The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

[chrisbru]

The Anon poster, with "Atlanta" & "nationwide retail store" seemed to be not-so-discreetly referring to Home Depot. I think that's what sparty99 was picking up on.

You think? But the Anon poster clearly didn't want to call it out specifically, or he/she would have. So its not Sparty's business to do so.

[lukertin]

The Anon poster, with "Atlanta" & "nationwide retail store" seemed to be not-so-discreetly referring to Home Depot. I think that's what sparty99 was picking up on.

I thought he was just being a jackass but that is pretty funny.

[JenDarby]

I just interviewed with a Judge, and I wasn't sure I would want this position, but after interviewing for it I would LOVE it. The Judge is amazing and he knows everyone I know from my pre-law school work life. The area is fantastic, and he gets interesting relevant cases. Fingers tightly crossed - the Judge is interviewing three other people today and has already interviewed others.

[Anonymous User]

In-house interview went great! Everybody at the company is really nice and laid back. They told me I'd find out over the next week whether or not they'd bring me aboard, but I think I might legitimately have a chance to leave the Vale! Is it ridiculous that I am almost crying with happiness/relief?

Congrats! No offense, but it may be a little ridiculous to start feeling all teary eyed because you don't have an offer yet. Don't feel too relieved yet- keep hustling and don't marry yourself to any one position because if it doesn't work out you don't want to feel totally crushed/depressed.

This. I had an interview where they seemed all jolly and we were having a good time. They even said they didn't have any concerns about my ability to be successful at the position. I was so stoked leaving the interview for what I thought would be an awesome job. I was pretty sure I was getting that 2nd round. And then I got a rejection letter.

That was the only interview I had since I took the bar. Makes me harshly regret whatever I did to flunk the interview.

You never know what was the final factor, some of which may be out of your control (esp if race/gender came into play). I'm in a similar position. I had an interview earlier this week to join an associate class at a big law firm in NYC and feel somewhat confident since I have exp in the practice area (been in effect working in the area here and there since graduating) and have actually passed the bar, while the other candidates sounds like haven't worked at all since graduation and don't know if they passed. But there are a lot of things that put me on edge (at this point, I never walk away from anything feeling confident or good about myself), and I'm on pins and needles waiting to hear (somewhat annoyed that my building's mailroom may be closed for part of the jewish holiday) and unmotivated to work or do more job hustling.

[Anonymous User]

An CoA state court clerkship in a "nobody-cares-about" state where I absolutely do not want to practice. Is this career suicide or a good one year buffer + good experience.

[rad lulz]

An CoA state court clerkship in a "nobody-cares-about" state where I absolutely do not want to practice. Is this career suicide or a good one year buffer + good experience.

If you'd rather have a non legal job somewhere else than a legal job in that state, don't take the position

[kalvano]

State court clerkships are good in the state in which the clerkship is. Outside of that, no one will really care. So if you don't want to practice in that state, probably not a good idea.

[chrisbru]

Just had an interview with an 8ish attorney firm in a small (30k people) city midway between my two target markets. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the thought of working there. I may be losing my mind.

[worldtraveler]

If anyone speaks Spanish and wants an immigration law job, PM me. Have to have graduated but don't need bar membership yet. I don't think I should post it here but I can send you the link.

[lolwat]

State court clerkships are good in the state in which the clerkship is. Outside of that, no one will really care. So if you don't want to practice in that state, probably not a good idea.

Not entirely true as SSC clerkships can be pretty transferable. State trial clerkships are almost useless outside the state, and COA can be somewhere in between. It really depends and the anon that posted about the state COA clerkship should probably do more research into where previous clerks for that court end up post-clerkship, and I guess more generally, before making the decision to turn down an opportunity.

[kalvano]

SSC for major states, yes. For a small, out-of-the-way state, not so much.

[lukertin]

If you do the clerkship in like, IL and get a job in St Louis I'm sure that would be a plus, i.e., anywhere there is a lot of interstate commerce with the state in question.

[Anonymous User]

On the upside, I got a (paying) temp job doing legal stuff...

On the downside, I still don't know if I passed the bar and this gig is temporary.

BUT there's light at the end of the tunnel at least! Hang on, Valers.

