Anyone at Cooley worried? Forum

[Anonymous User]

The fact that pretty much everybody on here agrees no offering three Asians is a bad look is proof enough that, whether or not implicit bias works against Asians in other more discrete ways, Cooley should (and probably did) know better. Any half-woke partner (or un-woke partner afraid of blowback) would see a list of three Asians and say something.

It's actually often the woke ones that are the most anti Asian. Someone already mentioned the Harvard thing.

I think there's a difference between what's going on in the Harvard case (where people use race as a plus factor for some races, and arguably as a negative for others) and the bad look that would come from no offering only 3/4 Asians in a class of 30 for "fit" only. I personally don't think it's a principled difference - I agree both are likely driven by racism (or xenophobia) in some form. But consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds as they say, and there is much more public support (or acceptance?) for the former than for the latter.

For example, if Harvard had to ask some freshman to defer for a year because they overenrolled, and they happened to only send that invitation to Asians, there would be a media frenzy. But people tend to be much more okay with the subtle wink/nudge that happens behind closed doors in an admissions office so long as Asians are represented roughly proportionate to their population in the US (even if the population of highly qualified Asians is much larger, and thus warrants more representation in Harvard's class).

I don't want to fight about what's racist. I just think we can all agree that no offering 3 Asians purely for "fit" is a bad look, and therefore unlikely to make it past the management committee. You could be right that woke partners might be more likely to clash with these summers, but they'd still see what happened as taboo.

This thread has obviously gone off the rails, and apologies for contributing, but can't help but comment that this is one of the more egregious toeing of unnational ideological lines i've ever seen (i.e., racism is bad but it is also ok sometimes because muh power structures and in fact the latter is not even racism).

I would be willing to bet my left arm (apologies to any left armless ppl I'm offending) that IF a grossly disproportionate amount of individuals of one gender/race/orientation were no offered (and think we are arguing about unverified shit in this thread), it is a coincidence and was not because Cooley of all places has some hidden racial bias.

Now back to the topic at hand: is VC work dead or what?

Right this is the point I was trying to make (sorry if it wasn't clear). There has to be a good reason to pick these three summers that isn't just "fit" because, setting aside other forms of racism against Asians, there's no way Cooley would let this happen otherwise. If the powers that be got together to identify the three worst fits and came up with these three, I too would bet my left arm that there would be some introspection as to what was really going on there.

Also I want to be clear I wasn't saying all of this stuff is okay. Just that people seem to treat these different situations differently.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any info on broader no offers at Cooley? Did class of 22 start as expected?

Cooley’s start date for class of 22 is in November. Hopefully they won’t pull a Gunderson (I doubt they will).

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any info on broader no offers at Cooley? Did class of 22 start as expected?

Cooley’s start date for class of 22 is in November. Hopefully they won’t pull a Gunderson (I doubt they will).

Why do you doubt?

[becodalapa]

Isn't that discrimination? Why did they only target associates from China?

-Chris

Because no one in charge cares about discrimination against Asians, it's tacitly accepted in all elite institutions, and a substantial amount of Asians will deny it occurs or even defend it.

Oh come on, I'm sure it was probably just a "fit" thing. The Chinese SAs were probably just too one-dimensional -- smart, but maybe not assertive or outgoing enough. They probably just couldn't connect with partners, associates, and other summers.

Nobody gets no offered for failure to connect. Not getting a CB or offer from a CB? Maybe. But to get no offered as a summer you have to do something offensive to get fired, like discriminate against Asians by calling them "one-dimensional."

Now it's entirely possible these three associates happened to do something together that falls into that category, but we won't know until someone from their class spills the beans.

*Whoosh*

Glad at least one person got it.

[Anonymous User]

Does Cooley always start in Nov?

Also @ decodalapa, I got it and ruefully quietly chuckled to myself.

[Anonymous User]

Yes they always start first week of November.

VC work definitely isn’t dead, just slower than it has been the last couple of years. I’m still plenty busy and deals are still getting done, just not as many or as quickly. It will pick back up, VC firms still have capital they need to deploy and there are lots of great companies out there. Tiger’s just not flinging around term sheets to every company anymore.

