Sunday, June 15, 2008

Well...okay...

Alright.  I'll admit it.  I like tax law.  At least, after three weeks I do.  I still have eight weeks to go, so we'll see.  I'm still in the property tax realm because there are so many cases that come through with people claiming their property is overvalued for one reason or another.  But I've been getting some exposure in the big stuff, the kind of stuff I'd be working with if I went into a big firm that specialized in tax litigation, by going in and watching some of the hearings.  There's one going on with some big money.  It's still property taxes...just big property taxes because of the particular entity involved.

I also like the security that working in taxes would give me.  I know it goes back to that old saying, only two things are certain...lol.  But I was talking to an attorney who has been working in taxes for a while and he made a good point - no matter what the economy is like, no matter what is happening in business, in the real estate market, anywhere, tax lawyers will always have plenty of work.

So, I think I might have a plan.  I still really want to do litigation, I did get some civil procedure research projects in these last couple weeks and have realized that all those steps in litigation is still really my favorite thing.  But I hadn't settled on what area of law I wanted to litigate.  So I'm glad I might have figured it out, especially since the application process for summer associate positions for next summer starts in August, and if I get a summer associate position, I'm likely to get a job offer from that same firm.  So I'd like to be able to apply for firms that specialize in something I want to do.

In other news, I've been figuring out some ways of dealing with annoying talker guy.  While talking to a friend, she suggested that maybe I try to make it more clear when I'm focusing on working and when I'm available for conversation.  So I've been trying to specifically participate in conversations when the topic interests me enough, and I've been wearing headphones when I want to return to full concentration on work.  I think it's helping.

Well, that's about it for this week.  Until next time!
Blogged with the Flock Browser

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow they really make you figure things out way in advance huh? What if your feelings on something change by next summer but you've already accepted an associate position, are you able to move to a different concentration/firm after the summer position has come to an end or is that much tougher? I give you major props for nailing this all down, sounds like you are ready to decide and that is just great!

Nice idea with the headphones, music is so much more pleasant than annoying talker guy :)

Bridgete said...

I really don't know about that. I have a sense that when you accept an associate position on the "offer track," as they call it, generally that's the firm you're going to get an offer from. However, I don't think all the large firms are quite as concentrated on one area of law, some have a particular concentration but a lot of the more regional ones (those with locations in multiple cities rather than just one city) are just kind of general and have a variety of departments you can dabble in when you're an associate there. At least, that's the impression I got at one of the info sessions I went to about the summer associate program.

Plus most of the people who even want those positions are the highly driven ones that already know what they want to do. Summer associate programs are pretty much strictly limited to large firms, they're the ones that have the money to hire 3 or 4 new attorneys every year. The application process for anywhere else a lawyer might work, like a small firm or something in public interest or government, is pretty much that normal "search for open positions and apply" process we're all familiar with. But, I had already determined I want a summer associate position if I can get one, so I am glad I've figured out where I might want to go.

Bree said...

Three words: Noise. Reducing. Headphones. :D Hands down the best thing ever invented for library studying.

Talk about job security! Tax and patent law are the two most stable legal fields. I took federal income tax last fall and really liked it until we hit capital gains. That, and I cried during the final exam. Ah, law school. haha In truth, I'm envious that you're able to narrow things down already. I'm a year ahead of you and still have no idea what I want to do because I like everything I've done. I'm getting way too close to the "year in advance" deadline...

Bridgete said...

Oh yeah, I have those new fancy noise-reducing earbud type things. The ones with the squishy stuff on the end instead of the hard plastic like normal earbuds. They're great, they work like earplugs even when the music isn't going.

disabled account said...

i need some of those headphones for the office. i find myself turning the music up so loud at times to drown out the background noise and i can still hear all the chatter and what-not.

stability in a job is good, especially when it's something you actually like. that's just one of the reasons i love accounts payable in an automotive office. no matter how many cars we sell, the billers, title clerks and contract cashers may go through phases of being bored, but everyone will always want their money every month....so i will always have work at my desk. good, steady work. i call that job security.

pastrywitch said...

My noise problem at work quit last week; he had an aversion to silence and had to have music going all the time. I'm enjoying the relative quiet - just the ac, the fridge, the fan and sometimes the tempering machine.
I didn't know law students had to figure things out so far in advance; it's awesome that you have a clear idea of what you want.