[lolwat]

If you do the clerkship in like, IL and get a job in St Louis I'm sure that would be a plus, i.e., anywhere there is a lot of interstate commerce with the state in question.

Yeah, though I think you got it backwards considering the anon's description of the state. IL is certainly not a state no one cares about, but MO is a little closer to it. So doing a state COA clerkship in St. Louis might transfer over to some firms in IL that do stuff in MO.

That being said, I'm not in total disagreement that state court clerkships aren't always transferable. I turned one down myself. But when the alternative is potential unemployment and the kind of stress/depression that you see in this thread, well... all I'm saying is think hard about it beyond just "I really don't want to ever practice in that state." Do some more research, and if you turn it down, be sure that decision isn't something you might very well regret later on.

[hiima3L]

State court clerkships are good in the state in which the clerkship is. Outside of that, no one will really care. So if you don't want to practice in that state, probably not a good idea.

I don't think it's this entirely blank and white. Sure, people in the state are going to care a lot more than those in other states, but there is a lot of transferrable experience in any clerkship that a lot of employers will consider valuable. Who will care and how much they will care will vary tremendously, of course.

E.g., every PA/DA seems to love it from what I gather because criminal law is incredibly uniform. You'll also almost always end up a better writer and researcher at any clerkship, which is valuable everywhere.

And of course this post needs an anecdote: I know someone who wanted to practice in CA but clerked at an intermediate appellate court in Utah because, well, she applied and they offered and she had nothing else. After a year, she got back to a very respected mid-sized firm in the Bay Area. (I have no idea what her grades/resume, etc. were, however.)

[a male human]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

[Gorki]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

Yeah, but I have never had too cause I worked for 10 cents over fed min wage. lol.


Also, in regards to the Kasowitz drama, I wish I had their "terrifying" dilemma to deal with... Shit even if I accept and they no offer or renege, at least its SOMETHING to hold on to in the interim whilst you continue le hustle.

Valers gotta Vale.

[spleenworship]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

6 months after I left my old job gave everyone a raise to $65k a year. I feel so screwed.

[a male human]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

6 months after I left my old job gave everyone a raise to $65k a year. I feel so screwed.

Would they take you back? I thought about crawling back to my 39k job, though I'd have to move to the other side of the state again and hope I didn't forget everything.

[Lasers]

i'd sooner try to become a teacher than work as an attorney for under $50,000.

[Void]

i'd sooner try to become a teacher than work as an attorney for under $50,000.

Sounds like you don't really want to be an attorney.

[a male human]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

Well, what do you know. I got an response from someone I interviewed with in December, 2011. I almost didn't want to interview in the first place because taking the position would have meant commuting like 2 hours each way twice a week while I was at school. He ended up offering me the internship for $9/hr, but I decided to look for something else and eventually got a better-paying internship. Now he says there's lots of work to do, so he wants me to come see him next Weds. It's at a small company, but hopefully I can negotiate something more than $9 as a grad, though I shouldn't be picky at this point. Probably a part-time in-house clerkship position. I'm still staying here until I find a legit full-time attorney position at a firm (and afterward too).

I encourage everyone to check back with people who offered you a position in the past. Hopefully you've been archiving all emails from potential employers so you don't lose nonpublic email contacts.

[spleenworship]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

6 months after I left my old job gave everyone a raise to $65k a year. I feel so screwed.

Would they take you back? I thought about crawling back to my 39k job, though I'd have to move to the other side of the state again and hope I didn't forget everything.

It's on my list of things to try if I end up in the vale too long.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else have a hard time considering positions that pay less than the job before law school?

6 months after I left my old job gave everyone a raise to $65k a year. I feel so screwed.

Would they take you back? I thought about crawling back to my 39k job, though I'd have to move to the other side of the state again and hope I didn't forget everything.

It's on my list of things to try if I end up in the vale too long.

define "too long". not sure what deadline to set for myself.

[spleenworship]

It's on my list of things to try if I end up in the vale too long.

define "too long". not sure what deadline to set for myself.

I think it's gonna be individual to each of us. For me it is the December after my bar results at back. I have a mortgage and kids. 3 months fully in the darkest part of the Vale is all I can stand. Then I'll work at my old job until the wife drags me off to medical school
And there I'll make one more attempt to be an attorney before doing my podiatry school prereqs, before I just give in and admit I'm a complete failure.