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What is the best way to tactfully use a relationship you've established with a partner to increase your odds of obtaining a summer associate position with such firm?

For example, I have friends from undergrad whose parents I've known for a few years who are senior partners in firms and have always been willing to provide legal advice and perspective when I've asked. I also know some senior/founding partners in my home market pretty well through family connections.

Is it appropriate to directly email or call these people about a position at their firm or should it be approached in a more roundabout way in hopes that they invite you to apply to the firm? I asked CSO for their advice but they weren't too helpful and didn't provide any substantive advice I thought was helpful.

Do individual partners even have that much weight in their firm's hiring process?

First - don't use them to get a job, use them to get an interview. And even then, don't ask, let them offer.

Get in contact, have coffee. If it comes up, let it come up organically. Ask them about their practice, about what it was like when they were interviewing, what they look for and shit like that. If they want to go to bat for you they probably will at that point.

Family friend was a partner at a firm that didn't give me a pre-select at OCI. But I was talking to him throughout the process, and when he found out he made sure I made the list, and when I went back for a call back I had coffee before and he walked me to my first interview and introduced me. Certainly doesn't hurt, but you still have to bring it to the interviews.

Good 1L grades

Anonymous User wrote:First - don't use them to get a job, use them to get an interview. And even then, don't ask, let them offer.

Get in contact, have coffee. If it comes up, let it come up organically. Ask them about their practice, about what it was like when they were interviewing, what they look for and shit like that. If they want to go to bat for you they probably will at that point.

Family friend was a partner at a firm that didn't give me a pre-select at OCI. But I was talking to him throughout the process, and when he found out he made sure I made the list, and when I went back for a call back I had coffee before and he walked me to my first interview and introduced me. Certainly doesn't hurt, but you still have to bring it to the interviews.

I disagree with the anon in at least one respect. Don't be "roundabout" with it. If you want it, go after it.

If you know the people personally and have an established connection, let them know when the time comes that you are interested in their firm (give them a brief explanation of why), you would like to interview if they have a position available, and send them your resume.

Doing some ass-kissing won't hurt. And trying to talk to them in-person rather than emailing them out of the blue also won't hurt. But you don't have to hide your interest or try to dance around the topic until they bring it up. They're doing you a favor and you want the job. Have the cajones to go after it.

lawman84 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:First - don't use them to get a job, use them to get an interview. And even then, don't ask, let them offer.

Get in contact, have coffee. If it comes up, let it come up organically. Ask them about their practice, about what it was like when they were interviewing, what they look for and shit like that. If they want to go to bat for you they probably will at that point.

Family friend was a partner at a firm that didn't give me a pre-select at OCI. But I was talking to him throughout the process, and when he found out he made sure I made the list, and when I went back for a call back I had coffee before and he walked me to my first interview and introduced me. Certainly doesn't hurt, but you still have to bring it to the interviews.

I disagree with the anon in at least one respect. Don't be "roundabout" with it. If you want it, go after it.

If you know the people personally and have an established connection, let them know when the time comes that you are interested in their firm (give them a brief explanation of why), you would like to interview if they have a position available, and send them your resume.

Doing some ass-kissing won't hurt. And trying to talk to them in-person rather than emailing them out of the blue also won't hurt. But you don't have to hide your interest or try to dance around the topic until they bring it up. They're doing you a favor and you want the job. Have the cajones to go after it.

+1. Don't wait for them to read your mind.

lawman84 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:First - don't use them to get a job, use them to get an interview. And even then, don't ask, let them offer.

Get in contact, have coffee. If it comes up, let it come up organically. Ask them about their practice, about what it was like when they were interviewing, what they look for and shit like that. If they want to go to bat for you they probably will at that point.

Family friend was a partner at a firm that didn't give me a pre-select at OCI. But I was talking to him throughout the process, and when he found out he made sure I made the list, and when I went back for a call back I had coffee before and he walked me to my first interview and introduced me. Certainly doesn't hurt, but you still have to bring it to the interviews.

