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I’m a Canadian hoping to work in big law on H1-B or TN visa. Since I was born in China, the H1-B to green card wait time is 5-10 years. If I I lose my job during this period, I only have a 60-day grace period to find a new job.

Although I prefer Houston/Dallas over NYC, I’m concerned it would be harder to find a new job within the 60-day grace period. Is it easier to get rehired quickly if I start at a NYC big law firm?

Andrew66 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 22, 2023 8:40 pm

I’m a Canadian hoping to work in big law on H1-B or TN visa. Since I was born in China, the H1-B to green card wait time is 5-10 years. If I I lose my job during this period, I only have a 60-day grace period to find a new job.

Although I prefer Houston/Dallas over NYC, I’m concerned it would be harder to find a new job within the 60-day grace period. Is it easier to get rehired quickly if I start at a NYC big law firm?

NYC would be easier because there's probably 10x the firms.

Andrew66 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 22, 2023 8:40 pm

I’m a Canadian hoping to work in big law on H1-B or TN visa. Since I was born in China, the H1-B to green card wait time is 5-10 years. If I I lose my job during this period, I only have a 60-day grace period to find a new job.

Although I prefer Houston/Dallas over NYC, I’m concerned it would be harder to find a new job within the 60-day grace period. Is it easier to get rehired quickly if I start at a NYC big law firm?

Not OP, but I am curious about whether where you start matters here. Would starting in NYC and then seeking rehiring in NYC be substantially easier than starting in Houston/Dallas and then seeking rehiring in NYC?

Yes

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 23, 2023 12:16 am

Andrew66 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 22, 2023 8:40 pm

I’m a Canadian hoping to work in big law on H1-B or TN visa. Since I was born in China, the H1-B to green card wait time is 5-10 years. If I I lose my job during this period, I only have a 60-day grace period to find a new job.

Although I prefer Houston/Dallas over NYC, I’m concerned it would be harder to find a new job within the 60-day grace period. Is it easier to get rehired quickly if I start at a NYC big law firm?

Not OP, but I am curious about whether where you start matters here. Would starting in NYC and then seeking rehiring in NYC be substantially easier than starting in Houston/Dallas and then seeking rehiring in NYC?

Staying in market would be easier.

Three thoughts.

1. I suspect that your reputation (read: will people make calls for you, or at least say you were a good associate) and quality of your initial firm will have a lot more to do with your marketability than your city.

2. If whatever practice you work in is dead, it's dead - doesn't matter if that's NY commercial lit or Texas oil M&A or whatever else.

3. All things equal, the NY market is bigger so there will be more jobs available at any particular time for 95% of practices, but the Houston market isn't exactly a slouch.

With that said - I wouldn't choose NY over Houston (which I understand is a large legal market, no idea about Dallas) on this; a good associate whose practice hasn't ground to a halt should be able to get a new job in Houston fine. Live where you want to live; spending more money to live in a place you like less would suck.