Even in this economy I would refuse to work at Paul "Coat Hanger" Hastings.

I just found out I'm going to be stuck doing doc review in Witt Springs, Kentucky for the rest of this week. Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably clean public toilet? Just in case - I like to be prepared.

Thanks in advance.

What, are we building it our of LEAVES?

I wish these students the best of luck. They have their work cut out for them.

Last sentence - so true!

4 = fail.

When I Google "Blank Rome," I don't see the ad that says "See why Blank Rome is the only firm with an F for diversity in New York."

What gives? Did Blank Rome get the ad killed?

I just googled Blank Rome and that box did not come up. Good photoshopping, MysTTTal.

Considering that Biglaw firms walk a fine line between efficient collective action and violating antitrust laws, partners cannot object to students aggregating their power on the opposite side without coming across as hypocritical and greedy. Its only fair.

Mckenna cut first year salaries by 20k. How are you not on this?

What, are we building a better legal profession out of LEAVES?

What, are we building a better legal profession out of LEAVES?

What, are we building a better legal profession out of LEAVES?

7/8,

WTF? You don't block google ads? Try getting Firefox, downloading some extensions, and joining the rest of us.

10: cont'd - (Aside from the fact they're not relevant) how are you not on the salary cuts? It's in WSJ.

Building a Better Legal Profession? More like rich white kids on crack. Biiiitch, please.

Angie Tempura.

These students need to get their heads out of their casebooks and pick up a copy of the Wall Street Journal. I would like a hit of whatever they are smoking.

Yes, the WSJ quotes ATL:

"What a difference a week makes. Yesterday, Above the Law reported that Greenberg Traurig will cut associate salaries in the neighborhood of 10 percent, joining the ranks of McGuire Woods and Allen Matkins."

Law students of today are better off rolling the leaves up into a joint and taking puffs off the magic dragon because their dreams of a big payday at biglaw are blown up in smoke. Suck on it.

These people have always been idiots.

Google "Law Firm Blank Rome" and it comes up...

"The students behind BBLP are innovative and passionate. But can they be effective in this market? Blank Rome might get an F for "diversity," but WolfBlock gets an F for "existing.""

Ellie get's an "F" for blogging (and yet I still read them).

Elie's conscience is apparently easily shocked.

great idea. wait for the next boom. today and for the next few years they are kidding themselves about making progress.

There's plenty of obvious critiques of BBLP out there, but I think the most obvious one is that they don't understand how labor markets work. The organization is led by idealistic law students who have always sought the best of the best, went to Ivy League undergrads and a top law school, and have their sights set on working at the most "prestigious" firms--then they react with horror when they find out that life as an associate at the most prestigious firms is rough, hours are long, and management doesn't ask first "what can we do for you?" In life there are tradeoffs - setting aside the dire economic conditions, their general mission amounts to wanting to have their cake and eat it too. Want fewer hours and a more humane system of management? Go to a lower-paying firm that requires fewer billable hours, don't cry that your favorite V-10 firm expects to treat you like adults.

The issue is not about the collective effort designed to promote a better working environment. On its own, this is a perfectly normal and justified goal that we should all try to achieve. However, it is pathetic that law students think that they are the right people to lead this. Firms do NOT care about you these days. If they could just travel in time and just ignore 2009-2001 classes, they'd do it in a heart beat. Now, stop behaving like a bunch of lousy, lazy and narcissistic babies and try focusing on becoming better lawyers for now. You don't even know how firms operate, douchebags.

they can't stop just because the economy is bad. instead, they are doing the smart thing - ruffling feathers and taking notes about which firms are actually serious about any of this. Unfortunately that may be none of them...oh well...wait til the Dow gets back to 15k.

These losers are socialists. Determined to destroy all of us just like their president.

If you want to nice, pure job, don't work for a large law firm. Oh, what's that? You will want a really high salary and a fancy office? Yeah, can't help you there.

I think some commenter said it best on an earlier post about BBLP - all the jobs these T14 kids plan to turn down are just gonna be butter for the TTT grads down the list that the firms are gonna turn to next.

Why would I ever want to join a union w/ these douchebags. I'd rather excel on my own then be dragged down by these whiny brats who have probably never worked a day in their lives. Biglaw is a business, if you want to be in a profession hang up your own shingle.

27 - LOL....

Dear BBLP folks,
Thank you very much. I was having a rough time deciding between Wachtell (#76 in NY on you list) and Dewey (#2 in NY). Thanks to your painstaking research, I now know that Dewey is the clear best choice.
Sincerely,
A grateful reader

I hope that more dumb law students start ascribing to the BBLP ideology. It will leave more jobs for me when they get fired for bitching about diversity or pro bono hours. I would literally stab my best friend in the stomach for a good, secure job right now. If someone does give me a job I'm going to thank them for not making me actually battle my best friend to the death during lunch. And then I am going to work my ass off so I don't get fired.

Tilting at windmills...

It's a Buyer's market out there. Sellers (of legal services) beware. And that's the fact, Jack.

31 -- you're a sociopath. killself.

-- Your best friend

Suck on my Howrey Prestige, bitches!

You are all idiots.

