Susman Godfrey Forum

[bruinfan10]

Let me rephrase, where in the class rank would someone have to be to realistically have a shot in hell of being competitive?

1/XXX. You're going to need a 2/9/DC (or equivalent for Texas cases) Clerkship to have a shot, just like every applicant.

Although it's difficult to get hired at Susman, the bolded isn't actually true.

You know the person's out of their depth when they don't acknowledge there are feeders everywhere. As if Susman would turn its nose up at a Gorsuch, Colloton, Kethledge, or Boudin clerk because they're not 2/9/DC. And Susman doesn't even require feeders--pretty sure it's just run of the mill 5th Cir. usually.

[RightorRight]

Let me rephrase, where in the class rank would someone have to be to realistically have a shot in hell of being competitive?

1/XXX. You're going to need a 2/9/DC (or equivalent for Texas cases) Clerkship to have a shot, just like every applicant.

Although it's difficult to get hired at Susman, the bolded isn't actually true.

You know the person's out of their depth when they don't acknowledge there are feeders everywhere. As if Susman would turn its nose up at a Gorsuch, Colloton, Kethledge, or Boudin clerk because they're not 2/9/DC. And Susman doesn't even require feeders--pretty sure it's just run of the mill 5th Cir. usually.

Yeah, just those regular, easy to get 5th Circuit judges.

[Anonymous User]

Let me rephrase, where in the class rank would someone have to be to realistically have a shot in hell of being competitive?

1/XXX. You're going to need a 2/9/DC (or equivalent for Texas cases) Clerkship to have a shot, just like every applicant.

Although it's difficult to get hired at Susman, the bolded isn't actually true.

You know the person's out of their depth when they don't acknowledge there are feeders everywhere. As if Susman would turn its nose up at a Gorsuch, Colloton, Kethledge, or Boudin clerk because they're not 2/9/DC. And Susman doesn't even require feeders--pretty sure it's just run of the mill 5th Cir. usually.

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

[FSK]

I will admit to my statement being SPS. Also, OP is at UHuston Law.

[Yukos]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

[Anonymous User]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

Not sure why early clerkship hiring would incentivize the firm to change the 4 week model...

[Yukos]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

Not sure why early clerkship hiring would incentivize the firm to change the 4 week model...

Yeah I guess it doesn't make sense since the associates won't be locked in anyway post-clerkship. But I was just thinking that the four-week model was out of necessity (can't guarantee an offer since the summers don't have a clerkship) so you need to give summers a chance to split. Now that need is gone for many Susman aspirants.

[Anonymous User]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

Not sure why early clerkship hiring would incentivize the firm to change the 4 week model...

Yeah I guess it doesn't make sense since the associates won't be locked in anyway post-clerkship. But I was just thinking that the four-week model was out of necessity (can't guarantee an offer since the summers don't have a clerkship) so you need to give summers a chance to split. Now that need is gone for many Susman aspirants.

That's not why it's 4 weeks. If you get a summer slot, you have the stats for a clerkship.

[Yukos]

Yeah I guess it doesn't make sense since the associates won't be locked in anyway post-clerkship. But I was just thinking that the four-week model was out of necessity (can't guarantee an offer since the summers don't have a clerkship) so you need to give summers a chance to split. Now that need is gone for many Susman aspirants.

That's not why it's 4 weeks. If you get a summer slot, you have the stats for a clerkship.

OK you obviously know more about their process than me, so I'll defer to you.

[Anonymous User]

Let me rephrase, where in the class rank would someone have to be to realistically have a shot in hell of being competitive?

1/XXX. You're going to need a 2/9/DC (or equivalent for Texas cases) Clerkship to have a shot, just like every applicant.

Although it's difficult to get hired at Susman, the bolded isn't actually true.

You know the person's out of their depth when they don't acknowledge there are feeders everywhere. As if Susman would turn its nose up at a Gorsuch, Colloton, Kethledge, or Boudin clerk because they're not 2/9/DC. And Susman doesn't even require feeders--pretty sure it's just run of the mill 5th Cir. usually.

