Post-Clerkship Job hunt (Fall 2014 cycle) Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 7:10 pm

Any updates from anyone? it has been too quite. I hope this is the norm even in mid feb.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:24 pm

Still mostly nothing for me. Got rejects from Vinson & Elkins, King & Spalding, and Skadden in the Houston area. On the other hand, at least two firms actually responded saying they received my application and were looking at it, which is always nice to know.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:37 pm

East Coast - sent out fourteen applications two weeks ago. So far I've gotten two "sorry, we're full from our summer class;" one "we'll review your application once we know our numbers better;" and two interviews. Radio silence otherwise.

legalese_retard · Post by **legalese_retard** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:29 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Still mostly nothing for me. Got rejects from Vinson & Elkins, King & Spalding, and Skadden in the Houston area. On the other hand, at least two firms actually responded saying they received my application and were looking at it, which is always nice to know.

Well that's something. I've also been applying to Houston firms and only received rejection letters or experienced radio silence.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:16 pm

Sent about 20 apps to east coast. Got 2 responses saying they have already met their needs from the summers. Radio Silence otherwise. Feb is almost over, any clue as to we will find out if they are going to give us interview or not? or do they only respond if they grant interviews? I am a little torn because I have decent size firm willing to hire me. But its for a big pay cut (compared to big law) and will need to make decision on it "as soon as possible". My stats were competitive for big law prior to my current clerkship, but I am getting really nervous that I am not hearing anything one way or another a month after I submitted my apps and it's almost march....Take the pay cut or just hold out?

bradley · Post by **bradley** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:59 pm

Anon who posted about having two interviews, can you PM me which ones? Or at least which city and vault ranking range?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:13 pm

bradley wrote:Anon who posted about having two interviews, can you PM me which ones? Or at least which city and vault ranking range?

DC, V20

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Sent about 20 apps to east coast. Got 2 responses saying they have already met their needs from the summers. Radio Silence otherwise. Feb is almost over, any clue as to we will find out if they are going to give us interview or not? or do they only respond if they grant interviews? I am a little torn because I have decent size firm willing to hire me. But its for a big pay cut (compared to big law) and will need to make decision on it "as soon as possible". My stats were competitive for big law prior to my current clerkship, but I am getting really nervous that I am not hearing anything one way or another a month after I submitted my apps and it's almost march....Take the pay cut or just hold out?

Is it in your area of interest+where you want to practice? you can always say yes and jump ship as soon as u can "upgrade" (or simply rescind acceptance)

bradley · Post by **bradley** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:05 am

Anonymous User wrote:
bradley wrote:Anon who posted about having two interviews, can you PM me which ones? Or at least which city and vault ranking range?
DC, V20

Stats? Did you do big law 2L summer?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:59 pm

bradley wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
bradley wrote:Anon who posted about having two interviews, can you PM me which ones? Or at least which city and vault ranking range?
DC, V20
Stats? Did you do big law 2L summer?

Didn't do 2L big law summer. MVP, LR, top 10%

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:11 am

I have a V50 interview next week. Anyone who has been on these things, I assume they're mostly like SA interviews except with a lot of clerk-specific questions. What might those be? Anyone ever been asked anything improper (e.g. "so you do all the work right?"), and if so how did you respond?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:21 pm

I just sent a few dozen inquiry emails around (just generically saying I'm clerking for a federal judge and seeing if they're taking applications) and got pretty much nothing back except for a bunch of "Thanks for your interest. We typically get associates from our summer program and don't anticipate any other hiring this fall. Best of luck."

Ugh.

nevdash · Post by **nevdash** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:20 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Anyone ever been asked anything improper (e.g. "so you do all the work right?"), and if so how did you respond?

"You might very well think that -- I couldn't possibly comment."

