Leveraging without being stupid Forum

[Anonymous User]

Last week I had an interview with a V30 firm for a SA and while I was able to say I had some unpaid gov't offers on the table (not that bluntly), the SA job would be my dream job. They said they understood and would get back to me in a few weeks. Now I have an interview Friday for a non-legal job that pays six figures starting, but would require me to drop down to part-time for the remainder of law school to begin with them now. For the facts, I'm at a lower T-14, median of the class, struck out at OCI, minor WE. Since the Friday interview isn't under the NALP rules and they would want me to start next month, I imagine the possibility of an exploding or one day offer is a possibility, if I get the job. If I get an offer and have 4 hours or a day or whatever to decide, how do I tell the firm I have a six figure offer that pretty much implies I'm not wed to my grave to the legal profession to get them to decide quicker?

[zomginternets]

As far as the exploding offer, i'm sure you could stall by staying you need to check on the logistics of being able to switch to part time before you can accept the offer. I don't know a good solution re not telling the firm that your offer is from a non-firm, apart from just hoping they don't ask which firm your offer was from.

[Anonymous User]

As far as the exploding offer, i'm sure you could stall by staying you need to check on the logistics of being able to switch to part time before you can accept the offer. I don't know a good solution re not telling the firm that your offer is from a non-firm, apart from just hoping they don't ask which firm your offer was from.

The non-legal job already asked during the screening interview if I would be willing to drop down to part-time, move, etc, so I might be able to get a day for lease checking, but it seems like they need someone fairly critically.

[Anonymous User]

interview with v30 for a SA at this stage? lol

[ben4847]

interview with v30 for a SA at this stage? lol

Yes, that is quite some feat.

[MrKappus]

If you get the offer from the non-law firm, and it actually turns out to be an exploding offer, say that you will call them back by close of business. Then call the firm and say "I have an offer with a deadline of ________. I wanted to communicate it to you as soon as possible, because [V30 firm...lol] is my top choice for where to work this summer. Thanks very much for your time, and I hope I have the opportunity to learn more about the firm."

Law school needs a class called "life skills." Maybe even a Life Skills I and a Life Skills II.

[ben4847]

Law school needs a class called "life skills." Maybe even a Life Skills I and a Life Skills II.

I'm still working on a life. I'm not up to life skills yet.

[09042014]

interview with v30 for a SA at this stage? lol

I know someone with a callback at a v30 in a couple of weeks. Maybe the same firm?

Chicago based firm but in a southern office?

[Aqualibrium]

Does the non-law job hurt your chances of ever practicing law, or is it a career path where your experience might be helpful to a firm?

Regardless of what the answer to that question is, I'd honestly consider taking the non-law job over the possibility of getting a permanent offer at the v30. Assuming you get the summer offer and get a permanent offer at the v30, attrition rates by the 5th year is something like 80 to 90 percent. You've got an option most law students will never have right now. I'd strongly consider taking it especially if the answers to the following questions are yes:

Is the non-law job a field that you would be happy with?

Is there room for increased pay and responsibilities?

Is it an area that will be around/stay strong in the coming years?

[Anonymous User]

interview with v30 for a SA at this stage? lol

I know someone with a callback at a v30 in a couple of weeks. Maybe the same firm?

Chicago based firm but in a southern office?

If you mean south of their Chicago office, maybe it's the same firm, but I'm pretty sure the actual southern office of the firm I went to was done hiring.

Does the non-law job hurt your chances of ever practicing law, or is it a career path where your experience might be helpful to a firm?

Regardless of what the answer to that question is, I'd honestly consider taking the non-law job over the possibility of getting a permanent offer at the v30. Assuming you get the summer offer and get a permanent offer at the v30, attrition rates by the 5th year is something like 80 to 90 percent. You've got an option most law students will never have right now. I'd strongly consider taking it especially if the answers to the following questions are yes:

Is the non-law job a field that you would be happy with?

Is there room for increased pay and responsibilities?

Is it an area that will be around/stay strong in the coming years?

I have considered those factors. This office of the V30 did major layoffs in the recession, but they've had 100% offer rate the last couple of years to SAs. The non-legal job is at a large multinational in a very unstable industry undergoing large layoffs on a regular basis. I did similar work to the non-legal job for a year after college and hated it, hence why I went to law school, but the non-legal job would offer increased pay and responsibilities and is a function that is fairly core to their business. The lateral options would be better from the firm, but the non-legal would be at least decent. I'm also concerned that the non-legal found me online, contacted me, is bringing me into their HQ (it isn't a headhunter, only principals), and is overlooking that I lack six of the seven years required experience for the job. I'm imagining an office on fire and they need some fuel (me) to throw at it. Firm wouldn't be much different from what I hear, but at least it's in a sector I like and wouldn't require me to change graduation/bar exam dates.

[Anonymous User]

Mayer Brown must have really screwed up OCI callbacks. This is like the 5th or 6th different person I've heard with a callback this late from there. I doubt anything changed in the last two months to change their projections for 2013.

[Aqualibrium]

Mayer Brown must have really screwed up OCI callbacks. This is like the 5th or 6th different person I've heard with a callback this late from there. I doubt anything changed in the last two months to change their projections for 2013.

Why do the assholes on this website insist on outing/attempting to out people? The guy didn't list the firm for a reason, speculating on which firm it actually is just isn't relevant or helpful to the discussion.

[IAFG]

I have heard of more than one secondary and tertiary office of vault firms doing callbacks into November/December/January this year. Hell, even one or two big NYC and Chicago firms.

From a firm's perspective, they got bitten in the ass by the economy and had to no-offer/revoke offers. If the can still get median T14 kids, and it's important to them to delay so they don't over-offer, why they hell wouldn't they? It's not surprising in the least.

[Anonymous User]

OP here, thanks for the advice. Just got out of the non-legal interview without an exploding offer and no news from the V30 (similar to Mayer, but like I said, not them), so I just get to sweat through Christmas wondering if I have a job at either place.

[Anonymous User]

Mayer Brown must have really screwed up OCI callbacks. This is like the 5th or 6th different person I've heard with a callback this late from there. I doubt anything changed in the last two months to change their projections for 2013.

I had a callback with Mayer's DC office in January 2011 (I'm a 3L now), so that wouldn't be too surprising