear the video was helpful! I actually run a free FB group for law students and prelaw students looking for clarity and support in their law school journey. Would you like the link to join? :)
@@AngelaVorpahl please
@@chabatake3607 Great! Here's the link: facebook.com/groups/lawtribenetwork See you inside!!
How do you get a full scholarship to law school if you have to go to regular college before law school ?
All law schools offer some form of scholarships. Most are merit-based, meaning they are offered based on LSAT and GPA scores. But some law schools offer diversity scholarships or scholarships for particular background experiences. :)
Angela Vorpahl ohh okay ! thanks .
If you got a judicial clerkship for two years rather than one, would you start off as a third year associate instead ?
Soo that would be up to your law firm, but generally, no, law firms tend to give only one year of credit for judicial clerkships :)
So those numbers are too small to read, when making a 6 figure in one your accual take home is, well your loosing about 10-12000 from income tax and the rest of the deductions correct?
Not accounting for the climate difference, which state did you prefer more to live in and work for? ☺️
Hi Alexandra! At that point in my life, I absolutely LOVED living and working in NYC. It was exciting and romantic in all the ways I was looking for, and at the time, all of my friends in Dallas were married, in long-term relationships, buying houses, and thinking about kids, and since I was not in that stage of my life at all I felt completely out of place (which was a big reason for me pursuing the move in the first place). That being said, NYC is a very expensive city, and so I definitely think it would have been a different experience if I wasn't making $175,000 per year, although in all honesty I probably still would have made the move and just lived in a cheaper apartment and cut down on food expenses.
Keep in mind that Dallas is also an amazing city, with a MUCH lower cost of living (so your money goes a lot further), and the people in Texas are top notch. So you really can't go wrong. :)
Are you thinking of deciding between the two cities?
Which law area were you practicing in NYC?
I practiced IP litigation!
What is the typical burnout or turn over of corporate lawyers?
I don't know the number specifically for corporate lawyers, but the general stats I've seen for law firm associates in general is that about 50% leave their firm in the first 3 years and about 85% leave their firm in the first 5 years, so there's definitely a lot of attrition.
Do you have any idea who's like Harvey Specter of today's era? Please answer. Thank you!
Haha I actually had to google "Harvey Specter" to know who you were talking about. Suffice it to say I have never seen an episode of Suits. I should just break down and watch it, though, I've heard good things!
@@AngelaVorpahl Oh I did just remember it because you look like Donna Paulsen in the Suits 😉. And after you do that can you comeback to me? I will appreciate it.
@@gamefilez3074 Will do!!
Did you take the Bar exam in New York?
if Yes→why did you work in Texas
as a clerkships
Yes I did! I'm originally from Texas and went to law school in Texas (SMU Law in Dallas). I accepted a federal judicial clerkship in Dallas because (a) that's primarily where I interviewed, (b) a federal clerkship is so valuable that the general rule of thumb is that you accept it no matter where it's located, and (c) the plan was always to live and work in Dallas.
As I was getting closer to finishing my 1-year clerkship, there was an opportunity that came up to work in the NYC office of the law firm where I had summered (in Dallas), and so I sat for the New York bar at the end of July, finished my clerkship in August, and then started working for the law firm in NYC in September! It was quite a whirlwind!
Nowadays with the UBE (Uniform Bar Exam), you can sit for the UBE in any state that allows it, and if you score highly enough, you can apply to practice in any other state that accepts the UBE. So it's a LOT easier to practice in multiple states now, which is awesome.
@@chabatake3607 Let me know if that answered your question!
@@AngelaVorpahl do you know whether non-us students who has JD can work as clerkships or not?
Does it depend on the kind of clerkships? (Like local clerkships →OK but government clerkships→NO…)
I want you make the video talking about non-us students !!
@@chabatake3607 I definitely have plans to talk about international lawyers and law students looking to practice law in the U.S. Don't worry, it will get made :)
In answer to your question, I'm not an expert on this topic, but my understanding is that positions working for the federal government (both federal judges and federal agencies) are restricted to U.S. citizens and so in order for international students to get those roles they would need to be unpaid.
Why is it that a person clerks? Is there a reason why one does it for one year? Kind of blows my mind. I would imagine the numbers would look considerably better now.
Hi David! The short of it is that judicial clerkships are AMAZING. Particularly at the federal level, they are considered the most prestigious job you can get directly out of law school, and so they are incredibly valuable for your future job opportunities. Doors that may have been closed to you before based on law school or class ranking, can absolutely be opened for you following a federal clerkship. They are also a fantastic source of substantive experience because you are literally helping a judge research and write his/her opinions, which is an incredibly high-level project, especially for a brand new baby lawyer.
In terms of timing, most judges hire their clerks for only 1 year, but some judges do have 2-year clerkships, and others will occasionally hire "career clerks" to work for them long-term, it just depends on what the judge is looking for because he/she gets to make that call.
Are you considering a judicial clerkship? :)
Angela
@@AngelaVorpahl after all you wrote - YES! :)
@@davidswann6154 Haha awesome!!
How did you get a full scholarship to law school?
I was awarded the scholarship through the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation -- they award scholarships through various colleges and law schools in the country, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the candidates chosen that year :)
Angela Vorpahl thank you soo much!
@@emilyrichardson1606 Of course!!
How did you go to law school on a full ride ?!?!?!?!?
Hi Kaila! SMU Law gives out a few full scholarships, and the one I applied for had a strong emphasis on involvement in public service and democratic institutions. I interned for the TX State Legislature all 4 years of college, working for different state representatives and senators, and I my sense is that undergrad experience really helped me ultimately get that scholarship.
So definitely check out if the law schools you're interested in have scholarships geared toward certain backgrounds or experiences you've had, and of course the higher your LSAT score (and secondarily your GPA), the more scholarship money law schools are likely to offer you. Also keep in mind that if you're interested in scholarship money to check out lower ranked law schools where your LSAT/GPA combo may be slightly (or very much) higher than the law school's median LSAT/GPA because law schools are always looking to incentivize students who will raise their median numbers (because that, in turn, helps to increase the law school's ranking).
This video was very good in terms of financial prospects when it comes to the two different legal positions addressed. I was actually looking for the differences in terms of actual work-life balance, work volume, and responsibilities between the two. So, a sister video based on that type of content would be of great help to new graduates like myself.
I love this idea! It's been on my list to make both these videos so I'll be sure to make it happen!!
Where did you go to law school
SMU Law in Dallas, TX!
How much does an average corperate lawyer earn?
Good question. It depends on several factors, which I discuss in this video here if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/video/e1-7VGVAH48/видео.html -- but in terms of working in a law firm, all associates will be paid the same regardless of practice group (whether that's corporate, litigation, bankruptcy, etc.).
I’m not smart enough for a top law school but I’m definitely mid tier.
Hi Jonathan! I definitely wouldn't count yourself out of anything before you start! The truth of the matter is that the most powerful metric to getting into law school is your LSAT score. And I've had students who spent over a year studying like crazy for the LSAT and increased their score by over 20 points. So law school admissions are very much centered on optics and statistics, and if you can master those things you have an amazing opportunity to have lots of doors open to you :)
It’s 2023. I live in Frisco. You won’t be able to afford anything in nice areas with a decent salary.
Im curious, what are you doing now?
I'm getting my master's of law in international human rights and about to launch a "new lawyer" career coaching business!!
Upper easy side is cheap?!?!?!
haha not cheap, but more deals to be found then some other neighborhoods :)