Pierre Schlag has a great post inspired by a recent law review rejection letter he received. Among other amusing points, he notes that:
It’s true they had “carefully considered” my article, but still I sent the article on Monday and I got the rejection on Wednesday. 48 hours–that did not seem like much time for “careful consideration”—particularly given the fact that The Name Law Review got well over 3,000 articles a year.
I totally sympathize. I'm so sick of the smug arrogance of wet-behind-the-ears law students who write those condescending rejection letters.
But I can top that story. During my second year of law school I had an on-campus interview in Charlottesville with a law firm that should probably remain nameless, but won't. I thought my interview with the lawyers from Cadwalader, Wickersham, & Taft's Washington office had gone well. Apparently not.
The next day I went to my mailbox, where I found a rejection letter from Cadwalader with the usual "you're great but we have thousands of people to select from and you just missed the cut" bullshit.
After a moment, it occurred to me that this was a pretty fast rejection. Then I noticed the postmark. It was postmarked the day before from Charlottesville!
The frakers apparently brought the letter with them and dropped in in the mail on their way out of town rather than waiting to get home.
That's a rejection story.
And don't get me started on the Howrey & Simon story....