I would tell this job seeker to try contract work in document review, e-discovery, while spending time to find legal employers that are likely to hire individuals with his credentials. Then the job seeker should spend time drafting cover letter specific to each employer as possible while highlighting any skills that he possesses. Also, look at job postings at the law school's career center and meet with as many people as possible for informational interviews.

Next Note: Never Again Should a HLS Grad Starve in a World of Plenty

1:52 - That's great advice, better than what the Washington Post had to say.

The candidate should repeat after me ad nauseam:

"I will never go to a non top-50 law school and if I go to a law school ranked 20-50, I will graduate in the top third of my class."

This person sucks. Best argument for euthanasia I've seen in a while.

Stop sending in job apps, start networking with anyone and everyone. Chat up anyone you know, and maybe you'll get a resume in the back door. Talk to people at bars, friends, family -- anyone that might have an "in."

Or, given the fact that you're unemployed and have nothing better to do - just keeping trying with the job apps AND add the networking element.

I guess this is more "try harder" advice, but really, what else can you do?

ATL

apply to business school

1:52 & 58- TITCR

though 2:01 is right, add in networking as well (unless you are a truly horrendous person).

Right now, focus on passing bar, though. Then go fully bore on the job hunt.

It's really impossible to give much advice without knowing grades and school.

Slayter's advice is actually spot-on, and this guy would be having a tough time regardless of the economy.

In a competitive, major market like DC, you need to be a good-fit to be hired, even in good-times. If this guy has applied to "the Hill, feds, nonprofits, trade associations, campaigns and law firms," then he's just throwing darts at the classifieds, and I doubt he's a good-fit for any of them. And applying for 330 jobs? Give me a break. If you're applying for more than 5 jobs a day, you're sending out some crappy form-letter over and over.

It's not rocket-science:
1) First of all, pick a job that you're actually qualified for.
2) Spend 2-3 days (at least) tailoring your resume and writing a decent cover letter.
3) Try to figure out how you can network a connection. to wherever you're applying.

The sad fact is that working harder will not help.

You will find something, and it will be through personal networking. Talk to everyone you know, volunteer, schedule informational interviews with people in different areas of law--third year women associates are the most willing to meet with you and discuss what they do.

Get cards printed for yourself and take them everywhere and give them to everyone.

This is a real problem for a lot of people. Lots of graduates who did not lock up full time gigs prior to the bar exam.

You can always get immediate hands-on experience doing relatively low-paying legal work. Work Comp, Insurance Defense, Bankruptcy, etc is pretty much always hiring. Plaintiffs will continue to sue companies with insurance, clumsy morons will continue to get hurt at work, and all manner of people will continue to go broke. If you work at one of these sweat shop attorney mills, you will make crap salarywise for a couple years, but the trade off is immediate experience. (Hint: you will know if you are at one of these sweat shops if your rise through associate seniority is meteoric, even after one year.)

Then you can jump ship to something better-paying, boasting about all of your experience with motion practice, court appearances, depositions, client contact, and/or bench trial.

Just put those loans on deferment for a couple years...

This is the credited response (1:58):

"I will never go to a non top-50 law school and if I go to a law school ranked 20-50, I will graduate in the top third of my class."

One caveat might be if you have a job lined up before going to law school (i.e., family law firm, etc.)

1:58 - truer words have never been said on ATL.

If the guy's law school is any good, he can always try begging them for a job. I worked as a research fellow for one of my school's institutes - for peanuts and no benefits - while I kept applying for a real full time job. Professors look for researchers all the time and would probably take an out of work graduate over a student whose time is split between class, moot court, OCI, etc.

Agree with 2:01, 2:06, 2:07. Networking is not the same as sending out resumes. Slayter's response isn't 'try harder' as Lat seems to think. It's a totally different approach. Find out who your parents or relatives know in accounting, finance, law, business, etc. Take those people out to lunch, tell them about yourself, and ask them to put you in touch with attorneys they know. If an attorney is not hiring, ask them if they know someone who is.

What about Venable?

I echo 2:09 and agree with 1:58. However, given that this person has gone to law school, this is what I would advise:

1. Focus right now on the Bar. After you pass, go on to the next steps. In terms of the Bar, it is likely that you currently live in or want to practice in DC (hence writing to the Wash. Post). Thus, either take the VA Bar which will give DC and VA and also consider doing a third day and doing a second Bar. This will give you three places to practice if you pass. The two states you took the Bar Exam and DC.

2. If you have any friends at Big firms contact them and see if their firm is looking for contract or staff attorneys. Staff attorneys (at least at my firm) can make over six figures and may eventually be made into associates. Forget the government job unless you have a contact. It takes forever to get clearance.

3. Basically leverage any connections that you have. Knowing someone can at least get your resume read. Blind mailings do not work at firms and probably do not work at gov. jobs. If you can't find a job at least volunteer to do some work with a favorite professor so you can have something on your resume.

Hang out at an aids clinic in San Francisco and hand out business cards attached to condoms.

He's right out of law school...it shouldn't matter if he's applying to a variety of different fields. Afterall, does anyone really have a developed set of career skills when they get out of law school such that they should consider only one area of legal work? I just don't buy the "he can't find work because he's throwing darts" mentality. The truth is law schools are throwing out too many degrees.

I know this person may have their heart set on DC, but perhaps the glut of grads heading there is simply too much. Try some of the smaller markets. If their school has a good enough reputation, they can impress in many locations. I know very few HLS grads go begging for work in state capitals. If you really want to work, the jobs are out there. Just, maybe, not in Washington, DC.

Start a blog. Craft seemingly pointless surveys and sell the data to advertisers......

Move out of US and declare citizenship in the most random country possible and apply as a citizen of that country. Pay off office staff at your law school to alter transcript and have you listed as a Law Review underling.

Skadden will hire just about anyone.

You can't count on getting work in any geographic area. I know it sucks, but you might have to branch out and try other places. Tailor cover letters to each employer, follow up if they haven't responded after a few weeks, and keep at it. I did 20 a week until I "tricked" someone into hiring me. You might be working in Bumblefuck, VA for a while (that's in the Appalacians), but you'll get work.

Invent something awesome and then sell it.

It does not take a full week to apply for a position with the federal government.

Join the local regional bar association as well as a national/state practice area association. Attend both groups' functions/CLEs and network heavily. Print your own business cards at Kinkos/OfficeDepot inexpensively and hand them out. You must be relentless.

