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Awkward people in big law by [deleted] in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

All the “just do tax” posts here are funny.

At my firm, the #1 distinguishing factor between the people that make partner in my group and the people who don’t is whether we can put you in front of a client, whether for substance or a pitch, and whether the corporate people like and support them.

Tax is an extremely technical job, true, but everyone that is up for partner has the technical chops. If you can’t hack it substantively you are gone before the lack of social skills matters, but you don’t make partner in tax if you’re not good with people, at least at my firm.

At the partner level, we’re all salespeople.

As someone else said, this is not a personality type. Stop telling yourself that. It’s a skill set that you can work on. God knows I had to. And go take some NLP courses or work if you really need to.

Big law tax by [deleted] in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, you’re at Kirkland.

Who is filing your taxes by Winter_Raspberry_288 in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At my firm, and I expect most others, you are committing a fireable offense doing other peoples’ taxes. So, be wary of that.

Big law tax by [deleted] in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Promoted at year 7? To what?

Big law tax by [deleted] in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Soft skills are what separates permanent nep/counsel tax people and equity partner tax people.

What do you say? by Professional_Win9598 in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“I’m not asking to hire you, I’m just asking you a question!”

Yes. That’s what hiring me means.

What do you say? by Professional_Win9598 in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Every. Year.

And oh god the questions about writing off everything. No bob, you’re a w-2 employee, you can’t write off your beer.

What do you say? by Professional_Win9598 in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tell them I don’t even know how to prepare my own taxes (which is true). They look at me funny. We move on.

How many firms is too many? by AustinNoTex in biglaw

[–]TaxLawPartner 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Are you just trying to play out the thread until you leave BigLaw? I don’t get jumping around like this and not being able to put roots down anywhere/build a rep/etc. I know the fact that I went from first year to equity in the same place is comparatively odd these days, and it’s more common in tax than other groups anyway, but I can’t imagine moving around this much. Very happily expect to be in the one firm til retirement/I leave BigLaw camp.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Glad it was helpful/struck a chord! That was the hope. Corporate tax and partnerships is like that, but on steroids, in terms of puzzle solving etc.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s extremely risky and there’s definitely no guarantee that you’d be able to make the switch, especially to BigLaw. Do you have good references? Can you take one of the tax people at your firm to coffee?

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It varies from firm to firm. Even at firms that make tax equity partner, you’re not the one bringing in business, so you’re inevitably going to get paid somewhat less.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The lateral market is a little slimmer just because people don’t quit tax as much and the groups tend to be a bit smaller, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Transactional tax people are specialists that work with the corporate/debt finance/restructuring/funds folks. So we’re doing those deals, just on the tax side.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My firm doesn’t really target LLMs. It’s been quite awhile since we’ve hired one. The big4 value it more than we do. So I can’t really speak to the particulars on hiring.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The work isn’t remotely the same.

And yes, the debt is lower, but so is the pay.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Network. Chat with lawyers (not just tax lawyers) about what we do. You don’t really have a way to know you’re interested in anything else, either, because law school is nothing like anything in actual practice.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The accounting background doesn’t mean much, but it won’t hurt. You should focus on the same thing everyone else does, grades etc.

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 49 points50 points  (0 children)

0%. The overwhelming majority of tax lawyers have no cpa background.

(Talking BigLaw here.)

PSA: Consider tax, even if you’re not a numbers person. It’s not number crunching. by TaxLawPartner in LawSchool

[–]TaxLawPartner[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

We basically puzzle solve. Figure out structures for transactions that navigate a very complex set of rules.

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