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2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:27 pm
by Anonymous User
I am a 2L at a top NYC law school who remains completely without a job offer for the summer. I participated at the on-campus interviews and failed to get any callbacks. Since then, I have applied all over the place primarily through symplicity and to various govt agencies through the AZ handbook and DOJ site. I have not heard anything from anyone, including after my CB through SLIP, and either occasional interviews w/ someone. Beyond that, it has been a stream of rejections from one place or another. The school seems out of touch w/ how to deal w/ people like me, w/ career services either being ineffective or non-existent. At this point, I don't see any real prospects. Finding a firm job has been impossible and govt job has issues (history of govt work that don't want to do, esp if go into transactions). It seems that my only chance of a job will be another crim pros job, which means another one on my resume and no firm offer. Looking at how the 3ls are doing, it seems that the only ones who got jobs at oci were ones who had a firm job the previous summer. So it seems that all future prospects wind down to either getting lucking and finding some sort of firm job somewhere (ambulance chasers here I come) that give a chance of landing a big law job at oci as a 3l; or getting another govt job that pigeon holes me, be jobless again as a 3l, go through this whole process again waiting till the last days of spring in hopes of somehow getting something through an honors program or low level govt agency if possible, seeing how limited govt opps have become. All this is of course overshadowed by the debt I have that can only be paid off by a firm job (govt lrap is very questionable, esp w/ how the econ is going) and what seems to be de facto treatment as a second class citizen at my own school. I have absolutely no idea what to do at this point, and leaving law school will just put me in a worse position. I am not here to discredit what many other students are going through, but this is just my perspective observing what is going on now and upperclassman. Hope everyone had a good new year.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:35 pm
by Anonymous User
This is the truth of the legal field nowadays. It's a buyer's market. Schools are just Diploma mills; the real benefactors are the firms and government who now get their pick of the litter.

Learn about the true prospects, and compare it to the debt which so many are eagerly taking on.

Read, Lemmings, Read:

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/resear ... aham-2.pdf

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:53 pm
by Adjudicator
ITT: Bitter anonymous 2L replies to himself. Or maybe not, but it is definitely more amusing if you imagine it that way.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:00 pm
by 2Serious4Numbers
Adjudicator wrote:ITT: Bitter anonymous 2L replies to himself. Or maybe not, but it is definitely more amusing if you imagine it that way.
yes. it is.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:01 pm
by Aqualibrium
Adjudicator wrote:ITT: Bitter anonymous 2L replies to himself. Or maybe not, but it is definitely more amusing if you imagine it that way.

Because covering your eyes and laughing at the "bitter people" is really the only way to feel safe...

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:06 pm
by Lokomani
I think this is for you. JDunderground speaks truth!

--LinkRemoved--

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:23 pm
by Anonymous User
Which SLIP division did you apply to? Some are still making decisions.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:27 pm
by piccolittle
I'm sorry to derail your thread a tiny bit, but for the sake of my own sanity, how top is top? Are we talking Fordham and above?

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:33 pm
by Anonymous User
OP: CLS/NYU

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:35 pm
by 005618502
Im assuming that OP meant more like Columbia/NYU. If not, its not a top NYC law school.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:38 pm
by sanjola
That's just the reality of law school these days. It's astonishing how many people don't do their research and go into law school thinking it's a quick route to big money and are stuck in huge debt 3 years later. The money is the 3rd or 4th reason why I'm going to law school. It's delusional to go just for the money.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:41 pm
by Anonymous User
I don't think that is what the OP was getting at, seeing that debt is mentioned down later. Regardless of why go to law school, debt is an issue and being w/out a job does cause worry, regardless of why you went to law school.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:41 pm
by 005618502
Anonymous User wrote:OP: CLS/NYU
This is what i imagined. Im sorry OP what are grades like for you?

