The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

[Royal]

To the depressed posters:

Honestly, law school and societal pressures create a bubble where you are expected to work "as a lawyer" after law school. They create this false binary choice between "career as lawyer" and "failure." This is simply not the case.

Take a deep breath and think of the big picture. Think of the many lawyers who get "great" legal jobs and, within 5-10 years, voluntarily exit the profession. Do not feed into this false dichotomy of "I have a JD, so either I work as a lawyer or I fail at life." You can be very successful, and potentially happier as well, in other fields. Despite what the naysayers will have you believe, having a JD can actually be complimentary in other fields. Start thinking about the big picture and free yourself from the constrains of "law or bust." What else do you have a passion for? What other kind of career would you find interesting? When you apply, do your most convincing job of spinning your JD in way that complements that career -- be creative. If you spin it the right way, explain that "during law school I discovered that I didn't want to practice law, but instead [when I took so and so classes] became interested in X," it can be an advantage.

[bjsesq]

To the depressed posters:

Honestly, law school and societal pressures create a bubble where you are expected to work "as a lawyer" after law school. They create this false binary choice between "career as lawyer" and "failure." This is simply not the case.

Take a deep breath and think of the big picture. Think of the many lawyers who get "great" legal jobs and, within 5-10 years, voluntarily exit the profession. Do not feed into this false dichotomy of "I have a JD, so either I work as a lawyer or I fail at life." You can be very successful, and potentially happier as well, in other fields. Despite what the naysayers will have you believe, having a JD can actually be complimentary in other fields. Start thinking about the big picture and free yourself from the constrains of "law or bust." What else do you have a passion for? What other kind of career would you find interesting? When you apply, do your most convincing job of spinning your JD in way that complements that career -- be creative. If you spin it the right way, explain that "during law school I discovered that I didn't want to practice law, but instead [when I took so and so classes] became interested in X," it can be an advantage.

I am applying to non jd jobs I would be happy doing and keep getting rejected from them.

[Broseidon]

That sounds great in theory, and obviously many lawyers do leave the profession but isn't it usually to jobs that, I don't know, want former lawyers? There's a reason people are leaving this fucking degree off of their resume.

And imo that line at the end is probably not the best. Could make you look indecisive.

[spleenworship]

To the depressed posters:

Honestly, law school and societal pressures create a bubble where you are expected to work "as a lawyer" after law school. They create this false binary choice between "career as lawyer" and "failure." This is simply not the case.

Take a deep breath and think of the big picture. Think of the many lawyers who get "great" legal jobs and, within 5-10 years, voluntarily exit the profession. Do not feed into this false dichotomy of "I have a JD, so either I work as a lawyer or I fail at life." You can be very successful, and potentially happier as well, in other fields. Despite what the naysayers will have you believe, having a JD can actually be complimentary in other fields. Start thinking about the big picture and free yourself from the constrains of "law or bust." What else do you have a passion for? What other kind of career would you find interesting? When you apply, do your most convincing job of spinning your JD in way that complements that career -- be creative. If you spin it the right way, explain that "during law school I discovered that I didn't want to practice law, but instead [when I took so and so classes] became interested in X," it can be an advantage.

You aren't looking at this right. I have a JD so I spent 3 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars and packed my brain full of useless shit to be a lawyer. So if I don't get a lawyer job then I'm going to know I wasted my time and money and feel pretty shitty about myself.


I swear I'm going to track down the next person who tries to cheer up people in this thread and administer a savage beating.

[Anonymous User]

^ Haha!

I'm considering applying as a janitor for one of the big law firms. I can sniff the memos while I work. Closest I'll ever get to them.

[Anonymous User]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

[chrisbru]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

Post subject: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

You'll be fine. 1L SA doesn't mean shit anyway.

[Bikeflip]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

So... you're a rising 2L? Sympathies and all, but you have 2L yr to hustle.

[JenDarby]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

So... you're a rising 2L? Sympathies and all, but you have 2L yr to hustle.

The problem might be that this anon apparently can't read or follow straightforward restrictions.

[rad lulz]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

My advice is find another thread

[Pokemon]

^ Haha!

I'm considering applying as a janitor for one of the big law firms. I can sniff the memos while I work. Closest I'll ever get to them.

Not a bad idea. Then, if life worked like in the movies, you could write your own brief on the conference hall's whiteboard, next day a partner walks in, reads it, and asks who did this... and hires you.

[Anonymous User]

Email rejection within 5 minutes of sending resume and transcript. If not a world record, it's certainly my personal best. This deserves a drink

[jess]

.

[Anonymous User]

If we are sharing stories, I transferred from a 40-50 ranked to school to MVP and struck out at OCI last year. I worked for an federal agency this summer.

I got straight As this year (and 3/4 of my classes were graded on curve), and why I don't know my exact ranking, I got told unofficially that I'm in the top 3%.

Anyway, is there any list of firms who are hiring. I theoretically should be competitive anywhere if they would consider me.

I am mainly interested in DC or southeast, but would consider NY

Thus far I know

Latham, Cravath, Williams and Conolly, Cleary, Debevoise, Paul Weiss.

Any others?

