DELETE ME Forum

[Anonymous User]

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[LordBeric]

Can't you see how if a firm is asking for new attorneys in paid positions, and you are offering to work for free, you come off as incredibly desperate and insecure?

[LawIdiot86]

Me: I just received a rejection letter from a XYZ large firm in Ohio. I don't know why I was a rejected. I passed the state bar, patent bar, and I even volunteered to work there for free under the PLRI program.

[Note: PLRI is a program that Penn Law implemented in order help unemployed graduates get their foot in the door at organizations. Penn pays graduates $10 per hour for 25 hours per week. Subsidy lasts at most 6 months.]

Penn Law Counselor: "Many employers do not want to hire new attorneys even if they are willing to work for free—they may not feel they can manage it, they don’t have the people resources to supervise etc."

Me: This firm specifically asked for new attorneys. This firm is a relatively large firm in midwest region. Besides isn't this the problem that PLRI was designed to alleviate?

Penn Law Counselor: **Silence** **Blank Stares**

Me: Excuse me while I jump off a cliff...

Are you taking the bar in another jurisdiction this month? That can show your willingness to relocate to a nearby area (PA, IL, IN, even NY) and be an extra feather in your cap.

These PLRI/EIP-type programs do have a negative stigma associated with them in that if you're willing to give it away for free, then people assume it must be of low quality.

Also, have you looked at non-legal compliance work like contracting officer jobs in government or fraud examiner work? Maybe even see if you can get your certified fraud examiner certification while you're looking for a job.

[traehekat]

Can't you see how if a firm is asking for new attorneys in paid positions, and you are offering to work for free, you come off as incredibly desperate and insecure?

lol, wut?

[AntipodeanPhil]

I'm sorry to hear about that. I went on the academic job market a couple of years ago and got rejected about 300 times, so I have some idea how it feels.

For the sake of the frightened 0Ls reading this, any theories on how you ended up in this situation? Were you no-offered?

[Anonymous User]

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[CanadianWolf]

Agree with the above poster that presenting yourself as desparate is not the best way to attract interest--especially before having an interview. Even outside of the profession, other employers prefer those currently employed for their open positions. Regardless, you probably received a rejection letter due to a large number of resumes from those with ties to the area & relevant work experience.

[LordBeric]

If the firm is offering a position that means they can afford to pay for it, so I don't see how including info on this grant helps at all. I can see how the grant would help if a place is not hiring or doesnt have the money, but I think it just looks bad to underbid the competition, sounds like a lack of confidence in your abilities. Just my take, best of luck man.

[CanadianWolf]

And confidence is valued highly by law firms.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

what ohio firm was it?

[CanadianWolf]

Have you had your interviewing skills evaluated ?

[Anonymous User]

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[CanadianWolf]

Which takes us back to why you didn't get the interview. Keep trying. The economy is picking up as is hiring.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

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[r6_philly]

Use the program to get non-firm work while continuing to apply to firms separately/independently?

[sunynp]

Don't give up OP. They may not have thought you would really live in Ohio. You have good credentials. I would not use the Penn program. I know the city bar association in NYC has some career placement counselors and you can get one session with them for $100, but subsequent sessions cost more. It might be worth talking to them. I also think you should join any and all bar associations, patent bar meetings, technical things you can think of - you need to make some real contacts to help you find jobs.

I don't know how to tell you to proceed other than to just keep looking for firms. You wouldn't have liked Ohio anyway. Just don't rely on the Penn program.

[2009 Prospective]

Use the program to get non-firm work while continuing to apply to firms separately/independently?

Yep, the mistake was dropping PLRI when applying to a paying firm job. You should probably use that more for applying for volunteer internships at PI orgs, government, judges, etc. while applying to firms in the interim. Although, even for those jobs, it's probably easier to just say, I'm applying for a volunteer internship or something along those lines. Also, the market is tough. I suspect you may not have taken the bar in the state for the firm you were rejected at. With so many qualified candidates, there are all sorts of reasons you can be rejected, even from a great school like Penn.