1) It sounds like he is trying to get a job in DC. If he has done a truly national search, then my apologies. But if this guy is focused only on getting a job in DC, then I have news for him: cry me a freakin river JTLake style, but tons of people don't get jobs in DC and have to go elsewhere. Sure, maybe it would be nice to stay in DC, which is a gorgeous city, with all of your law school friends. But staying in DC if it means not having a job is simply a bad decision.

You need to get something FAST. If you graduated this May, and you don't have something lined up my November or December of next year, you will be branded as"one of those people who couldn't get a job".

If you're long-term plan is to work in DC, then apply everywhere. Work at whatever respectable legal job you can get in any decent market where you can get it. Then try to lateral back to DC.

2) No matter where you want to work, tap into every network you have. This means going back to your college's alumni resource center or alumni job listings. Don't just rely on law school. If your UG was remotely decent, they have some type of alumni job posting system.

2:24(2) wins

Get an LLM part time, then work during the day doing whatever to pay your bills. When potential employers ask about the gaps in your legal experience on your resume, just tell them you were getting an LLM.

Here is a person who is more educated than 99% of the entire population and you are really asking if their credentials are "less than stellar?" Maybe the reason this person can't find a job is because hiring managers aren't smart enough to get past their own snobbery.

I'm an 07 grad that found myself in a similar situation after having passed the bar. (Mid 20's law school, at the 1/3rd point in the class rank)

1. Go to CLE's in the area of interest to you. Its the best way to meet people who do what you want to do. If you are affable and present yourself professionally they will remember you. Follow up with emails to those you met, thanking them for talking with you a few days after the CLE.

2. Volunteer for an intermediate appeals court judge. They often need help. I worked for 3 months for a COA judge on a volunteer basis. It looks good on the resume (better than having months of nothing) and if you can impress the judge they're recommendations carry some weight.

3. I also applied for a paralegal position with a somewhat prominent small town firm. It was depressing and I thought about jumping in a river.. but there were bills to pay. I actually did NOT get the job.. but I made a very good contact who was very impressed with my determination.

I ended up bartending for awhile. The judge asked me to come on as a paid clerk for the next session, and the attorney I interviewed with for the paralegal position called after one of their associates left and asked me to come in and work as an attorney in their office until the clerkship started. While the process was all very depressing it eventually worked out with me getting a nice clerkship, and not starving in the meantime.

If you're a girl and you're hot I have a position (or two) for you to try.

And it pays better than waitressing.

Just stay strong and keep trying. You will find something. I graduated from a 4th tier and I found a decent job. It took a few months, but it worked out eventually. I volunteered at a legal aid organization while looking and employers seemed to like that. It's been 2 years since I graduated and it seems like everyone I graduated with found something too.

Why are people assuming that this is an HLS grad? Am I missing some detail or is this just a riff on the HLR Note? Otherwise, I agrre with 2:01; 2:07; 2:24, 2:36 and the non-elitist aspects of 2:21. Work (not fast), be focused, be flexible and talk to real live people whenever you can. It is much harder to ignore a person than it is to ignore a cover letter.

Why are people assuming that this is an HLS grad? Am I missing some detail or is this just a riff on the HLR Note? Otherwise, I agree with 2:01; 2:07; 2:24, 2:36 and the non-elitist aspects of 2:21. Work (not fast), be focused, be flexible and talk to real live people whenever you can. It is much harder to ignore a person than it is to ignore a cover letter.

2:40, you're the one obsessed with credentials. The rest of us know better than to place blind faith in someone just because they sat through 90 credits of b.s.

If the JD isn't a requirement for the position then I don't care about it, except to the extent the applicant can show that they competed well during their time out of the workforce. GPA, class rank, law review membership and other activities are the ways we can measure how well someone did during law school.

Don't expect me to hire someone with crappy performance because they have a degree. If they're bottom half at Catholic Law they'll probably be bottom half at my agency, firm, department, etc., and in that case I don't want them.

It's called Craigslist. Sort of this new thing on the internet. Get a job as a Contract attorney for $40 per hour. Then do a good job and get hired, or start looking around for other jobs from the comfort of a paid existence.

2:55 - you're just a moron, now go back and work at your TTT law firm.

Look further than the city you're in.

Join the bar associations of whatever geographic areas you're looking at. Not only will you have access to their want-ads, but you will have access to their bar events, where you can go and network with the attorneys from the firms that throw them. And remember, bar associations aren't just at the state level, but often at the county and city level as well. I am not a networker, and those two ways are how I got two of my offers AFTER graduation.

Talk to your law school's career services offices and see if they can get you reciprocity access to other school's job boards. Again, you have to be willing to look further than one city.

Those 330 places you applied? Send them all your materials again in a few months. Send during the fall hiring glut. Send again in the spring. Check each firm for alumni from your schools and send your materials directly to them.

Make sure your resume and cover letter LOOK good aesthetically. As someone who goes through a lot of them, I can tell you appearance is sadly part of the game.

Make sure your materials are addressed to the right people and everything is spelled right.

Pass the bar exam. You're in no man's land right now and many places won't look at you until you've passed something.

Go back in time and go to a better law school or graduate higher in your class.

Keep at it.

Oh please. Call any one of the hundreds of attorney temp firms in the District to tide you over until you pass the bar.

He probably has gone to a horrible law school or has a terrible GPA.

This guy probably went to AU. I hear that many 3Ls there don't have jobs at graduation.

This guy was in my graduating class at NYU. A complete loser like so many others in my class.

Will contract attorney temp firms even look at graduates from American Law? I hear no!

2:59 have fun saving whales at your TTT non-profit

To all the AU haters--

The American University's Washington College of Law is tied as the 2nd most prestigious law school in the DC-area (1st is UVA, and GULC would be tied with AU for 2nd). AU grads are top-notch attorneys and hold substantial positions in the private and public sectors. I started out after graduating cum laude from AU as a staff attorney at a V5 LAW FIRM, and then chose, for a better lifestyle, to move to an associate position at a smaller law firm in southern Maryland.

AU IS A GREAT SCHOOL -- Stop hating on it !!!

To all the AU haters--

The American University's Washington College of Law is tied as the 2nd most prestigious law school in the DC-area (1st is UVA, and GULC would be tied with AU for 2nd). AU grads are top-notch attorneys and hold substantial positions in the private and public sectors. I started out after graduating cum laude from AU as a staff attorney at a V5 LAW FIRM, and then chose, for a better lifestyle, to move to an associate position at a smaller law firm in southern Maryland.

AU IS A GREAT SCHOOL -- Stop hating on it !!!

