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Would a Fortune 500 CEO be able to network/influence outside BIGLAW firm into hiring someone they recommend?

Depends on their connection to the firm and its partners. So yes, it is within the realm of possibility.

This is a stupid question considering the fact that a janitor with the right connections can swing somebody a firm job, however it is much less likely that a janitor would have the prerequisite pull.

Thanks for your judgement on the validity of my question.

springfever wrote:Thanks for your judgement on the validity of my question.

Well it is kind of a goofy question. Think about it for a minute-- of course they can influence and network on your behalf, but it allllll depends on who they know. If the janitor is cousins with Bill Clinton's personal assistant, then hey that could be a great connection to have.

Edit: But to answer your goofy question, yes of course.

I was really hoping to hear some anecdotal type responses. Like word on the street...etc.

I think the most important question is strength of the CEO's connection TO YOU. If it's your dad who's a CEO at a F500, then yes, of course you'll land a Biglaw gig. No shit.

If I exchange greetings and shake hands with the Bank of America CEO at an alumni function for my LS, then no, that won't get me anything.

springfever wrote:I was really hoping to hear some anecdotal type responses. Like word on the street...etc.

Here's an anecdote:

Two years ago I met the daughter of the CFO of a financial firm I was working for. She said she was in law school and that she was doing a summer internship with our firm's legal department. It didn't seem strange to me then (I knew nothing about law school internships at the time). Well now I know that that financial firm does not hire legal interns that are still in law school. I have not spoken to her in over a year but we are still FB friends and she works for Big Law in NYC after graduating from a T50.

I have no idea what her grades were but I am sure her Dad's position helped her get her job.

springfever wrote:I was really hoping to hear some anecdotal type responses. Like word on the street...etc.

Seriously? You're talking about five hundred people on the planet. Even if a quarter of them are trying to pull those kinds of strings the odds of hearing stories about it are not very high. Indeed, the well connected don't go around blabbing about their backroom deals.

powerlawyer06 wrote:Two years ago I met the daughter of the CFO of a financial firm I was working for. She said she was in law school and that she was doing a summer internship with our firm's legal department. It didn't seem strange to me then (I knew nothing about law school internships at the time). Well now I know that that financial firm does not hire legal interns that are still in law school. I have not spoken to her in over a year but we are still FB friends and she works for Big Law in NYC after graduating from a T50.

I have no idea what her grades were but I am sure her Dad's position helped her get her job.

Come on Powerlawyer, this isn't that difficult.

1. Go to her firm's webiste.
2. Look up her bio.
3. Under Education, the firm will list any applicable honors she graduated with. Look for Latin Honors (I think most schools require a minimum of Top 25%) and Order of the Coif (Top 10%).
3A. Look for Law Review. At many lower T1 schools, most LR members are awarded membership by making a certain grade cutoff. Was she on LR or a secondary journal?

Don't be so literal. The topic is " job influence ".

xyzbca wrote:1. Go to her firm's webiste.
2. Look up her bio.
3. Under Education, the firm will list any applicable honors she graduated with. Look for Latin Honors (I think most schools require a minimum of Top 25%) and Order of the Coif (Top 10%).
3A. Look for Law Review. At many lower T1 schools, most LR members are awarded membership by making a certain grade cutoff. Was she on LR or a secondary journal?

Done.

She was on law review. It also lists her as EIC of another journal (I am amazed she had time for both). No order of the COIF or Latin Honors. She did go to a very prestigious undergrad though.

It is funny because it is suspiciously silent on what areas she practices in currently. Also her bio is about half the size of the other associates I browsed through.

springfever wrote:Don't be so literal. The topic is " job influence ".

Don't choose such specific parameters.

powerlawyer06 wrote:

xyzbca wrote:1. Go to her firm's webiste.
2. Look up her bio.
3. Under Education, the firm will list any applicable honors she graduated with. Look for Latin Honors (I think most schools require a minimum of Top 25%) and Order of the Coif (Top 10%).
3A. Look for Law Review. At many lower T1 schools, most LR members are awarded membership by making a certain grade cutoff. Was she on LR or a secondary journal?

Done.

She was on law review. It also lists her as EIC of another journal (I am amazed she had time for both). No order of the COIF or Latin Honors. She did go to a very prestigious undergrad though.

It is funny because it is suspiciously silent on what areas she practices in currently. Also her bio is about half the size of the other associates I browsed through.

Maybe she wrote on to LR? Biglaw will always take a look at somebody with a killer writing sample....

Okay...would a CEO, CFO, Chairman of the Board, Board member, President east coast operation, president west coast operations vice-president of sales senior vice- president of operation, executive vice. Etc etc

What part can JUICE PLAY in BIGLAW hiring????