Austin Legal Market Forum

[PrezRand]

Does anyone have knowledge what hiring is like in Austin, TX? Where can I get information about it? How insular is it? Is it possible to get into the market being a TX native and going to a t14 law school or would it be better to just go to UT?

[uhwrestler]

Does anyone have knowledge what hiring is like in Austin, TX? Where can I get information about it? How insular is it? Is it possible to get into the market being a TX native and going to a t14 law school or would it be better to just go to UT?

from what ive heard there are very few big law jobs in austin and they are dominated by UT...unless your going to harvard, yale, or stanford it will be very hard to compete with a UT grad in austin

most big law jobs in texas are going to be in dallas and houston. you will be far more effective with a non UT t-14 degree in those cities.

[candidlatke]

anecdotal, but from my mentor who is a partner at one of the big texas firms in the austin office, they're fairly open to t-14 students but they *really* wanna know that you're gonna be committing. since the market & classes are so small, it's a pretty crappy thing when the one SA they invested in ditches the firm after a summer. the standard "my s.o. works in the area" is going to be met with some skepticism so just be prepared for "why texas" and "why austin"

[PrezRand]

anecdotal, but from my mentor who is a partner at one of the big texas firms in the austin office, they're fairly open to t-14 students but they *really* wanna know that you're gonna be committing. since the market & classes are so small, it's a pretty crappy thing when the one SA they invested in ditches the firm after a summer. the standard "my s.o. works in the area" is going to be met with some skepticism so just be prepared for "why texas" and "why austin"

I wouldn't need to explain the "why texas" since I'm a TX native and have been here for 20 years. As for Austin, do you think it's beneficial to try to get a SA position there instead of Dallas/Houston?

[BigZuck]

I think trying to get a SA in Austin is a fool's errand unless you've got some amazing grades and/or rock solid ties (ideally both). I'm just basing that off of OCI at UT a few years ago. Someone will now come along and argue with me.

This thread has been done many times before, I suggest reading through those.

[kalvano]

Trying to find an SA in Austin is very difficult because it's a very desirable market and has a very limited number of available spots. A number of extremely qualified people are going to get turned down simply due to lack of available options.

It's all well and good to target Austin, but you should definitely have a back-up plan and market in place, because the odds are stacked against you.

[Magnifique1908]

I am a current Austin biglaw associate. Spent both of my summers in mid-law and biglaw in Austin.

All the advice you have gotten is pretty sound. Lots of people want to stay here from UT. Lots of people want to move here from other top schools. And occasionally you'll have the folks who are actually from Austin who will have a stronger narrative than you. My summer classes were 60-70% UT and the rest were T-14 students who were either Austin natives or who had some other strong reason for being here (spouse going to business school here, etc.).

I can tell you, both from the interviewee perspective and now as the interviewer, people will certainly want to know why Austin and you need a good reason. They want to see some commitment that you won't decide to go somewhere else either after the summer or shortly after becoming an associate.

I got many of the responses you received here when I targeted only Austin as both a 1L and a 2L. I lucked out but I had the grades and a strong story for wanting to be in Austin (I am not a Texas native).

Happy to answer additional questions if needed. Good luck!

[PrezRand]

I am a current Austin biglaw associate. Spent both of my summers in mid-law and biglaw in Austin.

All the advice you have gotten is pretty sound. Lots of people want to stay here from UT. Lots of people want to move here from other top schools. And occasionally you'll have the folks who are actually from Austin who will have a stronger narrative than you. My summer classes were 60-70% UT and the rest were T-14 students who were either Austin natives or who had some other strong reason for being here (spouse going to business school here, etc.).

I can tell you, both from the interviewee perspective and now as the interviewer, people will certainly want to know why Austin and you need a good reason. They want to see some commitment that you won't decide to go somewhere else either after the summer or shortly after becoming an associate.

I got many of the responses you received here when I targeted only Austin as both a 1L and a 2L. I lucked out but I had the grades and a strong story for wanting to be in Austin (I am not a Texas native).

Happy to answer additional questions if needed. Good luck!

One of the main reasons why I want to work in Austin is because I eventually want to work for the Texas legislature or in the governor's office. Additionally, most of think tanks in Texas are in Austin. Does going to a t14 over UT put you at any disadvantage even if you try to spend your summers in Austin?

[BigZuck]

I am a current Austin biglaw associate. Spent both of my summers in mid-law and biglaw in Austin.

All the advice you have gotten is pretty sound. Lots of people want to stay here from UT. Lots of people want to move here from other top schools. And occasionally you'll have the folks who are actually from Austin who will have a stronger narrative than you. My summer classes were 60-70% UT and the rest were T-14 students who were either Austin natives or who had some other strong reason for being here (spouse going to business school here, etc.).

I can tell you, both from the interviewee perspective and now as the interviewer, people will certainly want to know why Austin and you need a good reason. They want to see some commitment that you won't decide to go somewhere else either after the summer or shortly after becoming an associate.

