Summer Associate Class of 2016 Forum

[lavarman84]

Is anyone else irrationally worried they are not going to get an offer? I've had good reviews but I still over analyze every interaction I have trying to figure out if I am going to get screwed.

The only SAs ITT that aren't irrationally worried they are not going to get an offer are the ones who are rationally worried that they are not going to get an offer.

I'm not worried. Partially because I already have a clerkship lined up and partially because I feel very confident that I'll get an offer. I don't think it's worth worrying about. If the firm is going to no-offer a person for legitimate reasons, they should know it's coming. If they're going to no-offer them for bullshit reasons, there's nothing that can be done.

[Anonymous User]

Yea managing partner asked if I wanted to go to lunch one day. Was about to leave and he stopped and said make sure I had my wallet. I laughed and he said "yea sorry the higher ups have ceased all spending in relation to this branch's SA program for reasons I'm unaware of." Didn't really provide anything other as to why. That was at end of June and haven't been to lunch with anyone since even when I ask and offer to pay.

[RaceJudicata]

Yea managing partner asked if I wanted to go to lunch one day. Was about to leave and he stopped and said make sure I had my wallet. I laughed and he said "yea sorry the higher ups have ceased all spending in relation to this branch's SA program for reasons I'm unaware of." Didn't really provide anything other as to why. That was at end of June and haven't been to lunch with anyone since even when I ask and offer to pay.

Wait, managing partner wouldn't pay? LIke s/he actually asked for the restaurant to split the check? Yikes. Out the firm. Even if the firm isn't reimbursing, MP should foot the bill.

[Anonymous User]

Yea managing partner asked if I wanted to go to lunch one day. Was about to leave and he stopped and said make sure I had my wallet. I laughed and he said "yea sorry the higher ups have ceased all spending in relation to this branch's SA program for reasons I'm unaware of." Didn't really provide anything other as to why. That was at end of June and haven't been to lunch with anyone since even when I ask and offer to pay.

I'm surprised he didn't pay out of pocket.

[Anonymous User]

Yea the other associates were all shocked that my lunch privileges were revoked since they summered there and went on all sorts of events. Given this, should I prepare for a no-offer?

[Anonymous User]

Found out about COO's decision when managing partner told me no one at firm was allowed to pa for my lunch anymore. Kinda sucks since I don't go to lunch with anyone anymore so can't take time to get to know the other associates. And as far as events, was just told all spending relating to summer associates at this branch was to cease immediately.

He just said those things directly to you without any explanation of why it was happening?

Do you have a mentor to ask point blank?

[Anonymous User]

Nope I tried to ask my mentor and he said he had no idea and even tried to fight managing partner on it to no avail.

[pancakes3]

are you at a market-paying biglaw? i know you said satellite, non-major market. that sounds absurd. you should be worried as a summer but the associates should be more worried. that's an insane level of pennypinching. how much could your office be going through with just 1 associate? even if you dropped $200 a day, 5 days a week for 10 weeks that "only" amounts to $10k for the entire summer.

[Anonymous User]

Yea I'm at market paying big law, in a top 5 metroplex in country. Should i just start mass mailing now? It's hard to stay motivated at this point when I get little interaction and haven't gotten feedback in 2 weeks besides "good job." Feels as though it's out of my hands and maybe upper management outside of this branch told firm not to hire anyone.

[Serett]

Considering mailing firms that have PokéGyms in the building. Not sure how I should tailor my cover letter.

There is both a gym and a Pokestop in my building.

...aaaaand I'm still slightly out of range of both of them.

[Anonymous User]

are you at a market-paying biglaw? i know you said satellite, non-major market. that sounds absurd. you should be worried as a summer but the associates should be more worried. that's an insane level of pennypinching. how much could your office be going through with just 1 associate? even if you dropped $200 a day, 5 days a week for 10 weeks that "only" amounts to $10k for the entire summer.

