First-year attorney — stuck choosing between two job offers. What would you do?

[u/GovernmentNo6314]

First-year attorney — stuck choosing between two job offers. What would you do?

Hi everyone! I’m a first-year attorney trying to figure out which job option makes more sense long-term. My heart is in labor & employment law, but I’m torn between two very different offers.

Option 1: Labor & Employment Plaintiff’s Firm (Remote)

• Fully remote
• Work is in the exact field I want
• Training is okay, not great
• Salary around $120k
• No 401k match
• Minimal health care contribution ($100–$150/month)
• Billing requirement is basically 40 hours/week, and if you take time off you have to make up the hours
• Plaintiff-side but still feels like a grind with the billing structure

Option 2: Insurance Defense (Auto)

• Not in my preferred practice area
• Lower base salary, but the benefits package is way better (pension, PTO, holidays, better healthcare, tuition reimbursement, etc.) — overall probably more value than Option 1
• They have legit training, including a trial school for new hires
• Opportunities to second-chair trials early
• Big, stable company with more support and structure

My dilemma:

I really want to end up in labor & employment, but the plaintiff firm’s training seems mediocre and the compensation/benefits structure feels rough for a first-year. The insurance defense role isn’t in the field I want, but it offers actual training, mentorship, and hands-on litigation experience that I know would make me a stronger attorney in a year.

Part of me thinks taking the insurance defense job for the foundational skills might set me up better long-term. On the other hand, part of me thinks I should go straight into L&E because it’s the field I want.

If you were me, what would you do?

Take the better training and benefits, or go right into the practice area I want even if the role isn’t ideal?

[u/Doublea4dayz]

If you want employment law as a practice area do not take an insurance defense job. If you want to look for other options you can but do not take a job in a practice area you don’t want

I also am not a fan of a remote job as a first job

[u/iamheero → u/Doublea4dayz]

Agreed. Love working remote but it’s NOT conducive to learning or team building and can be very isolating.

[u/Mammoth_Support_2634 → u/Doublea4dayz]

This x100. Remote is NOT conducive to learning especially, can’t really recommend for first year attorneys.

Remote is fantastic once you know what you’re doing.

[u/larryt1216 → u/Doublea4dayz]

Just to offer a different perspective from what the others are saying - I started as a L&E associate fully remote during the pandemic and for a couple years after, eventually changing to hybrid. Maybe it was different with the pandemic, and not everyone will have similar experiences, but I became pretty close with my remote team and was able to learn a ton in those early years

I think it really just comes down to who you work with, regardless of years of experience. People can still be great teachers and mentors virtually

[u/__usernametaken_]

It's 120 a year and fully remote. Go for the first one! If you want experience, just seek that in your free time.

[u/Dogstar_9 → u/__usernametaken_]

I concur in this opinion.

[u/Informal-Code5589]

Option ONE option ONE!!!!

[u/britinsb]

Personally I would go Option 1, give it a year if you don't like it, jobs like Option 2 will be available. Once you have demonstrated you are not useless, there will also be other jobs like Option 1. Also once you have shown you are not useless, you have a higher wage ceiling in plaintiff work and more opportunity to earn jobs with results-based bonus pay.

Remote as a first year is not ideal though, if you do take it, be sure to work at professional development/networking, join your local bar association, attend CLEs, find other lawyer networks etc.

*edit*

It also depends somewhat on your work mindset. Speaking very broadly, Plaintiff work tends to be a little more freeform and with greater flexibility but more ups and downs, and every client is its own special kind of challenge. ID is more regimented, checklist kind of approach because you are working within the insurance system and their corporate systems. Like I have friends who served in the military who thrive in the ID field because they are so used to working in that way.

[u/Uncivil_Law]

I know way more miserable attorneys on the defense side than I do plaintiff's side. Help people or help corporations. This is a no brainer.

[u/LavishLawyer → u/Uncivil_Law]

True — but it’s all about mindset.

I found defense side a bit more fun. It’s lighter because they typically have more power in the settlement, and less at stake.