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:28 pm

This is nerve-wracking. Applied to 15 places so far in D.C., with 1 CB (pending), 3 rejections, and radio silence. Should have pretty good stats: NYC V5, COA, top 5%/T14. Is it late, or is it early? I can't tell. I didn't realize how much of a crapshoot this would be. At OCI if you have the numbers you can pretty much predict your offers. Post-clerkship, so much depends on whether firms have any openings. If you're firm jumping, you'll probably get a job, but it seems harder to get the particular firms you might want.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:42 pm

I haven't heard of a ton of movement in D.C. I know several clerks applying there (with varying pedigrees) that have heard next to nothing. I think its early. I wouldn't be shocked if some places don't move until Spring/early summer.

legalese_retard · Post by **legalese_retard** » Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:31 pm

I hate being so pessimistic, but I get the feeling that litigation is down at the moment. If you go on abovethelaw, there are several layoff postings involving attorneys in the litigation groups of big firms like Jones Day, Kasowitz Benson, Patton Boggs, and Weil Gotshal. It seems like these firms over-hired for litigation/bankruptcy work surrounding the 2008 crisis and those cases are winding down. If you look at the lateral hiring opportunties at most firms, they are primarily looking for transactional attorneys. When they actually have a litigation position, it is for the patent or IP practice groups.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:43 am

So... anybody want to start a law firm? We'd have a pretty good clerks:total partners ratio to brag about.

Edit: Also, it would be nice for the firms who know they're not hiring/are actively laying people off to at least respond and say that. I'm not sure how long I can hold out not knowing anything until I'll feel compelled to seek other options. My judge is already asking me when I plan to leave so he can let the next clerks know when to start.

legalese_retard · Post by **legalese_retard** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:58 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Edit: Also, it would be nice for the firms who know they're not hiring/are actively laying people off to at least respond and say that. I'm not sure how long I can hold out not knowing anything until I'll feel compelled to seek other options. My judge is already asking me when I plan to leave so he can let the next clerks know when to start.

Unfortunately, most of these firms will never file a response.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:25 pm

I think at least part of the problem is that the judicial hiring cycle has moved so much earlier while the firm hiring cycle has not, and post-recession, firms can't assume they'll have a bunch of extra spots for clerks. One (large) D.C. firm told me that they would not act on apps from clerks until late spring, until they had a better idea of their needs.

arodtoo · Post by **arodtoo** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:45 am

I'm wondering how people handle applying to multiple offices of the same firm when the contact person is the same. Do firms see this as uncommitted to a market? My dilemma is that the firm has a smaller office in the market I'm really drawn to and a significantly larger office in the second market I am applying to. I have ties to both. Any ideas on how to handle this?

legalese_retard · Post by **legalese_retard** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:48 am

arodtoo wrote:I'm wondering how people handle applying to multiple offices of the same firm when the contact person is the same. Do firms see this as uncommitted to a market? My dilemma is that the firm has a smaller office in the market I'm really drawn to and a significantly larger office in the second market I am applying to. I have ties to both. Any ideas on how to handle this?

I am in a similar situation. Not sure how effective this approach is, but have been sending my application for the larger office directly to the legal recruiter. For the smaller office, I have been sending my application directly to the managing partner of that city's office. I'm sure the letter to the partner gets forwarded to the legal recruiter, but I get the feeling that if that second city is looking for a new associate, at least someone else is aware of my application.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:28 pm

When should we start getting worried about not getting any interviews or hearing back? I've read on here that most clerks got their jobs in April (does that mean they started interviewing in april, or that they interviewed before april and got offers in april?) Also, I keep hearing that firms start reviewing apps late spring, when is that exactly? Lastly, I know of few clerks who have already received interviews from east coast firms (their stats varying from very strong, strong, and average), but yet I have also heard people with similar stats in the same market say they have not heard anything back, so I am really confused about the timelines and when one should go from being concerned to becoming worried and look else where.

-Many questions but I had to ask.

legalese_retard · Post by **legalese_retard** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:48 pm

Don't know what to say other than keep applying. I just received a rejection letter from a law firm with the following job posting:

Small litigation firm seeks entry-level associate attorney for an opening in the fall of 2014. Candidate should have strong advocacy and writing skills. Very nice work environment with excellent experience potential. Firm concentrates in bankruptcy, foreclosure, and contract litigation. Please submit cover letter along with resume. Salary in the $45,000-$50,000 range.

Sad that I cannot even get an interview at a law firm that pays less per year than what most law clerks are getting as a clerkship bonus.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 2:01 pm

I am worried now. The firms I am speaking with seem to be in the middle or nearing the end of their hiring processes.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:15 pm

COA clerk here. Starting to get worried as well. Applied to about 20 DC firms back in Jan. Heard back from about half so far--all rejections.

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