"Instead of locking in its entire 2028 associate class during the 1L panic cycle, Cooley is only hiring about half of the class now - and intentionally leaving the rest of the seats open to fill later, after students actually have more law school experience, exposure, and clarity. In a system that's been built on speed, pressure, and early commitment, slowing down is the reform students actually need. Bloomberg Law has the details:"
"For the first time in years, a Biglaw firm is making a recruiting change that could positively impact law students - and we're totally here for it. Cooley just did something that should be obvious, but somehow feels radical in the modern recruitment era: the firm has stopped pretending that first-semester first-year law students should be making life-defining career decisions before they even understand what lawyers do."
Cooley will extend some offers to first-year law students for summer 2027 while reserving roughly 30-40% of its 2028 associate class to be filled after students complete their first year. The firm will also recruit from the 3L market to finish its class. Law schools lost control of recruiting during COVID as on-campus interviews collapsed and firms accelerated timelines. Students face pressure to commit before grades, finals, or practice-area exposure. Slowing the hiring timeline allows students more experience and clarity, broadens the applicant pool over time, and addresses systemic harms caused by early, speed-focused recruitment.
Read at Above the Law
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