Just how hard is it for Tulane Law students to find a job right now?
I would say it is harder to find a paying job while in school than in the past. A lot of people took government internships and are getting tremendous experience.
Grades will always matter, but I would say, as botbot alluded to in reference to smaller firms, it is more about your personal networking. I networked and got lucky. More than ever, I think you have to seek out a situation. Do not wait for on campus interviews to save the day. If off-campus programs are any indication, there are not going to be many firms travelling to see us this year. That said, think hard about targeting your efforts. Everyone will be resume dumping the obvious suspects (big firms, clerkships). See if you can find a log to turn over that few law students have thought of. (i.e. consider approaching small firms and solo practitioners for advice/ summer work). My summer job came about from a simple email to a practitioner to discuss his field of the law.