A. Introduction to "Biglaw" (What is it? How much you work, and how much you make.)

Want to keep exploring? Then, the next step is to explore the types of law lawyers in large firms practice.

B. Practice areas - before going into specific practice areas, it is important to note that large firms generally organize their practice areas among two broad categories: 1) transactional/corporate 2) litigation (and sometimes 3) regulatory). Many different practice areas can fall under a single category.

Thinking through the implications of working within one of these categories is a good starting point.

For additional exploration of large law firm practice areas within large firms, see Chambers Legal Practice Groups and the video below.

Remember, it is uncommon to know a precise practice area in the very early stages of your legal career journey, and despite not locking in on a specific practice area, you can still communicate with clarity and confidence about your interest in a particular "category" with a large firm. For example, you could note, "I am drawn to the firm's corporate practice. Based upon my research, I learned the attorneys work collaboratively with clients to expand their businesses, and as a business-oriented person who works well in a team setting, this is an area where I believe I can add value." (Just make sure this actually aligns with the work the firm does in that location.)

C. How Large Firms Hire. Large firms have structured recruiting programs. The traditional path is working for a firm as a "summer associate" and receiving an offer to join the firm after graduation. The summer associate process is now in full swing during the first year of law school (learn more). This makes pre-law career exploration and experience more important than ever in this sector. Use the Hire Law platform to identify opportunities to gain hands on experience in the business realm.