Blind Item, Job Searches, Law Schools, Money

Top-Tier Law School Blind Item: An Associate Position, At No Cost to You!

Could the legal economy be returning to normal? Could the dark days of indentured servitude for recent law school graduates be coming to an end? Not so fast....

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With the news of 100 percent offer rates trickling in slowly but surely from many Biglaw firms, we thought that students from top-tier law schools were looking good in terms of their job prospects. Sure, summer classes were smaller this year — but offer rates at or near 100 percent are still nothing to scoff at.

Recall the dark days of summer 2009, when no-offers and cold offers were doled out in abundance. When it comes to the legal job market, maybe it does get better (as long as we don’t sink into a double-dip recession).

Could the legal economy be returning to normal? Could the dark days of indentured servitude for recent law school graduates be coming to an end?

Not so fast….

A top-tier law school has a post on its job board from a small law firm that could double as copy for an infomercial. The ad promises recent law school graduates with bar admission great opportunities to learn, a private office, and more — all “at no cost to you.”

It’s too bad that this job also comes at a bargain price for the law firm (emphasis added):

Sponsored

New associate position available. Great opportunity to learn and develop your legal skills at no cost to you. We are offering an associate position at our law offices with a private office, legal staff, and supplies at no cost to you. In exchange, you are to commit between 20 to 30 hours of legal services per week, without pay. You are also free to utilize our offices to open or maintain your own legal practice.

No experience is necessary and we will provide training in both general civil practice as well as criminal defense. Legal work includes appearances at court, depositions, arbitrations, mediations, motions, etc. You will also be required to draft varies pleadings and motions.

Work for us for free, at no cost to you! As good as that sounds, I feel like many people are going to pass on this offer (and many more if their dignity is still intact).

We know that law schools like to game their job placement numbers, but can graduates really be considered “employed” if they’re working for free on a part-time basis? The school that posted this job listing has previously been called out on Above the Law for its too-good-to-be-true employment stats.

So, which top 20 school is offering its grads the chance to snag this cushy slave-labor slot?

Sponsored

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