Diff. between DC and NYC Legal Market Forum

[T14_Scholly]

So wait, you're correcting me based on what some other poster said? And then you give a dumb reason to support it? By that reasoning, NYC firms require ties to the market too (because "[t]hey don't want to pay a summer associate who is only in the area to be with his girlfriend for the summer").

Moreover, they may ask for ties, but that doesn't mean it really matters. During all my NYC interviews, I was asked for my "ties" to NYC, yet NYC is considered the paradigmatic example of a market that does not require ties.

So they ask for ties just for fun?

Also, that was a toolish use of the word paradigmatic.

[RisingMichigan3L]

OK, ties are a huge factor in all markets (why else would NYC firms ask for it?).

More seriously, I've read your past posts. Sarcastic, rude, and generally indicating that you don't know what you're talking about. Not necessarily saying you're wrong because of that, but for people reading this thread and deciding between whose opinion to believe, it's worth pointing out that you're a 0L and I'm (now) a 3L who had several great offers in DC (without any ties to the market) and have many, many classmates who got even better offers at DC without any ties. That is where I gather my conclusions from (also the fact that I have many other friends from prior classes who are now at DC firms, also who had no ties). In other words: reader beware.

[T14_Scholly]

You're probably fibbing about knowing whether your classmates and former classmates who got offers in DC had ties. All the associates I've talked to said they asked about ties with skepticism, and the hiring partner I talked to said he looks for ties.

[RisingMichigan3L]

So I'm probably fibbing, but you're definitely not?

That's cool man. Whatever you say. Again, the reader is free to decide. I've said my part.

[Amelie]

Would having done your undergrad in DC (along with decent government internships) be considered a good tie to the market?

[Anonymous User]

How would a New York-centric school fair in D.C. (e.g. NYU, Columbia, Fordham, etc.)?

[GordonBombay]

Would having done your undergrad in DC (along with decent government internships) be considered a good tie to the market?

Come on you know the answer to that.




(To save the trouble.....yes)

[Renzo]

How would a New York-centric school fair in D.C. (e.g. NYU, Columbia, Fordham, etc.)?

As the sane people were saying before this thread devolved, DC is on-whole more grade obsessed than NYC firms. This applies at NYU/CLS as well as G'town/UVA. (Can't speak to Fordham, I don't know how they do in DC)

[RisingMichigan3L]

What are you talking about? GULC of course has the best placement in DC. They all have TIES!!!!!

[Anonymous User]

How would a New York-centric school fair in D.C. (e.g. NYU, Columbia, Fordham, etc.)?

As the sane people were saying before this thread devolved, DC is on-whole more grade obsessed than NYC firms. This applies at NYU/CLS as well as G'town/UVA. (Can't speak to Fordham, I don't know how they do in DC)

So, Top 25% at NYU>>Top 30% at CLS>>median at UVA>>below median at Harvard for DC?

[extragnarls]

As the sane people were saying before this thread devolved, DC is on-whole more grade obsessed than NYC firms. This applies at NYU/CLS as well as G'town/UVA. (Can't speak to Fordham, I don't know how they do in DC)

In the context of DC vs. NYC markets, is there a distinction between a firm being grade obssessed and a firm just being more selective?

Just trying to make sense of the statement, since I've encountered it a few times on here. Does it mean that differences in placement between higher and lower ranked schools are less pronounced, because firms are more fixated on grades than school rank? This would seem contrary to the (wildly speculative) placement hierarchy in the post above.

[Renzo]

As the sane people were saying before this thread devolved, DC is on-whole more grade obsessed than NYC firms. This applies at NYU/CLS as well as G'town/UVA. (Can't speak to Fordham, I don't know how they do in DC)

In the context of DC vs. NYC markets, is there a distinction between a firm being grade obssessed and a firm just being more selective?

Just trying to make sense of the statement, since I've encountered it a few times on here. Does it mean that differences in placement between higher and lower ranked schools are less pronounced, because firms are more fixated on grades than school rank? This would seem contrary to the (wildly speculative) placement hierarchy in the post above.

That hierarchy was too wildly speculative to mean anything, but I think it would be roughly accurate to say that top 1/3 at CLS/NYU/UVA would all make the grade screening cutoff to avoid having their application thrown in the trash. After that it's just like any other biglaw hiring process.

[extragnarls]

And you're saying that NYC, on the other hand, doesn't have such strict grade cutoffs?

[Renzo]

And you're saying that NYC, on the other hand, doesn't have such strict grade cutoffs?

NYC is a much, much, much larger market. Some firms are very strict grade screeners, others are not. Because there are so many more firms and jobs as compared to DC, the average job is less competitive even if the top jobs are just as (or more) competitive.

[extragnarls]

I wasn't thinking about it that way, but that makes sense. Thanks.

[fortissimo]

You're probably fibbing about knowing whether your classmates and former classmates who got offers in DC had ties. All the associates I've talked to said they asked about ties with skepticism, and the hiring partner I talked to said he looks for ties.

I agree with the other poster. You are a 0L and have no idea what the hell you are talking about. I, like that other poster, also go to Michigan. Oddly enough all the people I know who landed DC biglaw did NOT have ties, just really good grades. DC is very grade obsessed/more selective so you better do well.

NYC doesn't give a shit about ties either but some employers will ask to what BS you can come up with. NYC is just MUCH easier to get, and is probably easier than every other market except for those in the South. (Pre-ite at least you could be bottom 5% at Mich and land ATL, Houston, or Dallas big law. Some NYC firms had sub 3.0 average GPAs but all of the DC firms had really high averages.) This past OCI, My friend who had a C got callbacks from NYC but locked out of Chicago and LA.

[RisingMichigan3L]

One of my NYC interviewers spent the whole time asking about my poker strategies. I ended up with a callback. Not joking.

According to T14's logic, NYC firms really, really care about poker strategies. There's no other reason for why they would ask for them.

[creatinganalt]

Can 0Ls just shut up and allow people who know to give advice?

(I'm an 0L so I say this lovingly)

People involved in OCI/friends in OCI ITE please just confirm that DC = no ties. Just grades.

[T14_Scholly]

One of my NYC interviewers spent the whole time asking about my poker strategies. I ended up with a callback. Not joking.

According to T14's logic, NYC firms really, really care about poker strategies. There's no other reason for why they would ask for them.

Good analogy.

I work in a large firm in DC and, as I implied before, can speak to at least several firms here in the city.