Hopeful

One of the hardest hit careers during this recession has been those in the legal field; this I know firsthand from my husband. Earlier this year there was one particular day -- I believe it was dubbed "bloody Friday" -- when over a thousand lawyers were laid off at firms big and small across the country. It was a scary thing considering that the legal community is a rather small one compared to others, but it was also more unnerving than usual since this is the year my husband finds out where he'll be starting his career after graduation in May 2010. (Cue frustration and anguish in his voice every time he talks about it, especially when he's hearing that all his friends who summered at Big Firms weren't extended job offers and so they, too, are scrambling to find jobs for post-graduation.) This NY Times story sums it up nicely.

We don't need much to live on, and I made it clear even before our wedding day that I'd rather see more of him and be poor then never see him and be rich. But he says the looming problem in needing to land a huge job after school is that he needs to pay off his law school loans, which, even though he received a $75,000 scholarship upon admittance, will still come out to about $125,000. Let's just say we worked out the numbers and it would be like paying a small mortgage off every month -- which was doable pre-recession when many law students made $160,000 their first year out of school and could pay their loans off in the first five years. Let's just that "norm" has definitely changed. Sigh.

Well, I've got some semi-good news (fingers crossed!). He's been watching his school job boards like a hawk and last week saw that a Newport Beach firm was going to be on campus the last week of August, interviewing for summer associates for next year. Turns out they also have one opening for a third year to start immediately after graduation in May. (Woot!) Instead of just submitting his paperwork to their resume call (which virtually guarantees it would have been stuck in some pile of resumes and forgotten) he personally emailed a secretary his cover letter and resume, she sent it on to one of the hiring partners who was impressed at his credentials and proactivity, and invited him to a cocktail social at the W Hotel here to meet him. The next morning they squeezed my husband in for a formal interview before their scheduled interviews ... and two days later called him back for a second interview to their Newport office!

People, this is huge. But I don't want to jinx it, as it's uber competitive out there and well...he just really want this bad. So bad he can taste it. First and foremost he won't have to stress out anymore about paying off his loans (let's face it, I'm laid back and like it when my normally mellow husband is too). Secondly, this firm pays for all relocation expenses (double woot!), covers all Bar fees (about $5,000), and pays a large living stipend during the months he'd need to study for the Bar. I'm most excited because it will be our ticket back to California, which is the highest priority for me in whatever job he takes. I belong back on the West Coast, and though I never saw myself living anywhere in Los Angeles (much less Newport Beach), I will take it over staying here. And hey, it could be marvelous. It is "The OC" after all, isn't it? ;) If all goes well, it looks like I may be hanging out with Marisa Cooper at malls like this.

So this morning I was up bright and early at 5am to take my husband to Dulles airport about 30 minutes away. They booked him a ticket flying into the Long Beach Airport and have him staying Friday night at a really nice hotel near the water. I'm jealous and wish I could go with him, but it's only one night so I'll survive. We both can't believe that all that the interview hubbub just happened last Tuesday -- it feels sooo long ago -- but like Carly Simon said "Anticipation is keepin' [us] wai-ai-ai-ting." (Carly always knew how to tell it like it was.)

I'm not one to pray, but I am *praying* that his interview goes well today. Most of you know that it's hard out there in whatever field you're in, and unfortunately his is no exception. So, this one's for you, Love. Knock it out of the park!!