However, that does not mean that the litigation department is not a major contributor to the firm s bottom line or that the work coming into the litigation group is any less interesting or important. You need to speak with some of the partners to find out more about your options once you finally join the firm. If, as you say, the firm is more corporate driven, they may very well need you in that department more than in litigation. However, without exploring this avenue you will never know if you do have a choice. It is difficult to list the pros and cons of the two different practice areas because they seem to appeal to very distinct personalities.
Litigators tend to be more verbal whereas corporate attorneys seem to be more analytical.
These are broad generalities because both practice areas require tremendous verbal and written skills as well as strong analytical abilities. But as I reflect on all of the attorneys I have met over the past twenty years, I think of the litigators as being a bit more out there in terms of their personalities. The corporate attorneys are slightly more conservative. The one thing that I can tell you with certainty is that it is far easier for a corporate attorney to go in-house than it is for a litigator. I would venture a guess that in-house transactional opportunities outnumber litigation jobs by 10 to 1 and, depending on the economy, maybe even more.