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I currently attend HYS and have a job at a top ranked non-NYC firm. The firm is good, above market compensation and it seems like I'm going to get an offer but I don't like the city I'm in. During on campus interviews I recieved many other offers. My grades are median or slighly above (They dipped a little last semster). I'm also an URM if that matters. So here is the question, what do you think my chances are of getting a job offer as a 3L.

My only two criteria:

Non-NYC: Areas I'd be amendable to are Dallas, D.C., Houston, Austin, Chicago and Boston. during on campus interviews I was offered Sa's to the top firms in each of these cities (except D.C. and Austin). I also lived in most of these areas at some point in my life.

Top 2-3 firm in the Market: Think Sidley or Kirkland for Chicago. I don't plan on being a lawyer more than a few years and I don't want to leave my current firm for significantly reduced exit options.

Looking at my schools 3L job search statistics from 2011. It doesn't seem like many 3L had that much success but I'm wondering if that is because they got no-offered, had terrible grades, bad interviewer or a combination. Since I had prior offers from almost all of the firms I want to interview with, my grades are decent, plus most likely I will get an offer from my current firm and I have a resonable explanation for the change (I want to come home). Do I have any chance? I already contacted my first choice firm and discussed the situation and they seemed very receptive. Should I be contacting other firms already? Any advice?

1) Why didn't you take one of the other offers if you don't like this city?

2) The problem with 3L hiring is that it's so small. Last year there were 82 hires made through 3L OCI nationally. So yes, you sound like you're in a good position as far as it goes, it's just hard to know what your options will be because of how limited 3L hiring is.

Right now concentrate on getting an offer from your summer firm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:1) Why didn't you take one of the other offers if you don't like this city?

2) The problem with 3L hiring is that it's so small. Last year there were 82 hires made through 3L OCI nationally. So yes, you sound like you're in a good position as far as it goes, it's just hard to know what your options will be because of how limited 3L hiring is.

Sorry to butt in here, but I just found (2) pretty frightening. Where could I find the source for it?

Tekrul wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:1) Why didn't you take one of the other offers if you don't like this city?

2) The problem with 3L hiring is that it's so small. Last year there were 82 hires made through 3L OCI nationally. So yes, you sound like you're in a good position as far as it goes, it's just hard to know what your options will be because of how limited 3L hiring is.

Sorry to butt in here, but I just found (2) pretty frightening. Where could I find the source for it?

http://www.nalp.org/uploads/Perspective ... uiting.pdf

rad lulz wrote:Right now concentrate on getting an offer from your summer firm

Fortunately I can do more than one thing at a time. I asked a pretty specific question. Clearly you can't help me. Thanks to the other guy for the sobering facts. I've seen those before and I know it's not a great shot but do you have any advice on how to make my chances more likely?

Anonymous User wrote:

rad lulz wrote:Right now concentrate on getting an offer from your summer firm

Fortunately I can do more than one thing at a time. I asked a pretty specific question. Clearly you can't help me. Thanks to the other guy for the sobering facts. I've seen those before and I know it's not a great shot but do you have any advice on how to make my chances more likely?

Right now there's basically nothing you can do. Firms haven't really even started contemplating fall 3L recruiting. Around when your SA is over then you can start reaching out.

Also apply for clerkships bc the 3L hiring market is so grim. You could do clerkship -> firm in your target market

Be prepared to accept the offer at the firm you're at now if you get an offer. 3L hiring has no "season" and I've seen firms looking for people in the spring when it will probably already be too late for you

The most important thing you can do right now is get the offer so you can be attractive to the few 3L employers who do hire

I think you'll be fine if you give them the spiel in interviews. "I really loved my summer job, but it turns out SF isn't the right city for me after all. I decided to turn down my offer to look for a position in Chicago, where I grew up and my family lives."

Will also help if you can offer a recommendation from a partner you worked for during the summer. Also, see if your firm will let you switch offices.

