Mentioning Future Client Potential in Interview Forum

[Anonymous User]

2L looking for 2019 SA. I have written agreements with successful businesses and a franchise stating they will put me on retainer as their attorney once I pass the bar. Do I mention this in interviews? In my mind it's not worth mentioning until I pass the bar and am at a firm. Thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

is saying you will retain an attorney once they pass the bar even legal?

[Anonymous User]

Definitely don’t mention it in an interview. It’ll come off as weird or too try hard. There’s even a ATL article this reminds me of where a student lost his offer from a firm after pitching his ability to possibly bring in a client.

Further, I wouldn’t even bring these clients in when you start st the firm. If you’re even able to bring them in, a partner above you will receive all the credit and you likely won’t see anything come of it, unless the firm has a profit sharing plan in place for associates that bring in clients. As a first year this will quickly be forgotten and your work product for other clients will be the main focus of your ability to stay long term at the firm. I would definitely stay in touch with these contacts, but I wouldn’t reccomend trying to bring them to the firm until you’re at least a senior associate.

[Anonymous User]

This might depend on whether it’s a biglaw firm or a smaller, regional firm. I’m guessing it might be the latter, since I’m doubtful that local franchises will want to pay biglaw rates for a junior associate.

If it is a smaller place, I think once you start as a full time associate and get established (maybe a year into the job?) it might be appropriate to bring up with a trusted partner.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely don’t mention this if you are interviewing for big law jobs. I literally just interviewed a candidate who boasted of his business development skills. When he left the partner I was co-interviewer with looked at me and said he is looking for someone to do work for him and does not want any of his juniors wasting time trying to fruitlessly drum up business.

Obviously everything changes if you are looking at smaller firms, but I still think most firms hire juniors based on the needs of current clients. You will know nothing as a first year, so any business you do happen to bring in will require partner supervision. That partner will either get credit for the origination or be really annoyed to be doing work for a first year.

Finally, those agreements you mentioned are likely not enforceable (but you can check the rules in your state to confirm), so there is no guarantee any of those businesses will actually give you work and your interviewers will know that.

Bottom line, no reason to mention this in the interview. Interviewers will either be indifferent or annoyed (imagine being a mid-level associate working on his own extremely limited partner prospects and having to listen to a law school student boast of rain-making skills). You can demonstrate being a go-getter in other ways that will not rub anyone the wrong way and demonstrate an ability to be a successful junior associate. Once you have a job you can feel out how to leverage potential new clients to build your career within the structure of your firm.

[Anonymous User]

2L looking for 2019 SA. I have written agreements with successful businesses and a franchise stating they will put me on retainer as their attorney once I pass the bar. Do I mention this in interviews? In my mind it's not worth mentioning until I pass the bar and am at a firm. Thoughts?

I made a similar mistake last year. Don't do this. They want to hire a good first year, and believe it or not, they don't want you "thinking like a partner" as a first year.

[RaceJudicata]

Definitely don’t do this. And if you do, be sure you have an understanding of big law rates. Even successful businesses aren’t going to want to “put you on retainer” at $400+ per hour (give or take), not to mention partners at significantly higher rates.