NALP Proposes Major Changes To Law Student Hiring Process

The National Association For Law Placement (NALP) -- an organization whose members include law schools and legal employers -- has recently released a proposal that it describes as the "most significant change in law student recruiting since NALP's timelines for recruiting were first developed in the 1970s."

Presently, recruiting for a coveted summer associate position that typically follows a student's second year and often serves as the basis for full-time employment is conducted on a rolling basis, as follows: 

- August - September: At most law schools, top-ranked law students begin the on-campus interview (OCI) process at the beginning of their second year;

- September, October & November: 2Ls are then selected from the OCI candidate pool for "call-backs" -- an opportunity for the candidate to visit the law firm and participate in a 4- to 5-hour round of interviews with associates and partners at the firm; employers extend offers shortly after the call-back interview is completed and students then have 45 days to weigh offers from competing firms and make their decision.

NALP's proposal would extend the recruiting season.  Employers would continue interviewing students during the fall semester of their second year. However, firms would be prohibited from extending any offers until January -- typically the start of the spring semester for most second-year students. The intended effect is to allow employers an opportunity to better assess their summer hiring needs so there is less "over hiring," which in recent years has led to fewer offers of permanent employment and/or deferred start dates for new hires (as much as 18 months after graduation). 

The new proposal is drawing sharp criticism from students who, understandably, would like to get their summer plans set as early as possible while avoiding the combined stress of waiting for job offers and studying for their fall semester exams.  Students aren't the only ones complaining, though.  In a recent National Law Journal article, some large law firms that weathered the past two years without layoffs and significant downsizing, complain about being burdened by recruiting rules that are only intended to help weaker competitors who approached the Great Recession ill-prepared.  Moreover, enforcement of this new rule is also a concern. NALP itself has no express enforcement power and relies on law schools to sanction firms who break its rules.  Some expect that under the new system interested employers could, with a wink and a nod, signal to students that they will receive an offer in January in the hope that those students will similarly provide their subtle assurances that they would accept an offer.  If that happens, many fear that nothing has changed from the old system.

NALP is soliciting public comment from its members through January 29th; a final vote on the proposed plan is not expected until the end of February. 

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