I disagree with the anon in at least one respect. Don't be "roundabout" with it. If you want it, go after it.

If you know the people personally and have an established connection, let them know when the time comes that you are interested in their firm (give them a brief explanation of why), you would like to interview if they have a position available, and send them your resume.

Doing some ass-kissing won't hurt. And trying to talk to them in-person rather than emailing them out of the blue also won't hurt. But you don't have to hide your interest or try to dance around the topic until they bring it up. They're doing you a favor and you want the job. Have the cajones to go after it.

Maybe it's my protestant upbringing - I just feel uncomfortable being so direct. In my situation we had a good relationship so I didn't need to ask, but I take your point.

Anonymous User wrote:

lawman84 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:First - don't use them to get a job, use them to get an interview. And even then, don't ask, let them offer.

Get in contact, have coffee. If it comes up, let it come up organically. Ask them about their practice, about what it was like when they were interviewing, what they look for and shit like that. If they want to go to bat for you they probably will at that point.

Family friend was a partner at a firm that didn't give me a pre-select at OCI. But I was talking to him throughout the process, and when he found out he made sure I made the list, and when I went back for a call back I had coffee before and he walked me to my first interview and introduced me. Certainly doesn't hurt, but you still have to bring it to the interviews.

I disagree with the anon in at least one respect. Don't be "roundabout" with it. If you want it, go after it.

If you know the people personally and have an established connection, let them know when the time comes that you are interested in their firm (give them a brief explanation of why), you would like to interview if they have a position available, and send them your resume.

Doing some ass-kissing won't hurt. And trying to talk to them in-person rather than emailing them out of the blue also won't hurt. But you don't have to hide your interest or try to dance around the topic until they bring it up. They're doing you a favor and you want the job. Have the cajones to go after it.

Maybe it's my protestant upbringing - I just feel uncomfortable being so direct. In my situation we had a good relationship so I didn't need to ask, but I take your point.

Yeah I concur, just say you're looking for a job and ask what you gotta do to get an interview. Be bold, it won't hurt and will help (and if they are insulted, that is silly). If you go sit down with this practicing lawyer - you, a law student, asking them about their work - they will know already that you're looking for a job. Being roundabout is strangely more insulting then just coming out with it. 90% of success is just showing up or whatever - ask for what you want and cut to the chase. It'll also save you from wasting your and their time if they can't do anything to help you.

Bad advice in this thread.

Reach out to them (ask their kid first if it's OK), tell them that you're a law student interested in better understanding the legal market, and would they be willing to meet for a coffee / have a brief chat. Attach your resume and, if you have it, your transcript.

Here's why - you either are potentially competitive or you have zero chance.

If you are potentially competitive, the partner will pass along your info with an endorsement

If you have zero chance, it just creates awkwardness.

If you are truly close enough, and the partner is truly important enough, there may be some differences. But otherwise, your goal is to make it as non-awkward as possible.

You're not "just trying to get a job" - you're trying to prove you'd be a good lawyer. And good lawyers aren't pushy if they don't need to be.

^ do this

itbdvorm wrote:Bad advice in this thread.

Reach out to them (ask their kid first if it's OK), tell them that you're a law student interested in better understanding the legal market, and would they be willing to meet for a coffee / have a brief chat. Attach your resume and, if you have it, your transcript.

Here's why - you either are potentially competitive or you have zero chance.

If you are potentially competitive, the partner will pass along your info with an endorsement

If you have zero chance, it just creates awkwardness.

If you are truly close enough, and the partner is truly important enough, there may be some differences. But otherwise, your goal is to make it as non-awkward as possible.

You're not "just trying to get a job" - you're trying to prove you'd be a good lawyer. And good lawyers aren't pushy if they don't need to be.

