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I think M&A is probably the most intense corporate area. From personal experience I have found capital markets, funds, and startup work to be less confrontational when working with the other side and overall less intense. Capital Markets can have very demanding hours and short turnaround times, but it helps that the issuer and underwriters/placement agents/initial purchasers are essentially on the same side. I also get the sense that finance/debt work is lower intensity than M&A as well as the specialty areas A1 mentioned although I don’t generally think of those as “Corp” even though they are transactional.
Tax. Employee Benefits. Exec comp. Think of the specialists who service those same M&A transactions you've been working on. They tend to be a little more relaxed.
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Commercial real estate transactions have a lot of the same elements of corporate practice (business-oriented, finance-heavy) without the 24/7 mentality. Plenty of long hours, but not the M&A level of intensity at all times.
EC/VC work is way more chill and friendly but you still get the fun of negotiating important corporate docs. Its also way easier to build a practice IMO
Thank you all for your responses, I really appreciate it. I think the answer lies in me being more honest about seeking deals in areas that work better for me, from both a personality and mental health perspective. I think I’ve been conditioned to keep my head down and go with the flow, which is fine too if it serves you well, but since it isn’t working for me I think I need to see if I’d be a better fit on different corporate matters.
Have you considered switching firms? Not every firm has that atmosphere (although your counterparties or clients might still have that vibe).
Just to follow up, I’m ok with long hours, though of course not ideal, and hard work, but from a mental health perspective (I’ve had anxiety and depression since I was a teenager) I would prefer to work in a practice that just seems a little less intense all the time. Does such a corporate group exist? I mean, it’s Biglaw, I know what I signed up for, but rather than quitting it outright, I’d love to find a niche within corporate that is maybe a better personality fit. Any suggestions warmly received.