When I graduated from law school in the dotcom boom years of the late 90s, few of my peers chose public service careers. When a big law firm is offering you a six-figure salary, you’re not likely to give much serious consideration to the legal aid position that pays roughly 75% less. An interesting consequences of the current recession is that some firms are offering paid deferments to newly hired attorneys whom they can’t afford to bring on board at full salary for a year. Legal aid organizations and nonprofits are benefiting from an influx of talented and eager young attorneys who can afford to work for little or no money because of these deferments. Some attorneys are even choosing to remain in public service after their deferments end.
The world would be a much better place if these firms made deferments a permanent recruiting tool. New associates could get some great experience and lose some of that newbie awkwardness before entering the office grind. Clients in need would receive excellent representation from talented attorneys. Unfortunately, this practice is likely to end once the economy improves.