[Anonymous User]

Yes they always start first week of November.

VC work definitely isn’t dead, just slower than it has been the last couple of years. I’m still plenty busy and deals are still getting done, just not as many or as quickly. It will pick back up, VC firms still have capital they need to deploy and there are lots of great companies out there. Tiger’s just not flinging around term sheets to every company anymore.

First years at Cooley started October 4th last year.

[Anonymous User]

Yes they always start first week of November.

VC work definitely isn’t dead, just slower than it has been the last couple of years. I’m still plenty busy and deals are still getting done, just not as many or as quickly. It will pick back up, VC firms still have capital they need to deploy and there are lots of great companies out there. Tiger’s just not flinging around term sheets to every company anymore.

First years at Cooley started October 4th last year.

Hmm. Hmmmmm.

So, it's possible that the Nov start was decided a while ago and is sort of in line with the traditional slightly later start (most firms start in Sep). But it's also possible that this is a delayed start. Hmm.

[Anonymous User]

They moved it up last year cause things were wild busy. I know the 3 years before that were all last week of October/early November.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

I’m curious if Cooley and its competitors have open OCI and 3L offers with students right now. It would be prime time for a rouge disinformation campaign to influence someone debating between Cooley and say WSGR or Fenwick.

[Anonymous User]

Are they really laying off people? I am pretty sure (unless this person was lying) they were hiring laterals as of a month or so

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

Fishbowl.

[Anonymous User]

Are they really laying off people? I am pretty sure (unless this person was lying) they were hiring laterals as of a month or so

Hiring != not doing layoffs. Hiring and laying off address different needs. You can fire corporate associates en masse when there is no corporate work while simultaneously hiring litigators for example.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

Fishbowl.

I know of a rescinded first year offer in Chicago that was eventually un-rescinded (?) Something funky going on there.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

Not that anon but I was recently laid off as a junior at Cooley. Any greater details would like ID myself.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

Not that anon but I was recently laid off as a junior at Cooley. Any greater details would like ID myself.

Can you just give a little context around this, without outing yourself? Do you feel like this was a one-off situation (got in bad w/ an important partner; flubbed something important on a deal) or do you feel like you're part of a bigger wave of layoffs they're trying to do? This would be super helpful.

[Anonymous User]

Actually that’s not quite right, amending my previous statement, the three years prior to 2020 were late October/early November. 2020 I think was delayed till January.

Wouldn't worry about start dates. Fenwick was as early as August last year if you wanted to start then and is usually in Oct. Last year was special. That said, there are now reports of rescinded offers for incoming first years at Cooley and of junior layoffs. That is probably more concerning.

What's your source for the recinded first year offers and junior layoffs?

Not that anon but I was recently laid off as a junior at Cooley. Any greater details would like ID myself.

Can you just give a little context around this, without outing yourself? Do you feel like this was a one-off situation (got in bad w/ an important partner; flubbed something important on a deal) or do you feel like you're part of a bigger wave of layoffs they're trying to do? This would be super helpful.

It is my understanding that there were many people, including myself, who have mysteriously disappeared over the last few months across corporate groups.

I was underperforming compared to my peers, no doubt, but definitely not bad enough to get canned.

They blindsided me with the layoff at my review. No warning, no probation. A few months of website time/severance.

Already landed on my feet elsewhere.

edit2: deleted portions I think were identifiable instead of deleting the whole post

[Anonymous User]

I also got laid off at WSGR. Couple months severance/website time. Blindsided at review. Hours slightly below 1950 for bonus. No complaints about work.

[Anonymous User]

Where did you land (BL/midlaw/in-house)?

[Anonymous User]

I mean anon the huge letters asking you not to quote are RIGHT above your post

[Anonymous User]

Could you please delete the text from my post?

I ended up in a place specific enough that I think it'd reveal my ID.

[Anonymous User]

Where did you land (BL/midlaw/in-house)?

Again, please delete the text and I think saying where I ended up would be revealing. It's not big law but the comp is close enough that the difference is negligible is all I'll say.