Lavender Law Career Fair Forum

[NE1410S]

Has anyone gone to the Lavendar law Career Fair? If so, what are you thoughts on the event?

Did it help you find a job?

Did the recruiters do interviews there?

Are the larger national firms seeking candidates for offices across the US or just the offices near where the event is held?

Would you go again?

Are most firms seeking 2Ls, 3Ls, and/or experienced associates?

Thank you for any feedback. This year's event is in Hollywood, and I'm nervous about missing school and spending the money to go.

[D-hops]

I am planning on going. A bunch of 2Ls and 3Ls said it was really valuable and they got a number of interviews as a result of the career fair at the conference.

See if your school covers registration or travel costs for the event (a number of schools do).

[Kretzy]

I know we're sending a good chunk of people this year (I'm stoked to go). 2Ls and up who I've talked to said it was a great way to snag interviews with firms you otherwise missed during OCI (didn't bid high enough, only bid on one of their offices, etc.).

Plus, it's in LA, it's a great way to network and meet people, and should be a lot of fun. Lots of schools will cover registration + some housing/transportation.

Seems mostly large firms are coming this year, here's the preliminary list: http://www.lgbtbar.org/annual/career-fa ... ecruiters/

[NE1410S]

Thanks for the information. Anyone else heard anything good or bad about Lavender Law?

Where is everyone staying? The hotel is really expensive. I found a Days Inn a couple blocks away for $100 a night.

[Anonymous User]

Just heard about Lavender Law yesterday (I've been under a rock apparently) and am now thinking about going.

When you say "some people didn't bid high enough" do you mean that they were looked over during OCI but got an interview out of Lavender Law or do you mean to say that they simply didn't think they had a shot at OCI and so they declined to bid on certain firms?

[Kretzy]

Just heard about Lavender Law yesterday (I've been under a rock apparently) and am now thinking about going.

When you say "some people didn't bid high enough" do you mean that they were looked over during OCI but got an interview out of Lavender Law or do you mean to say that they simply didn't think they had a shot at OCI and so they declined to bid on certain firms?

I more meant firms that you bid something like 8th on your bid list, and due to other people bidding them higher, you weren't able to interview with them while at OCI.

[BenJ]

Bump. Anyone go to this last year or otherwise know how it works? I'm planning to go and have heard good things but would like more info. The website is pretty sparse.

[swc65]

I am curious about the process for that career fair too. How do you get interviews there?

[Aston2412]

Very much a topic worth revisiting - I'm interested in any info anyone can provide.

My general understanding is that it's just a table-talk/resume drop thing.

Can anyone confirm/refute that?

[BenJ]

Very much a topic worth revisiting - I'm interested in any info anyone can provide.

My general understanding is that it's just a table-talk/resume drop thing.

Can anyone confirm/refute that?

That's what it sounds like to me, too, but then it seems weird that people get so many callbacks from it. It's unfortunate how few 3Ls read this forum...

[swc65]

Very much a topic worth revisiting - I'm interested in any info anyone can provide.

My general understanding is that it's just a table-talk/resume drop thing.

Can anyone confirm/refute that?

That's what it sounds like to me, too, but then it seems weird that people get so many callbacks from it. It's unfortunate how few 3Ls read this forum...

Hmmm. Is that worth a plane ticket across the country and hotel bills?

[Aston2412]

That's what it sounds like to me, too, but then it seems weird that people get so many callbacks from it. It's unfortunate how few 3Ls read this forum...

That's what I was thinking too.

[BenJ]

Very much a topic worth revisiting - I'm interested in any info anyone can provide.

My general understanding is that it's just a table-talk/resume drop thing.

Can anyone confirm/refute that?

That's what it sounds like to me, too, but then it seems weird that people get so many callbacks from it. It's unfortunate how few 3Ls read this forum...

Hmmm. Is that worth a plane ticket across the country and hotel bills?

Maybe not if your school/OUTLaw group doesn't provide any sort of funding for it, although even then it seems like so many people get callback interviews that it's not like the usual table talk. I know a lot of people who got their jobs through the fair, but I don't see them now over the summer to ask about how it works.

[Anonymous User]

Is this a career fair for LGBT people? What is the draw for firms to go to this? Do they get AA points? Not trying to be disrespectful, just curcious.

