Those are both good points.
I’ve never explored the opportunities of Big Law before. I know it pays much higher than US Government positions.
It’s not really one or the other - Big Law or government - a lot of people move from private practice into government positions, and sometimes back again. This is particularly true for litigators. If you are interested in criminal law, for example, working for a firm that has a white color criminal defense practice would be excellent preparation for a prosecutorial career. If there are prosecutors you admire, maybe take a look at their bios. As an example of one well-know prosecutor, I looked up Robert Mueller - he went to work for a San Francisco law firm after graduating and then joined the US Attorney’s office in San Francisco three years later as the first step in his government career. Another important point - clerking for a judge after law school can be extremely important for litigators and prosecutors, so you should keep that in mind. It’s something you will need to be thinking about right from the start of law school - at some law schools, professors have relationships with particular judges and can provide key recommendations. Clerking is another reason why you don’t want to end up with a lot of debt, as it may not pay very well. Many law firms seek to hire associates with clerking experience, so they will often make you an offer while you are still in school, with the understanding you won’t actually join the firm until after the clerkship.
“It’s not really one or the other” That’s a really good point. People seem to think that you can only choose one career path or hobby, but that’s not true. It is possible for someone to be a doctor and an athlete, for example.
It’s such a coincidence you mentioned Robert Mueller! He is someone I highly admire. I’ve read countless New York Times and Washington Post articles about him in addition to watching his testimonies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He’s an inspiration to many.
Even though I’m only an undergraduate, I am familiar with the federal clerkship process. Many young attorneys aspire to work for the US Attorney’s Office, many become Assistant US Attorneys a couple years out of law school.
It is striking how versatile a law degree is. Someone could work for the FBI, work for the US Attorney’s office, be a public defender, join a private firm in a myriad of fields, or even conduct research and policy with a S.J.D.
Robert Mueller hated the private law firm billing requirements. Too much wasted time as many firms require associates to bill for every tenth of an hour.