US law schools seek the edge by pushing firms to recruit earlier

Law schools have been putting pressure on US law firms to begin recruitment in August, months ahead of the regular schedule, in order to give the edge to their students in the competition for jobs at the biggest firms. “There was a race to the front of the line by law schools,” said Keith Wetmore, the chair of Morrison & Foerster, which is sending partners to 28 campuses this month to recruit students for its 2012 summer associate class. According to Mark Weber, assistant dean for career services at Harvard Law School, seven law schools held their interviewing weeks in August of 2000. By 2009 this number had increased to over 70, and this year the figure will be over 100.

US law schools seek the edge by pushing firms to recruit earlier blogs.wsj.com Fri, Aug 12, 2011