Accepted 2L SA offer in a major market, but not the one I want long-term Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have an offer with an east coast law firm in biglaw (one of Boston/DC/NYC) that I actually really liked. The problem is, for personal reasons I didn't have before when I started applying to jobs, I'd like to be in Chicago.

The firm does NOT have an office in Chicago, and I'm accepting the east coast position for 2L summer in 2018. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for how to get into Chicago kind of ASAP after the summer. 3L positions are pretty hard to come by so that's why I'm seeking advice from anyone who may have experience. I'm still trying to work for a firm post-grad.

Thanks if anyone has some anecdotal advice especially.

[SmokeytheBear]

1. Mass mail.
2. Feel fortunate that you have a position at all.

[quikpitch]

Did you interview with any Chicago firms during OCI? If so, it would be a good idea for you to reach out to those recruiters/associates to let them know your situation and see if you can interview again next year.

[Anonymous User]

1. Mass mail.
2. Feel fortunate that you have a position at all.

I'm going to provide a different #2 to this list because I don't think "feel fortunate" is helpful in your circumstance.

To begin with, it's okay to feel stressed about where you are at. While, yes, it's great that you have a job, it's also difficult to not be in the place you want to be. Thankfully, Chicago is a large enough legal market that you might be able to hook a position with mass mailing. I would personally recommend doing so right around the same time firms are going to be looking at OCI applications from the schools that place nationally. That way, you will have your application in front of the recruiters and the hiring committee when they are already in "hiring mode."

I recently went through something somewhat similar - I did my 2L summer with a large regional firm in a smaller market but wanted to move to a somewhat-related practice group my firm didn't offer. I started networking with alumni associates at the local office of a ~V50 during Spring of my 2L year via the standard networking tricks - basically, I got in touch with them and asked if we could chat for career advice. This eventually flourished into a more regular interaction and some happy hour invites, which led to me meeting the partners, which led to them bundling me into their normal hiring cycle as a 3L. Had I missed the standard hiring cycle, I don't believe I would have ended up with the position.

Your situation is a bit more nuanced due to the desire to change cities entirely. I wouldn't forego reaching out to alumni in Chicago, but you might want to take it to the next level. I'd suggest also reaching out to local alumni at firms that have a Chicago office. Nothing beats an in-person interaction, and coffee / happy hour is a lot easier to ask for than a phone call or penpal with someone in another city. If you find a connection, the local associate can still affect hiring for a different office if they are willing to go to bat for you as a candidate.

Oh yeah, get an offer from your summer firm. You won't get hired in Chicago without that.

Good luck!

[Anonymous User]

Did you interview with any Chicago firms during OCI? If so, it would be a good idea for you to reach out to those recruiters/associates to let them know your situation and see if you can interview again next year.

OP here.

I did but OCI went horribly for the Chicago firms. I'm an IP student with no real ties to Chicago except for the personal reason that came up. My school is very much for your traditional, GP students and has a small IP presence in general. Two of the interviewers actually rolled their eyes when I said I wanted to do IP, and my knowledge of big IP cases first-years generally didn't know about (because of lack of electives) didn't offer me any advantage like it did when I did great at step 1 of patent fair (10 interviews, 5 callbacks). Overall I didn't exactly knock it out of the park for my callbacks and went 0-2 in Chicago.

I have kept up my networking in Chicago though making sure to keep in touch with my contacts that I already had and let them know in general what's going on in my life and am going to see what I can do. Thanks everyone for the advice

[Npret]

Make sure you get an offer.
Talk about how much you enjoy the firm and the city.

I wouldn't talk about Chicago at all to anyone at your firm over the summer. Not even other summers because word spreads somehow.

Maybe your reasons will change anyway and you will want to be where you have your summer job.