I’m currently a 3rd year looking to change practice groups. I reached out to my career services office and they said that I should mention in my cover letter that id be willing to negotiate class year.
1) should I really mention that? My gut says no.
2) how exactly should I go about mentioning this? At the beginning? At the end?
I’ve tried applying through friends/classmates but I’ve had no luck since they just kind of give it to HR and HR sees that I’m a 3rd year in X and the position is for a first/second year in Y
Changing practice cover letter question Forum
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- Posts: 428443
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Re: Changing practice cover letter question
I changed practice groups and had to take a two-year cut. I would not mention changing practice groups in your cover letter. Most law firms understand that they cannot bill you out as a third-year when you are just learning the practice. Law firms will already be thinking about a class year cut when they bring you in for an interview and will bring up taking a class year cut on their own once you get to the offer stage and potentially in the interview.
I worry that bringing it up on your own makes you seem desperate or not confident in your ability to change practices and be successful. I would be prepared to answer whether you would be willing to take a class cut in an interview. When I was asked this question, I mentioned that I was comfortable with coming in at my current level, but I would be flexible on class year if the firm thought it made sense. I also mentioned that ultimately I want this move to be successful for me and the firm, so if taking a class year cut would help make the move successful, I would be willing to do it.
I note that it took me a long time to switch practice groups and I only had success getting interviews when I applied directly, not through a recruiter.
I worry that bringing it up on your own makes you seem desperate or not confident in your ability to change practices and be successful. I would be prepared to answer whether you would be willing to take a class cut in an interview. When I was asked this question, I mentioned that I was comfortable with coming in at my current level, but I would be flexible on class year if the firm thought it made sense. I also mentioned that ultimately I want this move to be successful for me and the firm, so if taking a class year cut would help make the move successful, I would be willing to do it.
I note that it took me a long time to switch practice groups and I only had success getting interviews when I applied directly, not through a recruiter.
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- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Changing practice cover letter question
Hi, thanks. This is really helpful. When you say do not mention changing practice groups in your second sentence, did you mean not mention the class year cut? I wouldn’t know how to go about writing a cover letter without explicitly explaining I’m changing practice groups (trying to go from a regulatory practice to a niche corporate practice). Obviously I don’t harp on the fact that I’ve never done the work before and say that my background doing regulatory work will be useful, etc.Anonymous User wrote:I changed practice groups and had to take a two-year cut. I would not mention changing practice groups in your cover letter. Most law firms understand that they cannot bill you out as a third-year when you are just learning the practice. Law firms will already be thinking about a class year cut when they bring you in for an interview and will bring up taking a class year cut on their own once you get to the offer stage and potentially in the interview.
I worry that bringing it up on your own makes you seem desperate or not confident in your ability to change practices and be successful. I would be prepared to answer whether you would be willing to take a class cut in an interview. When I was asked this question, I mentioned that I was comfortable with coming in at my current level, but I would be flexible on class year if the firm thought it made sense. I also mentioned that ultimately I want this move to be successful for me and the firm, so if taking a class year cut would help make the move successful, I would be willing to do it.
I note that it took me a long time to switch practice groups and I only had success getting interviews when I applied directly, not through a recruiter.
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- Posts: 428443
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: Changing practice cover letter question
Sorry! Yes, I meant not mentioning a class year cut in the cover letter. I did mention that I’d be transitioning to a new practice group and how my skills would translate to the new practice group.Anonymous User wrote:Hi, thanks. This is really helpful. When you say do not mention changing practice groups in your second sentence, did you mean not mention the class year cut? I wouldn’t know how to go about writing a cover letter without explicitly explaining I’m changing practice groups (trying to go from a regulatory practice to a niche corporate practice). Obviously I don’t harp on the fact that I’ve never done the work before and say that my background doing regulatory work will be useful, etc.Anonymous User wrote:I changed practice groups and had to take a two-year cut. I would not mention changing practice groups in your cover letter. Most law firms understand that they cannot bill you out as a third-year when you are just learning the practice. Law firms will already be thinking about a class year cut when they bring you in for an interview and will bring up taking a class year cut on their own once you get to the offer stage and potentially in the interview.
I worry that bringing it up on your own makes you seem desperate or not confident in your ability to change practices and be successful. I would be prepared to answer whether you would be willing to take a class cut in an interview. When I was asked this question, I mentioned that I was comfortable with coming in at my current level, but I would be flexible on class year if the firm thought it made sense. I also mentioned that ultimately I want this move to be successful for me and the firm, so if taking a class year cut would help make the move successful, I would be willing to do it.
I note that it took me a long time to switch practice groups and I only had success getting interviews when I applied directly, not through a recruiter.
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