Which he would have at least covered at his summer billables

[cron1834]

Sorry dude, that sucks. Even if the policy changed, partners at a biglaw firm should be willing to spend 30 bucks on a law student to have lunch. JFC.

I'd definitely mass mail this month to be safe.

[RaceJudicata]

I sort of wish they revoked my lunch privileges. Getting to freakin fat and tired of regurgitating the same conversations and answering the same questions over, and over, and over...

Would love to just have some peace and quiet and eat in my office w/ door closed surfing the web.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the advice. Yea I'm just going to mass mail ASAP. Initially I was worried it would get back to firm, but at this point I'd bet they would tell me to mass mail if they could. It just sucks since just last week managing partner told me "I'd have office waiting for me as long as I didn't fuck up last 3 weeks," yet he hasn't acknowledged me since. If nothing changes I will likely change my 8am-7pm days to a 9:30-5pm for rest of summer.

[BizBro]

So I've gone from billing like 25 hours a week to billing nothing since last week. Feel like all the other summers are busy and I'm not doing anything. Tried getting staffed on some new deals but even then it's pretty slow. We are normally 100% offer rate firm with the exception of one no offer a year (for egregious reasons). Hope I'm ok for the next 3 weeks. I'm generally social and fine otherwise.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the advice. Yea I'm just going to mass mail ASAP. Initially I was worried it would get back to firm, but at this point I'd bet they would tell me to mass mail if they could. It just sucks since just last week managing partner told me "I'd have office waiting for me as long as I didn't fuck up last 3 weeks," yet he hasn't acknowledged me since. If nothing changes I will likely change my 8am-7pm days to a 9:30-5pm for rest of summer.

I wouldn't necessarily go this far. I agree you should mass mail and start looking elsewhere (because even if you get an offer, it sounds like the firm is having financial issues), but you should still do your best to get an offer this summer. Be prepared for either outcome, but I would still try to do well the last 3 weeks in case there is any chance at getting an offer.

Out the firm.

[Anonymous User]

So I've gone from billing like 25 hours a week to billing nothing since last week. Feel like all the other summers are busy and I'm not doing anything. Tried getting staffed on some new deals but even then it's pretty slow. We are normally 100% offer rate firm with the exception of one no offer a year (for egregious reasons). Hope I'm ok for the next 3 weeks. I'm generally social and fine otherwise.

I'm in a similar boat. I've had to take on some work that I'm not very interested in just to appear busy/not lazy. I'm not worried and don't think you should be either, since I'm in corporate and it sounds like you are too, so this is just the normal deal flow. A lot of the associates I worked for earlier in the summer are also working shorter days right now, because we closed 3 deals last Friday and nothing pressing is coming for another 2 weeks or so.

[Anonymous User]

Yea you're right I will still do my best to get the offer. If I end up with no offer I will out the firm. Just really not sure what to make of it. I guess if they are doing away with hiring for awhile there is no need to make a good impression on summers anymore. Went around today and asked every person on floor if they wanted to go to lunch, but as usual everyone declined. I assume at this point there has been memo circulated to keep interaction to a minimum.

[bwh8813]

Yea you're right I will still do my best to get the offer. If I end up with no offer I will out the firm. Just really not sure what to make of it. I guess if they are doing away with hiring for awhile there is no need to make a good impression on summers anymore. Went around today and asked every person on floor if they wanted to go to lunch, but as usual everyone declined. I assume at this point there has been memo circulated to keep interaction to a minimum.

Agree on the keep doing good work and showing effort. You don't want to jump to conclusions and inadvertently tank yourself. On the other hand, if you know the firm has said no more summer lunches, I'm not sure asking everyone to lunch is the best thing to do. Asking for work, if you don't have any, is a better gauge of where you stand.

[Anonymous User]

I have never had a lull in the amount of work I have. I usually have 5-6 things on my docket at all times given to me usually by the partners to work on. I'm in IP and have prior experience so a lot of my work is self sufficient.

