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Vinson & Elkins Doesn't Mind if Columbia or NYU Law Students Have Been Laid Off

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It looks like Vinson & Elkins caused a little bit of confusion and consternation with a job listing the firm posted at Columbia Law School and NYU Law School. Here’s the V&E listing:

Employer: Vinson & Elkins LLP (New York, NY) [view profile]
Title: Litigation Associate
Description:
The NY Office of Vinson & Elkins LLP is looking for a junior-level (Class of ’07-’08) litigation associate with 1-2 years of NY Law Firm experience to work in their Complex Commercial Litigation group. Applicants should be currently employed and seeking opportunities on their own volition. Must have outstanding academic credentials and be admitted to the NY Bar.

A couple of Above the Law readers felt that this listing specifically excluded recent Columbia and NYU graduates who have been laid off over the course of the recession.
Above the Law reached out to recruiting people at Vinson & Elkins. It turns out that this listing was simply an “in-artful” posting from V&E. Check out what the firm really means after the jump.


Earlier this month, we told you that some firms were unwilling to hire associates who had been laid off. At the time, I wrote:

One recruiter we spoke with told us that as many as 80 percent of the employers they work with specifically requested résumés from attorneys who are still employed. Laid-off attorneys need not apply. “[T]hey don’t want any résumés from the Latham 190,” this recruiter said.

But when Above the Law spoke with recruiting partners at Vinson & Elkins, they made it clear that the firm was not trying to blacklist qualified candidates simply because of a recent layoff:

We will consider all applicants who have graduated from NYU or Columbia.

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In April, Vinson & Elkins promised not to lay off its associates because of the economy. So far, the firm has held to that commitment. There’s every reason to believe that the firm won’t discriminate against associates displaced by the recession.
So, laid off graduates of Columbia and NYU, I think you have another resume to send out.
Earlier: Bad News for Laid Off Associates: Your Résumés Are Not Welcome
Vinson & Elkins: Another ‘No Layoff” Promise

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