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In the past few months, a couple of legal recruiters reached out to me on LinkedIn, and they seemed pretty interested in speaking with me regarding my career prospect. This confuses me quite a bit. First, I don't have amazing credentials (otherwise why would I end up like this??); I do have some WE prior to law school, and I've held some leadership roles in law student orgs and a secondary journal, but that's pretty much every mediocre law student. Second, I got the impression that legal recruiters only work with laterals and partner-level legal professionals; I didn't expect they would be interested in a third-year law student who has nothing to offer yet.

At this point I'm open to any opportunities available, as long as they are law related and they pay bills. I'm even willing to pay $$ if a legal recruiter can hook me up with some entry-level opportunities. I just want to make sure that it isn't dick move to ask legal recruiters for help at this stage.

My question is - will legal recruiters work with a third-year law student who has nothing lined up so far? Would bad grades and lack of real world experience be a turn-off? Did they reach out to me on LinkedIn with the assumption that I've already had something lined up? How should I approach them in the first place? Should I be more direct with them, or should I start the conversation in the same way as when I network with an alum?

Also, if anyone here has ever worked with a legal recruiter while in law school, I'd like to learn about the experience too.

Thanks!

I’ve never heard of legal recruiters working with current students. Hell, I know that legal recruiters rarely like working with junior associates (fewer than 2 years).

They may just be email blasting anyone with a JD.

Network with midsize and small firm attorneys. That’s the best way to get a job at this point.

I don't know why any firm would hire an entry level candidate that comes with a recruiter fee. They could go hire one of a thousand other candidates by going through career services and save the recruiter fee.

IMO, the best way to get an entry level legal job is by making a permanent assprint on one of the chairs in your career services office. Make them earn their salaries.

Consistent with the sentiment on this thread, my answer is no.

Not only does common sense support this, but firms don’t even take recruiter submits for post-clerkship positions.

I suppose it’s possible that they are trying to cultivate a relationship early on the chance you might want to lateral from your firm in a couple years...but it’s more likely that they just aren’t worth your time.