IIRC from my cb there, some of the associates were TX D.Ct as well. Definitely not 2/9/DC required - as is readily apparent from firm bios.

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

Couple dynamics that probably work against this:
1) If you're a Susman, you don't want to go 100% offer given the, uh, unique personality of the firm and emphasis on fit. And you don't need to go 100% or full summer program to get top candidates. But you probably need to at the very least encourage / allow splits given that fact, and the fact that students aren't dumb - the short program helps with that. I didn't end up getting an offer from there post-CB, but I would've been somewhat terrified of taking it were it a full program. They are super demanding and there was definitely a type.
2) TX historical inertia in favor of the four-week program. Susman was the only TX firm I was looking at so I don't know whether this is going away elsewhere.
3) Top candidates w/ feeder clerkships probably more likely to jump ship. Not like Susman is hurting for cash, obviously, but still.

Also, just as a side note: I only know of one other person at my school that did a CB there last fall, and they also did not have a clerkship lined up yet. While hiring was obviously really early last year, having something lined up already during callback season was still fairly rare.

Seems like other anon might have summered there so I also defer to their experience. Just my 2c as someone with a marginal amount more info than the average joe.

[jbagelboy]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

this is a stretch -- most judges, including many of the more desirable locations, want 3/4+ semesters of grades. but I agree with the principle that you can generally know when someone will be headed in that direction

[Anonymous User]

Does susman always wait until all interviews are complete to start making offers?

[Anonymous User]

Former associate willing to take questions. Fire away.

[Anonymous User]

Former associate willing to take questions. Fire away.

Curious about the interview process. With their lack of HR at any given office, it feels like a black box. What was your turn around usually for summer associate interviewees?

[sundance95]

It has far less to do with who the judge is and far more to do with the person's overall resume. Moreover, a lot of people are hired from the summer program. And at the time we got OCI offers for summer, we hadn't even applied for clerkships.

Strangely enough, these days many (if not most) people competitive for Susman will have clerkships lined up by the time they do OCI. I wonder if that will lead them to doing a more traditional SA program.

this is a stretch -- most judges, including many of the more desirable locations, want 3/4+ semesters of grades. but I agree with the principle that you can generally know when someone will be headed in that direction

Most judges, perhaps, but hiring solely on 1L grades is rapidly becoming (if not already) the norm in 2/9/DC and competitive districts.

[Anonymous User]

My turnaround was about a week. The timing is all over the place depending on firm business and level of interest in the candidate.

[Anonymous User]

My turnaround was about a month - it really just depends on when offices are meeting to discuss candidates.

As noted earlier, a "feeder" clerkship is not at all a requirement for working there as a summer or full-time associate, and having a clerkship lined up is certainly not a requirement for getting a summer offer.

[Anonymous User]

No talk about Susman ditching the 5 year partner track?
Word on the street is it's 10 years now, and 4th years when they made the change were just SOL

[Anonymous User]

No talk about Susman ditching the 5 year partner track?
Word on the street is it's 10 years now, and 4th years when they made the change were just SOL

Current associate here--it's a six-year track, not a 10 year track.

[Anonymous User]

Still no offers out yet this year?

[Anonymous User]

Still no offers out yet this year?

You mean for summer of 2016 positions?

[Anonymous User]

Still no offers out yet this year?

You mean for summer of 2016 positions?

Anyone still waiting? Been rejected?

[Anonymous User]

I'm pretty sure Susman has finished hiring for most offices, though it's possible some people are still holding offers open.

[Anonymous User]

Let me rephrase, where in the class rank would someone have to be to realistically have a shot in hell of being competitive?

1/XXX. You're going to need a 2/9/DC (or equivalent for Texas cases) Clerkship to have a shot, just like every applicant.

I was a 2/9/DC clerk and my Susman rejection letter came in record time. Like they might have sent it before I applied fast.