Non-traditional students hired by biglaw firms?

[luckylady]

Hello,

Does anyone have any insight as to how likely (or unlikely) it is for a non-traditional aged student to be hired by a biglaw firm, or at least be given the chance as a summer associate? I am contemplating law school, live in the Boston are and will go to school here, but am worried that I won't have the opportunities I would have had 10 years ago.

Thank you!

[luckylady]

Anyone?

[NeverTrustKlingons]

I would say it will depend on school and rank (great school or top 10% elsewhere), and much less so (if at all) on your age.  Good luck.

[bossofyou]

You will get interviews based upon your credentials.  From there, when you show up at interviews, the biglaw law firm may be suspicious of a non-trad student's willingness to work the long hours.  Don't give them any reason to be suspicious of you - and then it is an even playing field.  In fact, if you have a track record of working the long hours, it may give you a leg up - in that they know that you know what you are in for, lack of naivety working to your benefit. 

[luckylady]

Thanks for the replies!

[drpoker]

Best answer (and welcome to the field of law) is it depends.  How old are you?  What area of law are you interested in?  If it is patent law, non-trad can even give you an advantage.  But I agree that don't ask about part-time options at interviews.  Having said that, law firms like a person who is stable and having a family/kids is usually looked upon as a sign of stability.

[HippieLawChick]

I have a friend who is #7 (not top 7%, he is number seven in the class) who is 40 and didn't get a single offer after quite a few interviews based on his GPA and law review membership alone.  You just never know.

[intel]

I have a friend who is #7 (not top 7%, he is number seven in the class) who is 40 and didn't get a single offer after quite a few interviews based on his GPA and law review membership alone.  You just never know.

but the firms knew how old he was before they granted him an interview by looking at his resume (via his undergrad graduation date, or the date ranges of his previous employment). thus, he must have done something else wrong in the interviews?

[archival]

I have a friend who is #7 (not top 7%, he is number seven in the class) who is 40 and didn't get a single offer after quite a few interviews based on his GPA and law review membership alone.  You just never know.

but the firms knew how old he was before they granted him an interview by looking at his resume (via his undergrad graduation date, or the date ranges of his previous employment). thus, he must have done something else wrong in the interviews?

Do you know anything about how big firms interview?

You can get past one or two gatekeepers, but you still have to work against ingrained bias in 5 or 6 other individuals during the callback.

[aaaa]

I think it's pretty hard if you are looking at the biggest big law firms, but there are smaller firms that are more interested in older students who are adults.  Many of these are great firms.  I also think it's easier if you are male.