First of all, law school doesn't really cover transactional work, which is what most corporate departments do. Even contracts courses simply cover the theory of contracts, such as consideration and duress, mistake, etc., and rarely have much applicability to transactional work. No, the most important part is contract interpretation. Usually the formalities of a contract are fine — it's what the contract means that's important.
Law school is about litigation — you study cases, right? Rarely do you read contracts that a corporate department has created. And if litigation occurs, something somewhere went horribly wrong to begin with.
Transactional work is great if you aren't into the whole "warrior" aspect of beating your opponent to a pulp and "hearing the lamentations of their women," as allegedly said by Genghis Kahn and popularized by Conan the Barbarian. Transactional work is for a more collegiate atmosphere. A good contract is good for both parties, not the adversarial winner-take-all attitude of the courtroom.
So it's much better to be in corporate law if you actually want to be liked and you don't get ticked off by reading the other side's brief. That's not to say negotiations are milk and roses, of course — there's plenty of antagonism and negotiation to get your side a better deal.
The first years of your career will consist of learning the professional techniques and doing the grunt work. You can have a lot of fun attending negotiation meetings and learn a lot as well. Research can help you come up with inventive things as well, such as the so-called "poison pill" shareholder rights plans, for instance.
But it still can be quite rewarding. Of course, there is the tedium, but getting a good mentor is crucial. And knowing when to use "lawyer skills" and when they are counterproductive is a great ability to get a handle on.
Find out what it takes to become a successful corporate attorney.
Good luck, and remember that corporate departments still need creative lawyering!
See the following articles for more information:
- What is it Like Being a Corporate Lawyer: What Do Corporate Lawyers Do?
- Choosing Between Corporate and Litigation Practice Areas: Which is the Better Choice for Your Legal Career?
- Corporate Practice
- What Does It Take to Become a Successful Corporate Attorney?
- Working as an In-House Corporate Counsel
- Practice of Business Law
- Becoming a Corporate Attorney
- Corporate Attorney Jobs: A Great Career Option
- How to Become a Corporate Lawyer
- Being a Corporate Attorney