3L hiring is bad because it's people who couldn't find an SA, got no-offered, or are trying to suddenly switch from public interest to firms. The people who do well are switching firms with offer in hand.

Anonymous User wrote:I think you'll be fine if you give them the spiel in interviews. "I really loved my summer job, but it turns out SF isn't the right city for me after all. I decided to turn down my offer to look for a position in Chicago, where I grew up and my family lives."

I dunno ab this

82 offers NATIONWIDE at NALP firms bro

3/4 accepted so there are maybe like 60-70 positions total

Maybe HYS will give a good boost but if there's no Chi positions there's no Chi positions

Anonymous User wrote:I think you'll be fine if you give them the spiel in interviews. "I really loved my summer job, but it turns out SF isn't the right city for me after all. I decided to turn down my offer to look for a position in Chicago, where I grew up and my family lives."

Will also help if you can offer a recommendation from a partner you worked for during the summer. Also, see if your firm will let you switch offices.

3L hiring is bad because it's people who couldn't find an SA, got no-offered, or are trying to suddenly switch from public interest to firms. The people who do well are switching firms with offer in hand.

I think right now I'm just going to concentrate on getting the offer but when it comes to that time I have no idea how to ask a partner who I work for to write a reccomendation for me to go to another firm. The class is very small and they are pretty selective on giving out SA offers. I just think that'd be an awkward conversation to have "thanks for the offer, now can you write this letter of rec so I can go to another firm" .

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I think you'll be fine if you give them the spiel in interviews. "I really loved my summer job, but it turns out SF isn't the right city for me after all. I decided to turn down my offer to look for a position in Chicago, where I grew up and my family lives."

Will also help if you can offer a recommendation from a partner you worked for during the summer. Also, see if your firm will let you switch offices.

3L hiring is bad because it's people who couldn't find an SA, got no-offered, or are trying to suddenly switch from public interest to firms. The people who do well are switching firms with offer in hand.

I think right now I'm just going to concentrate on getting the offer but when it comes to that time I have no idea how to ask a partner who I work for to write a reccomendation for me to go to another firm. The class is very small and they are pretty selective on giving out SA offers. I just think that'd be an awkward conversation to have "thanks for the offer, now can you write this letter of rec so I can go to another firm" .

You won't get hired at another firm without references.

Don't ask for a letter.

New firms won't care until they are ready to extend an offer. At the point they ask for references, you can revisit the issue. Don't flag that you are looking at other options until you absolutely have to.

TooOld4This wrote:Don't ask for a letter.

New firms won't care until they are ready to extend an offer. At the point they ask for references, you can revisit the issue. Don't flag that you are looking at other options until you absolutely have to.

Thanks for this. TLS came through again. At least I have a gameplan now. I'll be sure to update you guys with how everything worked out. Hopefully it can help someone next year who is in the same position.

TooOld4This wrote:Don't ask for a letter.

New firms won't care until they are ready to extend an offer. At the point they ask for references, you can revisit the issue. Don't flag that you are looking at other options until you absolutely have to.

Obviously no one wants to jump the gun (since your firm might be a few days away from saying you’re “offered”). On the other hand since you really do not know, you don’t want to miss the backup boat either. The simple translation, you like where you are at but you hear the plan B firm (which once offered you) is ready to move forward with their hiring… how best to time this out?

Kirkland Chicago did fairly significant amount of 3L recruiting this year, but it was focused on specific practice groups.

It's hard to forecast 3L hiring since most firms only do it when they have a concrete need. So your results will vary. You are looking pretty widely, so I'm guessing you will get something, but you could easily not.

Just don't turn down your offer til you have something else in hand.

