3L No Job. What to do? Forum

[lslsls]

I'm wondering about the odds of getting a legal job before graduation. School is ranked 75-100. I'm top 20%, Moot Court, and Secondary Journal. Any job search strategies. Anything I can do to increase my odds?

[Anonymous User]

Honestly, close to zero.

For contrast: I'm at UT/UCLA/Vandy, top 1/3rd, with a pretty decent resume (good grades, EIC of secondary, circuit level externship, firm and govt experience, publication). I do not expect to get a job before graduation (that also helps me stay sane). A few postings come in now-and-then, but they're all very specific, and most often want people who can pass the patent bar. At least in this market, a lot of 3Ls are going to get law clerk positions after taking the bar that will likely turn into atty positions once bar results come out.

My method is to try and meet as many attys in my target market as possible and do coffee, impress them, and hope that when they hear of something, they'll let me know. That is the best form of networking because you actually get to talk to a person, rather than roaming around with a cocktail at bar events.

At the end of the day, you just have to wait it out. Even if you get a job before graduation, you wont get paid until after you take the bar. You'll be fine, we'll all be fine. It isn't what we envisioned or wanted, but it is what it is. Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

At the end of the day, you just have to wait it out. Even if you get a job before graduation, you wont get paid until after you take the bar. You'll be fine, we'll all be fine. It isn't what we envisioned or wanted, but it is what it is. Good luck.

thanks, this actually makes me feel a bit better. i'm in the top 10 people at a T30 and have been spending the time since my last clerkship rejections drinking and feeling increasingly shitty for not doing more this semester.

[Danteshek]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

[rbgrocio]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

how? what kinds of employers? i'd really appreciate any advice on where to look.

[Danteshek]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

Good for you. I am not willing to just take any legal job without regard to how shitty it is. I would rather be unemployed or out of field than do legal work unrelated to my interests.

[rbgrocio]

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

how? what kinds of employers? i'd really appreciate any advice on where to look.

one of my offers was from a small but prestigious PI firm for which I clerked for almost two years (That's the best way to get a job, imo... work your butt off at a place all thoughout law school and then hope they give you an offer). My other offer (the one I accepted) was my dream job (county attorney). Eventually, I would like to teach two nights a week, and the job I chose provides excellent balance between family and work, and it would allow me to teach twice a week.

All my other friends have gotten jobs at small firms (5-30 lawyers). Since most of us made the conscious decision to turn down more prestigious schools to save money, we do not have a tremendous amount of debt, so getting paid less than 100k is not terrible at all.

Honestly, the best way to get a job is to work your contacts. Schedule meetings with the Dean, talk to your professors, and ask people who you have interned for or clerked in the past.

I worked all throughout 2L and 3L and that allowed me to meet people. Just focusing on school and hoping to get a job at the end is not an option these days. Working is a must, imo.

[Anonymous User]

I found a different career track. Even if you get a job, its going to be small-law crap. Work 60-70 hours a week to make peanuts for a group of psychopathic partners. JDunderground is full of these stories about the horrors of insurance defense, crim shops and PI. I worked in bankruptcy type shop as a kid, and it was just remarkable how unhappy those people were.

Not that biglaw or NALP type firms are wonderful, but you are being compensated to put up with it. The government jobs are good as well, but very selective.

Now I'm on track to make like 50k starting and work like 35-40 hours week, benefits, high-end pension, 3-4 weeks of vacations.

[Anonymous User]

I found a different career track. Even if you get a job, its going to be small-law crap. Work 60-70 hours a week to make peanuts for a group of psychopathic partners. JDunderground is full of these stories about the horrors of insurance defense, crim shops and PI. I worked in bankruptcy type shop as a kid, and it was just remarkable how unhappy those people were.

Not that biglaw or NALP type firms are wonderful, but you are being compensated to put up with it. The government jobs are good as well, but very selective.

Now I'm on track to make like 50k starting and work like 35-40 hours week, benefits, high-end pension, 3-4 weeks of vacations.

that sounds amazing! how'd you get that?

[Anonymous User]

I found a different career track. Even if you get a job, its going to be small-law crap. Work 60-70 hours a week to make peanuts for a group of psychopathic partners. JDunderground is full of these stories about the horrors of insurance defense, crim shops and PI. I worked in bankruptcy type shop as a kid, and it was just remarkable how unhappy those people were.

Not that biglaw or NALP type firms are wonderful, but you are being compensated to put up with it. The government jobs are good as well, but very selective.

Now I'm on track to make like 50k starting and work like 35-40 hours week, benefits, high-end pension, 3-4 weeks of vacations.

that sounds amazing! how'd you get that?

Academic Law Librarian. Beyond the annoying 1 year masters and working in the law library through law school, it wasn't real hard.

[rbgrocio]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

Good for you. I am not willing to just take any legal job without regard to how shitty it is. I would rather be unemployed or out of field than do legal work unrelated to my interests.

[Danteshek]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.

Good for you. I am not willing to just take any legal job without regard to how shitty it is. I would rather be unemployed or out of field than do legal work unrelated to my interests.

Your point?

[Younger Abstention]

Isn't county attorney an elected position?

[BeenDidThat]

Isn't county attorney an elected position?

It's pretty standard practice for assistant county attorneys to say they work as a county attorney. No one gets this confused in the real world unless the assistant county attorney seems like a politician, which is rarely the case.

[rbgrocio]

I never even tried looking for a job this year. It's a complete waste of time.

I don't think giving up before trying is an option. I go to a Tier 3 school and had 2 offers seven months before graduation. 4 of my friends, who also go to the same T3 school, have secured jobs too. I also know three people (T3, no LR or moot court) who have secured employment. I don't think you should give up yet.
BTW... none of us come from wealthy families or have friends, family members who are lawyers.[/quote]

Good for you. I am not willing to just take any legal job without regard to how shitty it is. I would rather be unemployed or out of field than do legal work unrelated to my interests.[/quote][/quote]

Your point?[/quote]


I deleted what I had posted. I was not sure whether you were insinuating that those of us who got a job, got a crappy one.

[rbgrocio]

Isn't county attorney an elected position?

It's pretty standard practice for assistant county attorneys to say they work as a county attorney. No one gets this confused in the real world unless the assistant county attorney seems like a politician, which is rarely the case.

I meant assistant county attorney.