3L without any offers and new here Forum

[tb12345]

I have no idea what to do as I am about to go home for the holiday and tell my parents im a loser.

What the hell should I do? Mass mail? How do I even get a list of all the firms in my area? Literally if anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great.

[Anonymous User]

First of all, you're definitely not a loser! A lot of people graduate without jobs and that is totally a normal position to be in. While it is definitely not the ideal scenario, it is far from hopeless at this point. I would go talk to your school's career services center about best places to start. It's a little late for mass mailing, but targeted emails to your school's alumni at specific firms in specific geographic areas might be helpful. What market are you attempting to target? Are you open to other career possibilities like government work, etc.?

[pancakes3]

grades, market and school tier?

[tb12345]

First of all, you're definitely not a loser! A lot of people graduate without jobs and that is totally a normal position to be in. While it is definitely not the ideal scenario, it is far from hopeless at this point. I would go talk to your school's career services center about best places to start. It's a little late for mass mailing, but targeted emails to your school's alumni at specific firms in specific geographic areas might be helpful. What market are you attempting to target? Are you open to other career possibilities like government work, etc.?

T3 school and the Boston area market but open to New York. At this point I'm open to anything.

[sparkytrainer]

Not to be a downer OP, but if you are at a t3 in boston, which I imagine might be Northeastern, you are gonna have to work exceedingly hard to get any legal job given that half or more of your classmates wont.

You need to broaden your perspective. That means applying for things all across the country. You have no ability to only focus on Boston or NY, because you need to really look everywhere for a job.

A consideration might be working as a rural DA in the midwest. I know quite a few counties are hiring. The problem just happens to be that they in the middle of nowhere and pay almost nothing.

[albanach]

A consideration might be working as a rural DA in the midwest. I know quite a few counties are hiring. The problem just happens to be that they in the middle of nowhere and pay almost nothing.

To that point, if you've no criminal law experience, you have one winter break and a spring semester in which to get it. You should be trying to make sure you can turn out three resumes - one for criminal law, one for civil litigation and one transnational. That way you can apply for almost any opening anywhere.

What did you do the past two summers?

[tb12345]

A consideration might be working as a rural DA in the midwest. I know quite a few counties are hiring. The problem just happens to be that they in the middle of nowhere and pay almost nothing.

To that point, if you've no criminal law experience, you have one winter break and a spring semester in which to get it. You should be trying to make sure you can turn out three resumes - one for criminal law, one for civil litigation and one transnational. That way you can apply for almost any opening anywhere.

What did you do the past two summers?

I worked in a city hall in the solicitors office both summers.

My trouble is also I literally dont even know where to apply. My symplicity at my school sucks and I don't even know where to begin looking honestly.

[sparkytrainer]

A consideration might be working as a rural DA in the midwest. I know quite a few counties are hiring. The problem just happens to be that they in the middle of nowhere and pay almost nothing.

To that point, if you've no criminal law experience, you have one winter break and a spring semester in which to get it. You should be trying to make sure you can turn out three resumes - one for criminal law, one for civil litigation and one transnational. That way you can apply for almost any opening anywhere.

What did you do the past two summers?

I worked in a city hall in the solicitors office both summers.

My trouble is also I literally dont even know where to apply. My symplicity at my school sucks and I don't even know where to begin looking honestly.

You need to look everywhere. Like literally.

[UVA2B]

Find every DA office in your surrounding area first, and start sending out feelers to extern in those offices. I'm talking any DA office where you'd consider working. This starts with little more than a google search "[city] district attorney jobs." Every website should have a contact where you can inquire about internships, etc.

On the civil side, you should be looking for any alumni of your school and see if they'd be willing to let you come on and work with them during the spring semester. If/when you find one, work your tail off for them so they'll maybe consider hiring you once you pass the bar full time.

You can do this, but you have to be relentless. You have to go down to very basics such as google searches in the areas you'd want to work, Linkedin stalking alumni and cold contacting, and finding any place that will let you work for them during the spring to establish some contacts in that office.

The handwringing and sense of hopelessness needs to end now. The only way you're going to land something is if you put yourself out there and keep trying until you have something.

Good luck!

[UVA2B]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... hilit=vale

Also, check out this thread, cause it has a ton of value coming from people who were in similar situations as you are now.

[Anonymous User]

In the same position. I have times where I'm pretty upbeat and know I'll find something, but there are other times where I just get super down. Its hard seeing my classmates have things locked up an their future is clear and I'm still here searching.

[pancakes3]

just keep on chugging. if you missed the biglaw boat and are applying to shitlaw, they're not going to interview (much less extend offers) to 1st semester 3L's. you've got a long way to go (graduate, pass the bar) before they'll look at your resume.

you can still apply for internships for the Spring and state-level clerkships too.

