When Applying to Law Schools or Firms Do You Need to ‘Apply Everywhere’?
If I got a dollar for every time I heard someone saying to “apply everywhere”, I would probably graduate law school without any student debt… Okay, maybe I haven’t heard it that many times, but I do hear it a lot when it comes to discussing law school applications and legal working positions.
While I do know this method is successful for some people, it is not the approach I have taken for getting into law school or getting a job.
So, now you are probably asking “what do you do?” or “come on, it doesn’t hurt to apply everywhere.” But I beg the question: why you would want to apply somewhere you don’t actually want to be?
If it is a school that you’re applying to, why would you put yourself in a position that is not ideal for three years? If obtaining an acceptance from the school you truly want to go to is just requires a higher LSAT score or stronger GPA then take a year off to make your scores better. Law school is a three-year commitment, taking one year off to make your experience better would be worth it.
Apply to the school or the firm whose reputation aligns with your values and is geographically ideal. Especially in the first round of applying, don’t be desperate. Employers can tell who is actually interested in their firm and they likely only want to hire someone who plans on working there for years to come. Your happiness is important too, don’t apply somewhere you don’t actually want to be. Sticking out a job you don’t enjoy and simply waiting for your term or contract to end is not the ideal situation to be in.
Unpopular opinion: Applying everywhere does more harm than good.
I would like to also state that I do think it hurts to apply to several places. Unless I had no other commitments, like studying or working, I would not be able to thoroughly research and learn about an abundance of firms. I could not have done a good job with my applications if I applied ‘everywhere’. Generally, applications take time. However, great applications take a lot of time. If you are actually interested in the firm you are applying to, your authenticity and genuine enthusiasm will shine.
In late August, I participated in the 2L recruitment process. I only applied to one firm. Because of this, I was able to read a few cases that each of the interviewers was counsel in. I was interviewed by four lawyers and one administrator. I read the lawyers’ work, I understood their arguments, and I prepared myself to discuss these cases. After my interview, I wrote personal thank you cards to all five of my interviewers and hand-delivered them to the firm. I could not have invested and committed myself as thoroughly if I applied for several firms. While I can not say with certainty that those efforts are what got me the job, I can only assume that they worked in my favour. The firm knew that I wanted to work there because I did my research and showed my dedication and interest in their work early on.
Don’t hinder your chances of getting the jobs you actually want by spending your time applying to 30 different places. Instead, use that time to make your handful of applications the best they can be by showing authentic and genuine interest.
If you come off disinterested, scripted, or fake you probably won’t get the job. If your cover letter seems like it could be easily altered to fit another 20 firms' applications, you may not get the interview. Having a ‘one size fits all’ application may be time-efficient, but it is not the preferred practice. Having this type of application negatively stands out and will hurt your chances of getting the job.
Try and have some fun with the job hunt and application process. While it can be stressful, it is a really exciting time in your life. The job you get now will influence the rest of your career and the school you go to will shape the type of lawyer you become. Do not sacrifice your dream job or school by applying to a bunch of random places. It is okay if you are not successful your first time around, the right places are worth the wait. When you are feeling defeated or unmotivated, think of the excitement you will feel when you are successful. You do not need to apply everywhere.
