Paul Weiss Uses Peer-to-Peer Recruitment - How Could This Turn Out ...

 Abovethelaw's mission is informing and advocating for law students and junior lawyers. So both groups should pay attention to ATL's exclusive posting by Kathryn Rubino. It's about Paul Weiss, along with Sullivan & Cromwell, using peer-to-peer recruitment in law schools. ATL reports:

" ... [The 3Ls who] already accepted offers at the firms have been given the authority to wine and dine 1Ls as part of the firm’s recruitment."

Unlike how many of us understand peer-to-peer processes, this one has a commercial aspect and professional stakes. 

The standard peer-to-peer model is non-commercial and oriented to providing selfless service. Well-known is that of Alcoholics Anonymous. Dating back to 1935, the program is based on one alcoholic reaching out to another, carrying this good news: Remission of that deadly disease is possible. The AA 12 Traditions prohibit commercializing any aspect of that.

During the altrustic counterculture ethos of the late 1960s peer-to-peer flourished. Its uses ranged from counseling to tutoring to sex education. Never a charge.

Paul Weiss' model involves business components. Come on, it's about jobs. Also, just about everyone in the loop has a lot of professional stuff at stake.

So, what could happen in this initative? Plenty, possibly.

For example:

The abuse of power. The interaction is not an even playing field. The two parties are not really in a peer context. One has access to the decision-makers. 

The information and supposed insight from the student recruiters could be quite limited. Maybe even wrong. They haven't yet worked at the firm full time. Usually summer internerships are structured in artificial ways. Eventually the 1Ls could wind up mocking the interactions. "Those future associates didn't know what they were talking about." The law firm brand could also take a hit since it set loose those uniformed student recruiters.

That's one more hoop the 1Ls have to jump through. Already there are myria loops.

It extends the recruiting process out to years. Will not only students but law schools push back? Being in law school struggling to learn is tough enough.

Suppose bad impressions are created on one or both sides. That could filter into the most powerful communications channel: grapevines. Whisper this, whisper that. Reputations are dinged. Jobs could be not gotten or eventually lost.

Student recruiters are bullish about such-and-such a 1L. What if that sizing up turns out to be so wrong. Who winds up gerting hired failed miserably. Will the player in  this loop with the least power - that is the former student recruiter now associate at the firm - be held accountable?  

How about those at the law firm in the front lines creating this iniative. Will their brand equity plummet if criticism escalates about recruiting in general. 

Trust can wither. This is business. Very serious business. Not peers "getting each other." Are student recruiters a version of spies? On Tubi (free streaming platform) watch "The Eye of the Needle." Chilling.

Much of my coaching is educating job searchers about the perils when the interviewing process takes the form of socializing. 

Tips welcome. Bylined articles/op-eds also. Please contact Jane Genova at janegenova374@gmail.com or text 203-468-8579.

Thrown off your game, maybe the first time since you started working? You made all the right moves and then the world moved in another direction.

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