Careers
Law Firm Layoffs Make Job Search Harder for Law Students
Posted Feb 27, 2009 12:50 PM CST
By Martha Neil
As laid-off lawyers look for work, they are competing not only against each other but a fresh crop of would-be legal eagles about to graduate from law school within the next year or so.
And for those still in the legal education pipeline, the ongoing deluge of bad news about layoffs, pay freezes, new associate start date delays and offer revocations is a daunting reminder of what they already know is a challenging job market, according to Minnesota Lawyer.
“It’s scary and frustrating,” says John McBeain, 24, who is a second-year student at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn. Although he is on law review there, he doesn't yet have a summer position lined up.
At the University of St. Thomas School of Law in St. Paul, third-year student Rasheen Tillman estimates that perhaps two-thirds of her classmates are still looking for work. The job-search is stressful, she says--especially when she thinks about the $100,000 she owes in student loans.
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Comments
Bill
Feb 27, 2009 2:35 PM CST
“At the University of St. Thomas School of Law in St. Paul, third-year student Rasheen Tillman estimates that perhaps two-thirds of her classmates are still looking for work.”
But no doubt the school will still report a 98% placement rate. Great oversight, ABA.
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B. McLeod
Feb 28, 2009 3:27 PM CST
I remember Sylvester McMonkey McBeain, who (some may recall) had a Star-On machine. When through fleecing all Sneechtown’s petit bourgeois, he packed up his kit,and moved on to Big Law.
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Peden
Mar 1, 2009 9:22 AM CST
It is scary and stressful for those would-be lateral movers, too. But I guess right now the most important thing is that I still have a job!
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Voice of Reason
Mar 1, 2009 10:52 PM CST
First of all, I have never heard of the law schools referenced in this story. Perhaps they should close. In addition, state bar members should cause our respective bars to take care of current members and make the bar tougher to reduce the inflow. This is a profession, not a business.
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tim
Mar 2, 2009 9:21 AM CST
i heard thomas cooley is accepting more applications at its law school factory for the next sucker who thinks he will make $165,000
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