The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:30 am

rcharter1978 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:idk if this is going to be relevant in this thread but I just fucked up big time today. I'm a 3L and I have no interview for today but I lied that I did.
Backstory, my friend and I applied to the same big company, my friend got some kind of response, I didn't. So I lied and said I interviewed with them today. Total shitty move, I panicked alright? Well I got so used to saying it that I ended up saying it all the way to my internship where I told the attorneys there that I had this interview. Turns out, those attorneys knew ppl at the big firm and one of them even lived next to the legal recruiter for the firm. Fml, so here I am fumbling through a terrible explanation, they're confused b/c how on earth could I not remember the interviewer's name, and it's just a total shit show. One of them already knows (or at least suspects) I was lying. Another is going to be find soon b/c he literally lives next to the legal recruiter.

I'm having some kind of panicked breakdown b/c I fucked myself over. At best, these ppl will just judge me, at worst, my name will get out in the legal community as a fucking liar. I wish I hadn't said anything and now its too late to take anything back.
This is sad. But also hilarious. Alright, so yeah you made a mistake and these attorneys probably won't trust you the same way they did before, but it's not the end of the world. Your internship with this firm is going to last how long? I would just bear with it and pretend it never happened, and if they bring it up just apologize and tell them the reason why you lied was because you were embarrassed and trying to cover it up. They're not going to go out into the legal community and put up fliers about how you lied about having an interview. A few people will know but at worst you should just get a little ridicule. So breathe and just dont ever do it again.
This sounds like legitimate advice. I think people can be sympathetic to the idea of feeling so much pressure to succeed. My suspicion is that in the long run you'll just be a story, but one where people are like "I once knew this guy/girl who..."
thanks to both of you! Somehow things turned out ok. The attorneys acted perfectly fine when I saw them later. It's like it never happened thank fucking god.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:30 pm

A Texas Law School grad and recent Texas Licensed attorney(Nov. 2018), still looking for work. Had 2 interviews 3 weeks ago and both said I should hear by now. Have not heard anything. Will follow up soon. At this point, it seems like I will be doing contract/temp work. That is about as bright as my future goes.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Feb 22, 2019 12:10 pm

Had an interview today at a big firm. I tried not to show the desperation of a soon to be graduating 3L. Idk why i'm even getting these interviews when my grades suck (under median) and anyone can tell looking at my resume and transcript. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I even have interviews, but it hurts getting my hopes up and getting rejected every time.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by CardozoLaw09 » Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:40 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Had an interview today at a big firm. I tried not to show the desperation of a soon to be graduating 3L. Idk why i'm even getting these interviews when my grades suck (under median) and anyone can tell looking at my resume and transcript. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I even have interviews, but it hurts getting my hopes up and getting rejected every time.
What market? School ranking?

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by QContinuum » Fri Feb 22, 2019 5:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:A Texas Law School grad and recent Texas Licensed attorney(Nov. 2018), still looking for work. Had 2 interviews 3 weeks ago and both said I should hear by now. Have not heard anything. Will follow up soon. At this point, it seems like I will be doing contract/temp work. That is about as bright as my future goes.
Have you looked into insurance defense? Considered state court clerkships? Are you patent bar-eligible? If you applied to midlaw/smaller firms prior to getting barred, consider reapplying to those firms now. Many small firms don't hire folks until after bar passage, as they aren't in a position to accommodate juniors who aren't yet licensed attorneys.

I know it's (much) easier said than done, but keep at it. You have a UT J.D. - that's a huge asset.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 23, 2019 2:26 am

I’m sorry about the confusion. By Texas law school graduate I literally meant a general “Texas law school grad.” I can see how plainly referring to Texas law school could cause one to think Texas Law, which collectively is another reference to UT. Probably doesn’t help either when I cpatalized law after Texas in my op as well.

But, yes, anyways I went to a regional lower T1 law school in Texas, think... (Baylor, SMU, U of H). Not the greatest schools ever, but I couldn’t get into UT. Got somewhat of a decent financial package here though. I was also limited to Texas schools. Graduated median because at some point I stopped caring about grades and “the game law students play.” [Misogynistic content redacted]

Regardless, your points are relevant, regarding what I should be doing at this point. I will keep this thread updated if I find something.

Moderator note: Misogynistic content is not permitted on TLS. The content has been redacted and this poster has been warned. -QContinuum

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 23, 2019 3:29 am

QContinuum wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Recent grad here -- I struggled to find a full-time job until I finally passed the California bar.

I've been applying for jobs since August. Out of 300 applications (all public interest employers), I managed to get 15 interviews. Out of those interviews, I finally got an offer. It was definitely a roller coaster ride, but staying optimistic and grinding every day goes a long way. Things will work out!
CONGRATS on your success! Thrilled for you.

