Early offer at my number one firm--should I still do secondary journal? Forum

[behhhh]

Rising 2l, planning to do transactional work, got an early offer from my number one firm (although I haven't accepted yet). Found out recently that I didn't make LR, but I got the option to join a secondary journal that I'm not very interested in. Since everyone always complains about how much work journals are, and since I'd prefer to focus on grades/more professionally relevant activities next year, are there big downsides for someone like me to go journal-less?

I've heard that not being on one can hurt you for OCI, but I'm 99% sure I'm not going to do OCI. Feel free to comment on whether you think that's a poor decision, too. I've also heard that journal-lessness can hurt you for clerkships, but since I don't think I'm going to be a litigator I'm not sure how valuable a clerkship would be to me. At the moment, I'm only interested in doing one to the extent that it would help my career. But who knows? Maybe I'll develop a sincere interest in the judicial craft over the next couple months, which is to say that my current preferences aren't totally set in stone.

So! I'm wondering if I should accept the position Just In Case and if there are other potential disadvantages I haven't already mentioned.

Thanks!

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

No, I don’t see the benefit and any journal sucks.

[behhhh]

No, I don’t see the benefit and any journal sucks.

That's pretty much what I've heard too--thanks!

[icansortofmath]

never did journals. Literally, nobody outside of my classmates has asked me why.

[Anonymous User]

I couldn't agree more, because I think it's useless from a career standpoint, not because I think it's a big time suck. Not all secondary journals are a lot of work. I did probably 3 hours of blue booking each semester and then whatever time it took to right my comment/note. From a career standpoint, you've locked down an offer. A secondary journal, no matter what journal, will not look impressive on the firm website, and nobody will care when you lateral or go in-house.

[Wild Card]

Two transactional rainmakers at my firm were members of my secondary journal, which has the reputation for being a consolation prize for those who don't get law review. They took an interest in me, and they're now regular sources of work for me. Great mentors and bosses.

[whats an updog]

Two transactional rainmakers at my firm were members of my secondary journal, which has the reputation for being a consolation prize for those who don't get law review. They took an interest in me, and they're now regular sources of work for me. Great mentors and bosses.

this could happen with anything and is no reason to do a journal

journals suck, don't do it

[Yea All Right]

I think I’m more of an advocate for journal than many, and even I would say you shouldn’t do journal. You’ve already got an offer you like and the journal isn’t law review, so there’s not much benefit from a career standpoint.

[Lawman1865]

I'll just go ahead and add to the chorus of voices saying you should avoid the journal at this point. Based on your post it sounds like it isn't worth it. There are plenty of biglaw associates/partners who don't do journals, you'll be fine.

Maybe I'll develop a sincere interest in the judicial craft over the next couple months, which is to say that my current preferences aren't totally set in stone.

Most law schools have plenty of other extra-curricular activities that you can take advantage of should you develop a greater interest in academia later on, such as writing and research competitions, moot court, mock trial, etc.

[Anonymous User]

When I interview students or lateral candidates, I give no regard whatsoever to participation on a secondary journal.

[Dahl]

Genuinely hated every second of my time spent on journal. It is so much work, so much weird infighting politics, and I don't think it helped me in any way career wise. I felt like I had to do it in case I didn't get an offer from my SA firm, and had to do 3L OCI but in your case, skip it.

[gregfootball2001]

I'm going to go the other way on this. If you lateral early in your career, your law school achievements will be looked at, including whether you did journal. Journal may suck, but why put yourself at any kind of disadvantage? Sure, the disadvantage may be small - and in many cases, negligible - but when it comes down to it, it's easier to get someone who checks all the boxes past the hiring committee.

Further, do you have an offer for a summer associate position at the firm, or an offer for post-grad employment? If it's the former, consider doing journal. Even at firms with historical 100% offer rates, you may get no-offered or cold-offered. You may even dislike the firm after your summer and want to go somewhere else. You will likely want to have journal on your resume at 3L OCI.

Finally, you said that there's a small (but non-zero) chance you may want to clerk. Why take this possibility off the table now by not doing journal?

Even if this offer is for post-grad employment, and even if you decide not to clerk, there are plenty of threads on people wanting to leave their firm very early on. Do a middling job, get it done, and have journal on your resume forever.

[shock259]

Doing a secondary journal was without a doubt the worst decision I made in law school. It was a huge time sink with no appreciable benefit.

