It’s hard out here for a T-14 career services office. Everyone expects the Biglaw job of their dreams, but are they willing to put in the work? No. They assume by mere virtue of their acceptance at an elite institution that jobs will be there for the picking. But there’s a lot of information to impart to those hopeful attorneys, and they act like ungrateful little sh*ts.
Don’t believe me? Just ask the University of Virginia Law School career services office. They sent out the email below to 1Ls; most of it is just basic info to prepare students for getting summer positions, which is a rule-based endeavor that can be confusing. But then number 7 on their list — welp, they just drop a sick burn. (You can scroll down to jump to the hotness.)
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One of you was overheard saying that we send out too many long emails and that you have no intention of reading them. If you hold this view, please come to the Career Services Office for Alternate Graduate School counseling because you have made a SERIOUS mistake in the profession that you have chosen. If you think these emails are too frequent and too long and too complicated, then you are in for much sadness and regret when you start the practice of law. Indeed, you may actually have been born in the wrong century. Fortunately, however, you will not have to confront this issue, because you likely are not even reading this (in which case, we’ll enjoy getting to know you better during your 3L year).
To whoever wrote this graph — I want to buy you a drink.
This perfectly captures the smug arrogance I am sure career services professionals see every damn day. The very students who can’t be bothered with career services are probably going to be the ones who need them the most in the long run. Career Services has seen it all, and if you don’t want to read their emails now, that’s fine — they know you’ll come crawling back eventually.
UPDATE (2:59 p.m.): We’ve received an update from UVA’s Career Services, and good news, 1Ls — they don’t hate you! They’re just trying to make sure you understand how important it is to care about your career, even though you’ve just begun your legal education:
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I’m the one who wrote the paragraph in your post today and I wasn’t feeling the least bit testy. I was actually going for funny (oh well). It was just a soft reminder that among the many things on which you need to focus as a 1L, Career Services needs a little bandwidth too. he students know me, so I think they got that I was being light.
That being said, we really like this 1L class a lot and don’t think they are smug, arrogant or any of that other stuff. They have actually been a pleasure and quite diligent. I know that does not make much of a story, but I thought you should know.
Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).