Related Posts
Starting a new job at Applied Materials on Monday as a Manufacturing Engineer III. I’ve been out of college for 5 years and all of my work experience till now has been in R&D for start ups and small businesses . So not only is this a new experience for me going into such a large company but also a industry (semiconductors). Does anybody has tips or advices on what I should expect as a new hire and how I can set myself up for success? Thanks!
Anonymous User
Do you always need an MBA to get into MBB?
does FAANG care about cloud certs?
Mentor
More Posts
Rising Star
Additional Posts in Tax Law
Bowl Leader
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
I just made the move from big law to a big 4, so can’t speak to the big 4 yet but can speak to big law. At the law firms you’re likely behind on marking up certain documents you wouldn’t have seen at the accounting firms (e.g., partnership agreements or something niche like a transition services agreement). At the mid level and above stage in your career people expect you to have precedents to mark these up faster than you might expect.
Also I found that certain partners have weird expectations. Some think you should mark up a complex agreement correctly and quickly every time and handle the entire deal on your own, while others are more collaborative.
Relatedly in my interviews I was told the Big 4 work matters are narrower in scope. In Big Law I had to research a legal point on S-Corps, draft a provision to include GILTI in a merger agreement definition, and then mark up a credit agreement all within a short time frame. The quick turnaround obviously adds stress to this situation where your brain jumps around to different topics.
The best advice I can give is (1) search your file system for precedents so markups move more quickly, and (2) save your markups with helpful notes so when an odd situation comes up you know how to mark it up. This will allow you to spend more time on odd legal/research issues when they come up
Great share!
While client skills might be the same at a big 4 and in big law, the technical skills you need to succeed are different. They are applied in a different way. The reality is that you likely are behind your peers in their skill set- they would be too if they had done the reverse switch.
I’m at a mid sized firm and work with senior associates who came from biglaw. Though they are light years ahead in tax law knowledge, they have no clue about very very basic corporate law issues that affect the tax practice at a mid sized firm, and skills that I developed in the first few months as a junior. It seems that because biglaw firms are larger with more employees, the associates are much more siloed and focused in one area. At mid level firms, associates seem to handle a broader spectrum of topics and issues. So maybe you have more to add in different ways?
These are the moves I’m trying to make from my accounting firm
As someone that would consider such a move in the future, how far did you make it up the ladder at Big 4 (and what service line)? Also, what skill sets are your big law peers demonstrating where you feel behind? Apologies for the questions and that I can’t help you with an answer, but best of luck to you!
No!! Do NOT fall into the imposter syndrome trap. I came to biglaw a few years ago from a much smaller firm. The fact that you made it here means that you are qualified. It’s incredibly difficult to make a move in this direction, and it is impressive that you managed to so. Don’t let the people around you who are professionals at putting up a facade of confidence make you think otherwise. They are purposefully putting you down and using you to try to prop themselves up. In fact, you are probably more well-rounded and experienced than the home grown associates who have spent their careers fighting for table scraps and being micromanaged. Use your unique skills and experiences to stand out from the crowd rather than trying to play “catch up.” Biglaw is a brutal, and this understanding is the only thing I think you are missing here!
I do think that Big4 translates better to mid market for whatever reason. Hang in there. You were hired and definitely aren’t an idiot.