What about for a CCN student that raised his gpa from around a 3.15 (below median) to a 3.5 (probably at median for 2Ls) that wants to move from a nyc firm to out of market or to a firm with better exit options (whatever that even means)? Try 3L OCI? Mass mail? Be happy with my luck and just wait a couple years?

rad lulz wrote: Right now there's basically nothing you can do. Firms haven't really even started contemplating fall 3L recruiting. Around when your SA is over then you can start reaching out.

Also apply for clerkships bc the 3L hiring market is so grim. You could do clerkship -> firm in your target market

Be prepared to accept the offer at the firm you're at now if you get an offer. 3L hiring has no "season" and I've seen firms looking for people in the spring when it will probably already be too late for you

The most important thing you can do right now is get the offer so you can be attractive to the few 3L employers who do hire

Idk where this information is coming from, but it’s completely untrue. There are several things OP can be doing right now, which I know because I’m a rising 3L and doing them (successfully). You can pm me for details.

thatgirlthere wrote:

rad lulz wrote: Right now there's basically nothing you can do. Firms haven't really even started contemplating fall 3L recruiting. Around when your SA is over then you can start reaching out.

Also apply for clerkships bc the 3L hiring market is so grim. You could do clerkship -> firm in your target market

Be prepared to accept the offer at the firm you're at now if you get an offer. 3L hiring has no "season" and I've seen firms looking for people in the spring when it will probably already be too late for you

The most important thing you can do right now is get the offer so you can be attractive to the few 3L employers who do hire

Idk where this information is coming from, but it’s completely untrue. There are several things OP can be doing right now, which I know because I’m a rising 3L and doing them (successfully). You can pm me for details.

I got my info from being a 3L who did 3L job search

Contact recruiters at the offices where you received a callback and an offer. They wanted you once, there's a good chance they'll be interested in talking to you now. This is a very different scenario than 3L hiring because you didn't get a 2L SA or got no offered.

I had several firms explicitly tell me when I turned down their offer to get in touch if I changed my mind or things didn't work out at the firm I chose.

thatgirlthere wrote:

rad lulz wrote: Right now there's basically nothing you can do. Firms haven't really even started contemplating fall 3L recruiting. Around when your SA is over then you can start reaching out.

Also apply for clerkships bc the 3L hiring market is so grim. You could do clerkship -> firm in your target market

Be prepared to accept the offer at the firm you're at now if you get an offer. 3L hiring has no "season" and I've seen firms looking for people in the spring when it will probably already be too late for you

The most important thing you can do right now is get the offer so you can be attractive to the few 3L employers who do hire

Idk where this information is coming from, but it’s completely untrue. There are several things OP can be doing right now, which I know because I’m a rising 3L and doing them (successfully). You can pm me for details.

PM'd. Like I said, I did contact my number one firm and was surprised by the reaction of the partner who recruited me. Not only did she remeber me but she said she was happy that I contacted her. While that all sounded nice she also said they don't know if they are doing 3L hiring but she did write the national recruiting director to let her know my interest and practice areas. She also told me to follow up with her later in the summer. While not an offer, or even an interview, I thought it was encouraging. So I'm thinking that I might do that with some of the other firms I recieved offers from.

Op here. I already have an interview set-up with a V-30 firm and I've been in constant contact with the recruiting rep from a V-15 firm and she's been telling me that as soon as they find out their need they'll schedule me for an interview. No disrespect to some of the advice in this thread but don't sit around and do nothing. Yes your focus should be on getting an offer, I just had my mid-summer review and it went very well, but if you truly want to go to a different firm I'd suggest you get on it during the summer. We are law students, we can chew gum and walk at the same time. It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition between focusing on getting an offer and putting out feelers to other firms.

Does your firm have a office in the city you want to live in? (I didn't read through all the posts above) I know a couple people who SA in city X and started out in city Y after graduation.

biglawww wrote:Does your firm have a office in the city you want to live in? (I didn't read through all the posts above) I know a couple people who SA in city X and started out in city Y after graduation.

They have an office in one of the cities I like, but they aren't strong in that city. It's basically like an outpost.