New York Lawyer
November 27, 2001

Q:
I am a recent law school graduate (and was in the top 20 percent of my class) from a second-tier law school. What are my chances of getting a job at a major NYC law firm?

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A:
Conventional wisdom would say probably not very good -- particularly given the present economic downturn.

In the best of times, the major firms have their pick of the top law school graduates and are accustomed to paying top dollar for that top talent. Many law firms are just wrapping up a dreadful year and are actually letting junior associates go -- particularly those assigned to the now moribund dot-com sector. And, if you're in the market right now, you're seriously out of season � most hiring of law school graduates happens in the early fall. So this perspective would tell you not to hold your breath.

However, for every bit of conventional wisdom, there's always an exception. If you have the tenacity and perseverance to get as much visibility you can, any way you can, you might have a prayer (although perhaps your chances are better at an "almost-major" firm).

Don't plan on going in through the firm's hiring partner with a mass mailing ("If you should have or anticipate an opening for a bright, energetic . . . "). And you're also likely to be out of luck if you respond to want ads. A low-level screener has no difficulty and no compunction about screening you out. Headhunters? Forget it. They are professional risk-reducers; they don't take flyers.

But . . . if you had really top marks (or top paper or top exam or top clinical experience or top whatever) in some course or practice area for which a firm has a crying need (say, bankruptcy at the moment) and you succeed in hyping your interest and aptitude in that area, you might be able to open a door.

The idea here is to write to the head of the department directly and not throw your piece of driftwood into the huge hiring maelstrom. Write to a person. The person who is likely to be experiencing the need firsthand. State your "value proposition" directly and briefly. Emphasize that you know that you have the burden of proving that you're top-firm caliber.

Also check through Martindale-Hubbell and see if any firms have either a lot of partners or a heavy-hittin' partner or two from your law school. Then mail your expression of interest to them personally. You may get a much more sympathetic reading.

And then there's always networking. Face time. Use any chance -- conferences, seminars, symposia, volunteer work -- to meet people, show your flag and create a positive personal impression. Have lots of individual meetings (and don't call them "informational interviews." They're meetings -- low-key, informal, low-stakes). Use networking to find out who may have a need in some particular practice area or some ongoing mega-project that needs more staffing. Find out who just quit (or got fired), leaving a hole where the firm needs an immediate pair of hands.

If you do succeed in getting an interview, and -- God be praised -- you get to the negotiation stage, be prepared to be low-balled on salary. Do not ever offer to take less, but if their offer comes in low -- and you sense they're not willing to bargain -- ask if they would consider a "six month look," as in, "If I were able to start at the X amount you're offering, could we agree that if, after six months, you're well satisfied with my performance, that amount would increase to X + Y? That would mean that at the end of the year I'd be at a higher amount upon which percentage increases would be figured -- obviously good for me. But for the whole year, you would have paid out only X + 1/2Y. This approach limits your risk and provides the strongest possible incentive for me to perform exceptionally."

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group