Harvard Law Students See Job Offers Dwindle

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I think everyone Ivy Leagues and not as well known college graduates are having a hard time finding jobs. I think even Ivy Leagues wont' be hired just on a whim and given these extra perks just because they graduated from this super well known college. Companies, law firms you name it is obvisously laying off people left and right and it takes even like myself college educated and experience at least a year to find a job. It's not unrealistic to now expect that it will take at least a year for people to find a job. Even just simply getting an interview is really hard. It will get a lot easier sooner than later. Obama is luckly saving us.

Mo of CO 8:04PM September 07, 2009

Sounds like some people have unjustified views on Ivy League students. I am a grad student at Harvard (in Management), and I'm not rich - I have student loans for grad school, just like I had student loans for undergrad. The assumption that we all have money couldn't be further from the truth.
As far as a school's name goes, I have noticed a difference in the way people react when they ask what school I attend. Same with undergrad. And even my best friend (who went to the same undergrad) was turned down for one job solely because of the school we attended, but was offered another - without an interview - because of the school we attended. So the name does have an effect to a certain extent.
Getting back to the article, there are some large law firms (i.e. Alston & Byrd in Atlanta, GA) that require a student rank in a certain percentile if they are not a graduate of an Ivy League school - usually very high. Ivy League graduates, however, are given a little more leniency. So to say that the school doesn't make a difference isn't accurate.

A Williams of MA 10:58PM February 22, 2009

I graduated magna cum laude from a good, but not great, law school. Though I passed the NY bar exam and gained admission to the bar, I still don't even get interviews because my resume does not say "Harvard" or "Yale." That these schools are having trouble placing students is indicative of just how terrible the job market is for lawyers.

Doug of NY 12:21AM February 21, 2009

The education isn't the issue. There is not a huge difference between and Ivy League and State Educations. The difference is the network and potential money you bring to your firm after graduating. Which means a lot in the real world

Tony Taylor of IL 8:38AM December 08, 2008

It's not just Harvard & Yale grads that have a tough time...lawyers everywhere are having a tough time finding jobs. As a new grad, it took me 9 months to find a practicing position and was laid off when the firm started failing only 18 months later. This economy is tightening the market for all, from ivy league lawyers to those of us who went to regional schools. My advice for these new grads: work hard and build your reputation wherever you can find a job and it will pay off. It may take a few years to start making the money you want but it will happen.

S.L. of PA 8:45AM December 07, 2008

If grads from Harvard/Yale Law are having trouble finding jobs, then the rest of the "no-namer" grads must be eating crap from the bottom of the barrel.
But nobody talks or writes about the "no-namer" grads anyway.

Jim of NJ 11:38AM December 06, 2008

I go to a state law school and was offered about 10 jobs in 3 different states. Looks like I have more job offers than some of the Harvard folks.
I'm sure they are nice people and all, but it's nice to know employers finally made the Ivy Leagues keep up with the rest of the world instead of giving special treatment. Oh, and did I mention I pay about $10,000 per year in tuition instead of $42,000 for Harvard? That's also nice. =)

E of NM 5:05PM December 05, 2008

There are scholarships and student loans. President-elect Obama, for example, just had many loans.
I don't think Harvard is all just name by the way. If you're placed in a pool of extremely smart, competitive, hard-working people and graded on a curve, it may actually speak more if you received a good grade than if you were one of a handful of excellent students surrounded by mediocre ones. I can see this as a rationale as to why some employers may prefer Harvard grads.
As for Harvard law school grads, I think they're groomed for corporate finance especially to repay their massive student loan debts (although there are nominal debt aid programs for those who go into community service careers). It's unfortunate that their brilliance is used this way, but I can understand the motivation. I pray we get more brilliant people who want to serve humanity and not their own wallets...

anon of CA 5:01PM December 05, 2008

Top Firms will only recruit from top programs. Period. Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, and Stanford will always have the advantage. They take the best of the best and that is what top firms look for when hiring. Even If you went to a 2nd tier school (or dare i say, 3) graduated in the top 2%, it would not look near as good as going to Stanford, for example. Hate it all you want, but that is truth. There is a ranking system for a reason.
I guess if you want to work for yourself in DUI law or criminal defense it will not mean as much. But if you look at starting salary for first year law grads....come on, let's be honest...

M&A Lawyer of NY 4:41PM December 05, 2008

When I hear that Law Graduates of elite schools like Harvard and Yale, are having some "job troubles", I do not think that is really true.
What they may be having trouble with, is finding a job in the "previously" high paying Law Jobs, associated with "Wall Street" finance. The fact is that these are super bright, motivated, achievers. Unfortunately, for the past 10 years...most of these people have chosen to apply themselves to the "easy work" of tearing about corporations, and stealing the worker's assets. (buyouts, eliminating pension plans, downsizing), or the pretend work of "creating financial instruments like CMO's/derivatives, and then, selling or trading them to other corporate financial organizations.
It will be interesting to see if these same students, will apply themselves, to the "long-term" work, of actually building companies, that produce, goods and services, and provide jobs for the middle-class...as opposed to using their very smart minds, talents..and "law skills", to basically "steal" the retirement assets, from those people...and call it "high finance".

JamesInTacoma of WA 4:36PM December 05, 2008