Is firm hiring over? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Baltimore office is done with CBs, hiring committee was supposed to meet today

Offers should follow in the next few days (or they were today and I didn't get one )

[Anonymous User]

mid-law hiring is definitely not over. just received a CB yesterday for a midsize firm (~100 attorneys) that pays a reasonable salary (~110K) in a secondary market.

all hope is not lost (....i hope.)

[prezidentv8]

My point of view:

[JG Hall]

Sorry, but I firmly believe that unless they're a total aspie or only bid on v20 firms in DC (or something comparably stupid), there are at least 650+ law school students who don't need to mass mail.

[20160810]

Sorry, but I firmly believe that unless they're a total aspie or only bid on v20 firms in DC (or something comparably stupid), there are at least 650+ law school students who don't need to mass mail.

Don't need to and ought not to are different things. Given that it takes 20 minutes to send out 5-10 mail apps, why would anyone not? Besides which, it might not be strictly necessary to get a job per se, but mass mailing might open the door to a better or more interesting job. One of my favorite firms I did a CB with this year (favorite in terms of practice areas, people I met, and so on) turned out to be from a mass mailing.

Too many options is always better than not enough, and the opportunity cost is basically 0.

[Anonymous User]

I am really glad OP started this thread as I am in the same boat.

I started my applications very early this summer, but had only targeted the DC area because my husband really wasn't too keen on the idea of packing up and moving again, after we had just done so when I transfered. Also, I was probably being overly hopeful that I would do well.
After striking out at my new school's OCI with one exception and getting my interviews through a targeted mailing in nearby cities, we finally came to the realization that I needed to broaden my target cities.

I did a big mailing a couple weekends ago, and have broadened even more this last week or so.

So far I have had no luck, either the firms are so small/economy has killed them/hiring is done... But I am holding out hope that if I just hit the right one I will be ok.

People are telling me to give up on the law firm dream, but since I dont care about what city (to some extent) and am not aiming for "biglaw" I am really still clinging to the idea that if I keep trying something will come...

[Anonymous User]

I am really glad OP started this thread as I am in the same boat.

I started my applications very early this summer, but had only targeted the DC area because my husband really wasn't too keen on the idea of packing up and moving again, after we had just done so when I transfered. Also, I was probably being overly hopeful that I would do well.
After striking out at my new school's OCI with one exception and getting my interviews through a targeted mailing in nearby cities, we finally came to the realization that I needed to broaden my target cities.

I did a big mailing a couple weekends ago, and have broadened even more this last week or so.

So far I have had no luck, either the firms are so small/economy has killed them/hiring is done... But I am holding out hope that if I just hit the right one I will be ok.

People are telling me to give up on the law firm dream, but since I dont care about what city (to some extent) and am not aiming for "biglaw" I am really still clinging to the idea that if I keep trying something will come...

If it gives you any hope, I got a callback with a prestigious midlaw firm (also reasonably large, about 160 attorneys, just shy of NLJ250 ranking) that I mailed just a couple weeks ago. I mean, they're the only one out of about 30 that I mailed, but I was surprised to hear even that much.

I can also say that my school's Career Planning department says (though take it with a grain of salt) that a lot of mid-sized and smaller firms don't really start hiring seriously until after the big law firms are done. Then they kind jump on whats left (after all, a lot of top notch students miss the big law train). Granted, I think at this point, its probably mostly small law firms left at this point. But there are definitely jobs out there.

[Anonymous User]

I am really glad OP started this thread as I am in the same boat.

I started my applications very early this summer, but had only targeted the DC area because my husband really wasn't too keen on the idea of packing up and moving again, after we had just done so when I transfered. Also, I was probably being overly hopeful that I would do well.
After striking out at my new school's OCI with one exception and getting my interviews through a targeted mailing in nearby cities, we finally came to the realization that I needed to broaden my target cities.

I did a big mailing a couple weekends ago, and have broadened even more this last week or so.

So far I have had no luck, either the firms are so small/economy has killed them/hiring is done... But I am holding out hope that if I just hit the right one I will be ok.

People are telling me to give up on the law firm dream, but since I dont care about what city (to some extent) and am not aiming for "biglaw" I am really still clinging to the idea that if I keep trying something will come...

You should def target firms in Richmond, Baltimore, Alexandria, Arlington, and the surrounding areas. I don't even go to a school in the region, and I was able to get multiple offers from firms in that area. DC is tough; it's easier to just get something at a firm close by than it is in the city.

[Anonymous User]

I am really glad OP started this thread as I am in the same boat.

I started my applications very early this summer, but had only targeted the DC area because my husband really wasn't too keen on the idea of packing up and moving again, after we had just done so when I transfered. Also, I was probably being overly hopeful that I would do well.
After striking out at my new school's OCI with one exception and getting my interviews through a targeted mailing in nearby cities, we finally came to the realization that I needed to broaden my target cities.

I did a big mailing a couple weekends ago, and have broadened even more this last week or so.

So far I have had no luck, either the firms are so small/economy has killed them/hiring is done... But I am holding out hope that if I just hit the right one I will be ok.

People are telling me to give up on the law firm dream, but since I dont care about what city (to some extent) and am not aiming for "biglaw" I am really still clinging to the idea that if I keep trying something will come...

You should def target firms in Richmond, Baltimore, Alexandria, Arlington, and the surrounding areas. I don't even go to a school in the region, and I was able to get multiple offers from firms in that area. DC is tough; it's easier to just get something at a firm close by than it is in the city.

I've been mailing pretty much any mid to large sized firm in Baltimore that I can find. Nothing favorable yet. About half responded that they weren't having summer programs (even though their websites say to send resumes for the 2011 program) and a few others have said they've already filled their classes. So I'm certainly not having much luck with smaller markets, but hopefully other people do.

[Anonymous User]

This all does really give me hope. I tried a bunch of those suburby areas suggested by one of the previous posters and still have nothing.

However, I just wound up with a really excellent gig as a research assistant to one of the professors at my school if all else fails. I think it sounds like a great opportunity, and I have always been interested in academia, so I am definitely planning on doing that if nothing earthshattering comes along. It is solid pay, and will give me good writing opportunites.

Made the 9 rejection letters I got today seem not so bad...

Good Luck to all

[Anonymous User]

Sorry, but I firmly believe that unless they're a total aspie or only bid on v20 firms in DC (or something comparably stupid), there are at least 650+ law school students who don't need to mass mail.

Don't need to and ought not to are different things. Given that it takes 20 minutes to send out 5-10 mail apps, why would anyone not? Besides which, it might not be strictly necessary to get a job per se, but mass mailing might open the door to a better or more interesting job. One of my favorite firms I did a CB with this year (favorite in terms of practice areas, people I met, and so on) turned out to be from a mass mailing.

Too many options is always better than not enough, and the opportunity cost is basically 0.

This. I ended up going with a firm I mass-mailed over several V20s I got through OCI. Broaden those horizons, y'all.