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  • any lawyers on? I have a question- DH is in school at Brooklyn law, he is top 6% of the class, has moot court, international law journal, deans list, straight A's last 3 semesters , a few other honor awards and such. He just finished the rounds of interviews for summer associate positions and has no calls for 2nd interviews so far, while someone ranked just 1% point ahead of him has 7 call backs. is he just not good enough for this? I think he interviews well, but not certain. I am shocked that he cant at least make it to the next stage with his credentials.....but my question is what happens next? what are his options? any advice of info would be helpful, thanks...

    25 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
    08.21.08, 02:53 PM [ Flag ]
    • He needs to do mock interviews with the placement office ASAP.

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      08.21.08, 02:59 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • Some people can just sell themselves better. It's not his grades.

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      08.21.08, 03:00 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • i wonder if he is too "nice" and not aggressive enough? big law isn't all there is but we need it to pay back school loans and buy a place :(

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        08.21.08, 03:02 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
        • Ihope you're not planning on Big Law as a done deal

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          08.21.08, 03:03 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
          • Sorry, I meant to say that you have a back up plan right? Biglaw is so hard to crack - esp. now

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            08.21.08, 03:04 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
          • of course not, but hoping to for both experience and money, obviously. I think he was assuming he would make it in because of his credentials, maybe he was wrong to be confident about it

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            08.21.08, 03:05 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
            • op- and to add....if he got a few 2nd interviews, and got no offers that would be one thing. he uis the only one in his study group with no offers, i just feel heartsick for him, he feels terrible. but what does he do next? wait until he graduates to apply for regular positions? anything else that can be done?

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              08.21.08, 03:07 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
              • Has he applied for anything at lesser firms?

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                08.21.08, 03:08 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
                • he chose his 50 firms, got 18 first interviews form that list. I imagine they were not all big? I have no clue..am trying to understand the process myself. he has not done anyhting outside the school's interview system

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                  08.21.08, 03:10 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • He should get an account on linked in or doostang to network, call friends and acquaintances at firms, ask for introductions. I'm so lucky I didn't count on my school's career office.

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      08.21.08, 03:12 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • sorry to say, but BLS isn't a "top-tier" school (even though those rankings are so screwed up) and with even law firms going through layoffs, he should look outside of big firms. It's just not realistic. He should interview with smaller, local brooklyn/nyc firms with only one office

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      08.21.08, 03:16 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • I have to agree - despite his classmates experience. My DH went to a strong law school in Boston and did not get into any big firms. He is in a 40 person office with a salary to match.

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        08.21.08, 03:18 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
        • Ditto my experience with similar grades, etc to your DH. Most people from my school ended up doing clerkships as a way to transition

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          08.21.08, 03:22 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • I agree with this - he might also want to look outside NYC

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        08.21.08, 03:24 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • Does he have any prior work experience?

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      08.21.08, 03:21 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • this happened with my dh in b-school for summer. he missed the boat on how he interviewed-terrible with behavioral interviews. too nice, not great answers. did great on cases though. used a connection to get a summer job, got a consulting job next year with more experience and more practice. based on my obs of dh, there is something going wrong in the interviews. have him talk to professors for advice. it will work out for him-just needs a little self reflection on what he is doing and needs to deal with the humble pie right now

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      08.21.08, 03:28 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • op:thanks so much for all the input. yes i know bls isnt top tier, but literally everyone he knows has 2nd interviews, we'll see if those turn into jobs. I think he needs to be more aggressive. wish we could afford him to do a clerkship but he will have to make some sort fo money to at least get us out of debt. sigh! I wonder if there is some sort of interview-training? and we'd consider boston if we had to....any better chance there? thanks again....i have a better idea of the situation now.

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        08.21.08, 03:42 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
        • op: forgot to answer- his previous work experience was in computer programming, this is a second career for him (he is 33)

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          08.21.08, 03:43 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
        • Lol - Boston is the LAST place you want to be. How many law school graduates are packed into a ten mile radius here? Also, you will be carrying a ton of debt for a long time, thats life as a law school graduate. Signed, had to leave Boston for NY and still paying off my loans mom

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          08.21.08, 03:59 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
          • op: haha...duh. I don't want to move further than boston for family reasons, so guess we're here for now. the loans will always be an issue, but I am glad he has a 50% scholarship.

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            08.21.08, 05:05 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
        • Boston has fine law schools of their own so I don't think you'll do better there. You may have to cast the net wider.

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          08.21.08, 04:07 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • He needs to get some help interviewing. The career office should be able to help.

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      08.21.08, 05:05 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
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