Employment question for lawyers - new graduate

[Anonymous]

If you weren't a summer associate at the firm and are applying as a new graduate, can you get hired after passing the bar but before the swearing in?

Took the Feb bar, passed (thank god), but am still waiting to get forms back from some of the references (past employers) which is delaying the submission of my completed bar application. Bar committees are notoriously slow and I've been warned that character & fitness can taken like 3 months, so now I'm worried I'll miss the June swearing in.

Been in talks with a senior associate at a law firm I really want to work in and he said he'll refer me to the hiring partner if I pass the bar. Now I've got an interview there on Thursday. If all goes well, would they still hire me without waiting three months for my application to go through? Like, does this happen frequently?

[Anonymous]

I can't speak to how frequently it happens. However, as long as you've passed the bar (sounds like NY) and are on a glidepath to admission, your C&F status should not preclude you from being hired unless the firm needs someone to stand as an admitted attorney (which is unlikely in a larger firm).

[Anonymous]

Yes. My firm would hire someone under those circumstances.

[Anonymous]

ok great, thank you! And yes my credit score is good, never done drugs, I've never been arrested, etc so I'm happy to hear this.

And yes it's a large firm, would rather not confirm jurisdiction either way for privacy reasons.

[Anonymous]

It is pretty weird a large firm would even wait for you to pass the bar if you were otherwise qualified.