[Anonymous User]

I'm going to go the other way on this. If you lateral early in your career, your law school achievements will be looked at, including whether you did journal. Journal may suck, but why put yourself at any kind of disadvantage? Sure, the disadvantage may be small - and in many cases, negligible - but when it comes down to it, it's easier to get someone who checks all the boxes past the hiring committee.


Finally, you said that there's a small (but non-zero) chance you may want to clerk. Why take this possibility off the table now by not doing journal?

As a transactional atty, I can say that NOTHING I did on journal helps me with my practice. I literally posted on FB the other day because I had to bludebook something for the first time in YEARS and it was so hilarious. If you're at a really strong school, with really strong grades, it really doesn't matter. I do think that some (lame) firms have (silly) litigation partners on hiring committees who actually care about this though. I'm 100% sure you can learn attention to detail without some nonsense one-year-older-than-you-editor who is haranguing you about non-breaking spaces. You'll get enough on-the-job attn to detail practice in coming years.

Also, if you def want to do transactional work (and never want to do BK or REST work), I can't see why you'd ever, ever, ever want to clerk. Either you want to do deals, or you want to work for a judge, but I just don't see why you think that working for a judge will help you do deals. And please, no malarky about "getting stuck into the community" or "getting references" to launch your transactional junior practice. That is not a thing.

[gregfootball2001]

I'm going to go the other way on this. If you lateral early in your career, your law school achievements will be looked at, including whether you did journal. Journal may suck, but why put yourself at any kind of disadvantage? Sure, the disadvantage may be small - and in many cases, negligible - but when it comes down to it, it's easier to get someone who checks all the boxes past the hiring committee.


Finally, you said that there's a small (but non-zero) chance you may want to clerk. Why take this possibility off the table now by not doing journal?

I do think that some (lame) firms have (silly) litigation partners on hiring committees who actually care about this though.

Minus the commentary, this is my point. If not doing journal can potentially put you at a small disadvantage regarding lateraling, you might as well do journal.

[smokeylarue]

Don't do the journal, you got it made brother. As most people have mentioned here, journal is a huge waste of time and doesn't help you at all unless it's law review. Employers could care less.

[transferquestiontls]

Further, do you have an offer for a summer associate position at the firm, or an offer for post-grad employment? If it's the former, consider doing journal. Even at firms with historical 100% offer rates, you may get no-offered or cold-offered.

No-offered or cold-offered because he/she is not doing journal? or some other unrealistic reasons?

[icansortofmath]

His implicit premise is journal helps with job search so if you may be looking for a job, you should do journal.

That’s nonsense. If you need to look for a job, your time is better spent networking and mass mailing than bluebooking.

Only legitimate reason for journal in my opinion is if you have ambitions for legal academia somewhere down the line and want to develop a portfolio of articles.

[Anonymous User]

Biglaw 3rd year here. Don't listen to anybody that tells you your law school grades or activities after 1L don't matter. If you want to lateral while you are a junior, these things matter to some extent, especially if you are lateraling the middle of your first year or right after your first year. Things that are very improbable do happen. You are welcome.

[notinbiglaw]

If the goal is maximizing employment outcome, there are way better things to do than journal.

Externships, clinics, and so on. You know, stuff that gives you actual legal work experience and takes you less time.

[yyyuppp]

yo, don't do it. I can't imagine a secondary journal is going to matter when you try to lateral in 5 years from now from a transactional practice. and doing a journal sucks.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I’d rather do a journal than a class. Even for bad journals I think it’s less work and one less thing to worry about come finals. And nobody said you had to be the most dedicated or hardworking staffer...I don’t think I put in more than a few hours a semester. I may have gotten scolded though

[UnfrozenCaveman]

I’d rather do a journal than a class. Even for bad journals I think it’s less work and one less thing to worry about come finals. And nobody said you had to be the most dedicated or hardworking staffer...I don’t think I put in more than a few hours a semester. I may have gotten scolded though

Assuming you get credit for it.

[Dahl]

Journal was way more work for me than a class, and my first year of it was such a pain in the ass. Second year I was a Notes Editor which was at least more interesting (but still way more work than a class).

I will say you should have an answer to the question "why didn't you do a journal" in case your firm job doesn't work out.

[jkpolk]

Another transactional attorney joining the fuck journals chorus. I leave it off my resume/bio because it's irrelevant (and it's "business law"). Been on a number of lateral interviews and have never once been asked about law school let alone my secondary journal participation.