Nationwide No Offer Watch: Locke Lord's Sub-50% Offer Ratio

With all the attention focused on the 2009 summer class, and current associates getting laid-off, and full service law firms dissolving, we’ve kind of lost sight of the 2008 summer class. Many of them have still not made a decision about their future employment.

We’ve received reports from multiple tipsters that say Locke Lord’s Houston office made offers to less than 50% of their summer class:

I thought you should know that [Redacted] Locke Lorde in Houston, TX only extended offers to 14/30 of their 2L summer associates – including no-offers to some who had spent their 1L summer with them.

As we understand it, 27 of those summers were 2Ls.

Apparently the relationship between Locke Lord and their 2008 summers was one of mutual unhappiness. We’ve been told that of the 14 offers, only four have been accepted at this point.

You’d expect a little better than 4 out of 14 in this market.

A “profile” of one of the summers that did receive an offer after the jump.

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According to a tipster, one of Locke Lord’s summer associates had an eventful experience at the firm:

In fact, one clerk that was made an offer (and accepted!) got so wasted at a firm “informal” event that he asked a summer associate to make out with him and when she refused referred to her as a slut, to the amusement of other associates and one partner in attendance, who laughed hysterically, while the summer stood in disgust. This summer also almost got in an altercation at the video game bar and was asked by the bartenders to quit fondling the female patrons. All in all, at the end of the night, the summer, one third year, and one senior associate were trying to put the summer in a cab, while the partner in attendance said he (the summer) was not his responsibility and left.

We wonder if the woman found any of this very funny. One would imagine that if she was one of the 14 offerees, she’s also one of 10 still holding out for friendlier employment options.

But maybe drunken fondle man has duped more than one respectable institution.

Word on the street is that the summer is mulling a federal clerkship offer. God save us all.

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Locke Lord did not offer a comment about their 2008 summer class.

Morale is down at the firm following a poor recruiting season. The 2009 summer program might not be much better.

Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of no offers.