How far out can I go? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
-
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:54 pm
How far out can I go?
Hi, all. I am at a T2 in a very small area in the top ten percent of my class. No real major cities close by. The closest one is probably Chicago (4 hours). How far out can I go from where I am at now without really needing ties? With the job market as scarce as it is, I will really work anywhere, but I know that employers don't really buy that. I have been mass mailing and have sent out about 50 emails to every firm imaginable within 3 hours. I just feel like there aren't a lot around here. Any advice?
-
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:54 pm
-
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:34 pm
Re: How far out can I go?
One clarification: it's not so much that employers don't "buy" that you're willing to work anywhere. It's more that in most secondary markets, if you don't have ties, they assume (often rightfully so) that once they've invested time and money into training you for 1-3 years, you'll leave and go back to somewhere where you have ties. That's not usually worth the investment/risk for the firm, when there are other candidates with ties.proudgunner wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:47 pmHi, all. I am at a T2 in a very small area in the top ten percent of my class. No real major cities close by. The closest one is probably Chicago (4 hours). How far out can I go from where I am at now without really needing ties? With the job market as scarce as it is, I will really work anywhere, but I know that employers don't really buy that. I have been mass mailing and have sent out about 50 emails to every firm imaginable within 3 hours. I just feel like there aren't a lot around here. Any advice?
That applies less so in major markets (and basically doesn't apply at all in NYC), because the large firms will churn and burn, so even if they only get 1 year out of you, usually they'll have made some money off of you in that time.
So to answer your question, if Chicago is the closest major city, it's very reasonable to apply there and say you want to do sophisticated work and this is the closest/best city in the world, blah, blah, blah, and then apply to any firm you can find recruiter contact info for in NYC (even if a job opening isn't listed). Also try other major cities if there's any you have any remote ties to. I started out of law school in a major city where I had effectively zero ties and just sold it as "I've always wanted to live/work here", but focus first on (1) Chi/NYC, (2) major markets with remote ties, (3) all other markets.
-
- Posts: 4478
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: How far out can I go?
I can't be any help on the details, but NYC is the least ties-conscious market there is and hires a ton of lawyers, so it's definitely worth applying there. It's an easier market than most smaller cities that want ties and have fewer slots. I would look for any alumni from your school in NYC and hit them up for advice but yeah, apply to any NYC firm you can find (try Vault and/or the AmLaw100 for listings of firms).proudgunner wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:26 pmAny place you recommend starting? I'm still going to try, but what do you think my chances are? I never really dreamed I'd be able to end up there.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- UnfrozenCaveman
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:06 pm
Re: How far out can I go?
What year are you?
NYC is a good bet simply because it's a numbers game, but it if it's a school they don't normally see and you don't have some sort of in, it could be tough. Work your undergrad a law school network no matter how slim it is.
NYC is a good bet simply because it's a numbers game, but it if it's a school they don't normally see and you don't have some sort of in, it could be tough. Work your undergrad a law school network no matter how slim it is.
-
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:54 pm
Re: How far out can I go?
2LUnfrozenCaveman wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:28 amWhat year are you?
NYC is a good bet simply because it's a numbers game, but it if it's a school they don't normally see and you don't have some sort of in, it could be tough. Work your undergrad a law school network no matter how slim it is.
-
- Posts: 4478
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: How far out can I go?
Yeah, I don’t mean that NYC is guaranteed, and whatever major metro your school feeds to most often is your best bet (it sounds like Chicago maybe), but of random cities you don’t have ties to, NYC is likely easier to crack than smaller cities.
- nealric
- Posts: 4390
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:53 am
Re: How far out can I go?
Of course people do that in NYC, but the difference is that firms build their business model around the assumption of high turnover in the junior and midlevel ranks.nixy wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 amI can't be any help on the details, but NYC is the least ties-conscious market there is and hires a ton of lawyers, so it's definitely worth applying there. It's an easier market than most smaller cities that want ties and have fewer slots. I would look for any alumni from your school in NYC and hit them up for advice but yeah, apply to any NYC firm you can find (try Vault and/or the AmLaw100 for listings of firms).proudgunner wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:26 pmAny place you recommend starting? I'm still going to try, but what do you think my chances are? I never really dreamed I'd be able to end up there.
-
- Posts: 4478
- Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am
Re: How far out can I go?
? (Just want to understand if I said something inaccurate.)
- nealric
- Posts: 4390
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:53 am
-
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:54 pm
Re: How far out can I go?
And just to clarify -- are you guys talking about doing informational interviews with partners in the relevant practice group? Or are you talking about just cold applying?nealric wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:15 amOf course people do that in NYC, but the difference is that firms build their business model around the assumption of high turnover in the junior and midlevel ranks.nixy wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:07 amI can't be any help on the details, but NYC is the least ties-conscious market there is and hires a ton of lawyers, so it's definitely worth applying there. It's an easier market than most smaller cities that want ties and have fewer slots. I would look for any alumni from your school in NYC and hit them up for advice but yeah, apply to any NYC firm you can find (try Vault and/or the AmLaw100 for listings of firms).proudgunner wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:26 pmAny place you recommend starting? I'm still going to try, but what do you think my chances are? I never really dreamed I'd be able to end up there.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login