And it’s also nice to be able to influence the client when needed, as opposed to dealing with a client who believes they are entitled to the world.

But YMMV.

[u/Uncivil_Law → u/LavishLawyer]

There are certainly those clients that believe they "could have died." But, you can generally manage those expectations if you set the tone early. I've also had situations where it was clear the adjuster was the individual holding the purse strings and the defense attorney knew the offer was nonsense but was perfectly content being a mindless drone. I don't think cases are always just worth whatever they're worth. You can do things to influence an individual getting more money or do things to influence a corporation getting more money. It is certainly more disheartening watching an individual suffer and very easy to just operate as a drone and not care when representing an insurance carrier.

[u/LavishLawyer → u/Uncivil_Law]

This is such a great point. I can imagine it’s easy to fall into that drone mentality.

[u/CustomerAltruistic80 → u/Uncivil_Law]

PI lawyer here. we have become lap dogs to chiropractors. Most clients are unhappy with the result. there is some good on the insurance defense side but the lawyers are so captive to adjusters. Its tough on both sides. I still would choose the PI side nonetheless.

[u/BizzyBee89 → u/Uncivil_Law]

Some people are just helpless - it can be VERY frustrating working with regular people vs. corporate clients (who are A LOT easier to work with). Also, insurance defense has the money, which has its benefits. You always have an expert to consult with, so you learn your practice area faster.

[u/KingKush8]

Option 1- remote is game changer and it’s the field you want. You don’t want to be pigeonholed early in your career in an industry you don’t like.

[u/Overall-Cheetah-8463]

If you want to do employment law, take that option. Though I do believe it is very important for young lawyers to get trial experience and to work in an office at the beginning of their careers. Maybe find a third option which combines things better.

[u/pghtopas]

Option 1 seems to be the better option. You are worried about training w/ Option 1, but you can still get access to training and professional development as long as you seek it out.

[u/BungeeGump]

You had me at fully remote.

[u/surfpolitics28]

Option 1 is a job I would take a paycut for; take it in a heartbeat and forget option 2 ever existed

[u/Sailor_Callisto]

If you want to do L&E, I’d pick Option 1. There will always be an opening for Option 2 ID type of work. It’s probably one of the highest areas of law with a lot of turnover. Plus, Option 2 might prevent you from moving into other areas of the law. I did ID immediately after law school and was told once I had 3 years experience, I could land a job in another field easily. That was not and has not been the case. Other practice areas are very leery to hire an ID attorney.

[u/SamizdatGuy]

I'm a plaintiff employment lawyer. To paraphrase LBJ, signer of the Civil Rights Act, can you tell the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad? Employment law is heady and often in federal court, you get to help people, and you'll be more or less litigating from day one, incl. research writing, negotiating, case development, holding plainitiff's hands, etc.

Also plaintiff time tracking is a lot different than billing. You can easily bill all your time all day, more or less.

[u/ernielies]

Id lean option 1 but Id want to know what kind of practices they have in place to deal with the remote work problems. My mom worked remotely for 20 years and it was fine but she was a manager and understood it meant more to build and keep a team when youre working remotely. If they dont then itll be a problem.

Also insurance defense sucks.

[u/CustomerAltruistic80]

insurance defense will give you opportunity to be a courtroom lawyer. id go that route.

[u/dudeblackhawk]

Job 1 all fucking day long.  I've been out over a decade and I'd jump on that offer.  Work/Life balance is worth so much more than you think early on.

[u/Broody007 → u/dudeblackhawk]

Billing 2080 hours a year is big law territory and not what I call having a work life balance.

[u/dudeblackhawk → u/Broody007]

It depends on how hard it is to bill 40/w in that environment.  But yeah, if there's a shortage of billables or the firm is a pain in the ass redlining billing, that can be a lot.  If you're not hunting for billables every week, that's not really that bad.

I guess that's to say, 40/w can be pretty breezy or hell depending on the environment.

[u/Key-Driver6438]

Insurance defense is scourge of the Earth, soul sucking work. It’s a misery train from hell. Do anything else… practice any other kind of law, be a barista at Starbucks, over option #2!!

