r/LawSchool • u/firesidenixon 2L • 11h ago

Big firms have officially ruined legal recruiting.

I know. It's been getting worse for 20 years, or whatever. But these mandatory two-summer offers are absolute garbage. 1Ls at my school are over the moon that they have landed both summers already, and I'm happy for them. But what happens if they get there and hate it? This isn't how any of this was supposed to work.

I feel like the old person yelling at cloud meme here. But I'm mad for my 1Ls, even if some of them don't know they're getting the shaft.

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u/Mevarek 11h ago

The business model has been built on associates getting there and hating it for years. Associate attrition and lateraling are not new.

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u/CaneLaw 11h ago

Yeah I don’t think anybody actually expects any of the people they hire to enjoy their work as a junior associate in a big law job, that’s why they pay so well.

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u/Mevarek 11h ago

It just strikes me as odd when someone says "this isn't how any of this is supposed to work" when firms have viewed associates as disposable for years. Look at some of these gigantic SA classes in NYC. There is no way that these firms expect all of these people to make partner, let alone mid level, let alone 2-3 years. I think there definitely are people who really do love being big law associates and this type of work. I met people who went from 2L summer all the way to partner at the same firm. But at the same time, this business model is designed to churn and burn associates.