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Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:56 pm
by Anonymous User
Curious as to whether current biglaw associates expect their firms to maintain a similar # of summer internship offers to rising 2L's as previous years, or fewer based on market conditions where many economic analysts are anticipating a recession within the next couple of years.

This question was borne out of observing the economy continuing to do well in its current state, a strong 5 year stretch of economic growth, biglaw firms being in a cash rich position, but also noting that the current rising 2L summer associate hiring is for jobs two years from now when the economy may not be doing as well if economic analysts are to be believed.

Also wondering whether this answer differs based on region (NY vs. DC vs. TX vs. Bay Area, etc.).

Appreciate all responses.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:35 pm
by barkschool
I think firms are going to get too fat again and it’s going to end up hurting the associates more than the firms.

There isn’t a huge incentive to cut back.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:48 pm
by Anonymous User
I’m on the recruiting committee at my firm and we’re aiming for more summers in 2019 than 2017 and 2018.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 1:15 am
by legalpotato
Don’t think any biglaw firms are interested in anticipating a recession. They’ll do what they can to have enough associates to take on whatever work comes through the door while there is work; and when the work stops, they will just “right size.”

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:31 am
by Anonymous User
At my big firm in NYC, we are super busy across the board so I think we should be increasing class size this time around, especially with no movement on the salary scale.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:45 am
by Yardbird
2019 SA hiring for the following summer is based on projected needs for firms starting fall of 2021, not on current needs.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:49 am
by woopig2017
I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:00 am
by BobLoblaw18
woopig2017 wrote:I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.
HB Houston by any chance?

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:27 am
by UnfrozenCaveman
That's how a lot of non-major markets do it.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:01 pm
by woopig2017
BobLoblaw18 wrote:
woopig2017 wrote:I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.
HB Houston by any chance?
Not HB Houston, but somewhere comparable. Seems like this trend is spreading out more and more across the major markets in TX at least.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:04 pm
by Anonymous User
I work at a V10 and was told we’re targeting a summer class of the same size (or a handful of people
smaller) than our class this summer.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:24 pm
by Anonymous User
My V60 (lol) cut our summer class by about 1/2 in NYC (20 to about 10) and is actively moving away from expensive time consuming OCI and more towards pre OCI offers (the recruiting partners has decided they can get Just as high quality SA (and sometime more "targeted" candidates for practice group needs) outside of OCI as they can during OCI).

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:01 pm
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote:I work at a V10 and was told we’re targeting a summer class of the same size (or a handful of people
smaller) than our class this summer.
This is what our hiring committee is targeting going into OCI as well (SF/LA market).

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 3:17 pm
by Anonymous User
BobLoblaw18 wrote:
woopig2017 wrote:I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.
HB Houston by any chance?
My firm (also in TX) is going the opposite direction. We've been burned the past few summers by top candidates coming to TX to 1L SA and then going back to east coast for 2L SA. I think that going forward, we will be taking a closer look at the ties/motivations for being in TX of our 1L SA candidates.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:47 pm
by objctnyrhnr
I think hiring at my firm across the board is undergoing a very gradual slowdown (say summer class takes 5-10% hit each year, maybe closer to 5%), even though I do not believe business is slowing down at this point (V10-V50 range; large firm).

One can presume that the reason is the common wisdom is that we’re getting some sort of recession within the next few years max.

Good for my firm, IMO.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:48 pm
by DoveBodyWash
My firm is very busy but our summer class will likely decrease

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:27 pm
by thisiswater
woopig2017 wrote:
BobLoblaw18 wrote:
woopig2017 wrote:I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.
HB Houston by any chance?
Not HB Houston, but somewhere comparable. Seems like this trend is spreading out more and more across the major markets in TX at least.
TK houston is doing the same from what I know

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:27 am
by woopig2017
Anonymous User wrote:
BobLoblaw18 wrote:
woopig2017 wrote:I'm a 2L SA in TX, and the recruiter in our office has talked a lot with our 1L SA's about how many spots the firm will have open for any of their class mates that may interview through OCI. The way I've heard it, the firm is making a big shift towards filling the summer class predominately with 1L's and then hoping that they return as 2L's - this is designed to get the "best" candidates early. Not sure if this will actually work over time, but with that in mind I think that any hiring growth will come from 1L OCI and not in hiring more 2L's - I guess the plan is to fill any spots that open up in a class post-2L with laterals or people who have clerked.
HB Houston by any chance?
My firm (also in TX) is going the opposite direction. We've been burned the past few summers by top candidates coming to TX to 1L SA and then going back to east coast for 2L SA. I think that going forward, we will be taking a closer look at the ties/motivations for being in TX of our 1L SA candidates.
I think that this is definitely part of what they will be considering in our interviews, as we have also had the same experience with people fleeing back East. I think when our recruiters have weighed the flight risks against the chances of losing out on the best talent though, they think that it's better to take a chance (with the caveat of testing out candidate ties to TX/our particular market) than miss out - even if we lose one or two as 1L's, they can replace them during 2L OCI and we get to keep the rest.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:43 am
by Anonymous User
I'm at a TX office of a V50 and we're hiring more 2Ls for next summer than we've had in the past few years.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:31 pm
by Anonymous User
V5 in NYC. We are cutting our next summer class by about 10% but I think that's less to do with the recession and more to do with a higher number of current summers who will be clerking and coming in a year later.

Re: Current biglaw associates - do you foresee any changes in 2019 SA hiring at your firm based on market conditions?

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:49 pm
by Anonymous User
V100 in DC. Hiring the same amount of summers next year as we did this year (and the past 2 years, FWIW).