I got many of the responses you received here when I targeted only Austin as both a 1L and a 2L. I lucked out but I had the grades and a strong story for wanting to be in Austin (I am not a Texas native).

Happy to answer additional questions if needed. Good luck!

One of the main reasons why I want to work in Austin is because I eventually want to work for the Texas legislature or in the governor's office. Additionally, most of think tanks in Texas are in Austin. Does going to a t14 over UT put you at any disadvantage even if you try to spend your summers in Austin?

Why do you want to do big law if you ultimately want to do those things?

Why even go to law school? Do you want to be a lawyer?

[PrezRand]

I am a current Austin biglaw associate. Spent both of my summers in mid-law and biglaw in Austin.

All the advice you have gotten is pretty sound. Lots of people want to stay here from UT. Lots of people want to move here from other top schools. And occasionally you'll have the folks who are actually from Austin who will have a stronger narrative than you. My summer classes were 60-70% UT and the rest were T-14 students who were either Austin natives or who had some other strong reason for being here (spouse going to business school here, etc.).

I can tell you, both from the interviewee perspective and now as the interviewer, people will certainly want to know why Austin and you need a good reason. They want to see some commitment that you won't decide to go somewhere else either after the summer or shortly after becoming an associate.

I got many of the responses you received here when I targeted only Austin as both a 1L and a 2L. I lucked out but I had the grades and a strong story for wanting to be in Austin (I am not a Texas native).

Happy to answer additional questions if needed. Good luck!

One of the main reasons why I want to work in Austin is because I eventually want to work for the Texas legislature or in the governor's office. Additionally, most of think tanks in Texas are in Austin. Does going to a t14 over UT put you at any disadvantage even if you try to spend your summers in Austin?

Why do you want to do big law if you ultimately want to do those things?

Why even go to law school? Do you want to be a lawyer?

I can't do both?

[Pneumonia]

Does anyone have knowledge what hiring is like in Austin, TX? Where can I get information about it? How insular is it? Is it possible to get into the market being a TX native and going to a t14 law school or would it be better to just go to UT?

Being a Texas native will help. It would be better if you were an *Austin* native, but being from the state is loads better than being from somewhere else. I'm a 3L, but I worked at law firms in Austin for both summers. Like you, I'm a native Texan but not an Austin-ite. I did spend some time at UT for undergrad, but I don't think that helped much.

Austin is hard to get, no matter your school. I'm at Harvard, and even here there are people who want Austin and don't get it. UT grads are disproportionately represented in Austin SA classes, but there is also a massive percentage of the UT class that wants to work in Austin. As in other areas, HYS are kind of in their own league for Austin placement, but that doesn't mean the rest of the T14 can be treated indiscriminately. In my experience, UVA and Duke are usually represented very well.

Austin offices will recruit at UT. Some might also go to Baylor/UH/SMU, but that's only when a certain partner wants at least one kid per year from a certain school, likely due to being an alum (don't go to those schools). Other than that, Duke and UVA are the next most popular targets for Austin offices. But even there it's not like every firm goes. I think the biggest SA class in Austin is still in the single digits, so it's not like these offices need dozens and dozens of bodies.

Assuming median grades and TX ties, I think a given student's best shot a getting Austin comes from schools in the following order: HYS >> UVA/Duke >>>>T14 >UT>>>>>>>>>>> other Texas schools>>>>other schools. This is of course generalized. For example, Andrews Kurth tends to hire only from Harvard and UT to fill their class. But there are other firms where being from Y/S will but you ahead of the Harvard kids. With one exception, all of the UT SAs that I've worked with in Austin were on Law Review, which is a goodish proxy for top 25% or so at UT. The Duke/UVA people I've worked with were closer to median. I also worked with people from most of the other T14 schools, but only one from each school so too few to provide meaningful advice.

Also, feel free to PM me.

[BigZuck]

I am a current Austin biglaw associate. Spent both of my summers in mid-law and biglaw in Austin.

All the advice you have gotten is pretty sound. Lots of people want to stay here from UT. Lots of people want to move here from other top schools. And occasionally you'll have the folks who are actually from Austin who will have a stronger narrative than you. My summer classes were 60-70% UT and the rest were T-14 students who were either Austin natives or who had some other strong reason for being here (spouse going to business school here, etc.).

I can tell you, both from the interviewee perspective and now as the interviewer, people will certainly want to know why Austin and you need a good reason. They want to see some commitment that you won't decide to go somewhere else either after the summer or shortly after becoming an associate.

I got many of the responses you received here when I targeted only Austin as both a 1L and a 2L. I lucked out but I had the grades and a strong story for wanting to be in Austin (I am not a Texas native).

Happy to answer additional questions if needed. Good luck!

