Boston Legal Market Forum

[tumbleweed664]

I am leaning heavily towards working in NorCal or Boston after I graduate. I have had no problems finding information about the Bay Area's legal market, but I am still pretty clueless about Boston. From what I'm able to gather it is pretty small, but I still assume is it the biggest city for legal jobs in New England (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!). What big firms have the strongest presence in Boston? Thanks for any light you all can shed.

[Anonymous User]

Ropes & Gray, Wilmer Hale, Goodwin, Bingham, and Skadden are usually the first firms mentioned with reference to the Boston legal market. There are plenty of others, though.

The most important thing to know about the Boston legal market, from a law student's perspective, is that it's dangerously easy to strike out there ITE. It's a small market with plenty of well respected regional schools and (currently) very low demand for new associates. I'm not saying it's impossible to break into Boston, but it's not a sure thing for anyone. I'd imagine norcal is similar in some respects, so make sure you have a plan C (i.e., interviews in a major market).

[tumbleweed664]

Ropes & Gray, Wilmer Hale, Goodwin, Bingham, and Skadden are usually the first firms mentioned with reference to the Boston legal market. There are plenty of others, though.

The most important thing to know about the Boston legal market, from a law student's perspective, is that it's dangerously easy to strike out there ITE. It's a small market with plenty of well respected regional schools and (currently) very low demand for new associates. I'm not saying it's impossible to break into Boston, but it's not a sure thing for anyone. I'd imagine norcal is similar in some respects, so make sure you have a plan C (i.e., interviews in a major market).

Thanks for the information. By major markets you mean NYC and DC (and possibly Chicago)?

In general, what constitutes ties and strong ties? Immediate family (parents, siblings)? Near immediate (aunts, cousins, etc.)? Living there in the past? Having actual legal connections?

I assume basically anything that shows you have a sincere interests in living in that place, and thus working in a firm located there. Is this to avoid offering spots to people who perceive you as a "safety" or who may leave after a few years (which I thought was common and expected in big firms)?

EDIT: Sorry for the rapid-fire questions, I'm obviously still relatively uneducated about a lot of this. I'm glad this board exists as a resource.

[Pearalegal]

Hungry hungry hungry.

[Anonymous User]

As background, I summered at a big law firm in Boston (offer after grad) and go to school in Boston.

I noticed partners often asked summers about their ties to Boston. The ones that went to school outside of Boston got a little bit of a hard time...even if their family lived here. People who went to school here got a bit of a pass even if they weren't from the area.

If you want to work in Boston, I suggest you go to school in Boston. The exception might be if you get into a T14. I'm not sure distant relations will mean much. Growing up around Boston or family around Boston is a sufficient tie, but if you go to school halfway across the country expect to be questioned on why you chose to go to school so far away.

[Renzo]

I'm more interested in Boston Market legal. Maybe there'd be free cornbread!

[GATORTIM]

[insidethetwenty]

Crane, Poole, and Schmidt. They pay market, too.

[scionb4]

For some reason the phrase "Boston Legal Market makes me crave rotisserie chicken with a side of cornbread.

[scionb4]

Fuck!!!! You beat me to the joke.

[lostmyname]

Whatever you do, plan on spending your 1L summer in an organization in Boston to demonstrate your commitment to working in the Boston area for the future.