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As a 1L, should I read into these rejection letters or do employers just stick that line in all rejections letters? I have been receiving a mix of rejection letters with and without it. Finnegan sent me something along those lines and also sent me a video disc about the firm. Is this normal?

Anonymous User wrote:As a 1L, should I read into these rejection letters or do employers just stick that line in all rejections letters? I have been receiving a mix of rejection letters with and without it. Finnegan sent me something along those lines and also sent me a video disc about the firm. Is this normal?

It's normal to receive the "we encourage you to apply next year" message, but I'm not sure about the Finnegan stuff.

The video disc sounds like generic marketing for the firm, kind of like those 1L cocktail receptions firms have. It's meant to drum up interest so the largest amount of people bid on or apply to work at the firm during fall of 2L, then at the interview stage they pick the people they want. I wouldn't take it to mean you're special in any way. The letter you got was a basic form reject letter that every firm sends out to 1Ls.

If you were an employer, you would want to indiscriminately boost your number of applicants too. It's easier for them simply to encourage everybody to apply and then weed out afterward. Also remember this when they start running receptions and dinners.

Finnegan sent me the same thing last year. This year I got an offer from Finnegan (and promptly turned them down). Whether the two have an relationship to each other is unknown to me.

It's standard.

The only way in which I've seen 1L summer rejections turn into 2L summer offers is if one had a callback at the firm, did extremely well, but was ultimately rejected because of space.

Anonymous User wrote:If you were an employer, you would want to indiscriminately boost your number of applicants too. It's easier for them simply to encourage everybody to apply and then weed out afterward. Also remember this when they start running receptions and dinners.

I have no idea who or where this firm is, but if it's an OCI firm then encouraging everyone to apply would just be idiotic since they have literally no say in who they actually get to interview with at most/all t14 schools (so having a huge number of people bid would just mean that they got a better shot at getting shitty applicants since it's all just a lottery when there is too many bids and not enough slots).

It's standard. No one has/wants to take time to write down individual rejection letters for each candidate. It may say that you're like perfect, but not EXACTLY what they're looking for at the time as well.

I'm sorry

Don't read into at all, it is a standard form rejection letter. Wait till you go through 2L OCI, I kept all my rejection letters which amounts to a nice pile that I sit back and smile at every once in awhile.

It will always say "you are very well credentialed, but given the current market needs...."

I have received a few of these. A couple have specifically elluded to the fact that although 1L positions were offered in the prior year, no such positions will be offered in the present year. I have little in the way of expectations for 1L summer employment with a biglaw firm, but figured that I'd sent out 40 or so resumes and cover letters and see what happens. I anticipate doing a judicial externship as a praticum and taking another class or two at the same time. Don't sweat it!

OP here. Thanks guys. I figured I shouldn't get my hopes up too much. Thanks for the advice. I have been fortunate enough to get two interviews so hopefully one of the two will turn out well. One is at a midsized patent prosecution firm downtown in the city of where my law school is located. The other is at a bigger IP firm in Chicago. *crosses fingers*

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Thanks guys. I figured I shouldn't get my hopes up too much. Thanks for the advice. I have been fortunate enough to get two interviews so hopefully one of the two will turn out well. One is at a midsized patent prosecution firm downtown in the city of where my law school is located. The other is at a bigger IP firm in Chicago. *crosses fingers*

One little advice: act very excited about the opportunity and the firm and everything, they like it. Companies often want to see sparkles in one's eyes.

Good luck.