NY TO 190?!?! Forum

[lawschoollll]

Kidding, but there have been a number of associate salary thaws, deferred associate starting dates announced, rumors of impending high SA offer rates, increased lateral hiring, etc. Anecdotally, I have been interviewing for paralegal jobs and so have talked to a number of Biglaw associates who are desperate for staff/peer help (one senior associate looked like she hadn't slept for days, and pretty much confirmed as much when I asked about her practice group's workload). I'm as cynical as the next guy, and have actually been seriously reconsidering the law school route because of the atricious job market, but things *seem* to be trending upwards. Now, maybe that's because there was only one direction to trend after the collapse, and maybe it's just me trying to convince myself that law school isn't a godawful idea. And obviously I realize things will never be as good as the '06 boom times. But what do people think? Is overwhelmingly cautious optimism appropriate?

[como]

Kidding, but there have been a number of associate salary thaws, deferred associate starting dates announced, rumors of impending high SA offer rates, increased lateral hiring, etc. Anecdotally, I have been interviewing for paralegal jobs and so have talked to a number of Biglaw associates who are desperate for staff/peer help (one senior associate looked like she hadn't slept for days, and pretty much confirmed as much when I asked about her practice group's workload). I'm as cynical as the next guy, and have actually been seriously reconsidering the law school route because of the atricious job market, but things *seem* to be trending upwards. Now, maybe that's because there was only one direction to trend after the collapse, and maybe it's just me trying to convince myself that law school isn't a godawful idea. And obviously I realize things will never be as good as the '06 boom times. But what do people think? Is overwhelmingly cautious optimism appropriate?

Of course there is a ton of work for the people left. That doesn't necessarily translate into big hiring sprees though. My guess is that hiring will err on the side of conservatism this year.

[lawschoollll]

Kidding, but there have been a number of associate salary thaws, deferred associate starting dates announced, rumors of impending high SA offer rates, increased lateral hiring, etc. Anecdotally, I have been interviewing for paralegal jobs and so have talked to a number of Biglaw associates who are desperate for staff/peer help (one senior associate looked like she hadn't slept for days, and pretty much confirmed as much when I asked about her practice group's workload). I'm as cynical as the next guy, and have actually been seriously reconsidering the law school route because of the atricious job market, but things *seem* to be trending upwards. Now, maybe that's because there was only one direction to trend after the collapse, and maybe it's just me trying to convince myself that law school isn't a godawful idea. And obviously I realize things will never be as good as the '06 boom times. But what do people think? Is overwhelmingly cautious optimism appropriate?

Of course there is a ton of work for the people left. That doesn't necessarily translate into big hiring sprees though. My guess is that hiring will err on the side of conservatism this year.

I'm not sure from where in my post you derived the idea that I was suggesting there would be "big hiring sprees." I think new associate hiring is an indicator that lags behind others like lateral hiring and salary thaws, which we are seeing now. Again, *not* suggesting pre-boom hiring levels, or even substantial OCI improvements. Firms are going to continue to be cautious about hiring 1st years after they all got burned in '08/'09. My OP was more about the state of the legal market in general, and how it seems to be creeping, ever so slowly, in the right direction.

[spanktheduck]

The only hiring that matters for new grads is entry level hiring. There is a massive glut of entry level attorneys. It is not likely to let up soon. Firms might be hard hit for senior associates but they do not seem to need entry level associates however.

[Grizz]

The only hiring that matters for new grads is entry level hiring. There is a massive glut of entry level attorneys. It is not likely to let up soon. Firms might be hard hit for senior associates but they do not seem to need entry level associates however.

TITCR