Ok.
I was totally paranoid about OCI. I did not have a "power" resume and was concerned that being old (and a parent) was going to kill me. Here was my plan of attack:

1. Started networking 1L year by going to firm events and panels. I spoke with attorneys about their practice areas and about the business side of their firm (how was it structured, what did they like, what didn't they, what was the partnership track like, how was compensation decided, etc.). I asked a lot of "dumb" questions at this point. This kept me from asking/saying dumb things in interviews (for the most part).

2. Bid very strategically during OCI. I researched the hell out of firms beforehand -- I did not go by Vault rankings (though I did use the Vault guide for info), but instead looked for firms that had large practice groups in areas I thought I would be interested in. I also looked for indications that firms were "facetime" firms (something I did not want and knew I wouldn't be seen as a good fit for). I spoke to friends that were attorneys to get the inside scoop (you could also troll either your UG or LS alumni to do some of this).

3. Bid on multiple markets. I know some people say to concentrate bids, but I was getting feedback that some markets were getting hit harder and that there seemed to be a "type" for some markets -- I wanted to maximize my chances of not getting shut out.

4. Reached out before OCI to a smaller market that I had weak ties to. Cold contacted an alumn at one of the firms to talk about the legal market there. Sent letters indicating when I would be in town.

5. Hustled for extra interviews at OCI at hospitality suites. (Picked up several and got callbacks from all of them.)

6. Went to hospitality suites for all the firms I interviewed with and spoke with the attorneys staffing them (was able to talk about meeting someone back in 1L year at a panel -- it wasn't that I had developed a connection, but that I could demonstrate long-standing interest in the firm by giving that name).

7. Aggressively sold being "old" in my interviews. I had identified the red flags on my resume and generally sought to mitigate them in the interview before I was even asked about them. I sold myself as someone who had enough experience to know what I wanted (and didn't want), knew what working full-time was like, knew what it was like to be a client (not a legal client, but I was able to talk about it in a way that I could show an awareness of needing to keep client needs in mind even as a junior associate), knew what it was like to be a manager, knew what it was like to be a subordinate, etc. I was also (I think ) personable and enthusiastic (in a restrained way) in the interviews. I made sure going in that I knew how to talk about what experience I had gained in my 1L job. I tried to answer questions about myself in a way that would show what I could bring to the table that would be valuable to them.

8. Scheduled callbacks so that some of firms I was least excited about were first. I screwed up a couple of my first callbacks. I was glad they were with firms that were not as good of a fit for me. I took stock of what I did wrong, and how I could fix it.

I think that's about it

Doesn't everyone in the world put the date you graduated from UG on your resume? I think it's pretty easy to deduce how old any applicant is... there's no sense in trying to hide what's so easily ascertainable.

Hey oh, 31-year-old female here. Engineering degree that I've never really used. No husband or kids.

I got this nutty law school idea all of a sudden while fuming at my desk over something particularly ridiculous my interim supervisor had done, and was encouraged to really get into the application process by a 164 cold diagnostic LSAT. (If I'd gotten a 140 or something, the idea would have died right there.)

Initially I was just planning on the part-time program at Lewis & Clark while working full-time, hopefully with a hefty scholarship. I applied to 7 schools ranked from #6 to #64 (L&C), telling myself it was just idle curiosity (and fee waivers), and maybe I'd get some offers from higher-ranked schools to leverage more money out of L&C. Got into W&L and IU-Bloomy, all according to plan. Actually still waiting on L&C. (grrrrr)

And then...I got into Northwestern yesterday. It's the only other school on my list that tempts me at all, but I am having a total freakout pondering how to finance $73K/year COA in Chicago, plus a mortgage on my condo at home in Portland. (I could sell my condo at a mild loss, or rent it out, I guess.) Plus that whole 'moving away from my home state for the first time' thing, which frankly scares me. (I know, pathetic.)

Part-time law school on scholarship seemed like the ideal solution at first: I'd have a JD with little or nothing to pay back, plus I'd have my old job as insurance against not finding a legal job right away. Low risk/medium reward, right? And then NU comes along with its high risk/high reward offer to torture me.

I'm interested in government work--whether with the EPA, DOJ, DA, PD, etc., I really don't know/care at this point. I'm not drawn to biglaw, but I really have no idea of what any legal job entails, so how educated is my desire for one over the other? I want to stay in the Pacific Northwest, but again, the PNW is all I really know. (I do know for sure that I'd shrivel up and die anywhere hot.)

/novel (sorry!)

Congratulations! That's awesome. You must have a great GPA or something because NU usually takes higher LSAT scores. I think you really snagged a great acceptance, and you should give it serious consideration. Contact the school, and find out what kind of LRAP program they have. If you really gun hard for public interest work, you can get funding from various sources (at least, that's my perception as a non-PI law student). Plus, NU places pretty well in biglaw. I didn't think I was interested in biglaw until I got into law school and my grades were solid. Then my expectations started to climb in terms of salary. NU is one of the few other schools I would have considered, but I didn't want to drag my SO from the southwest to the midwest.