One of the main reasons why I want to work in Austin is because I eventually want to work for the Texas legislature or in the governor's office. Additionally, most of think tanks in Texas are in Austin. Does going to a t14 over UT put you at any disadvantage even if you try to spend your summers in Austin?

Why do you want to do big law if you ultimately want to do those things?

Why even go to law school? Do you want to be a lawyer?

I can't do both?

I think I asked fair questions, and they were serious questions

But whatever I guess

[PrezRand]

Does anyone have knowledge what hiring is like in Austin, TX? Where can I get information about it? How insular is it? Is it possible to get into the market being a TX native and going to a t14 law school or would it be better to just go to UT?

Being a Texas native will help. It would be better if you were an *Austin* native, but being from the state is loads better than being from somewhere else. I'm a 3L, but I worked at law firms in Austin for both summers. Like you, I'm a native Texan but not an Austin-ite. I did spend some time at UT for undergrad, but I don't think that helped much.

Austin is hard to get, no matter your school. I'm at Harvard, and even here there are people who want Austin and don't get it. UT grads are disproportionately represented in Austin SA classes, but there is also a massive percentage of the UT class that wants to work in Austin. As in other areas, HYS are kind of in their own league for Austin placement, but that doesn't mean the rest of the T14 can be treated indiscriminately. In my experience, UVA and Duke are usually represented very well.

Austin offices will recruit at UT. Some might also go to Baylor/UH/SMU, but that's only when a certain partner wants at least one kid per year from a certain school, likely due to being an alum (don't go to those schools). Other than that, Duke and UVA are the next most popular targets for Austin offices. But even there it's not like every firm goes. I think the biggest SA class in Austin is still in the single digits, so it's not like these offices need dozens and dozens of bodies.

Assuming median grades and TX ties, I think a given student's best shot a getting Austin comes from schools in the following order: HYS >> UVA/Duke >>>>T14 >UT>>>>>>>>>>> other Texas schools>>>>other schools. This is of course generalized. For example, Andrews Kurth tends to hire only from Harvard and UT to fill their class. But there are other firms where being from Y/S will but you ahead of the Harvard kids. With one exception, all of the UT SAs that I've worked with in Austin were on Law Review, which is a goodish proxy for top 25% or so at UT. The Duke/UVA people I've worked with were closer to median. I also worked with people from most of the other T14 schools, but only one from each school so too few to provide meaningful advice.

Also, feel free to PM me.

Thanks!

[herecomesthesun]

I know people from T-14s out of state who are from TX who got SA positions and later associate positions in Austin. Purely anecdotal though. I am a 1L (at a school out-of-state) from Austin, and haven't heard from any offices of firms in Austin. Most of what's been said here is true--really small market/offices, dominated by UT.

[Magnifique1908]

Does anyone have knowledge what hiring is like in Austin, TX? Where can I get information about it? How insular is it? Is it possible to get into the market being a TX native and going to a t14 law school or would it be better to just go to UT?

Being a Texas native will help. It would be better if you were an *Austin* native, but being from the state is loads better than being from somewhere else. I'm a 3L, but I worked at law firms in Austin for both summers. Like you, I'm a native Texan but not an Austin-ite. I did spend some time at UT for undergrad, but I don't think that helped much.

Austin is hard to get, no matter your school. I'm at Harvard, and even here there are people who want Austin and don't get it. UT grads are disproportionately represented in Austin SA classes, but there is also a massive percentage of the UT class that wants to work in Austin. As in other areas, HYS are kind of in their own league for Austin placement, but that doesn't mean the rest of the T14 can be treated indiscriminately. In my experience, UVA and Duke are usually represented very well.

Austin offices will recruit at UT. Some might also go to Baylor/UH/SMU, but that's only when a certain partner wants at least one kid per year from a certain school, likely due to being an alum (don't go to those schools). Other than that, Duke and UVA are the next most popular targets for Austin offices. But even there it's not like every firm goes. I think the biggest SA class in Austin is still in the single digits, so it's not like these offices need dozens and dozens of bodies.

Assuming median grades and TX ties, I think a given student's best shot a getting Austin comes from schools in the following order: HYS >> UVA/Duke >>>>T14 >UT>>>>>>>>>>> other Texas schools>>>>other schools. This is of course generalized. For example, Andrews Kurth tends to hire only from Harvard and UT to fill their class. But there are other firms where being from Y/S will but you ahead of the Harvard kids. With one exception, all of the UT SAs that I've worked with in Austin were on Law Review, which is a goodish proxy for top 25% or so at UT. The Duke/UVA people I've worked with were closer to median. I also worked with people from most of the other T14 schools, but only one from each school so too few to provide meaningful advice.

Also, feel free to PM me.

This is pretty representative of my experience as well. We also had a UM student in our last summer class. If I look at the make up of our office, the majority are UT graduates. We have quite a bit of Harvard alum and a smattering of Duke/UVA/Stanford folks.

[PrezRand]

Is it true that Austin's legal market is beginning to grow?