Possibly Sketchy Firm - Yay or Nay?

[Anonymous User]

I have an interview this Friday with a firm. I could really use the money, but the firm seems pretty shady. They do a lot of BK and foreclosure work, which makes them pretty unpopular. But: $1200 a week for 8 weeks.

I am 100% not interested in working there after school, and I don't feel the summer work will be very rewarding, probably most title searches and stuff like that. But: $1200 a week for 8 weeks.

I have other applications out there for places I would rather be, but they are really dragging their feet. If these people offer me a job (and I'm pretty confident they will, relevant WE), what should I do? I need the money, but should I be nervous about maybe having their name on my resume?

[09042014]

=
It's May Bro. Sounds like you don't have a reason not too.

[Anonymous User]

OP: I have at least half-a-dozen applications outstanding with small firms that I think I have a good shot at and would rather work for. They are just dragging their feet - haven't called anyone for interviews. At least one or two I would say I have a better than 75% chance at.

[Veyron]

ITT - beggar, being chooser.

[LawIdiot86]

OP: I have at least half-a-dozen applications outstanding with small firms that I think I have a good shot at and would rather work for. They are just dragging their feet - haven't called anyone for interviews. At least one or two I would say I have a better than 75% chance at.

You have a 0% chance until they call you. Take the sketchy firm and be happy you have something legal.

[DallasCowboy]

We talkin' APPLICATIONS?! Not an interview, not an offer, APPLICATIONS?

Try for the 10 g's, that's a lot more than the average law student will make this summer.

[Anonymous User]

OP: would it change anyone's mind if I said I already have one legal job lined up for part of the summer and this would be a second-half gig? I'm working with Career Services to get the other firms off their asses and extend some interview requests, but I just started with that.

It's not that I'm not happy to have a shot at something, but if one Googles this firm, some truly sketch shit comes up in the first page of results.

[DallasCowboy]

If it's that bad, which I doubt, you could always leave it off the resume and just put the other job.

[dailygrind]

How sketch is sketch? If you've got something for the other half, I really wouldn't want to associate myself with serious sketch if I were you. Besides the reputational and signaling effects, there's also the possibility that you just won't feel right with yourself if you get involved.

[IrwinM.Fletcher]

In the off chance someone at the firm visits this thread, I don't think you'll have to worry about deigning to accept a permanent offer at this dump. Your google search quip pretty much outs you in an instant if they see this.

[Anonymous User]

In the off chance someone at the firm visits this thread, I don't think you'll have to worry about deigning to accept a permanent offer at this dump. Your google search quip pretty much outs you in an instant if they see this.

Good point, I pulled it. Maybe DF can adjust his quote later. It wasn't an exact quote though, so it won't lead to the firm in question, I don't think.

[Anonymous User]

While work has picked up this year clients are dragging their feet on paying for that work (at least at my firm) I assume that holds true for the rest of the market. Expect for smaller firms to hold off on employing clerks until they are sure they can afford it. In the case of your "sketchy firm" a bird in the hand...

[Anonymous User]

OP: Just to clarify, these other firms I have applications outstanding to are going to hire summer help, it's not as if I just sent them a resume. Without going in too much detail, I can say they will be hiring people, guaranteed. And I think I have a really good shot at some of them.

[zomginternets]

If you get an offer from sketchy firm, then tell the other firms that you have an offer but you'd rather work for them. If you still don't hear back from them, then they're not interested in you, at which point you decide if this firm is sketchy enough not to associate your name with. Since we don't have any information about this firm, I don't know if we can give more specific advice about this final step.

[LawIdiot86]

OP: Just to clarify, these other firms I have applications outstanding to are going to hire summer help, it's not as if I just sent them a resume. Without going in too much detail, I can say they will be hiring people, guaranteed. And I think I have a really good shot at some of them.

Everyone thinks they have a good shot. Until you get that interview, you don't.

[gwuorbust]

yeah that's a lot of money bro...

[lawschoolftw]

Looks like you just want one of use to tell you not to take it so here it is.

You should definitely turn down the 10K for some potential firms for which you don't even have an interview yet three weeks out of when most law students are starting work.

[r6_philly]

Is 10k high or lower than the price of regret? You have your heart set on the other jobs. So if you would rather risk 10k to go for the other jobs you are pretty sure you will get, then go for it. It's hard to give you rational suggestions without you providing all the details, and who says you want to be rational since you already have a preference in mind. So basically, I can frame it as a 10k gamble with unknown upside (which you know though), so you decide.

[2LsAPlenty]

Like there is a decision here.

[SpiteFence]

If "a lot of bankruptcy and foreclosure" work is code for "high-volume creditors' rights" avoid if you can get something better. Did this for one summer, and got zero legal knowledge from it.

[2LsAPlenty]

Unless this is NY or LA or some high cost city, that is an unusually high amount for a SA position for Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee or small loan creditor junk work or mass home foreclosure work.

[Anonymous User]

I worked for a high-volume creditor's rights firm my 1L summer too. Agree that you aren't going to get a ton of substantive legal work in terms of research and writing. You will probably draft a ton of motions, and briefs to support those motions, albeit both are often drawn straight from templates.

Not sure what your situation is like in terms of work experience/knowledge of the legal industry, but I didn't have a bad experience. All the attorneys, although doing somewhat scummy work, were great guys. Most went out of their way to take me to different courthouses around the state and watch them do their thing. I gained some great experience in just navigating office politics, and I actually did learn a lot about the day-in-day-out practice of law.

With that said, I jumped ship to more legit firm for my 2L summer so I'm not making it out to be great. Entire point of this post is to say you may have a better experience than you think, and don't be an idiot - take the 10 g's. Anyway, I'm on addy and got kinda long-winded. Apologies.

[Anonymous User]

OP: Just to follow up, went to the interview, was told I could have the job if I wanted it. The job entails no real legal work. It's working through a massive backlog of foreclosure notices and boilerplate forms. No motions, briefs, or court work. It's just a foreclosure mill.

Also did some more looking. The firm was named as one of the major participants in the whole "robo signing" thing a while back.

I think I'm going to pass. I'm a 2L, and I'd like to get real legal experience and position myself as good as possible for post-grad employment.

[shepdawg]

There's probably 10 people from my school getting paid this summer, and none of us are making $1200 a week. I'd say take the job and figure out how they're doing so well.