I felt like Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street (I said that to some 20 year olds in school and they didn't get the reference ).

I lol'ed.

I lol'ed.

And then...I got into Northwestern yesterday.

Plus that whole 'moving away from my home state for the first time' thing, which frankly scares me. (I know, pathetic.)

I lol'ed.

Ok this is my first post. Very few items in the forum seemed to apply to me until this one. I recieved a BS in engineering 20 years ago. I decided I want to go to Law School. I majored in engineering for the money and I have made good money in the past but have never been truly happy. One thing I think is unique about the older student is most of us have worked in our fields of choice and have made a decision to change. Im not wanting to go to law school for the money and want to enjoy my career.

Now for my issues: when I was going through my undergrad I knew my GPA didnt matter to most employers for engineers. It was hard enough to just get your degree. now, I am paying the price. I wonder how much weight law schools take my GPA into consideration?

Another issue: I remember when I could do well on any given test any time I wanted. either Im too old or out of practice but the LSAT kicked my ass. Studied hard but only achieved a average score.

Additionally I dont want to leave my home. Im 44, maried with two teenage kids, they need some stability and I need to be able to be a dad. Plus i'm happy where I live and happy to go to a tier 3 school 40 miles from my house if they will have me.

Thats my story and im sticking to it.

Congratulations!!! Nicely done. I, too, started out thinking it was L&C or bust, and wound up getting in schools that made me consider alternate routes. When the heck is L&C going to get back to us local old folks?



Not pathetic at all. Look, I grew up in Philomath (no kidding), went to U of O for undergrad (don't hate -- I have no stake in any local rivalry), and split for the East Coast back in 1994. I only recently came back to Portland, and really love it here. However, I sincerely believe that getting out of town for a long stretch was a real gift. It's nice to go someplace where people speak differently, think differently, and live differently. I'm not dumb enough to think it made me better, but it certainly allowed me to enjoy my life that much more.

Besides, Chicago hot dogs are gud.

Hey oh, 31-year-old female here. Engineering degree that I've never really used. No husband or kids.

I got this nutty law school idea all of a sudden while fuming at my desk over something particularly ridiculous my interim supervisor had done, and was encouraged to really get into the application process by a 164 cold diagnostic LSAT. (If I'd gotten a 140 or something, the idea would have died right there.)

Initially I was just planning on the part-time program at Lewis & Clark while working full-time, hopefully with a hefty scholarship. I applied to 7 schools ranked from #6 to #64 (L&C), telling myself it was just idle curiosity (and fee waivers), and maybe I'd get some offers from higher-ranked schools to leverage more money out of L&C. Got into W&L and IU-Bloomy, all according to plan. Actually still waiting on L&C. (grrrrr)

And then...I got into Northwestern yesterday. It's the only other school on my list that tempts me at all, but I am having a total freakout pondering how to finance $73K/year COA in Chicago, plus a mortgage on my condo at home in Portland. (I could sell my condo at a mild loss, or rent it out, I guess.) Plus that whole 'moving away from my home state for the first time' thing, which frankly scares me. (I know, pathetic.)

Part-time law school on scholarship seemed like the ideal solution at first: I'd have a JD with little or nothing to pay back, plus I'd have my old job as insurance against not finding a legal job right away. Low risk/medium reward, right? And then NU comes along with its high risk/high reward offer to torture me.

I'm interested in government work--whether with the EPA, DOJ, DA, PD, etc., I really don't know/care at this point. I'm not drawn to biglaw, but I really have no idea of what any legal job entails, so how educated is my desire for one over the other? I want to stay in the Pacific Northwest, but again, the PNW is all I really know. (I do know for sure that I'd shrivel up and die anywhere hot.)

/novel (sorry!)

Wow, +1 to everything you said! I am also an Oregonian and trying to decide between selling at a loss and moving away from my whole life, or going to a not-great school on a scholarship...or wait a year, or not go at all. I'm also interested in government, definitely not biglaw because I am worried about the time commitment. I feel like I found my TLS twinsy.

Hey, Twinsy! Oregonians With Existential Dilemmas represent.

Deferring actually is sounding kind of great. I'd have a year to get my shit in order here, condo-wise and job-quitting-wise and moving-my-entire-life-wise. I'd pass 5 years at my current job and become vested so I could take my retirement account with me when I quit. My employers wouldn't want to kill me for giving them 4 months' notice instead of just starting attending classes in the evenings like I'd been talking about.

Wow, +1 to everything you said! I am also an Oregonian and trying to decide between selling at a loss and moving away from my whole life, or going to a not-great school on a scholarship...or wait a year, or not go at all. I'm also interested in government, definitely not biglaw because I am worried about the time commitment. I feel like I found my TLS twinsy.