2023-2024 Post-Clerkship Hiring Forum

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone applied to firms in Chicago? I haven't heard anything from my applications to the major firms (Kirkland, Latham, Sidley, Jenner).

Jenner is sending out offers and dings. So is Kirkland. Sidley has ghosted me and everyone else I know who has applied (I only know three other ppl who have applied).
No clue on Latham.

Sidley Boston has ghosted me during last year's cycle and this year's cycle.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had an interview with/heard back from Wachtell?

[Anonymous User]

Adding a data point. Applied to SG two weeks ago. Interviewed last week. Dinged today.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had an interview with/heard back from Wachtell?

Also interested.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone applied to firms in Chicago? I haven't heard anything from my applications to the major firms (Kirkland, Latham, Sidley, Jenner).

Jenner is sending out offers and dings. So is Kirkland. Sidley has ghosted me and everyone else I know who has applied (I only know three other ppl who have applied).
No clue on Latham.

Sidley Boston has ghosted me during last year's cycle and this year's cycle.

I also applied in the Chicago market. Here are my data points. For Sidley and Latham, I had friends /former classmates refer me, and at both firms was basically told the Chicago offices were likely not going to participate in clerkship hiring for 2024 (frustrating - because why accept applications then!!). With Sidley, it also sounds like their hiring freeze is still in place for junior associates. I personally did not apply to Kirkland, but I have heard their litigation group is hiring. Unfortunately, it sounds like they are looking for more mid to senior level associates, which may take most clerks out of the running. Finally, Jenner moved painfully slow with my application. Applied at the end of last year, had a screener at the end of February, and then did not hear anything about additional interviews till I told them in mid-March that I had an offer at a boutique in Chicago. I decided not to move forward, and accepted my offer with the boutique.

Overall, I would agree with the general sentiment that this clerkship hiring process was a lot more frustrating than I expected. I feel like we were sold this idea that firms would roll out the red carpet for former clerks, but that was not my experience at all! Idk, it also just seems like the Chicago Lit hiring market is tough. The large firms are over-saturated with junior associates, and then there are only so many lit boutiques with a lot of people who apply.

My advice to anyone still looking is to be very open with your lawyer friends and former classmates about your job search. That is how I found out who was hiring and got referrals. At a majority of the firms I interviewed at, I did not get the interview until someone sent in a referral for me.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had an interview with/heard back from Wachtell?

Also interested.

Also interested.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone applied to firms in Chicago? I haven't heard anything from my applications to the major firms (Kirkland, Latham, Sidley, Jenner).

Jenner is sending out offers and dings. So is Kirkland. Sidley has ghosted me and everyone else I know who has applied (I only know three other ppl who have applied).
No clue on Latham.

Sidley Boston has ghosted me during last year's cycle and this year's cycle.

I also applied in the Chicago market. Here are my data points. For Sidley and Latham, I had friends /former classmates refer me, and at both firms was basically told the Chicago offices were likely not going to participate in clerkship hiring for 2024 (frustrating - because why accept applications then!!). With Sidley, it also sounds like their hiring freeze is still in place for junior associates. I personally did not apply to Kirkland, but I have heard their litigation group is hiring. Unfortunately, it sounds like they are looking for more mid to senior level associates, which may take most clerks out of the running. Finally, Jenner moved painfully slow with my application. Applied at the end of last year, had a screener at the end of February, and then did not hear anything about additional interviews till I told them in mid-March that I had an offer at a boutique in Chicago. I decided not to move forward, and accepted my offer with the boutique.

Overall, I would agree with the general sentiment that this clerkship hiring process was a lot more frustrating than I expected. I feel like we were sold this idea that firms would roll out the red carpet for former clerks, but that was not my experience at all! Idk, it also just seems like the Chicago Lit hiring market is tough. The large firms are over-saturated with junior associates, and then there are only so many lit boutiques with a lot of people who apply.

My advice to anyone still looking is to be very open with your lawyer friends and former classmates about your job search. That is how I found out who was hiring and got referrals. At a majority of the firms I interviewed at, I did not get the interview until someone sent in a referral for me.

I'm a COA clerk in a neighboring circuit but went to school in chicago. This was my experience. I was fairly shocked by the lack of interest in my application from the *majority* of biglaw and boutique shops.

[Anonymous User]

So did you guys all get no return offer from the biglaw firm you summered at in 2L, or had been at before clerking? Like was going back just not an option?

[Anonymous User]

So did you guys all get no return offer from the biglaw firm you summered at in 2L, or had been at before clerking? Like was going back just not an option?

a lot of us would prefer to be at another firm than the firm we were first at

[Anonymous User]

So did you guys all get no return offer from the biglaw firm you summered at in 2L, or had been at before clerking? Like was going back just not an option?

a lot of us would prefer to be at another firm than the firm we were first at

+1

[Anonymous User]

So did you guys all get no return offer from the biglaw firm you summered at in 2L, or had been at before clerking? Like was going back just not an option?

No. I think a majority of people participating in the post-clerkship hiring market could go back to their old firms, but either want a different experience (like wanting to go from big law to a boutique) or want to switch markets (and either their old firm does not have an office in that city, or if they do, the person does not want to work in a satellite office of a larger firm).

[Anonymous User]

what was so bad about the 2L firm that you wouldn't want to go back?

[Anonymous User]

what was so bad about the 2L firm that you wouldn't want to go back?

engaging in this likely won't be of any benefit for the folks who come to this thread to get updates on the post-clerkship hiring cycle. Also, considering people want to remain anonymous on this thread, the details they give about their old firms would likely be vague and thus also not helpful.

[Anonymous User]

what was so bad about the 2L firm that you wouldn't want to go back?

The people that move on from the firms that they summered at after 2L do so for a variety of reasons. Some want to climb the prestige ladder in the same geographic market, others want to change geographic markets, and some want to leave biglaw behind altogether and try out a boutique.

Others may also be interested in a different area of law than their prior firm offered, or perhaps they just hated the culture at their prior firm.

[himi bimi]

My biglaw firm did not do a normal associate position for me and left me in the dust after one year due to low work in the practice group. So yeah bunch of scenarios out there.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard of offers from Molo or Wilkinson?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard of offers from Molo or Wilkinson?

Had a screener with Wilkinson and was *promptly* dinged lol
applied to Molo in Jan. Ghosted.

[tcgoestolawschool]

Is being ghosted effectively a ding?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard of offers from Molo or Wilkinson?

.

[Anonymous User]

Any movement on the D.C. market?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard of offers from Molo or Wilkinson?

I heard of an offer from Wilkinson back in the winter.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard of offers from Molo or Wilkinson?

Received an interview offer from Molo. Applied recently.

[Anonymous User]

Still haven’t heard anything from firms. Is it too late to apply to more firms that I missed?

[michigan123]

Are firms done hiring?

[Anonymous User]

Are firms done hiring?

My sense is that a majority of firms hiring for Fall 2024 have wrapped up interviewing and extending offers, but that might not be true for all firms. From my time working in big law, a lot of people do resign in April and May after getting their bonusses. As a result, some firms may open up hiring again this summer. However, looking at postings for previous years on this thread, it does seem like hiring slows down by spring.