To all the AU haters--

The American University's Washington College of Law is tied as the 2nd most prestigious law school in the DC-area (1st is UVA, and GULC would be tied with AU for 2nd). AU grads are top-notch attorneys and hold substantial positions in the private and public sectors. I started out after graduating cum laude from AU as a staff attorney at a V5 LAW FIRM, and then chose, for a better lifestyle, to move to an associate position at a smaller law firm in southern Maryland.

AU IS A GREAT SCHOOL -- Stop hating on it !!!

I guess 3:10x3 proves that they don't teach you to read at AU Law.

"After submitting a comment it may take several minutes to appear. Please only submit your comment once."

3:15 --

Shut up! I graduated CUM LAUDE (with honors) from AU, worked at a V5 LAW FIRM, and am associated now with a VERY PRESTIGIOUS local shop.

I do know how to read, so go back to your TTT job. Idiot.

AU is truly an awesome school. I am a 1L and like many of my classmates, I turned down a place at GULC and UVA. AU has better faculty, who are more interested in teaching than appearing on TV. The AU haters on this board are probably GULC and UVA people realizing what crappy schools they are at.

310 and 317 = (pretty darned good) troll

Is another one of the Sonnenschein Charlotte lawyers who had his offer withdrawn? I thought they all went to Wake. That firm will rot in hell for what it has done. Mark my words.

Or, maybe he really did go to AU. Either scenario makes sense.

I experienced the same thing - it's tough out there. I am in the NY market and graduated last year with Journal membership/editor, was a TA for Civ Pro, tons of work expeirence and within the top 30% at graduation. I tried everything and everything seemed to be a dead end. I signed up for contract work, but none came through until about Feb/March of this year. Then I got a position with a federal judge that needed more help with an expanding case load and then I finally just sucked it up and took an ID job. Sucks. But it pays the bills.
I think people who didn't struggle in this job market have no idea how hard it is. Temp work is not a sure thing and most agencies are now looking for experience first. I had positions just evaporate on me for no reason and had several firms call me for interviews and then jerk me around for no reason. Craigslist is USELESS. It's an odd time. Do what you have to do and get something - the market will pick up and then you can move on (as I plan to do).

3:17. Thank you for your support. I know many others who -- notwithstanding US News & World Report's rankings -- agree with you that AU is truely a better school than UVA / GULC (at least with respect to faculty and preparing law students to be lawyers).

3:18. I am not a troll, I am an ATTORNEY who is a licensed member of the NEW YORK AND MARYLAND BARS. I am PROUD of my alma matter, and think that you would be too if you were associated with AU!

why would anyone choose to go to american university law? it is not as good as uva, gw, catholic, maryland, howard, udc, mason, maryland, baltimore, or any other area school. also, it supposedly lost its accrediation last year.

a j.d. from an unaccrediated law school isn't even worth the paper that its printed on!

3:22... (yawn)

To all AU Law zealots

/ Adam Reposa gesture

Dear 3:10 AU Alum,

Please shut up. You're not helping our school. Your comments are retarded and your retorts sound like a baby whining. Every comment you make brings our school down a notch. I graduated from AU in the top 15% and have had no problem with job offers. But I also believe I would have had no problem even if I went to shitty school like Catholic. It's the PERSON, not so much the LAW SCHOOL that matters. Use your professors, network with alums, enter contests, etc. Be proactive and people will notice.

Oh, and by the way, I don't think you should brag that you were a staff attorney. That's like saying "YEAH! I got a DC driver's license! In your face!"

2:41 -- It sounds like you basically had a COA clerkship fall into your lap -- wow.

And now here comes the AU bashing...

AU supporters, don't try to fight back against the tyranny of the snobbery that pervades this board. Your school may very well be a good school, but any school not named Yale will have to absorb potshots on this board at some point. Fighting back only makes it a bigger deal as the narcissists now have a bouncing board for their comments.

I happen to agree that AU produces some very good lawyers and I've seen some recent AU grads outperform ALL of the many HYS grads at my firm. But this "reputation" argument is not one that AU supporters will win.

Funny how people love to hate on AU when its graduates (like myself) get clerkships and move on to great firms (V10). I've worked with GULC and GW attorneys and have found them to have more than their fair share of arrogance, often not backed up with the ability. They're great schools, don't get me wrong. But, when someone protests about AU to be point of saying it's beneath UDC, maybe they're trying to compensate for ability that doesn't match the credentials. I guess that would go for the others who like to bash AU as well--certainly it's not all from the other DC schools.

3:22... you are absolutely amazing. Live on.

Funny how people love to hate on AU when its graduates (like myself) get clerkships and move on to great firms (V10). I've worked with GULC and GW attorneys and have found them to have more than their fair share of arrogance, often not backed up with the ability. They're great schools, don't get me wrong. But, when someone protests about AU to the point of saying it's beneath UDC or not accredited, maybe they're trying to compensate for ability that doesn't match the credentials. I guess that would go for the others who like to bash AU as well--certainly it's not all from the other DC schools.

3:31 has it spot on!

3:10 sounds like a woman to me.

3:32

I did. It was a stroke of luck, but once I was in there on a volunteer basis I worked longer hours than the paid clerks and I did my absolute best to provide the highest quality work.

The judge knew that I was working 6pm - 2am as a bartender and coming into the court 8-5. I think she was more impressed that I didn't pass out, and managed to keep it up for 3 months than with any of my actual legal work.

2:41

2:41 sounds like flame. If you graduate top-third from a T25, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a job.

3:10, I'm not hating on AU, but I think you're kidding yourself if you think it is tied with GULC in DC or any other area.

My two cents for this person and anyone else out there in the same situation, and I suspect there are many.

Pick an area of the law that interests you the most, and focus on isolating firms that have a practice in that area and for which there is or may be a need. Then, write some articles (this is not hard to do, and lots of ideas for topics abound on countless blawgs.) Then, when you send in your resume, attach the articles.

This will show you are really interested in that practice area and provides instant writing samples. This will set you apart from the many other people sending in resumes blindly. You'll have a better chance at getting the interview at least, and then it's all about whether you fit in or not.

And if you don't have an interest in any practice area, I would suggest you develop one or really think about what your objectives are for your career. There's got to be something you want to specialize in. If not, perhaps the law is not really for you; we're all specialized now, and you've got to do something to separate yourself as there are quickly frankly too many law graduates.