"but wolfblock gets an F for 'existing.' "

I'll give credit where it's due. Elie, that was some funny shit.

WolfBlock gets an F for "existing."

Nice

Hey 36, say hi to your mother for me.

31

I'm with 22, these kids are unrealistic whiners. If you want a humane working envrionment find a small firm or government org that fits your lifestyle what you want out of a career.

Big firms are not for everyone but most students at top students take a few years to understand this basic truth.

30- clearly you want Dewey. Who wants to actually be good at what they do and get paid for the work they do? I mean, do you hate America or something? Clearly the American dream is to do nothing and get paid for it! Go BBLP!!!

Former Creighton 1L

19 - You get an F for grammar.

Pro bono hours are actually up at a lot of firms during this recession because billable work is down. As far as diversity goes, people need to get a clue. That's all these firms care about. It's not for lack of trying that they don't have a diverse class. Qualfied 'diverse' applicants that apply get hired in today's world. There's just not always enough of them applying. So sorry we get an F in a category because qualified hispanic females with three toes didn't apply to our firm in high enough numbers.

AA for poor whites please. We also attend shit schools.

What a joke. How about you kiddies get over your self-indulgent selves and actually try working first? Holding a national conference on this shit -- really? In this economy? Out of touch whiners.

What a joke. How about you kiddies get over your self-indulgent selves and actually try working first? Holding a national conference on this shit -- really? In this economy? Out of touch whiners.

41 - You get an F for acting as the grammar police.

If these kids want diversity and public interest work there are plenty of jobs that will offer them that. Of course what they want is a big fat paycheck. Since that is their first priority they have zero sympathy from me. Make a choice: either go for the big bucks and STFU, or go work for Legal-Aid or something. They seem to ignore the basic fact that what they want is right there in front of them, it just doesn't pay 160K a year. For that reason they are essentially a bunch of crybabies.

NAMBLA clerkships are the best way for poor whites to attend better schools.

Munger > Blank Rome

What the people behind Building a Better Legal Profession are doing is much needed. Right now BigLaw is downright unhealthy in many ways. Bravo for them, and they cannot and should not stop agitating for the issue just because times are tough.

39, I find that when someone uses the term "whiner" it is shorthand for saying "you have raised an important and legitimate issue that I do not wish to consider." Try arguing about facts instead of ad hominems.

This is one of the dumbest things I've ever seen. BBLP is hoping that firms will fundamentally change their business models to reflect BBLP principles rather than losing the occasional 2L BBLP true believer to another firm. Even in a better legal market than this, there will always be a steady stream of the best and brightest willing to sign up for life in Biglaw's gilded cage.

Sheeeeet!

I played in the league and made me some money. Then I did some white and Stern was like, "you can't play no more."

I needs me some crafty college age wanna-be Jew lawyers to dream up a way to get me back in the league!

The legal profession would be a much happier place if firms put viagra in all the food at the cafeterias.

I wonder if firms are taking notes on which students are actually spearheading this inane movement and blackballing them. In the end, these douchebags might not have offers to reject! Good on ya!

This post is stupid. Sure, the firms with a bad environmental/diversity/whatever rep are still going to be able to fill their jobs ITE, but they may not get the most selective students. If HYS students decide to not work at Blank Rome, for instance, they'll have to either fill up with TTT students or change their ways. This is simple economics - TTTs are inferior goods.

50:

FACT: If you want a humane working environment find a small firm or government org that fits your lifestyle and what you want out of a career.
FACT: Big firms are not for everyone but most students at top students take a few years to understand this basic truth.
FACT: If someone wants to work for a great government org that will give you fine experience in very racially diverse atmosphere, you can find them as I know several. Sorry but they all pay ~50k to start so you might have to test the limits of your idealism.

-39

I'm with 36/37

He deserves a lot of the flack he gets around here. But every once in a while, Elie nails it.

And who are these kids kidding? BBLP? Big Beautiful Legal Professionals didn't have that acronym on lockdown?

How self indulgent... they want students to refuse to work at big firms, as if their superior legal skills will be missed. Get a clue, Harvard does not make you a genius or particularly good at practicing law. There are thousands of attorneys with experience that are significantly more valuable than you. You are picked simply because you are relatively cheap and have yet to grow a spine, aka you will work long hours and be the punching bag to some partner who just realized he used to be the bitch that you now are.

How do you know if you are TTT?

Wow. Great article by MysTTTal. I'm shocked. No typos. No idiotic jokes. Its almost like someone wrote it for him, and then he took credit for it.

How self indulgent... they want students to refuse to work at big firms, as if their superior legal skills will be missed. Get a clue, Harvard does not make you a genius or particularly good at practicing law. There are thousands of attorneys with experience that are significantly more valuable than you. You are picked simply because you are relatively cheap and have yet to grow a spine, aka you will work long hours and be the punching bag to some partner who just realized he used to be the bitch that you now are.

that's a FIG LEAF of probono/diversity, noone is fooled

54 agree. How do you think hiring partners at firms like Skadden and Weil will react when they see "BBLP" on your resume? Career suicide.

If I am a Locke Lord Austin senior associate, and have a normal sized wife and a really nice townhouse, can I be considered prestigious?