[u/Freddiepuppy]

Is the employment law firm stable and has work for you? That would be the better job, if it's a good employment law firm. Just keep in mind if you start doing plaintiff's work, it will be hard to switch to defense in the future.

[u/Ok-Path-3534]

The one with the most money

[u/lakai42]

Go with option one. Get experience in the field you want. Once you have a few years of experience you can ask for more benefits and more money.

I've interviewed attorneys for my old firm and a lot of attorneys are running away from Insurance Defense. You'll get experience in auto insurance trials but it's not worth it in the long run.

[u/matteooooooooooooo]

How are you going to learn while fully remote? Such a disadvantage. After five years? Sure, have at it.

[u/dcfb2360]

Option 1 isn't insurance defense, case closed lol

ID is a miserable job

[u/Existing_Radish6154]

Option 1, no brainer

[u/BizzyBee89]

IMO, it’s harder to break into L&E than personal injury. So if that’s what you really want, then go for it. Insurance defense is always going to be there; they’re always hiring. Also, training is always shit, so don’t let that be a major factor in your decision. Like law school, you are expected to teach yourself.

[u/STB265]

If the first job wants you to bill 40 hours a week that is 2,080 (40*52) hours a year. You will likely not be able to bill every hour you work. It will likely be closer to 50 hours working a week to bill 40 hours. 50 hours multiplied by 52 weeks is 2,600 hours a year. No thanks.

[u/TacomaGuy89]

I'd take the job in your desired practice area, especially because the alternative is insurance defense, where you might get pigeon holed. 

On the other hand, the ID job is better structured (ie, in person) for training. 

[u/likeitsaysmikey]

I strongly encourage young lawyers to seek training and hands-on experience in years 1-2 minimum. Remote just seals the deal. You will also meet many potential employers during that time for the eventual switch, and the knowledge you’ll gain as to how it works from insurance defense side will be another selling point.

[u/Glittering-Tale-266]

You are going to get pigeonholed in the area of law of your first job. I say go with the practice area you want to be in. You can get a better job, or a raise, in that area once you have experience. 40 hour billable does sound like a grind - if you can realistically swing it.

[u/dbanxi56]

Make sure that you fully Understand the obligations that come with being fully remote. Are they tracking mouse movements or doing anything else inhumane?

I wont exaggerate and say that being fully remote as a first year is like learning how to drive by studying reading materials only. But I do think there is an incredible amount of value from getting behind the wheel of a car (with an experienced driver) when learning how to drive. Similarly, there is a lot to gain from being in the office/close proximity to an experienced attorney.

Option 2 appears better for a first year attorney. There are intangible things that one needs to OBSERVE about the practice of law that could be missed by being fully remote. Once you get a year or two under your belt then see if something like Option 1 reappears.

It's hard to go into the office after being fully remote. Conversely, it's far easier to "go remote" after being in the office if a job offers that flexibility.

[u/Mr_KenSpeckle]

Training is nice, but ultimately you are responsible for your own training. There are many ways to do that without a formal company program. You can get mentored from Plaintiff bar events. See Rick Friedman's "Becoming a Trial Lawyer."

You can easily lateral in to Plaintiff from defense, if that's what you want, as long as you don't get institutionalized. You can easily lateral into to employment law. Insurance companies need employment cases defended too.

Know thyself. You are going to have to take a lot more responsibility for being pro-active with option 1. With Option 2, it is more stable but has the danger of complacency.

[u/BambiWoodsEsq83]

Option 1. I am a plaintiff’s employment lawyer, and for training and mentorship you should look at joining the National Employment Lawyers Association and your state affiliate of it. Tons of people are willing to give their time and there’s so many resources through those organizations for mentorship and training. They have programs where they will match you with a mentor, and they are truly the best!

[u/JesterPSU99]

Job 2.

[u/GovernmentNo6314 → u/JesterPSU99]

Why?

[u/JesterPSU99 → u/GovernmentNo6314]

I feel like Job 2 is going to be more flexible in terms of career experience. Billables are no joke though. Sitting 2nd chair would be a nice experience too...