This is good advice. Bolded is particularly important. I went thru some connections at firms, and fortunately they were transparent enough to tell me that they simply didn't have the pull in the firm to get me the job. There are a limited number of partners who have the pull to actually make a meaningful difference in getting hired, but many have enough pull to get you an interview

RaceJudicata wrote:

itbdvorm wrote:Bad advice in this thread.

Reach out to them (ask their kid first if it's OK), tell them that you're a law student interested in better understanding the legal market, and would they be willing to meet for a coffee / have a brief chat. Attach your resume and, if you have it, your transcript.

Here's why - you either are potentially competitive or you have zero chance.

If you are potentially competitive, the partner will pass along your info with an endorsement

If you have zero chance, it just creates awkwardness.

If you are truly close enough, and the partner is truly important enough, there may be some differences. But otherwise, your goal is to make it as non-awkward as possible.

You're not "just trying to get a job" - you're trying to prove you'd be a good lawyer. And good lawyers aren't pushy if they don't need to be.

This is good advice. Bolded is particularly important. I went thru some connections at firms, and fortunately they were transparent enough to tell me that they simply didn't have the pull in the firm to get me the job. There are a limited number of partners who have the pull to actually make a meaningful difference in getting hired, but many have enough pull to get you an interview

I befriended a senior partner 25+ years great guy but I didn't get an offer...

itbdvorm wrote:Bad advice in this thread.

Reach out to them (ask their kid first if it's OK), tell them that you're a law student interested in better understanding the legal market, and would they be willing to meet for a coffee / have a brief chat. Attach your resume and, if you have it, your transcript.

Here's why - you either are potentially competitive or you have zero chance.

If you are potentially competitive, the partner will pass along your info with an endorsement

If you have zero chance, it just creates awkwardness.

If you are truly close enough, and the partner is truly important enough, there may be some differences. But otherwise, your goal is to make it as non-awkward as possible.

You're not "just trying to get a job" - you're trying to prove you'd be a good lawyer. And good lawyers aren't pushy if they don't need to be.

Look, you're asking for an interview. That's the point of it. They know it. You know it. You're not being pushy by being direct. Obviously, there's a difference between what should be done if you don't have a true connection and if you do. But I'm assuming from this thread that the person has a connection and knows them. If they know them, be direct about it. They aren't going to be offended that you asked them for help if you do it tactfully especially since they might like you and want you at their firm.

And they can either help you or they can't. It's not really awkward. If they can't, you do the same thing you would have done if they helped you...thank them.

I don't see how making the implication is somehow better.

People can choose to follow your advice and you might be right. But the partners I know wanted the opposite done when I was looking for a job.(obviously, that's just anecdotal and that will probably differ depending on the person) You don't go into a job interview playing hard to get (I know it's a different scenario but the point is to be direct with your interest, people will respect that).

Now, I'm not saying be so direct that it lacks tact. There's a way to have the best of both worlds.

1. Ask them to grab coffee or lunch to discuss their career path, their work at X firm, etc.
2. Listen to what they have to say, ask engaging questions about their path AND their firm (do you research)
3. If you want them to refer you now, explain that you're interested in the firm's summer program & ask if they would be willing to pass your information along to the right people (i.e. hiring partner, head of recruiting). If you want them to refer you later, (ex. firm doesn't hire 1Ls but they hire 2Ls so you want a 2L referral) keep in contact and then summer before 2L OCI reach out & ask if they would be willing to pass your info along.

This exact process got me my 2L SA which turned into a post-grad offer -- it works (not 100% of the time, but it's way more effective than mass mailing).

The reason not to "be direct" is because you are trying to make it seem like you are speaking with this person to network and develop a professional relationship with someone in the field you're entering, not to extract a very specific favor. I promise they'll know you want an interview. If they're in a position to help you directly, they'll tell you.

Don't act like you're entitled to this person's assistance by dint of knowing their kid or whatever, they're ultimately just going to think less of you and be disinclined to go out of their way for you in the future.