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I accepted an offer from a firm at 2L OCI and cancelled numerous other interviews as well as rejected other offers. Firm rescinded all summer associate offers 3 weeks ago citing budget reasons and apologizing immensely for it (but that doesn't really help me). I have sent out over 100 apps in the past 3 weeks to in house counsel positions all over the country as well as every single firm that employs above 5 attorneys in my school's city (secondary regional market). Got about 10 rejections and crickets for the rest. Seriously, rescinding is bad enough, but doing it in mid February is just ridiculous. Considered sending this to ATL but I won't gain anything from that and firm might get pissed and badmouth me (to their credit, they gave me an insane letter of rec).

So, umm, what to do? I have a state judge who is a family friend who told me that if I find NOTHING he will just take me (unpaid obviously) so I could put SOMETHING on my resume for the summer, but I'm not even sure I can afford to live unpaid in the summer. T2 strong regional, Top 20%, Managerial position on top secondary journal, mock trial team, about 5 legal positions throughout law school (1L firm, clinics, etc.)

Can you contact the firms whose offers you rejected? I know that might seem tacky, but you are in a bad situation. You need to think of a way to spin this. Maybe call the hiring partner (or someone) and ask for advice as to what to do, see if they are still hiring, if you can reapply at 3L OCI. If they gave you an offer once, they liked you. I think that most people would at least be willing to give advice to someone in your situation, even if it is too late for an SA.

After them, I would contact all the firms where I turned down interviews, and see what is up with them. Maybe ask them for advice as well.

Then contact everyone you know and ask for jobs. I think the state court thing would be better than nothing, but I don't know what you will do for money.

Look at it this way, you are better off being out of this firm now than being Lathamed as a first year.

Wow that is absolutely terrible.

Keep trying with firms, but your best bet might be to try to get a government job or RA this summer and then try to clerk. You probably won't get federal but couldn't hurt to try, but good chance you could get a state judge, and then work your way into a firm.

Out the firm. If there's more than one of you who were going to do the SA, the firm can't put this on you, and this deserves to be known so that people can avoid them like the plague in the future.

Out the firm.

Also, sorry about that. Fuck that firm.

Think about alternative careers. Once 2L OCI is over, you are in the slop with the rest of the class. Personality and hustle will matter alot more than grades and trial teams. Some people are really great at that and make it.

OUT THAT TTTT!!!!

fuck that firm. FUCK EM IN THE ASS

OP didn't miss out on 2LOCI though, he got a job. I still have hope OP can swing something here. I think the clerking angle might be a decent way to go. FWIW - I don't think OP should out the firm, he desperately needs to remain in their good graces. If they find out he outed them, he loses any support they could have given him.

After OP gets another job or is more established, he can out them.

I think ATL will find out anyway.

If it's a major firm (vault, nlj 250, amlaw, etc.) you should out them. If it's a midlaw firm in some secondary city, they probably revoked 3 offers. Not that it doesn't suck for you, but the risk of other people getting screwed (and ATL being interested) is really only an issue if it's a major firm that takes a big summer class and recruits from a lot of schools. Sorry to hear about this, OP. Really brutal. I think clerking is your best shot: clerks on my court have come in after no-offers and the like (mostly during the downturn) and come out with firm jobs. Best of luck.

You should certainly out the firm. At least give a range. I assume it's a regional firm in a secondary market, given your school rank,location, and the fact that were it a larger firm it would already be buzzworthy (i.e., Howrey last year). Are they V100, NLJ250, or smaller?

Sorry OP, that really fucking blows. Hope something turns up for you.

This wasn't Dewey was it? If it was, ATL wants to talk to you. What'd your OCI have to say about this? You should out them just to warn future summers unless you're the only one, they'd never know it was you.

They gave you a letter of rec that means nothing. They haven't seen your work product. All it does is verify your story.

You should probably talk to your career services office ASAP to let them know about this firm's practice and to warn students in the future. Because I basically have no idea what you do in this situation except for cry a lot.

And seriously, unless it's like a super-tiny firm that doesn't usually hire SA's, it should be outed on ATL despite the recommendation letter. No matter how glowing, it still makes you go from in a great place for 3L year to potentially screwed. That is seriously the worst luck ever OP .

seriously, doesn't it have legal consequences?

Anonymous User wrote:seriously, doesn't it have legal consequences?

Nope. Tons of firms did it when the recession hit.

blowhard wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:seriously, doesn't it have legal consequences?

Nope. Tons of firms did it when the recession hit.

The contract for the offer usually states that it is revocable at any time for any reason.

The firm will suffer negative publicity as a consequence and lose the ability to attract the best applicants... but only if you OUT THE FIRM

all the more reason not to act douchey when one gets an offer (like some of my FB friends do - I am not referring to OP)

yes, OUT the firm

OP, plz, poast 'dat TTT for future generations of TLS'ers.

GAIAtheCHEERLEADER wrote:Out the firm.

Also, sorry about that. Fuck that firm.

+1

The firm clearly fucked you over. Why do you owe them anything?

Yea, was it an Amlaw 200 firm or a mid law firm?

If this is an NLJ250/AmLaw200 firm, it will get on ATL. But please beat them to it for our sanity.

Anonymous User wrote:seriously, doesn't it have legal consequences?

At will employment, derp.

i am an 0l.
what i don't get is why people act douchey once they get offers. given that they are at will they can be retracted any time.

Exactly. One FB friend announced "I received a PERmanent offer from Reed Smith!"