[chrisbru]

If we are sharing stories, I transferred from a 40-50 ranked to school to MVP and struck out at OCI last year. I worked for an federal agency this summer.

I got straight As this year (and 3/4 of my classes were graded on curve), and why I don't know my exact ranking, I got told unofficially that I'm in the top 3%.

Anyway, is there any list of firms who are hiring. I theoretically should be competitive anywhere if they would consider me.

I am mainly interested in DC or southeast, but would consider NY

Thus far I know

Latham, Cravath, Williams and Conolly, Cleary, Debevoise, Paul Weiss.

Any others?

While you technically fit in this thread, you're going to get much more positive and helpful responses asking that elsewhere. Most of us don't know the firms you are looking for, because we've never even thought about being considered by them.

[jess]

.

[Stanford4Me]

Just got no offered from my 1L SA. I know its not as damning as getting no offered as a 2L but it still fucking sucks. I had consistently great work product, fit in well, and worked my butt off all summer. Never missed a deadline and didn't piss anyone off (i didn't think so, anyway). Its just pretty shocking and demoralizing. I keep running through this summer in my head... Did I miss something? Did I say something wrong? The stated reason doesnt make any sense to me. I feel like this has to be my fault but I can't figure out how.

Sorry, just needed to vent. Feeling pretty low right now.

So... you're a rising 2L? Sympathies and all, but you have 2L yr to hustle.

The problem might be that this anon apparently can't read or follow straightforward restrictions.

[Anonymous User]

If we are sharing stories, I transferred from a 40-50 ranked to school to MVP and struck out at OCI last year. I worked for an federal agency this summer.

I got straight As this year (and 3/4 of my classes were graded on curve), and why I don't know my exact ranking, I got told unofficially that I'm in the top 3%.

Anyway, is there any list of firms who are hiring. I theoretically should be competitive anywhere if they would consider me.

I am mainly interested in DC or southeast, but would consider NY

Thus far I know

Latham, Cravath, Williams and Conolly, Cleary, Debevoise, Paul Weiss.

Any others?

Posted there, thanks. I'd say for the record, the fact that those firms are doing OCI is n

While you technically fit in this thread, you're going to get much more positive and helpful responses asking that elsewhere. Most of us don't know the firms you are looking for, because we've never even thought about being considered by them.

This.

Add Skadden NY.

Check out the 3L OCI thread instead. Awesome job with the grades, though!

Thanks. Posted in the OCI thread. One thing I'd clarify is that I'm not dead set at the super prestigious firms, it just seems like they are the only ones who are doing OCI; though our career services say they usually are just looking for people who SAd elsewhere.

[snowpeach06]

Am looking for alternative jobs, and this one place is actually making me give them three separate writing samples. And not things I've already written, things I am writing just for them. I get it because writing skills are important, but ugh.

[TTH]

So I've started looking on job boards for real life attorneys, and it cracks me up to see postings that say, "Law firm seeking attorney with portable business in practice X . . . "

If an attorney has portable business, would they be surfing job boards looking for somewhere to go?

Oh well.

Anyhow, I got laid off from my hourly job yesterday. All summer, they reassured me that it was all good that I could work there on an hourly basis after the bar. Now this. I have an interview at a plaintiff's/union-side labor firm lined up next week, and it's really the only viable lead I've got right now. Here's hoping.

I hate attorneys.

[spleenworship]

So I've started looking on job boards for real life attorneys, and it cracks me up to see postings that say, "Law firm seeking attorney with portable business in practice X . . . "

If an attorney has portable business, would they be surfing job boards looking for somewhere to go?

Oh well.

Anyhow, I got laid off from my hourly job yesterday. All summer, they reassured me that it was all good that I could work there on an hourly basis after the bar. Now this. I have an interview at a plaintiff's/union-side labor firm lined up next week, and it's really the only viable lead I've got right now. Here's hoping.

I hate attorneys.

Me too.

Good luck with ur interview.

[Anonymous User]

Anyhow, I got laid off from my hourly job yesterday. All summer, they reassured me that it was all good that I could work there on an hourly basis after the bar. Now this. I have an interview at a plaintiff's/union-side labor firm lined up next week, and it's really the only viable lead I've got right now. Here's hoping.

I hate attorneys.

Same thing happened to me. Gov job, promised I could work during and after the bar. Laid me off right before school ended. Still jobless. Giving myself till the end of the month to find something new :\.

[bjsesq]

I can make a mean set of over easy eggs now. Which I learned how to do in torts, of course.

[Anonymous User]

so.. yesterday afternoon i got a voicemail from a firm i applied to recently, asking for a call back. i didn't have time to return the call until today around 3, at which point i learn that the woman who called me is out of town and won't be back until next Wednesday at the earliest. did i just screw this up for myself by not calling back asap? bites from employers are few and far between these days..

[Bikeflip]

so.. yesterday afternoon i got a voicemail from a firm i applied to recently, asking for a call back. i didn't have time to return the call until today around 3, at which point i learn that the woman who called me is out of town and won't be back until next Wednesday at the earliest. did i just screw this up for myself by not calling back asap? bites from employers are few and far between these days..

Can you have your CB with anyone or just her?