Few questions from an incoming associate looking to apply to other firms Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am an incoming associate at a regional firm (AM100) looking to reach out to other firms in my market (Chicago). I'm looking at V50 AND V75 firms. I'm not feeling the way my firm has treated my incoming class during this pandemic. A lot of uncertainty still and I'm looking to protect myself before things go south. My practice area is corporate (M&A, PE) I dont mind dabbling in corporate finance and lending work as well. Is it recommended to do so or should I be settled in my position that has an anticipated start date of January 2021?

Also, does anyone recommend the proper way to reach out to these firms? should I be contacting partners who are alum at my school? And should I be waiting till after the bar exam in October to do this? I'm also a URM, law review, graduated with honors, if that means anything.

Thank you in advance.

[TigerIsBack]

I'm not sure I have much to add as to whether or not you should look around or not, but I don't think it's that crazy that an amlaw 100 regional firm would have a deferred start date or remaining uncertainty around incoming associates.

I wouldn't compare regional firms to the v25 or even v50 for things like this, especially considering some of the top biglaw firms are still have uncertainty w/r/t incoming associates (see the Paul Weiss thread). I know you said you're looking at v75 firms, but many of those firms I think fell into the bucket of deferred start dates, associate pay cuts, etc. so it's not certain that you'd be "feeling it" from those firms either even if you landed an offer.

Now, if you just want to use this as an opportunity to try to go for biglaw, that's a different story, but I'm just not sure that your firm is that far off the norm (if there even is a normal) with incoming associates and everything else going on.

Caveat: I could be completely wrong about all of the above, since I have not worked at a regional firm.

[Anonymous User]

I think that it's going to be quite difficult to land an entry-level position that would start before most incoming first years are supposed to start, at least at a law firm. You could expand your search to in-house positions, but those tend to be difficult to land coming straight from law school.

When I was deferred, I was able to land a part-time in-house gig at an up-and-coming health care company (in Chicago, too). It doesn't pay big law, but it will give me some cash on hand for the rest of the year. It's also a great way to meet other attorneys and make baby business connections. Just a thought.

[Anonymous User]

... especially considering some of the top biglaw firms are still have uncertainty w/r/t incoming associates (see the Paul Weiss thread).

Which Paul Weiss thread?

[TigerIsBack]

... especially considering some of the top biglaw firms are still have uncertainty w/r/t incoming associates (see the Paul Weiss thread).

Which Paul Weiss thread?

It's toward the top of the legal employment threads. "what's going on at PW?"