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:43 pm
by Anonymous User
OP: did mean Columbia/NYU (not sure what else would stand for). As a 1L, prolly had median grades, or slightly below median. No real w/e and no diversity.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:45 pm
by Anonymous User
switch to part time to get another crack at OCI? how shitty are your grades?

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:45 pm
by dresden doll
Adjudicator wrote:ITT: Bitter anonymous 2L replies to himself. Or maybe not, but it is definitely more amusing if you imagine it that way.
I don't see how it's amusing either way.

OP, I've heard that a lot of litigation boutiques, small firms and some in house positions open up in the early winter/late spring. As a 1L, I worked for a smaller firm that didn't recruit for its SA position until late March/early April. I know you'd rather have a job by that point in the game, but I figure it might comfort you to know that not all hope is yet lost.

Good luck.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:46 pm
by Anonymous User
Those schools don't do part-time programs.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:46 pm
by Anonymous User
OP: Would you mind mentioning which SLIP division you're waiting for...I've been trying to gauge what branches are still making decisions as it seems like most people have heard one way or another. I've been waiting, too.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:47 pm
by Anonymous User
This was very awkwardly written. I hope you don't talk like this in interviews.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:48 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote:OP: Would you mind mentioning which SLIP division you're waiting for...I've been trying to gauge what branches are still making decisions as it seems like most people have heard one way or another. I've been waiting, too.
there is another thread for this. Sounds like most divisions haven't replied, including prisons.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:51 pm
by rundoxierun
Anonymous User wrote:This was very awkwardly written. I hope you don't talk like this in interviews.
+1.. I was wondering if OP was an international as I read it.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:54 pm
by Miracle
Here we go again...

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:06 pm
by Anonymous User

OP, I've heard that a lot of litigation boutiques, small firms and some in house positions open up in the early winter/late spring. As a 1L, I worked for a smaller firm that didn't recruit for its SA position until late March/early April. I know you'd rather have a job by that point in the game, but I figure it might comfort you to know that not all hope is yet lost.

Good luck.
I've heard this before, but it has become very hard to believe. I have been unable to secure an interview w/ any such places that have posted online, and seeing the large number of 3Ls at my school who had to take public interest jobs for second summer isn't inspiring either. In addition, these jobs seem to rely more on geographic considerations and connections that I don't have.

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:09 pm
by Miracle
Anonymous User wrote:

OP, I've heard that a lot of litigation boutiques, small firms and some in house positions open up in the early winter/late spring. As a 1L, I worked for a smaller firm that didn't recruit for its SA position until late March/early April. I know you'd rather have a job by that point in the game, but I figure it might comfort you to know that not all hope is yet lost.

Good luck.
I've heard this before, but it has become very hard to believe. I have been unable to secure an interview w/ any such places that have posted online, and seeing the large number of 3Ls at my school who had to take public interest jobs for second summer isn't inspiring either. In addition, these jobs seem to rely more on geographic considerations and connections that I don't have.
What school do you go to? You're anonymous so it shouldn't matter if you tell us or not. We don't know who you are.

The reason why I ask is because you said top law school from NYC, and as soon as you say that I think of NYU, and Columbia

Re: 2L losing complete hope

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:19 pm
by Kilpatrick
Miracle wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:

OP, I've heard that a lot of litigation boutiques, small firms and some in house positions open up in the early winter/late spring. As a 1L, I worked for a smaller firm that didn't recruit for its SA position until late March/early April. I know you'd rather have a job by that point in the game, but I figure it might comfort you to know that not all hope is yet lost.

Good luck.
I've heard this before, but it has become very hard to believe. I have been unable to secure an interview w/ any such places that have posted online, and seeing the large number of 3Ls at my school who had to take public interest jobs for second summer isn't inspiring either. In addition, these jobs seem to rely more on geographic considerations and connections that I don't have.
What school do you go to? You're anonymous so it shouldn't matter if you tell us or not. We don't know who you are.

The reason why I ask is because you said top law school from NYC, and as soon as you say that I think of NYU, and Columbia
He's already said he goes to Columbia or NYU