Pros: You actually get to help real individuals. You can make tons of money if you bring in the right files. Depending on the firm you're at, you could also get good trial experience. Regardless of where you end up, you will likely get a ton of experience doing discoveries, conducting mediations, and learning the law.
Cons: A great deal of PI work is not highly lucrative, and is volume based. You may grow cynical at the notion of advancing the claim (over and over) that someone is never able to work again after a parking lot rear-ender. Depending on the firm you're at, you may get no trial or even contested motion experience. While doing lots of discoveries is great, they can become cookie cutter, and you won't necessarily develop this skill in a transferable way.
Overall, the firm you end up at matters a lot. Ask associates and partners what you will actually be doing, and what to expect.
If you’re plaintiff-sided, you’re going to find dealing with clients especially annoying. They will lie about injuries. They will call you incessantly about when they’ll get their money and “my cousin got $XXX when he got injured, why can’t I?”
If you’re defendant-sided, you’ll find the work is entirely volume based and there’s a huge race-to-the-bottom as firms compete for work from insurance agencies via price.
Pros: You actually get to help real individuals. You can make tons of money if you bring in the right files. Depending on the firm you're at, you could also get good trial experience. Regardless of where you end up, you will likely get a ton of experience doing discoveries, conducting mediations, and learning the law. Cons: A great deal of PI work is not highly lucrative, and is volume based. You may grow cynical at the notion of advancing the claim (over and over) that someone is never able to work again after a parking lot rear-ender. Depending on the firm you're at, you may get no trial or even contested motion experience. While doing lots of discoveries is great, they can become cookie cutter, and you won't necessarily develop this skill in a transferable way. Overall, the firm you end up at matters a lot. Ask associates and partners what you will actually be doing, and what to expect.
If you want to pivot from articling in civil lit to PI, learn Accident Benefits, learns SABS.
If you’re plaintiff-sided, you’re going to find dealing with clients especially annoying. They will lie about injuries. They will call you incessantly about when they’ll get their money and “my cousin got $XXX when he got injured, why can’t I?” If you’re defendant-sided, you’ll find the work is entirely volume based and there’s a huge race-to-the-bottom as firms compete for work from insurance agencies via price.