[mcmand]

Def apply for state level clerkships and be open to going to any state. Some of my classmates managed to score state-level clerkships during 3L. Two of them are in Alaska. I get snapchats of moose chilling in their driveway every morning.

[tb12345]

Find every DA office in your surrounding area first, and start sending out feelers to extern in those offices. I'm talking any DA office where you'd consider working. This starts with little more than a google search "[city] district attorney jobs." Every website should have a contact where you can inquire about internships, etc.

On the civil side, you should be looking for any alumni of your school and see if they'd be willing to let you come on and work with them during the spring semester. If/when you find one, work your tail off for them so they'll maybe consider hiring you once you pass the bar full time.

You can do this, but you have to be relentless. You have to go down to very basics such as google searches in the areas you'd want to work, Linkedin stalking alumni and cold contacting, and finding any place that will let you work for them during the spring to establish some contacts in that office.

The handwringing and sense of hopelessness needs to end now. The only way you're going to land something is if you put yourself out there and keep trying until you have something.

Good luck!

Thank you for your advice. It definitely gives me a few ideas of where to pursue next. Also I want to thank everyone else in the thread as well.

I am probably going to sit down this entire weekend and get my shit together and start trying as hard as I can to find something for the spring. Hopefully someone will have some christmas spirit and give me a shot.

[tb12345]

Def apply for state level clerkships and be open to going to any state. Some of my classmates managed to score state-level clerkships during 3L. Two of them are in Alaska. I get snapchats of moose chilling in their driveway every morning.

I am beginning to wonder if this is my only shot. To be fair, a year or two of clerkship experience will probably make me feel much more confident about applying to places especially with my background.

[andythefir]

My office in rural New Mexico hired someone from Northeastern Law who got fired from his last DA job and was working as a bouncer.

[mcmand]

Def apply for state level clerkships and be open to going to any state. Some of my classmates managed to score state-level clerkships during 3L. Two of them are in Alaska. I get snapchats of moose chilling in their driveway every morning.

I am beginning to wonder if this is my only shot. To be fair, a year or two of clerkship experience will probably make me feel much more confident about applying to places especially with my background.

It's not your only shot, don't get down on yourself. If you take everyone's advice and apply far and wide, and do it relentlessly until you find something, you probably will find something. Just keep at it. Some of my friends didn't find jobs until post bar exam or even post bar results. They kept at it. Two of them actually got something in mid-law and BigLaw after bar results. That's very unlikely, but you never know. Keep networking, applying, and hustling.

[malibustacy]

Craiglist is actually better than people think for getting jobs. I know people who got entry-level (albeit horrible paying) lawyer jobs on Craigslist to get their foot in the door.

[Bubbles1012]

Also, I don’t know how your grades are, but if they are good you should get on nalp and start mass mailing. Literally every firm in Boston and New York. Firms do have their needs change throughout the year and may find that they are looking to hire a 3L for 2018 because a certain group is busier than expected. I just got a Biglaw offer a week and a half ago because I massmailed at the right time. Better, I think, to reach out to hiring attorney than recruiting when you mass mail as the hiring attorney is more aware of these sorts of things.

[Anonymous User]

Also, I don’t know how your grades are, but if they are good you should get on nalp and start mass mailing. Literally every firm in Boston and New York. Firms do have their needs change throughout the year and may find that they are looking to hire a 3L for 2018 because a certain group is busier than expected. I just got a Biglaw offer a week and a half ago because I massmailed at the right time. Better, I think, to reach out to hiring attorney than recruiting when you mass mail as the hiring attorney is more aware of these sorts of things.

Ok thank you for the suggestions. And what is nalp? I'm literally clueless sorry

[CardozoLaw09]

Also, I don’t know how your grades are, but if they are good you should get on nalp and start mass mailing. Literally every firm in Boston and New York. Firms do have their needs change throughout the year and may find that they are looking to hire a 3L for 2018 because a certain group is busier than expected. I just got a Biglaw offer a week and a half ago because I massmailed at the right time. Better, I think, to reach out to hiring attorney than recruiting when you mass mail as the hiring attorney is more aware of these sorts of things.

Ok thank you for the suggestions. And what is nalp? I'm literally clueless sorry

https://www.nalp.org/jdjobseekers

[Bubbles1012]

Nalp is a directory. It will have a list of firms for Boston and New York with contact info for recruiting/hiring attorney. Just start blasting our your resume and transcript. Write a few cover letters you can use and switch and tweak depending on what the firm is known for.