[Aston2412]

Is it worth the trip across the country and hotel bills? Well, I'd put the total cost of the trip at around $700 if you don't have any funding (which I won't).

Lots of top firms are there though. I mean LOTS.

Top firms pay between 135k-160k.

Is it worth $700 to get exposed to that many interviewers? Absolutely.

Just wish I knew how to maximize the odds at getting those interviews.

[de5igual]

Sounds like a fun time, even if no job comes from it. Can't go this year unforch

[NE1410S]

Is this a career fair for LGBT people? What is the draw for firms to go to this? Do they get AA points? Not trying to be disrespectful, just curcious.

Curious as to why you felt the need to post anonymously?

This is a 4 day bar association meeting for the National LGBT community and those interested in LGBT issues. Part of the event is a large career fair geared towards LGBT candidates.

Most large firms (and corporations) like to hire employees with diverse backgrounds and interests. This diversity creates an open environment and helps develop creative solutions for its clients.

Most students are scared to be "out" unless they know a firm is supportive. (This might even be why you posted anonymously.) Lavender Law, and events like it, create environments where students and lawyers can fell safe to discuss this part of their life.

It's a positive for both the LGBT community and the firms that visit the event.

[phonepro]

I wish there were more people here who went to this last year!

[Aston2412]

I wish there were more people here who went to this last year!

Seriously.

Just to confirm, there is no pre-select right? It's all just open table talk?

[Anonymous User]

I have heard about this event for a while, but I got the impression that it was off limits since I'm straight. I have a cousin and uncle who are out and active in the LGBT community which I support, but do you yourself have to be out and active to attend?

[Aston2412]

I don't think you have to be "out" (in whatever varying degrees you wish to define that as) but you do have to be LGBT. No allies this time, at least to my current understanding.

[Anonymous User]

Bumping an older thread, but I was wondering if it's worth attending Lavender Law if you're not exactly a stellar student. I'm at a T25 and at median and I couldn't get interviews with these firms through my schools preselect because of my grades. I'm mostly interested in the non-firm employers, particularly the NYC DA office and the SF DA office. My school offers absolutely no funding for travel expenses so I'd be paying for it on my own.

I know the employers that attend Lavender Law want the top of the class, especially the empolyer's I'm interested in. What do you guys think?

[jay115]

Bumping an older thread, but I was wondering if it's worth attending Lavender Law if you're not exactly a stellar student. I'm at a T25 and at median and I couldn't get interviews with these firms through my schools preselect because of my grades. I'm mostly interested in the non-firm employers, particularly the NYC DA office and the SF DA office. My school offers absolutely no funding for travel expenses so I'd be paying for it on my own.

I know the employers that attend Lavender Law want the top of the class, especially the empolyer's I'm interested in. What do you guys think?

Gonna be tough to swing SF DA bc they're currently in a hiring freeze.

A lot of the firms coming to lav law will be NY biglaw firms, so the GPA cutoff will be equivalent to what it would be if those employers came to your school's OCIP.

[Kretzy]

Gonna be tough to swing SF DA bc they're currently in a hiring freeze.

A lot of the firms coming to lav law will be NY biglaw firms, so the GPA cutoff will be equivalent to what it would be if those employers came to your school's OCIP.

SF DA is doing OCI at Stanford this year; 12 slots. How much of a "freeze" are we talking? Don't want to bid them if that's the case.

[jay115]

Gonna be tough to swing SF DA bc they're currently in a hiring freeze.

A lot of the firms coming to lav law will be NY biglaw firms, so the GPA cutoff will be equivalent to what it would be if those employers came to your school's OCIP.

SF DA is doing OCI at Stanford this year; 12 slots. How much of a "freeze" are we talking? Don't want to bid them if that's the case.

I got an offer from them for this summer, but I turned it down because I was told it was unlikely to turn into a full-time offer because of CA's budget problems. Considering that CA's budget problems are unlikely to resolve themselves in the immediate future (say, 2-3 years), I don't know whether a "thaw" is imminent. SF DA is unionized, so perhaps the hiring freeze was relaxed for this upcoming year.

BTW, all the LA Law Schools are trying to organize an awesome weho night for all of you Lav Law LA visitors, so look out for it!