WheninLaw wrote:
You are really harping on singular words and ignoring the general point. Of course, UCI is not going to waterboard Chem until he calls twenty judges. But whomever the new Dean is + career services + clerkship office will certainly encourage him to reach out on behalf of star students.
@Yeezy, bringing UCI down? To the contrary. I'm a big UCI fan, and have encouraged my employers to hire them. But the notion that Chem's absence will not have an appreciable effect on employment rates is fiction.
I really wanted to stay out...
Why do you think it's possible for you to a big UCI fan and not for employers to feel the same way? You've had positive interactions with UCI grads that led to you forming your feelings. Why can't employers feel the same way?
I think the problem those connected with UCI have with your assertions is that it completely undermines the hard work of students to get to where they are now or where they will be later on. Additionally, I don't want potential students to believe that if Dean C stays that means they can cruise through three years of schooling because he's just going to get them a job because it simply doesn't work that way.
If all it takes for someone to get a job is for Dean C to make a call, then why does UCI still have unemployment?
You assume Dean C makes calls for stars but do stars need that call even? You even mentioned that the person you know of didn't have good enough stats to get in your chambers. That doesn't sound like a star to me now, does it?
At all of my interviews for jobs, except for my post grad job, I was either told "we've been eager to try out a UCI student" or "we had a UCI student last summer and wanted another one!" (This is personal experience different from what I related about clerkships before since for those I know what I'm told).
I must add Dean C isn't connected to all of the judiciary. Yes, he knows many judges but not all and not all would listen to him. So I do believe his impact is overstated as many clerks have in fact been hired without Dean C having any type of involvement.
Plus, the other thing I think you're missing is that those at UCI who clerked generally have biglaw offers. So while I concede is plausible federal clerkship placement could slow down, presumably general employment numbers won't because this people would simply go to their firm without going to a clerkship.