To the other readers of this thread, take heart from the above. In many cases, you won't land a job until after you've passed the bar. Many, even most employers simply aren't in a position to hire someone who isn't yet an admitted lawyer. They need someone who's licensed starting on day one. (Of course, don't stop looking for jobs during 3L/pre-bar passage! But just keep in mind that your best chance of getting a legal job lies in the future, so don't be disheartened if you don't find anything now.)
Same OP/Anonymous here.

Just finished my first month at the new job. I still can't believe I'm at this point. To be honest, I'm still processing the two years it took for me to finally get to this point (passing the bar, applying + interviewing for jobs, etc). But now that I'm working, life feels... normal again. For those struggling or hurting... hang in there. Just keep grinding, take it day by day, and things will eventually change for the better.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:21 pm

CardozoLaw09 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Had an interview today at a big firm. I tried not to show the desperation of a soon to be graduating 3L. Idk why i'm even getting these interviews when my grades suck (under median) and anyone can tell looking at my resume and transcript. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I even have interviews, but it hurts getting my hopes up and getting rejected every time.
What market? School ranking?
corporate. T1. bottom 50% (lower half of class is unranked). secondary journal.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:04 pm

May 2018 grad. Lived in another state all my life (where I went to law school) and decided to make a lifestyle-move to a brand new state after getting no-offered at my SA firm.

Currently licensed in the new state, met an amazing girl and I have the time and freedom to devote to a life.

I'm clerking in the state's trial court; however, it's not at all want I see myself doing. I am determined to go transactional, specifically commercial real estate, land use, or corporate, but have hardly any bites yet. I have a some local gov't/muni experience, and I had an interview at a city attorney's office, but no word as of yet.

It's discouraging sitting in purgatory while everyone I went to law school with has already "started" their paths. Sure, I have an infinitely better lifestyle than many, if not all, of them; however, I'm really questioning my next step. I did well at a T2, law review, but do I even want to practice law? My goal was never to practice law, my goal was to get into law school to prove to myself that I could. I don't hate the law, but it just doesn't pull me out of bed.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by objctnyrhnr » Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:35 pm

Anonymous User wrote:May 2018 grad. Lived in another state all my life (where I went to law school) and decided to make a lifestyle-move to a brand new state after getting no-offered at my SA firm.

Currently licensed in the new state, met an amazing girl and I have the time and freedom to devote to a life.

I'm clerking in the state's trial court; however, it's not at all want I see myself doing. I am determined to go transactional, specifically commercial real estate, land use, or corporate, but have hardly any bites yet. I have a some local gov't/muni experience, and I had an interview at a city attorney's office, but no word as of yet.

It's discouraging sitting in purgatory while everyone I went to law school with has already "started" their paths. Sure, I have an infinitely better lifestyle than many, if not all, of them; however, I'm really questioning my next step. I did well at a T2, law review, but do I even want to practice law? My goal was never to practice law, my goal was to get into law school to prove to myself that I could. I don't hate the law, but it just doesn't pull me out of bed.
Low level clerking (barring land court or something) tends to lend itself to litigation. My advice is either to start down that path, and/or try to clerk your way up. If you land article 3 fed, you might get looks even for corporate if you are low level enough.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:59 pm

Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:40 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.
I feel you. I think being chill and not actively bringing up topics such as job search would be fine. Don't be down or stressed! I would remind myself that my friends are amazing people who deserve a great job and I am too. It all comes to a matter of timing and luck.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Jinjuice » Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:20 pm

Anonymous User wrote: It all comes to a matter of timing and luck.
What do you mean?
Last edited by QContinuum on Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Mar 08, 2019 7:55 am

Anonymous User wrote:Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.
As far as my classmates know, I've become a ghost in the system and I plan to keep it that way.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Iceman22 » Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:15 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote: It all comes to a matter of timing and luck.
What do you mean?
I'm not OP, but this is pretty much a common theme with finding jobs in general, not just in the legal field. It's all about when positions open up, finding the job posting, getting selected for an interview, how switched-on you are during the interview(s), who you're competing against, your network/connections/who-you-know, etc. A lot of moving parts just to get that one job.
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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:27 pm

I have an interview with a small Plaintiff's side Employment Law firm in NYC. How should I go about preparing for it?

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by paoding » Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:19 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I have an interview with a small Plaintiff's side Employment Law firm in NYC. How should I go about preparing for it?
You can't change what you have for the experience or your GPA. What you can do is to do your research about the practice if you don't know too much yet, read articles online, talk with practitioners, prepare some good questions to ask, do you best in the interviews. Have a conversation with the interviewers, don't be desperate - the goal is to let them know you and let you know them. Even if this opportunity doesn't work out, you learn about a new practice and have some new connections in your network. Good luck!
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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:25 pm

Got and accepted a job with a Plaintiffs PI firm (~60 attorney's or so) in a non-major city (think Houston/Atlanta/Denver). Salary is $85K and not contingent on bringing in business.

