The hiring process for “Biglaw” firms, those globally-renowned legal practices renowned for their size and prestige, has long been considered unusual outside of the sector. Law students are often functionally interviewing for roles they’ll commence after graduation, even after finishing merely a third of their law school education. While this practice may be perplexing to outsiders, it’s considered normal within the industry, though some assert that the situation is deteriorating.
Instead of the traditional on-campus recruitment process, which previously scheduled initial interviews for summer associate roles leading to post-graduate employment offers before the start of 2L year, law schools and firms have been shifting towards direct applications. Law students often start this process as early as April in their 1L year. This has led to a change in the dynamics and timeline of law firm recruitment, largely due to law schools hoping to secure the best talent as early as practicable, as these direct applications are already proving popular at some Biglaw firms.
This shift was largely catalyzed by a move from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) in 2018, when they abolished their rules that formerly dictated how and when firms could interface with potential hires. The new system is seen as exacerbating the stress for law students, thrusting them into the interview process earlier, and reducing the time they have to evaluate a firm or engage with their competitors.
Moreover, some major firms like Morrison Foerster are now considering adding new assessments or exercises to their interview process to help gauge applicants more effectively. There’s an increasing concern among firms that they have less information with which to appraise potential recruits, due to these changes.
These changes to recruitment practices in the legal sector highlight the challenges and complexities emerging from the shifting landscape of early recruitment, the increased pressure on students, and the adaptions law firms must make to ensure that the caliber of potential hires remains high.