Page 3 - Law Schools

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Law Schools | MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 | S3

“back in the day.” There was a relatively energy, and students should ensure that

small group of irms that the market for From the beginning of a legal career, when associates line up their is therefore really the right it for them. It
legal services viewed as “elite” or “highly summer jobs and consider their post-graduate options, they should is entirely rational that law students and
prestigious,” and among those irms com- young lawyers who have seen a job market
petition was limited. Firms in this group also consider how they plan to develop.
with increased lexibility and substantial
knew the client base of the other firms variety of opportunities, and who have a
in the group and, for the most part, each generational openness to change and less
was able to coexist without infringing on devotion to a single job or career, become ed, deinition of a successful hire. Simply large but-still-considered-boutique litiga-
the others’ business. Quantitative metrics more mobile just as the world has become stated, it was a capable junior lawyer who tion shops, to more tech-focused irms, to
and ranking tables were not needed in a more mobile.
worked hard at the tasks provided. Senior 4,000 lawyer irms with 40-plus ofices, offer-

world in which everyone knew each other Similarly, law irms now evaluate their partners managed relationships, junior ing law students a “something for every-
and there was more than suficient work to stafing more actively, and consider wheth- partners managed the several matters one” assortment, (2) jobs outside the law
go around. This was a time before English er it is realistic to expect that associates brought into the irm from the relationships irm world have become more numerous,
irms merged with U.S. irms, before the will, or will want to, stay at a irm longer managed by the senior partners, and the interesting, and potentially more remu-
rise of the 3,000-plus lawyer law irm, and than four to ive years. Firms have also associates did a large portion of the work. nerative than in the former paradigm, (3)
before it was an accepted norm that groups adjusted their expectations for associate There really was not much need to expand competition is rampant, and (4) advances
of law irm partners could move from one (and partner) performance in a long-term the criteria of evaluation given the limited in technology have greatly enhanced pro-
irm to another.
role. Leadership, management and success competition and the small size of the club. ductivity and eficiency.

Each of the irms in this elite club recruit- in the “business of law” have all become Those who excelled at the criteria were Students now constantly reevaluate
ed from the top 15 or so law schools in the more important measures of achievement. shuttled along a seven- or eight-year path whether a long-term career at a law irm
country, but because the number of irms There is, therefore, a need for both young and ultimately made a partner (if the proit- is really the meaning of success—more so,
in the club was limited and the work was lawyers and law irms to adjust to each ability of the law irm permitted). Though it seems, than in the past. And this reevalu-
plentiful, there was abundant need for, and other’s expectations and to create a new movement to clients was always an option, ation is a good thing. For those who love
supply of, good students and young law- paradigm for success.
lateral movement was rare at every level.
practicing in the irm environment, with
yers. The billable hour model was rarely Perhaps a good starting place is to As referred to above, there are many its commercial intricacies, its premium
questioned, and, given the state of tech- expressly recognize the different career reasons for the fundamental shifts in the on creative problem solving and lawless
nology, law irms needed a considerable alternatives in the legal marketplace and to current legal market, and those reasons are execution, and its competitive rush, it is

amount of people-power to assist their cli- foster an open forum for discussing those better left for other fora. It is nevertheless dificult to think of a more attractive job.
ents. At that time, many top law students alternatives. Dialogue regarding alternative worthwhile to note the following features of Indeed, the variety of experience offered
perceived that a job in one of the irms in career paths has traditionally been muted the current legal market that have resulted at large irms, in terms of the type of work
the elite club was the most prestigious— within law irms. Firms were reluctant to from the shifts: (1) rather than having a available, the opportunity for international
and most remunerative—route for law engage in such conversations for fear that relatively small group of irms for law stu- placement and experience, and the abil-
students to take.
they would be left with too few associate dents to review and choose from, “elite” or ity to do pro-bono or public interest work
Most, if not all, of the irms in this group resources. Firms also worried (and con- “highly prestigious” top irms now come in is hard to match. But it can come with a
had a well-deined, if not expressly stat-
tinue to worry) that associates » many different sizes and specialties, from
corresponding cost of signiicant time and
Page S10

“We’re making strides in ways

that matter most to students,

alumni, and employers.”

–Michael A. Simons, Dean and John V. Brennan
Professor of Law and Ethics

St. John’s Law is on the Rise

Bar Passage Is Up
4% rise thanks to a new, individualized approach to instruction
n
89Years
Career Placement Is Up
8% increase from 2012 to 2013 due to our proactive, integrated,
n of Excellence
and individualized approach to career development
in Legal Education
Alumni Giving Is At Record High

n $3,703,503 in total cash gifts received (up 123%)
2,485 donors (up 27%)
To learn more about St. John’s Law,
n
n $6 million raised in the first year of the Brennan Family
visit us at law.stjohns.edu.
Scholarship Matching Program