Dear 3:31, I do not need your permission to defend AU. It is a-holes like you that cause the AU hating. And why are you dissing Catholic. Can't you just say something good about AU. Idiot.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MY SUCCESSES POST-AU LAW (follow up from 3:10 / 3:15):

1. I graduated CUM LAUDE (w/ honors) and on a JOURNAL from American's WCL. My point is that these two bestowments from WCL proves that I can hang with anyone from HLS, and, as demonstrated below, I HAVE HUNG with those from HLS.

2. I worked at a TOP LAW FIRM (internationally). I served for 2 YEARS as a staff attorney in the PRESTIGIOUS DC OFFICE of a top national firm. I worked on many CUTTING EDGE ISSUES and had SUBSTANTIAL CLIENT CONTACT. Ergo, I paved the way to my current job.

3. I currently work at one of the MOST COVETED law firms in southern Maryland. I have been to court and FIRST-CHAIRED 2 bench trials, have covered HEARINGS and DEPOSITIONS (and I am still only an associate). I WON BOTH CASES TOO. Point is that I don't see too many GULC or UVA graduates from 2004 or after who are able to post these same credentials!

4. While in law school, and managing to be on a journal, I also served as an extern to a FEDERAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE in DC (one of the most prestigious districts in the nation). I keep in touch with this judge and have found this judge to be a great connection -- how many of you have a close relationship with a FEDERAL JUDGE?

5. And finally, as I forgot to mention before, I REJECTED OFFERS AND SCHOLARSHIPS from GULC and UVA. So I could have gone their if I had wanted.

POINT OF THE FOREGOING IS THAT AU IS A FIRST NOTCH LAW SCHOOL AND ITS GRADS SHOULD NOT BE DISCOUNTED !!!

It's the PERSON, not so much the LAW SCHOOL that matters.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ... good one!

3:49,

Yes you need my permission and you didn't ask. Go back to filing special use permits for carnivals at your crappy small firm world.

Dear 3:50,

Are you kidding? Kindly respond.

Kind regards,
Confused

I swear I'm not advertising for them, but I found Lawcrossing very helpful. It's $30 a month (I think) and I got quite a few interviews from it at smaller firms. I had a bit of experience when I was looking, but I saw plenty of job listings for recent grads. A lot of smaller firms recruit the old-fashioned way - in law journals and other publications.

To: 3:55 PM
From: 3:00 PM
Date: Today
Re: Response to your posts

MEMORANDUM

I guess you are so stupid that you need things laid out in memorandum format. The answer to your question is a resounding NO -- I am not kidding. I managed to graduate AU (w/ honors and journal and federal externship) and land a job at a TOP RATED law firm directly out of law school. Booooyah!

3:50,

what a tremendous list of accomplishments. i am truly humbled. let us know when the ambassadorship comes through.

AU Grad, you've certainly done well for yourself, and it looks like you've become a big fish in what is, admittedly, a small pond. However, what you're saying applies mainly to yourself, and it's unlikely that you're describing the typical AU grad. Also, given your positions (a staff attorney, no matter how large the firm, and an associate at a small MD litigation shop), it seems unlikely that your experience really mirrors that of the top grads from the "top schools." I just find it hard to believe that you "HAVE HUNG" with BLS grads. Except maybe in a drinking contest; I hear they can't hold their booze.

In any case, this person should serve as a good model for those who "hustle" to find their job. Persistence is key. When I graduated I initially failed to find an associate position, so I started doing contract work. That eventually led to a staff attorney position at a "PRESTIGIOUS DC OFFICE of a top national firm." I finally parlayed that experience after a year into an associate position at a small, relaxing law office with good growth potential.

Key is, hard work. Prove that you're good and you can succeed, no matter your school

RE: AU bashing/defending.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone just grew up? WHO CARES -- no one is more/less of a person for attending/not attending AU!

UVA is a joke. People only go there to play softball and wear plaid shirts.

3:10/3:15/3:50 doth protest too much.

I graduated from UDC and can attest to the fact that myself and most of my classmates applied only to AU as a safety school.

Cadwalader will hire you if you have a shirt that says LAW SCHOOL.

UDC has a law school? And here I thought that school was a glorified community college...

At least (unlike American) UDC has ABA accrediation.

DHAPMNG!!!!!

AU grads are dumb.

AU is a better school than GULC.
AU is not as good as UVA.
AU is leaps and bounds better than GW.

3:50, please do your AU alums and students a favor and stop defending AU in your loud aggressive manner. I know people at AU and I don't want to see AU's reputation attacked any more than it already is.

Yes, you seem to be happy with your place in life and that's great - there should be more people satisfied with their lives in this world. However, you're accomplishments will not convince the people on this board to look more favorably on AU because:

1) Being a staff attorney is not something that most people on this board consider prestigious. Wouldn't you have preferred to be an associate at your V5 firm?

2) Working at a small firm in southern Maryland, regardless of how prestigious it may be locally, is not the career path that most people on this board dream of. Indeed, many, unfairly or not, feel that you are at this small firm because you couldn't be an associate at a big law firm.

3. Cum laude and a journal are fine, but they're not overwhelmingly impressive. Magna or summa plus law review would garner more respect.

4. Most people, including myself, wonder why you would choose to reject UVA and GULC, especially if you had scholarship offers. This would be akin to someone turning down Harvard for BU or BC. Fair or not, you would have had a much better chance to be an associate (see #1) at your V5 firm if you had graduated from UVA or GULC.

AU is not as good as University of Phoenix.

3:50 your trolling is getting annoying

This is certainly not serious:

"1. I graduated CUM LAUDE (w/ honors) and on a JOURNAL from American's WCL. My point is that these two bestowments from WCL proves that I can hang with anyone from HLS, and, as demonstrated below, I HAVE HUNG with those from HLS."

Even a raving lunatic would not think that the ability to make a journal (not law review, mind you) at American in any way shows that one can "hang with anyone from HLS."

4:04 - Why else would you go to law school?

To add to the chorus, yeah, networking. find people who do what you want to do and who went to your undergrad or law school, and ask them if they will talk to you for a few minutes at their office or at Starbucks or something. If you have no leads, just go web websites of firms or agencies where you want to work and see where people went to school. Send these people emails asking to meet for info "to learn more about ____ area of law"; try to be pretty clear that you do NOT expect them personally to hire you.

Expect at LEAST half the emails to be ignored, probably more. With luck a few of these people will actually have good ideas and/or send your resume on to lawyers they know. With luck that will get you interviews.

Its a painful process, but its WAY more effective than cold letter writing. And you might even learn something.

