Whites Need Not Apply

[1234]

Dear Class,

Please see the announcements below from the Career Development Office:

“Please advise your diverse * 1L and second-year evening students that they should attend the Diversity Networking Reception we are hosting on Monday, March 3, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. [redacted] are sending recruiters and lawyers to this event. These firms are genuinely interested in finding strong candidates to work as summer associates in Summer 2009. We advised the firms that this event would present a good opportunity to look beyond GPA and Class Rank and meet some dynamic students. (emphasis added)

Professor [redacted]

*Anyone who self-identifies as being of minority status because of their race or ethnicity (Hispanic, African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indian, “other”).

[StevePirates]

Does your school define people of low socio-economic backgrounds or GLBT students as diverse?

[redjay]

at my school i'm pretty sure you GLBT are diverse. everyone but white heterosexuals are diverse, unless they happen to look white, in which case, despite their background they are still white (Excluding glbt).

[ls2010]

I'm not sure what the point was in posting this...

[kernelgt]

Note that in the email, it specified that it's for 1L and evening 2L students....The firms hire them for PR points before their 2L year, but when the same students apply during OCI, the firms drop the whole "look beyond GPA and class rank" charade.  It's so they can say they participate in "diversity" summer hiring, but it's BS.  During 2L OCI, grades and class rank are still all that matters.  I have a friend who was victim to this type of program.  He was hired during 1L for the diversity summership, did an awesome job, and was told that he would fit well at the firm.  During 2L OCI, he wasn't in top 25%, and the same recruiter said: "Hmm, we really, really liked you last year. you were great.  But we can't hire you this year because you aren't top 25%.  We suggest you get hired by a small firm when you graduate and look us up in about 5 years for a lateral position."  He was obviously upset, and not that they only hired top 25% students.  That was fine.  What pissed him off was their shameless pandering to "diversity" hiring after 1L summer, when the firm really had no commitment to such hiring when there was actually a chance for an offer.  He would have rather not been hired after 1L and been able to work somewhere that might actually hire him when he graduates. 

Look, I'm not commenting on whether this type of hiring is good or not, as I'm not working for a firm when I graduate, so I really couldn't care less.  But when firms say out of one side of their mouths that they will "look past" grades and class rank, it seems pretty shallow when that only applies to positions after 1L.  On the other hand, those that do achieve high grades and class rank should have the upper hand when it comes to actual OCI, regardless of "diversity." It's just the post-1L, token "diversity" hiring that I have a problem with. 

[1LMan]

Your "friend" story is BS.  If he worked for a large firm 1L summer, he wouldn't go through 2L OCI with the same firm again. Either he would be given an offer at the end of the summer to return, or he wouldn't......

[kernelgt]

Your "friend" story is BS.  If he worked for a large firm 1L summer, he wouldn't go through 2L OCI with the same firm again. Either he would be given an offer at the end of the summer to return, or he wouldn't......

Sorry, but it's true.  I can't help it if it doesn't fit within your predefined notions of big-firm hiring in whatever city you are familiar with.  The 1L summer was a diversity program with a number of local large firms hiring 2 students each from the diversity program.  Those 2 students each joined the 2L summer classes of rising 3Ls who were, in fact, hired because of grades and class rank.  Then, they all had to reapply during OCI during their 2L year so that the firms wouldn't have to "look past" grades and class rank anymore.  Believe it or don't, I couldn't care, but those are the facts. 

[Jumboshrimps]

I agree that pretending to be interested in hiring "minority" individuals regardless of their academic success, and then not offering them permanent positions based on academic shortcomings, is absolute BS. However, I do not blame the firms for this injustice. They are simply responding to this absurd social notion that private employers are expected to actively recruit those of racial or ethnic minority. The firms can't afford to be honest about their recruiting goals because being accused of hiring too many whites is very damaging to the firm's reputation.

If you want to blame someone for this racist garbage, blame those who advocate "affirmative action," which may the most misguided and damaging social policy since Prohibition.

[DuckHuntinLawyer]

I agree that pretending to be interested in hiring "minority" individuals regardless of their academic success, and then not offering them permanent positions based on academic shortcomings, is absolute BS. However, I do not blame the firms for this injustice. They are simply responding to this absurd social notion that private employers are expected to actively recruit those of racial or ethnic minority. The firms can't afford to be honest about their recruiting goals because being accused of hiring too many whites is very damaging to the firm's reputation.

If you want to blame someone for this racist garbage, blame those who advocate "affirmative action," which may the most misguided and damaging social policy since Prohibition.

That's a pretty good breakdown. Must be a umkc fella.

[Jumboshrimps]

I agree that pretending to be interested in hiring "minority" individuals regardless of their academic success, and then not offering them permanent positions based on academic shortcomings, is absolute BS. However, I do not blame the firms for this injustice. They are simply responding to this absurd social notion that private employers are expected to actively recruit those of racial or ethnic minority. The firms can't afford to be honest about their recruiting goals because being accused of hiring too many whites is very damaging to the firm's reputation.

If you want to blame someone for this racist garbage, blame those who advocate "affirmative action," which may the most misguided and damaging social policy since Prohibition.

That's a pretty good breakdown. Must be a umkc fella.

There's only one UMKC guy I know who hunts ducks. . . and it's WABBIT SEASON!!!