SMU grad

I doubt any CLS students are a part of this organization. BigLaw will always have its pick of cogs - BBLP or no BBLP.

51 got it. BBLP hopes that enough people will band together around the same ideals and make career decisions based on these principles, and eventually have an economic impact on the industry. These kids are so self-important, they don't realize that they're easily replaceable with real adults out there who are willing to sacrifice and work for their pay.

@64 - Close one, I think your choice of automobile will be the tie-breaker.

http://www.betterlegalprofession.org/leadership.php

I suppose when you have these credentials you think you can spearhead something like this.

@67 - I drive a silver Escalade.

55 - hit the nail on the head

what about a piece on the interesting eminent domain issues over in Maryland regarding the Preakness?

55, explain how someone who bases their employment decision on who will make them work less is in any way a "selective candidate" or someone who will ever be able to hack it in a big law firm.

I'd rather take someone who is willing to work their ass off for me, than someone who still wants a huge paycheck but wants to work less for it.

71, what do you think this is, WSJ LB?
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/04/09/marylands-run-for-the-preakness-would-it-be-constitutional/

ATL probably won't do a whole post on this, unless it involves horse steroids, ie, http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/appellate/a0299-08.opn.html or some jockey's 3500 sq. ft. wife & Lexus...

55, explain how someone who bases their employment decision on who will make them work less is in any way a "selective candidate" or someone who will ever be able to hack it in a big law firm.

I'd rather take someone who is willing to work their ass off for me, than someone who still wants a huge paycheck but wants to work less for it.

55 must be a member of BBLP if he thinks the firms are going to miss these "most selective" of students - Biglaw firms will always be able to fill up a class of first years without venturing outside the top 5-6 law schools - LOL if you think a hiring partner at Skadden or Cravath is going to sweat " of the 800 2L's combined at HYS, no one wants to work for us" - then LOL at you

75 is right, to quote Billy from the film, "Predator":

"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die. "

That something is this economy, what's waiting is a slew of pink slips....we're all going to be laid off.

@69 - You deserve your shitty mileage.

Someone should tell these children that old yarn about how the graveyards are full of indispensible men.

We're out of touch? What you "salt-of-the-earth", "I slave and sacrifice for every dollar", "if you can't stand the heat..." types fail to realize is that while you may (incompetently) run law firms and may, therefore, have something (of no value) to say about the work force, we (i.e., graduates of places like Stanford, Harvard, and Yale law schools) are the ones who run the country. So, I suggest you pay close attention to these little rumblings from an elite school out west, because, one day, these kids are going to graduate and proceed to destroy the established system of business law.

PS, to commenter 28, who says that Biglaw is a business, not a profession: I remind you that law is, and has always been, a profession (note the specialized training, self-regulation, and stringent ethics rules). Adding the prefix "Big-" to it does not suddenly transform it into a purely business enterprise. In short, you're a "Small-[minded]" f*****g moron. Enjoy your depression, alcoholism, and (merciful) suicide!

- More important HYS grad who tells people like you what to do.

79, my fellow BBLP adherent, see you at the next Skull and Bones meeting? We rule!!!

The main thing BBLP does is provide more information, so that law students can make better informed choices. Some of you may want to bill 2200+ hours per year, and some of you may not. BBLP will help students sort themselves into places where they are more likely to fit.

And some of the students who actually care about things like hours and quality of life may be top-ranked students at top law schools. Perhaps a big firm will make a niche for itself by providing a place where excellent lawyers can practice while also having a semi-normal life on the side. Or perhaps not- let's get the information out there and let the market decide.

Senior Associate at V5 here-- These delusional dauphins are going to have a choice when they hit the real world: (a) drop their bullshit and earn their pay, or (b) be fired.

You wanted to start at 165k, so you had better earn it. That means billing. If you aren't cool with working to earn your money, move to France. If I find out some 2L douche is a BBLP member in an interview, I am going to ding the lazy fuck.

81- info has been out there for a while. The geniuses at BBLP just sorted it.

82--Do you happen to have a book I can about law firms? Your infinite wisdom made me wet and I want more, so much more.
In the case you don't have a book I guess I'll have to purchase BBLP's book or get the skinny from you over the phone. Your digits?

wait a minute... back up... there's a law school at creighton?

I'd like to thank BBLP for guaranteeing that my billable hours and salary will keep skyrocketing upward. I can do a first-year's work standing on my head with my eyes closed. They have absolutely no idea how things work in the real world.

Signed,
A Senior Paralegal (who helps and doesn't hate lawyers)

Senior Paralegal (#86) here again.

I love you, #82.

Good for BBLP! If associates had the balls to unionize, they would be in far better position right now. Top students have power to make such changes - while TTT firms may not care what kind of people they hire, the handful of elite firms out there do care - and they will move in the direction the top talent wants them to move in.

I am all for changing the working environment in big law firms. Billing 2400 hours a year is not healthy from either a personal or career development perspective. You need time to step back and digest the work you are doing.

That said, I can't stand these self-righteous brats.

I assume all BPLPs are rejecting any offers that would pay then more than $50,000 per year.