I went to a good school (fluctuates between 20-25), graduated top third, and still had a really hard time. I wound up doing temp doc review for a year, and found a job about a year and a half after graduation. I actually was temping as a secretary for a couple of months to pay the bills, before I was able to settle in a new city and get temp para/attorney work. Temping, either as a secretary, para or attorney can work well because, as overqualified as you may be, it's easy to convince people to hire you by saying "I'm just doing this until I find a job", which is exactly what they expect from temps anyway. One thing I will say about the doc review -- in addition to giving me a decent income, it allowed me to actually turn down a couple of crappy job offers I got, which otherwise I would have had to jump on.

Ultimately I found my job (which is nothing big and shiny, but is a really great boutique in my niche interest, and therefore perfect for me) through a combination of networking and job postings. I had had my eye on my firm for quite some time, because of the niche factor. I actually managed to get a contact there by networking in the niche industry I wanted to work in. When I first spoke with the partner here, she said they don't hire entry level, so I saw her as mostly an informational contact. But when, months later, I saw a posting for a junior associate at that firm on a job site, I jumped. Pushing my resume in through my partner contact, I got a call right away for an interview, and it's worked out really well from there. But I probably would not gotten it without BOTH the contact and the job posting.

My biggest challenges were (1) keeping my spirits up; and (2) knowing when I was so desperate I had to do whatever it took (e.g. when I was a secretary to pay the bills), versus having faith and holding out (like turning down four jobs before I got this one). There's an extent to which you just have to follow your instincts.

4:14 = GULC troll

AU is not TTTT, really.

It is a truth universally acknowledged ... that DC is a slaughter-house for non-working attorneys.

As someone with SEVERAL friends recently in the hunt, I can guarantee you that the private legal scene is a sellers' market:

1. Top firms are interviewing on a speculative basis; this means they will offer many interviews to hire few, if any, associates. Currently, there is no space for off-brand school grads: those days are over. Not sure if your school is off-brand? It is. And no, your quasi-accolades won't help -- there are decorated top-school grads with experience getting passed right now.

2. Bad firms don't have work and are too busy executing shadow layoffs. Bluntly, they couldn't afford the salary wars, especially in a city with no high-margin corporate work. Sadly, part of shadow layoffs include listing jobs that aren't there -- especially opening positions. You have to keep up with the Jones's, even in a Potemkin village. Not sure if the firm is bad.....?

3. Some middling firms have lots of shitwork in counter-cyclical practices. You can edge in there if you have a knowledge of who does what (and, of course, the counter-cyclical practices). Apply to those places like they are your best hope, because they are.

3. Staff/Contract Atty jobs pay. That is good. However, they *will* daub shit all over your resume. Don't believe me? Call a DC headhunter and mention that little Staff Atty stint at Skadden last year and see what they say. Then what the next one says. Then after that....

4. Clerkships are gold if you can get them. Waiting a storm out in SE DC (on a clerk's salary) is far better than waiting in the actual Southeast if you ultimately want a job here.

5. Actually, government in general is a good idea. Compelled retirement is moving a lot of grey-hairs out of top ranks (to be quickly snapped up by private corps). Try a less-popular agency/department ... it could work.

6. Hang a shingle ... it can and has been done. There are ways that a lawyer with little to no experience can find a regular gig in DC (if you know where to look).

We're supposed to be impressed with an EXTERNSHIP with a federal magistrate judge?

Seriously?

4:14 --

THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS -- I WILL RESPOND TO YOUR POINTS IN THE ORDER THAT YOU WROTE THEM:

1) Being a staff attorney is not something that most people on this board consider prestigious. Wouldn't you have preferred to be an associate at your V5 firm? I AGREE WITH YOU THAT SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THINK THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF DISPARITY BETWEEN THE PRESTIGE OF BEING A "STAFF ATTORNEY" AND THE PRESTIGE OF BEING AN "ASSOCIATE." FIRST, I POINT OUT THAT THE CREDENTIALS IT TAKES TO GET HIRED AT A V5 FIRM ARE THE SAME FOR ASSOCIATES AND STAFF ATTORNEYS (A TOP FIRM WILL NOT HIRE CRAP ATTORNEYS FROM CRAP SCHOOLS -- THEY WANT TO IMPRESS THEIR CLIENTS WITH TOP CREDENTIALS LIKE HARVARD, OR IN THE DC MARKET, AMERICAN LAW -- WITH A JOURNAL.

2) Working at a small firm in southern Maryland, regardless of how prestigious it may be locally, is not the career path that most people on this board dream of. Indeed, many, unfairly or not, feel that you are at this small firm because you couldn't be an associate at a big law firm. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I MOVED TO MARYLAND BECAUSE OF THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO REAL, MEANINGFUL WORK, RATHER THAN TURN OUT LIKE A COG ASSOCIATE AT THE V5 FIRM I WORKED AT BEFORE.

3. Cum laude and a journal are fine, but they're not overwhelmingly impressive. Magna or summa plus law review would garner more respect. CUM LAUDE MEANS (AT AU) "WITH HONORS". THE TYPE OF HONORS IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE MAGIC LATIN WORDS... CUM LAUDE. A JOURNAL IS A JOURNAL. I DECIDED FOR MY JOURNAL B/C IT SPECIALIZES IN THE AREA OF LAW I AM INTERESTED IN AND NOW PRACTICE.

4. Most people, including myself, wonder why you would choose to reject UVA and GULC, especially if you had scholarship offers. This would be akin to someone turning down Harvard for BU or BC. Fair or not, you would have had a much better chance to be an associate (see #1) at your V5 firm if you had graduated from UVA or GULC. THIS IS A MISTAKE. I RECEIVED PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS FROM UVA AND GULC. I RECEIVED ALMOST A FULL RIDE TO AU -- IT IS JUST A BETTER SCHOOL WITH BETTER FACULTY THAN GULC. ALSO, I COULD HAVE GONE TO A TECHNICALLY HIGHER RANKED SCHOOL (GOING BY US NEWS) BUT DID NOT WANT TO FOCUS ON THE ACADEMIC CRAP THAT IS TAUGHT AT YALE AND INSTEAD WANTED TO LEARN TO BE A GREAT LAWYER. WHICH IS WHAT I AM !

3:00 / 3:50 - A staff position at any firm and a clerkship with a magistrate are not prestigious. Neither is being an associate in Southern Maryland. In fact, they all sound pretty like pretty depressing second-rate gigs to me.

Contrary to your delusions, you are not setting the world on fire. If you were, you would not need to post in capital letters for attempted effect.

The earlier AU poster is right. Your posts are not doing anyone from AU any good.