[lavarman84]

Thanks for the advice. Yea I'm just going to mass mail ASAP. Initially I was worried it would get back to firm, but at this point I'd bet they would tell me to mass mail if they could. It just sucks since just last week managing partner told me "I'd have office waiting for me as long as I didn't fuck up last 3 weeks," yet he hasn't acknowledged me since. If nothing changes I will likely change my 8am-7pm days to a 9:30-5pm for rest of summer.

I wouldn't necessarily go this far. I agree you should mass mail and start looking elsewhere (because even if you get an offer, it sounds like the firm is having financial issues), but you should still do your best to get an offer this summer. Be prepared for either outcome, but I would still try to do well the last 3 weeks in case there is any chance at getting an offer.

Out the firm.

No reason to out the firm unless he/she gets no-offered.

Sorry dude, that sucks. Even if the policy changed, partners at a biglaw firm should be willing to spend 30 bucks on a law student to have lunch. JFC.

I'd definitely mass mail this month to be safe.

Yea, that's nuts.

[barkschool]

Thanks for the advice. Yea I'm just going to mass mail ASAP. Initially I was worried it would get back to firm, but at this point I'd bet they would tell me to mass mail if they could. It just sucks since just last week managing partner told me "I'd have office waiting for me as long as I didn't fuck up last 3 weeks," yet he hasn't acknowledged me since. If nothing changes I will likely change my 8am-7pm days to a 9:30-5pm for rest of summer.

I wouldn't necessarily go this far. I agree you should mass mail and start looking elsewhere (because even if you get an offer, it sounds like the firm is having financial issues), but you should still do your best to get an offer this summer. Be prepared for either outcome, but I would still try to do well the last 3 weeks in case there is any chance at getting an offer.

Out the firm.

No reason to out the firm unless he/she gets no-offered.

Sorry dude, that sucks. Even if the policy changed, partners at a biglaw firm should be willing to spend 30 bucks on a law student to have lunch. JFC.

I'd definitely mass mail this month to be safe.

Yea, that's nuts.

PPP to $1mil

Lunches to < $8.99

[Anonymous User]

I sort of wish they revoked my lunch privileges. Getting to freakin fat and tired of regurgitating the same conversations and answering the same questions over, and over, and over...

Would love to just have some peace and quiet and eat in my office w/ door closed surfing the web.

I have done this about once every other week so far this summer and I'm convinced it's how I've kept my sanity. Occasionally I'll have a day without lunch plans. Typically when the other summers here find themselves in this position, they'll wander the hallways at about 11:50 or so to go find some lawyers interested in a free lunch (not hard to find a few of them). But when I have an open lunch, I just close my door around 11:45, change my Outlook status to "Away", and relax with some mental health time and a sandwich I brought with me in my bag until about 1:00, at which point I just quietly reopen my door. I've managed to deflect the ever-too-common "So what did you do for lunch today?/yesterday?" small talk questions after this successfully so far, as well.

I've never declined a lunch invitation to do this, but even the first time that I chose to do this back in early June felt weird to me, like I was breaking the rules; then I realized that I didn't have to let the firm own my lunch time every single day (even if they were going to pay for it) and now it's a nice brief recharge time.

[Anonymous User]

Any other 1L SAs thinking of skipping OCI? Or any 2L SAs have advice on this?

[SplitMyPants]

Any other 1L SAs thinking of skipping OCI? Or any 2L SAs have advice on this? I really like my current firm in terms of people/culture, strength in my desired practice group, location. Don't think there's any other place I'd rather be.

You also haven't been anywhere else. Definitely, definitely do OCI. You will be no worse off for it. Worst case you end up doing what you are planning on doing right now but are more aware of what else is out there. Best case you split next summer with a new employer and your former employer (one of the only real ways to split outside of Texas) and cop that 12 weeks of pay. You should totally do OCI.