How do you demonstrate "ties to an area" Forum

erythromycin · Post by **erythromycin** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:43 pm

I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?

sparty99 · Post by **sparty99** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:51 pm

erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?

I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:08 pm

sparty99 wrote:
erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?
I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."

It's overrated based on your personal experience? What market(s) are you talking about?

I actually think its underrated based on my very limited experience.

IAFG · Post by **IAFG** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:10 pm

It depends on the market, but yes, pitch whatever you have in the CL.

Nomo · Post by **Nomo** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:13 pm

Its very important in most markets. Pitch whatever you've got.

daryldixon · Post by **daryldixon** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:14 pm

Marry someone from there. That really proves you are committed.

sparty99 · Post by **sparty99** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:32 pm

BigZuck wrote:
sparty99 wrote:
erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?
I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."
It's overrated based on your personal experience? What market(s) are you talking about?

I actually think its underrated based on my very limited experience.

I've received interviews (and jobs) in states that I have no connection. The markets are irrevalent. I mean, at the end of the day, you apply to any job opening.

ph14 · Post by **ph14** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:40 pm

Work there during your 1L summer.

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:16 pm

sparty99 wrote:
BigZuck wrote:
sparty99 wrote:
erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?
I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."
It's overrated based on your personal experience? What market(s) are you talking about?

I actually think its underrated based on my very limited experience.
I've received interviews (and jobs) in states that I have no connection. The markets are irrevalent. I mean, at the end of the day, you apply to any job opening.

I think the specific markets might matter here dawg. Unless all markets treat the issue of ties in the same way.

A. Nony Mouse · Post by **A. Nony Mouse** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:37 pm

sparty99 wrote:I've received interviews (and jobs) in states that I have no connection. The markets are irrevalent. I mean, at the end of the day, you apply to any job opening.

I have, too, but I've also been grilled about ties at all those interviews, and I know plenty of people who've been grilled about ties, and have not got jobs because they didn't have ties. (These are in smaller markets.) I think you can absolutely get a job somewhere you don't have any ties, but they're not irrelevant - you have to have a really good answer for why you want to be in that particular place. Of course apply everywhere, but think about how you'd explain to an employer why you want to be there (besides you want a job).

IAFG · Post by **IAFG** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 10:33 pm

ph14 wrote:Work there during your 1L summer.

This is highly, highly credited.

arklaw13 · Post by **arklaw13** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 10:38 pm

If you have distant relatives there, say "with family in the [city] area."

Having no ties won't normally completely foreclose you from getting an offer. Ties are really a proxy that firms use to assess your interest in the city. You can have no ties and still have cognizable reasons for wanting to be in a city. Just be prepared for relentless questions about why you want to be there. Look up some information about the city and the legal market. Find out what industries are big in the area and say that you're interested in working with those kinds of companies. If you've lived in one region all your life and this is a completely different area, say something like "I've lived in [north, south, etc.] all my life and I'm ready for a change." Be creative. Depending on the market, ties can be very important and you really have nothing to lose by coming up with a creative way to demonstrate your interest in the area.

Oh, and work there your 1L summer.

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t · Post by **n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:41 am

BigZuck wrote:
sparty99 wrote:
erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?
I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."
It's overrated based on your personal experience? What market(s) are you talking about?

I actually think its underrated based on my very limited experience.

Care to out the market(s) that gave you a hard time for ties? My understanding is that Texas cities are fairly forgiving for ties, at least relative to the rest of the South.

09042014 · Post by **09042014** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:45 am

If you are a man - Fake Fiance

WhirledWorld · Post by **WhirledWorld** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:52 am

My experience, in order of cares least to cares most, was: NYC < DC and Philadelphia < Texas <<< Minnesota. So of maybe 30 NYC interviewers, only one guy asked "why NYC"? I got that question at every DC firm, and spoke at length about my ties to Texas and Minnesota in every interview I had.

In terms of what demonstrates ties, it's maybe something like: I grew up here > my spouse/fiancee grew up here or her family/career is here (e.g. "my wife is a med student and she got matched in San Diego") > I worked here my 1L summer > I went to college here > the work I want to do is here (NYC finance, TX oil, etc.) > I have family/close friends/girlfriend or boyfriend here > I went to law school here > I really like the city/I've vacationed here/etc.

09042014 · Post by **09042014** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:53 am

NYC cares if your resume reeks on something not NYC. At least non elite NYC firms. Skadden and DPW didn't ask. But Cadwalader and Fried Frank sure did.

BigZuck · Post by **BigZuck** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:46 pm

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t wrote:
BigZuck wrote:
sparty99 wrote:
erythromycin wrote:I keep reading on here how important "ties to the area" are when applying for legal jobs, especially in smaller legal markets. How do you establish ties to the area? Say your spouse got a job in that city or you have family in the area, would you mention it in your cover letter? It seems weird to me to go into my personal life in a cover letter--but is that just how it is done?
I think having "ties to the area" is some what overrated. However, if you do have ties, definitely mention it. I usually say, "I'm a Missouri native" or "I'm from New York and looking to return to the city upon graduation from Harvard Law School." "I'm a second year at Columbia University and am planning to take the Utah Bar examination."
It's overrated based on your personal experience? What market(s) are you talking about?

I actually think its underrated based on my very limited experience.
Care to out the market(s) that gave you a hard time for ties? My understanding is that Texas cities are fairly forgiving for ties, at least relative to the rest of the South.

I'm not technically a Texan but lived in Houston for years and Houston employers have given me a hard time when applying for 1L SAs. It's possible that it's all my fault though for not selling Houston ties harder (I guess maybe I assumed that since I lived in Houston before law school and went to UT that my interest in moving back would be evident). I'll approach things differently at OCI.

And again though, very limited experience.

sd5289 · Post by **sd5289** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:20 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I have, too, but I've also been grilled about ties at all those interviews, and I know plenty of people who've been grilled about ties, and have not got jobs because they didn't have ties.

Yeah, I've even been grilled about my ties to this city and I grew up here (granted I left for 4 years for undergrad, but I came right back after and worked).

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