Bottom line is that in the DC area, UVA, GULC and GW blow the doors off of AU. Turning down GULC to go to AU is like turning down AU to go to UDC - not smart.

419 here with followup about temping/staff attorney work. Yes, it's bad for the resume, but big gaps in time are bad too. I can't imagine one is worse than the other, so if it's that or starving, you might as well make some money, so long as you don't get complacent and stop looking for work.

If you can't find a job at some also-ran corporate firm, then you need to seriously look in the mirror. (I won't name them obviously, but if you're at a non top 10 firm representing corporations you are pretty much in this category) These firms are merely looking for warm bodies to rack up hours--they have hundreds of lawyers, and have weekly turn-over from burned out and bored associates; headhunters are contanstantly trying to convice me and others to go to these god awful places--and my credentials are not that impressive. It is problematic that you can't get a job at one of these places.

i would rather kill myself than accept a position as a contract attorney (or have a degree from AU, for that matter).

"Externship" 4:24 - not clerkship.

UVA is one of the premier law schools in our country. We should be very proud to have such a fine institution within our borders. I have heard the school referred to as the Oxford of America.

4:35. UVA is good, but it is in a TTT city and thus the reason why lawyers like me and the angry AU alum chose AU instead of UVA.

This post is TTT. I worry that just by reading it I will become infected with the TTT.

It should now be obvious to all that the AU defender posting in all caps is merely trying to keep the discussion thread alive by making incendiary fake posts, since no one could seriously argue that (1) staff attorney at a V5 firm is in any way equivalent to an associate position in terms of credentials required and (2) anyone cares about a "cum laude" AU grad who was on a non-law review journal. The only realistic-sounding portion of the comments is that the AU grad ends up at a small Maryland firm instead of V5 or even V100.

Gosh, I never thought that AU was as bad as the press it receives on this board. I knew that its a safety school for people wanting GULC, but I never knew that its graduates brag about "federal magistrate judge externships," "graduating cum laude," and being a "staff attorney at a V5 law firm."

Wierd.

Gosh, I never thought that AU was as bad as the press it receives on this board. I knew that its a safety school for people wanting GULC, but I never knew that its graduates brag about "federal magistrate judge externships," "graduating cum laude," and being a "staff attorney at a V5 law firm."

Wierd.

It should now be obvious to all that the AU defender posting in all caps is merely trying to keep the discussion thread alive by making incendiary fake posts, since no one could seriously argue that (1) staff attorney at a V5 firm is in any way equivalent to an associate position in terms of credentials required and (2) anyone cares about a "cum laude" AU grad who was on a non-law review journal. The only realistic-sounding portion of the comments is that the AU grad ends up at a small Maryland firm instead of V5 or even V100.

4:37, if you got into UVA, you could have gotten into Georgetown or GW. As there are no students at AU who were accepted at GW or Georgetown, I'm a bit skeptical of your claim. In fact, at AU pretty much the entire top 5% of the class transfers at the end of first year. I transferred from AU to UVA. I knew people who transferred to Georgetown, GW, Duke, and Cornell. Supposedly, the year before someone had transferred to Yale.

The proximity of Georgetown and GW is actually AU's major problem. Similarly ranked schools in other regions of the country dominate their local markets. As such, the University of Random Midwestern State's law school is filled with people who want to practice in that random Midwestern State. Contrast with AU, which is filled with people who want to practice in DC, but could not get into Georgetown or GW.

4:44- exactly.

4:44. You are just plain mean and wrong. Go waive your holier than thou UVA flag somewhere else, but don't think for a moment that anyone here believes that AU is not a top school. IT IS !!!

Roger Lou would never go "TTT" #1 USA bad school AU

I’d like to think I speak for many people here when I say the following: those of you who think the AU cheerleader is being serious are very, very stupid.

That is all.

Fat chicks who wear merkins go to UVA. Its awesome.

Why so much hating on AU? Look, all agree that it isn't as good as UVA or GULC. The fact remains though that it is better than every other school in the area. If you want to hate on a DC school, find a more deserving target -- say George Mason, Catholic, GW, Baltimore, UDC -- but don't knock on AU. Its graduates are among some of the best attorneys in DC and, all else equal, I would hire an AU grad over a grad of most any other school any day.

4:50-- reading the dicussion of Cum Laude makes me tend to agree with you

Actually 4:47, I'm not trying to be mean. I didn't find the students at AU to be unintelligent and the professors (while profoundly left-wing) were no worse than the professors at UVA. The problem is that AU is a little fish in a big pond (3rd in DC) instead of a big fish in a small pond (1st in Idaho, for example).

That said, ridiculous posts about passing over Georgetown or a free ride to UVA in favor of AU, or about externships with magistrate judges, don't really do anything to enhance AU's reputation.

"If you can't find a job at some also-ran corporate firm, then you need to seriously look in the mirror. (I won't name them obviously, but if you're at a non top 10 firm representing corporations you are pretty much in this category)."

LOL. 4:32 = Skadden Troll.

For those spreading falsehoods about American University's Washington College of Law (WCL):

How many of you know that WCL became the first law school in the world founded by women; the first to have a woman dean; and the first to graduate an all-female law school class. AU can brag of many top alumni, including Senator Robert Byrd and Judge Kathryn Sellars.

4:59. Nothing to brag about. Real law schools like HYS average a Member of Congress / a few judges per year.

4:59. Nothing to brag about. Real law schools like HYS average a Member of Congress / a few judges per year.

Try McCarthy Wilson in Rockville, MD. They do insurance defense and have low standards. The pay is also low but they have free beers on Friday's. In the summer they go to Pope's Creek and eat crabs and drink beer until someone gets the gold star. If you are a woman, it's really tough to make partner there.

it doesn't matter where you went to law school - AU, UVA, GULC. All that matters is the reputation of your boarding school. If you happen to be a member of a secret society, that will help too.

If you didn't go to boarding school or were not selected to be in a secret society, you may have some difficult times ahead. Good luck.

Try fishing for crab in Alaska. Get on TV and use resulting publicity to interview at firms where doors are currently shut. Might also develop a niche practice in wrongful dealth & admiralty law.

Is he a sonnenschein rescindee?

I went to American University because I am a patriot.

I went to American University because I am an idiot.

4:59 Byrd is a moron. I would not brag about that d-wad.

I went to American University because I am retarded.

I went to American University because I am a foreign national.

I went to American University because I am interested in public interest law.

AU Cheerleader MUST be a joke. Judicial externships are not brag-worthy, and as a former federal law clerk, I know that no judge makes close or meaningful relationships with their externs. Externs are very, very lucky if the judge learns his/her name during the externship.

