"2 Years of Experience" Forum

[Anonymous User]

As a 3L looking to trade up firms, I see a lot of biglaw positions requiring "2 years of experience."

1. Generally, does experience have to be post-bar passage, or do some firms include SA's, externships, etc.?

2. Generally, is this a hard cutoff at biglaw firms, or is it worth it to still apply at a 3L?

Thanks.

[papermateflair]

As a 3L looking to trade up firms, I see a lot of biglaw positions requiring "2 years of experience."

1. Generally, does experience have to be post-bar passage, or do some firms include SA's, externships, etc.?

2. Generally, is this a hard cutoff at biglaw firms, or is it worth it to still apply at a 3L?

Thanks.

If my firm was looking for two years of experience, it would mean post-bar experience. SAs, externships, internships, none of that would count, although I could see externships that were focused on whatever niche we're hiring for be helpful if you had at least a year of experience post-bar (or possibly an LLM). If we want someone with that level of experience we're really saying we need someone trained in the very basics, and who can start working on projects immediately, rather than just doing doc review, filling out charts, etc. I don't think it would be worth it to apply as a 3L, especially because firms are often looking for someone who can start within the next couple of months, and not in August after you've taken the bar. I can't speak to how a firm would feel about getting an application from a 3L - our applications would be run through recruiting, and the attorneys would never see something from someone who clearly didn't meet the criteria, so unless recruiting has a long memory I'm not sure if it would hurt you if you want to try the firm again in a couple of years.

That said - see if you have a connection to the firm (a classmate who just started as a new first year, for example) who can let you know what they're looking for and the timing.

[Wubbles]

The time to trade up was probably in August to October so I would start coming to terms with the reality that you will probably be joining the firm you summered at at this point. In 2 years you can then take a stab at those jobs asking for 2 years of experience.

As note not for the OP but for anyone coming across this in the future, you should mass mail firms in July (or as soon as you get an offer if being cautious) if you are looking to trade up, even if they don't have specific postings. If a specific posting for a 3L position comes up, then feel free to update your application to note that you would like to be considered for that particular spot. Of my handful of 3L interviews, only 1 was with a firm that had a public posting of a position.

[2013]

If it’s biglaw, two years of experience usually specifically means two years of post-bar biglaw experience. I’ve met people who had to take huge class year cuts and come in as second/third years when they should’ve been fifth/sixth years because the firms they went to didn’t see their small/midlaw experience as equivalent.

[Anonymous User]

As a 3L who traded up from a V50 to a V10 and had a V5 option, it's kind of late to trade up firms. Regardless, use your school's simplicity/job site or firm postings for 2020 associates to trade up. Any position that requires any years of experience is not applicable to 3Ls.