Biglaw

That's Certainly *One* Way To Work At Cravath

Things sure have changed.

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think wonder question pondered colored emoji sticker icon. Element of emoji for mobile concept and web apps illustration.At one time, the only way to be an attorney at Cravath was getting recruited out of law school. The firm famously eschewed lateral hires, preferring to focus on home-grown talent. They didn’t want attorneys tainted by other Biglaw firms, only those trained in the Cravath system.

But the pandemic took a toll on all sorts of things, and the Cravath way was one of them. In 2021, they looked to hire a recruitment manager that would focus on lateral hires, signaling an opening for folks looking to make a lateral move to the firm.

Recently an eagle-eyed tipster spied some recruiter pitches looking for someone interested in a temporary position — at a firm that doesn’t typically hire laterals — that could become a permanent position.

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Hmmm, wonder what firm they could mean? A tipster confirms it is indeed Cravath. Temp to perm at one of the most elite Biglaw firms in the world? That is definitely different than the Cravath way. It’s unclear if folks hired into this role will be full associates — or if they’ll be billed at the same rate as associates — but the chance to get your “foot in the door” sure makes it seem like it’s being pitched that way. An update to the listed opportunity indicates they’ll now accept folks applying for the role as a permanent position. But it is a sign of just how much has changed in the last few years that this possibility is even on the table.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.

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