Working at father's firm: scarlet letter? Forum

[Anonymous User]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

[ph14]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

It's better than not having an SA. Is your dad a name partner? If not, unless they knew you/your dad personally, they probably would never know, and it's not like you need to affirmatively disclose you got your job through your dad during your 3L job hunt.

[Anonymous User]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

It's better than not having an SA. Is your dad a name partner? If not, unless they knew you/your dad personally, they probably would never know, and it's not like you need to affirmatively disclose you got your job through your dad during your 3L job hunt.

Named partner, no, although he is a senior and the firm is not very big.

[EvilClinton]

Named partner, no, although he is a senior and the firm is not very big.

So him being your father won't really matter to potential employers unless someone on their hiring committee knows him personally.

But 3L OCI is no picnic. Good luck.

[ph14]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

It's better than not having an SA. Is your dad a name partner? If not, unless they knew you/your dad personally, they probably would never know, and it's not like you need to affirmatively disclose you got your job through your dad during your 3L job hunt.

Named partner, no, although he is a senior and the firm is not very big.

Either way, it's much better than the alternative. Plus you can devote some time to bringing up your grades for 3L OCI rather than job hunting and interviewing. Just accept it.

[shock259]

It might come up in interviews during 3L OCI, but it also might not. And even if it does, you can make a joke and spin it like you really wanted to work there.

Even if it does hurt you (which I don't think it will), it's still way better than not having an SA.

[Anonymous User]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

Not trying to be harsh, only honest, but bottom 1/3 at any school has 0 shot at federal clerkships and virtually 0 shot at any state clerkship worth doing (including state trial courts).

[Anonymous User]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

Not trying to be harsh, only honest, but bottom 1/3 at any school has 0 shot at federal clerkships and virtually 0 shot at any state clerkship worth doing (including state trial courts).

I'm a 3L at a T6 with a lot of friends doing clerkships. Completely agree with the anon above. Unless OP wrote onto Law Review, gets a prime spot on edboard, and is at the tippity top of his/her class next year after taking upper-level gunner classes like FedJur, I don't think OP'll be able to line up anything with his/her time.

[Anonymous User]

T14, bottom 1/3ish, struck out at OCI. Luckily, my father's firm is taking some summers this year, and he was able to get me an SAship there. I'm 1,000,000x grateful for the opportunity and recognize that the vast majority of people who have struck out are not so fortunate. But I'm still wondering how much of an adverse affect this could have on my future employment prospects.

The firm's a regional, lower-side-of-market-paying midlaw in a larger secondary market--not uber-prestigious, but locally-respected. The goal is for me to either find another local gig through 3L OCI/mass-mailing (which I know is next-to-impossible) or more likely, try to get either a federal or "good state" clerkship from which I could lateral back into the market. Would the "stigma" of working at my father's firm be likely to hurt me down the line? Based on my last name, most employers in the same market would very quickly make the connection, and a firm outside the market could deduce it with minimal research. Would good work product/reviews from my SAship assuage potential fears that I'm a useless fuck-up who just happened to be born into the right family?

I'm sorry if this all sounds silly, and I tried asking my dad for advice on the matter, but even he isn't entirely sure how this would likely play out in today's economy.

Any thoughts?

Not trying to be harsh, only honest, but bottom 1/3 at any school has 0 shot at federal clerkships and virtually 0 shot at any state clerkship worth doing (including state trial courts).

I know chances at Article III are slim, but I have a few possible leads into state appellate clerkships, which I believe would feed well into my desired markets. Of course, if I can't do that, I'll just stick around at the firm for a couple years and try to lateral from there.