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I received a ding from a V30 firm that I'm interested in working in future. However, one of the hiring partners reached out to me and offered to go for coffee or lunch with me. Is it typical or there might be some hope for me?

Anonymous User wrote:I received a ding from a V30 firm that I'm interested in working in future. However, one of the hiring partners reached out to me and offered to go for coffee or lunch with me. Is it typical or there might be some hope for me?

That's not typical.

I wouldn't take this as a sign that the firm is going to reverse course and extend you an offer, but I would definitely take the partner up on his offer for coffee or lunch.

She already explained that they had only one position for the IP group and they direly needed a person with a different technical background. She also asked me if I'm planning to apply for an entry level associate position next year.( I have a SA offer for next year but I'm not very excited about it). So I was wondering if this coffee or lunch could be a foothold for a FT position next year.

Anonymous User wrote:She already explained that they had only one position for the IP group and they direly needed a person with a different technical background. She also asked me if I'm planning to apply for an entry level associate position next year.( I have a SA offer for next year but I'm not very excited about it). So I was wondering if this coffee or lunch could be a foothold for a FT position next year.

I mean, there are no hard and fast rules here. But individual partners generally don't have absolute authority to hire whomever they please. The best thing you can do now is go to the lunch, obtain an offer from your SA, and try again on the 3L market. Since they already have your application on file, they're going to notice that they didn't offer you before. But who knows, things happen. Perhaps they will get busy and be desperate for bodies (happened to my firm this year), which could make them overlook your prior ding.

ETA: If you're strictly going for a small specialist group like IP, that will greatly limit your chances IMO. If you really want to be at this firm, maybe consider the corporate group? That would at least give you a colorable argument for reapplying.

Anonymous User wrote:She already explained that they had only one position for the IP group and they direly needed a person with a different technical background. She also asked me if I'm planning to apply for an entry level associate position next year.( I have a SA offer for next year but I'm not very excited about it). So I was wondering if this coffee or lunch could be a foothold for a FT position next year.

Sorry, I'm not the partner, so I can't tell you what she's thinking. Fortunately for you, the partner invited you to chat so you'll have an opportunity to ask her directly.

toast and bananas wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:She already explained that they had only one position for the IP group and they direly needed a person with a different technical background. She also asked me if I'm planning to apply for an entry level associate position next year.( I have a SA offer for next year but I'm not very excited about it). So I was wondering if this coffee or lunch could be a foothold for a FT position next year.

I mean, there are no hard and fast rules here. But individual partners generally don't have absolute authority to hire whomever they please. The best thing you can do now is go to the lunch, obtain an offer from your SA, and try again on the 3L market. Since they already have your application on file, they're going to notice that they didn't offer you before. But who knows, things happen. Perhaps they will get busy and be desperate for bodies (happened to my firm this year), which could make them overlook your prior ding.

ETA: If you're strictly going for a small specialist group like IP, that will greatly limit your chances IMO. If you really want to be at this firm, maybe consider the corporate group? That would at least give you a colorable argument for reapplying.

Hi,
Thanks for the advice. I would love to be considered for the corporate group but as of now none of the firms are going to consider me for that. I have a graduate degree in science and I have been working as a patent agent inhouse for last five years. So I have an extremely IP heavy resume. I tried expressing my interest in corporate groups at several firms during OCI but either they rejected me at screener or had me interview with the IP group during CB.