I went to American University because I got rejected from the other 9 DC-area law schools.

I went to American University because I am intoxicated.

I went to American University because I wanted to be Roger Lou's classmate.

I went to American University because I wanted a meaningful relationship with an Article I judge.

It is really difficult for new law grads. It has been that way forever. Think about taking doc review jobs. Don't listen to the elitest shitheads who will just insult you because you somehow don't measure up to their snob credentials. These are the same people who will only last 3 years at their big firm job anyway.

I went to American University because I wanted to be a pioneer -- to be the first in my law school to get a federal clerkship.

when did AU get a lawschool?

It took me a year to get my first job in DC, which I started this year. I graduated in '06. I made the mistake of trying a different city first but tips:
1) Join associations with lawyers who are likeminded as you (i.e. if you're interested in Plaintiff law, ATLA or whatever they call themselves now, if you're interested in Criminal Defense, join a CD group) and network at all their events.
2) If you can afford to a part-time internship that will give you experience in a specific area of law, while waiting tables or whatever to pay the bills, do it. Experience can be important.
3) Do contract work while you're looking. If need be, take the 40-hour/week jobs only. Make sure you're DC pending to be eligible for a greater amount of contract work.
4) Talk to every single person you know about who they know. You never know when you'll make a connection. A former boss of mine recommended me to two people who kept me in mind when my position opened up and they recommended me for it.
5) Lastly - the administration will be changing soon and many people are already jumping ship. The FEC will be hiring soon (think of all those new commissioners that will want staff), as are several other agencies. Look on USAjobs every day, and contract in the meantime.

Good luck. It's a tough market out there.

5:46 probably graduated from AU law -- no honors or journal.

I'm suprised that Roger Lou hasn't appeared to defend AU.

I went to AU because I wanted all the feminists lesbians in my class to assume that I am sexist and racist, and that I have had a life of privilege because I am a white male.

If you aren't an eli, then you're in real trouble.

I went to AU because I wanted to only wanted to learn about the liberal points of view that I agree with from intellectually dishonest professors.

I went to AU because I wanted my Dean to be a first-rate douchebag.

best idea yet:

1. Hire Jerry springer as a commencement speaker to show how your law school is classy and intelligent.

2. Offer to pose naked for a magazine so men can m********* to your pictures like a porn star, and then claim its "about being free and young and it's artistic."

3. Write 5000 word "note" for your law review about how communism is absolutely benign and capitalism is awful.

I went to AU because it's the top-ranked law school in the DC are (alphabetically; f**k those US News rankings).

Sen Byrd went to AU because they promised to be cool about his whole KKK deal.

Everyone else went to AU because it was founded by women, so now, decades later, they will get a qualitatively better education at AU.

Dearest friends of mine on this blog regarding America's University, Washington College of Law:

I am the Roger Lou. I am writing of much concern after a good friend of the Roger informed him that the discussion on this post (originally about bad job markets) turned into a "bash session on America's University -- best in U.S. of A."). Thank you very much.

First, the Libriarian party nominated Bob Barr instead of Mike Gravel for Presidency of the U.S. of A. and all the Roger Lou feels compelled to point out is that neither of the two want-to-be-the-presidents got a J.D. or L.L.M. degree from America's University, Washington College of Laws, and so the Roger Lou no is going to endorse the mens. He likes the Osama Obama (Editor of the HLS, Harvard Law Review -- best in Asia) and he likes the John McCain (best from Westpoint) but he no knows why no America's University, Washington College of Law graduates are in this presidential election for the year 2008 -- Year of the Rat.

The Roger now will be discussing the issues of much concern to the current America's University law school body and the distinguished alumnis and graduates therefrom. That is, the disparagement of the great name of the University of Americas -- best in U.S. of A.

With respect,
诶比西

Also,

Roger Lou also wanting to point out that Malysia is gateway to Asia. Thank you very much.

With respect,
诶比西

I find myself looking forward to hearing from Roger Lou every day. I think he should start his own blog.

The "I went to AU because ..." posts of 6:21, 6:24, and 6:25 apply to any law school.

Hola Roger:

On behalf of the entire ATL readership working in "big law" in Mexico City, I assure you that no person writing on this post intends to disparage the great name of America's University -- best in Americas.

God bless you,
Juan Carlos Mendoza, III
(tres "L" Universidad de Mexico)

I find myself wishing I had another pic of Kash everyday. And because she's so cool, now I do:

http://bp0.blogger.com/_0Toi8NqJtIQ/SDX2HlRfVJI/AAAAAAAAAGE/XFwtcKQi4pQ/s1600-h/ATL.jpg

Meditate on this photo and you might find that job you were looking for.

8:17 -- which of these biaaaaches is Kash? I know Lat is the dude, but which of the ladies (short curly hair or bad blonde hair do) is the famous "Kash" -- and who is the other chick?

8:17 -- which of these biaaaaches is Kash? I know Lat is the dude, but which of the ladies (short curly hair or bad blonde hair do) is the famous "Kash" -- and who is the other chick?

8:24 - if it's either of them, it's the one on the left (though she looks hotter in the pic posted on her ATL starting announcement).

The one on the left is Kash; the one on the right is SEN.

Either way, an awesome photo of two seriously dangerous bloggers.

Plus, if Kash would punch SEN it would be like the Bratz/Barbie thing, only with Lat reffing it.

Lat, fix your teeth.

I went to American because I can scrap.

Of all my classmates who did not get a job before graduation, i don't recall a single one who got a job before bar results were in.

So I'd recommend that the writer bust his ass making sure he passes the bar, take a two-month vacation, then start sending out those carefully tailored cover letters and networking like crazy once he knows he passed.

AU has an affirmative action policy requiring the school to admit a disproportionately high number of retards.

Another Kash photo:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/498031528_aba1d5f3c6.jpg?v=0

8:17 --

Thanks for the photo. I've come to the conclusion that Kash is average at best.

Kash likes older men in tuxes.

I was in the same boat in 1993, which I think was the last big legal hiring freeze. I graduated from a 25-30 ranking law school, top 15% without a job. I moved to DC after taking the bar, but could not for the life of me find anything. I worked as a call center help desk to make ends meet from Sept to Dec. Then I took a part-time "law clerk" job in January for 20 hours a week at a small branch office of a big firm for $10/hour. After 2 weeks, they made me full-time. After about 4 months there, they made me full salaried associate. It was still a low wage, but I was getting great experience. I worked there two years in what is a niche area, at which time I was able to move to a big firm and have done the big law/fortune 200 in-house law job thing ever since. The key is to bust your butt at whatever job you can get. People notice smart hardworking folks. Devout yourself to working or volunteering or doing whatever you can and demonstrate to everyone that you are worth them taking a chance.