Problem is - I'm not really interested in being in that specific city long-term and I also don't want to do litigation long-term (more interested in the transactional side).

I obviously need to take this job if I can't find something more in-line with my long-term desires - since it pays well and gives me an opportunity to get much needed experience. But what're some things I should be thinking about/trying to do?

Still looking for "perfect" situations in locations I want to be in and in the practice area I want to be in. But concerned that if I start my career in litigation - it's gonna be an uphill battle to ever switch practice areas or do anything besides litigation.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by beehive » Wed Mar 27, 2019 11:46 am

Anonymous User wrote:Got and accepted a job with a Plaintiffs PI firm (~60 attorney's or so) in a non-major city (think Houston/Atlanta/Denver). Salary is $85K and not contingent on bringing in business.

Problem is - I'm not really interested in being in that specific city long-term and I also don't want to do litigation long-term (more interested in the transactional side).

I obviously need to take this job if I can't find something more in-line with my long-term desires - since it pays well and gives me an opportunity to get much needed experience. But what're some things I should be thinking about/trying to do?

Still looking for "perfect" situations in locations I want to be in and in the practice area I want to be in. But concerned that if I start my career in litigation - it's gonna be an uphill battle to ever switch practice areas or do anything besides litigation.
Feel free to PM me and I can let you know how I made a similar switch!

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Mar 27, 2019 3:20 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.
It really is stressful and I feel somewhat ashamed that I can't even secure stable employment. I couldn't even secure a document review job listing because the spots were already filled up. This bar limbo phase is really disheartening and depressing...

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Mar 30, 2019 7:19 pm

.
Last edited by Anonymous User on Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Mar 30, 2019 7:54 pm

objctnyrhnr wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:May 2018 grad. Lived in another state all my life (where I went to law school) and decided to make a lifestyle-move to a brand new state after getting no-offered at my SA firm.

Currently licensed in the new state, met an amazing girl and I have the time and freedom to devote to a life.

I'm clerking in the state's trial court; however, it's not at all want I see myself doing. I am determined to go transactional, specifically commercial real estate, land use, or corporate, but have hardly any bites yet. I have a some local gov't/muni experience, and I had an interview at a city attorney's office, but no word as of yet.

It's discouraging sitting in purgatory while everyone I went to law school with has already "started" their paths. Sure, I have an infinitely better lifestyle than many, if not all, of them; however, I'm really questioning my next step. I did well at a T2, law review, but do I even want to practice law? My goal was never to practice law, my goal was to get into law school to prove to myself that I could. I don't hate the law, but it just doesn't pull me out of bed.
Low level clerking (barring land court or something) tends to lend itself to litigation. My advice is either to start down that path, and/or try to clerk your way up. If you land article 3 fed, you might get looks even for corporate if you are low level enough.
Start your own firm or do anything you can to go in house and call it a day.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:18 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.
It really is stressful and I feel somewhat ashamed that I can't even secure stable employment. I couldn't even secure a document review job listing because the spots were already filled up. This bar limbo phase is really disheartening and depressing...
OP here. I completely understand and I hope you remember you're not alone. There are unemployed law grads all across the country in exactly your position, and it's not because of any lack of effort or skill. Some of my friends got their positions out of sheer dumb luck of being the right person in the right position, because their stats aren't much better than mine.

Literally telling you what I have to repeat to myself every time I don't get a callback.

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Ar40 » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:54 am

any advice for finding biglaw positions 2 months pre graduation? I don't see anything ever on Symplicity - and when things do pop up it's all for people with 1-3 years of experience. (I struck out at OCI because I was too geographically limited, but I have a decent GPA and on law review for a T14 school).

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Re: The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls)

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:32 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Fellow soon to be law grads, how're you dealing with the peers during your job search? Or are you just not dealing with them at all? Personally I do like my law school friends but being around them is extremely stressing because most of them are already employed.
It really is stressful and I feel somewhat ashamed that I can't even secure stable employment. I couldn't even secure a document review job listing because the spots were already filled up. This bar limbo phase is really disheartening and depressing...
OP here. I completely understand and I hope you remember you're not alone. There are unemployed law grads all across the country in exactly your position, and it's not because of any lack of effort or skill. Some of my friends got their positions out of sheer dumb luck of being the right person in the right position, because their stats aren't much better than mine.

Literally telling you what I have to repeat to myself every time I don't get a callback.
Thank you, I appreciate the response. I guess I feel alone because all my friends have jobs and I have yet to find one. It's aggravating when they keep checking up on me to know what's going on in my life. Plus, there's a lot of pressure coming from the family front. It's like I have to keep reminding them that searching for a job is a job within itself, except without pay. :|

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