Run for sheriff.

"This guy probably went to AU. I hear that many 3Ls there don't have jobs at graduation."

Why do you have to insult American University like that?! ...geez

"This guy probably went to AU. I hear that many 3Ls there don't have jobs at graduation."

Why do you have to insult American University like that?! ...geez

"This guy probably went to AU. I hear that many 3Ls there don't have jobs at graduation."

Why do you have to insult American University like that?! ...geez

3X12:40 is displaying his AU education in action! As Lat noted in his now infamous "ATL Guide for AU Grads" the Post Comment button must be triple clicked for appropriate posting.

I have a lot of empathy for that grad. I'm an Ivy graduate who is attending grad school classes before I head to law school because I couldn't get a job (in NY). I was planning to take two years off to work before law school hell, but since I can't pay my loans, I'm back in school just so as to put them on deferrment. The market in NY sucks big time.

I attended a top 30 school and sent out hundreds and hundreds of resumes to big and small firms in DC and other places on the east coast like Richmond, Baltimore, Wilmington, Charlotte, NJ, etc. for a summer associate gig and got nada. I didn't even get the salesperson position I applied for at Ann Taylor. It's tough getting into biglaw without attending the top schools.

I have tons of empathy right now. I am currently a clerk for a federal district judge. I have been sending out resumes to Ohio, Michigan, DC, and Chicago since December and am still looking for a job. All I heard before my clerkship was that getting a position would be easy as pie. Well in this market, it is not.

Ideas for this unfortunate person:

1.Pass the bar, and hang out a shingle. You will probably need supplemental income in the beginning, but after a few years you will likely succeed. There are lots of resources out there on the web for people with the

Look into

Ideas for this unfortunate person:

1.Pass the bar, and hang out a shingle. You will probably need supplemental income in the beginning, but after a few years you will likely succeed. There are lots of resources out there on the web for people with the

Look into

The guy's first problem is that he went to American. (Or as they like to call themselves 'WCL".) As has been repeatedly pointed out in other stories, American can best be described as an "overcrowded shithole." (These are in fact, the words of a 1L that transferred out.)

American is a vastly overpriced second-rate education, run by an egomaniacal little dean whose ambition is to get his name on every single "International Human Rights" organization in the world. The students at American are nothing but cash machines that subsidize this quest.

I'm jealous of that AU guy. He got a job in SOUTHERN MARYLAND! I have always wanted to chase ambulances down there! Right along the bay. Very pretty. And my confederate flag is still recognized.

I wish I went to AU!

I am the poster. Top 50 school, former Hill staffer, decent grades (above 3.0) but not so great class rank (F grading on curves [how do you curve a class of 80 on a 35 question multiple choice final]). Involved in ABA. Network and attend CLE's, ABA Annual, Midyear, Forum and Division events, Federal Bar Association events. I'm searching nationally.

Law firms won't hire you because you didn;t go through their summer associate program. DC won't let you do contract work till you're "DC Pending", my career services office was/is useless. I'm on my second loan deferment.

I left a fulltime job making over $50K to go to law school and apply for position hiring at barely over $40K. Biglaw is laying off while outsourcing billions in legal work to India. WTF is wrong with this profession?

10:11, why did you go to law school? What were your goals? For a lot of people having a Hill job is a pretty sweet deal. Did you understand the realities of attending only a top 50 school (i.e. that very few of you would actually get into biglaw?).

Nope. Was encouraged to go by my Member. Assumed I'd go back to work for them after....was supposed to. Moved back across the country, was two weeks from starting, and he reneged on the offer. Very uncool of him.

So 350 resumes out now. 20 interviews (mainly on the Hill, and those jobs went to people from their state)...I recently started clerking (and they keep referring tome as an intern in spite of law license)...interviewed with the Feds earlier this week. Still don't like the fact that I'll be taking a job for less than I was making on the Hill, but what can you do. Biglaw sucks.

Why are so many of the posters on this board so insecure and miserable? I really have never seen so much posturing...even for DC and even for a bunch of lawyers. Full disclosure: I went to AU Law and I am still looking for a permanent job in a specialized field in a pretty tight job market. That said, I was in the bottom half of my class, even though I tried really hard and I'm far from stupid. I made a lot of bad class choices (choosing hard and unnecessary classes, not asking for any leeway when loved ones were hospitalized), and frankly, I can admit that I just didn't "get" law school academics until midway through. I'm sure a lot of you will just tell me that I suck and should be euthanized. I am frustrated with my job search but I know enough about life and myself to know that I don't suck. I simply think maybe all you haters should be civil to people who don't have your natural bounty in legal knowledge so karma doesn't bite you in the ass later. Did all of you top-tier law school summa cum laude grads all hang out together in one hateful clique or did you ever slum with those cute, nice, funny, fashionable men and women who worked hard but just didn't figure out how to pull off the As during 1L year and 2L first semester? Just wondering.

I cannot understand why people are so angry that they would actually post mean-spirited comments.

12:14 pm.

"did you ever slum with those cute, nice, funny, fashionable men and women who worked hard but just didn't figure out how to pull off As"

No, because the vast majority of AU law students are none of the above. Try "self-centered, immature, loud, and obnoxious".

The AU law student mantra is "I do human rights. I'm important. "

AU is truly a shitty source of legal education. Enjoy your career in document review. Unless you decide to upgrade to a position as an assistant manager at Best Buy.

10:08:

Yes, let's mock people who work at Best Buy! That's a classy way of reminding yourself just how special you are. Thanks for adding to the impression that all lawyers are douchebags.

I hope your career (I'm guessing from your tone that you're a Very Important Associate somewhere in Big Law) compensates for whatever it is that you're surely lacking.

10:33, will he or the LD or chief of staff or friends in other offices pass your resume around? Do you have any contacts with associations and trade groups who lobbied you? If they thought you were smart during meetings with them maybe you could get an informational interview and they might pass your resume around or even hire you? I'm assuming you tried applying to federal agencies covering your issues on the hill and contacting alumni in those agencies?

UHHHHH....UVA>GULC=GW>AU>UDC

2:13...going for a second interview with an agency next week. it's been a terrible year, but obviously by the other comments here and on the journal, i'm not the only one.

The question is, what will the ABA do? They're obviously not working at being part of the solution.