Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit Forum

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lawfirmrecruiter

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:55 pm

NE1410S wrote:I'm going to a law career fair in September, and the fair does not do the normal "preselect" routine. Every candidate is free to talk to any firm at the fair. Nineteen national firms with offices located in my desired legal market will be at the fair. I know that the recruiters at the fair will most likely not work out of the office located in my desired legal market, and I don't want my resume to get lost in the shuffle.

Question: Should I contact the local office at each firm to let them know that I will be attending the fair?
Absolutely.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:57 pm

Sorry I have been MIA for a while. It has been a busy week. Back on for a bit if you have more questions!

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:32 pm

I go to a school with a rough curve, so while I am in the top 10% of my class, my GPA is just under a 3.50.

On paper, would an applicant from a comparable school with a higher GPA but a lower class rank (i.e. a 3.65, but top 25%) look better, worse, or the same?

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:43 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I go to a school with a rough curve, so while I am in the top 10% of my class, my GPA is just under a 3.50.

On paper, would an applicant from a comparable school with a higher GPA but a lower class rank (i.e. a 3.65, but top 25%) look better, worse, or the same?
If you explain your curve and rank, you will look better. Of course other factors will come into play (i.e. School, activities, ties, etc.)

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:02 pm

Just below a 3.0 at a T10 school (DNCG range), currently starting to mass mail markets where I have ties + NYC. Two really bad first semester grades killed my GPA, would probably have a 3.2 without those two grades (still a little below median but far better than the sub 3). In interviews, i.e. OCI or other, is there any best way to address red flag bad grades like that? Is there any way to break into midlaw or biglaw at all with those grades or am I just in too big of a hole?

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kalvano

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by kalvano » Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:24 pm

kalvano wrote:
lawfirmrecruiter wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Writing sample question: would you prefer receiving a longer writing sample (16 pages) and deciding for yourself how much of it to read, or would you prefer I cut the writing sample down to 5-10 pages and only send you that portion of it? I've heard conflicting advice about this.
Bumping this question in case it got buried.
I would prefer to see the entire document so I can see your full thought process as well as writing style. Especially if I have specifically asked for a writing sample.

On this topic, if we wrote a brief that had two separate and distinct legal issues based off the same set of facts, is it acceptable to only include one section to keep it shorter, with a quick introduction of the facts that the brief is based on?

Bump for busyness.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by kalvano » Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:28 pm

lawfirmrecruiter wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I go to a school with a rough curve, so while I am in the top 10% of my class, my GPA is just under a 3.50.

On paper, would an applicant from a comparable school with a higher GPA but a lower class rank (i.e. a 3.65, but top 25%) look better, worse, or the same?
If you explain your curve and rank, you will look better. Of course other factors will come into play (i.e. School, activities, ties, etc.)

Are you all cognizant of the fact that some schools curve pretty hard and that not everyone will be a 3.8 or so, yet can still rank fairly well? For instance, is it enough to put on a resume what your percentile is?

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Just below a 3.0 at a T10 school (DNCG range), currently starting to mass mail markets where I have ties + NYC. Two really bad first semester grades killed my GPA, would probably have a 3.2 without those two grades (still a little below median but far better than the sub 3). In interviews, i.e. OCI or other, is there any best way to address red flag bad grades like that? Is there any way to break into midlaw or biglaw at all with those grades or am I just in too big of a hole?
It will be an uphill battle, but not impossible. Network with alumni as much as possible.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:02 pm

Big law Prospects for a AA male over 40 years of age and solid 15+ years of investment management and corporate finance WE with top 15% grades at a T50-60?
Last edited by Anonymous User on Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Julio_El_Chavo » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:04 pm

Can you attach your rough-guess percentage estimates of how important the following factors are in looking at a potential lateral recruit?

-Current firm the individual is working at
-Cases worked on/type of work experience
-Law school attended
-Law school grades
-Undergraduate institution and grades
-Law journal participation
-Moot court
-pre-law school work experience
-Other factors

lawfirmrecruiter

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:06 pm

kalvano wrote:

On this topic, if we wrote a brief that had two separate and distinct legal issues based off the same set of facts, is it acceptable to only include one section to keep it shorter, with a quick introduction of the facts that the brief is based on?
Yes, that would be fine.


Bump for busyness.[/quote][/quote]

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:12 pm

Julio_El_Chavo wrote:Can you attach your rough-guess percentage estimates of how important the following factors are in looking at a potential lateral recruit?

-Current firm the individual is working at
-Cases worked on/type of work experience
-Law school attended
-Law school grades
-Undergraduate institution and grades
-Law journal participation
-Moot court
-pre-law school work experience
-Other factors
This would depend on level and practice, but here goes:

-Current firm the individual is working at 10%
-Cases worked on/type of work experience 50%
-Law school attended 10%
-Law school grades 10%
-Undergraduate institution and grades
-Law journal participation
-Moot court
-pre-law school work experience 10%

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by SecReg » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:27 am

Would you be able to give me your opinion in this thread? http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=162188

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 02, 2011 1:08 pm

Thank you so much for doing this! I'll be participating in OCI in a few weeks and my resume has pretty much all public interest type work on it. If an interviewer asks me why I suddenly want to do corporate transactional work, how do I convince them that I only took the public interest summer job because the private sector wasn't hiring 1Ls? The honest answer is that I want to make money and I think that corporate law sounds really interesting (mergers, contracts, etc). How do I approach that kind of a question? Also, I missed my school's top 33% by .01. Should I indicate what the cut off was next to my GPA instead of just putting my GPA with no indication of rank?

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:17 pm

SecReg wrote:Would you be able to give me your opinion in this thread? http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=162188
Well, you are probably in a tough spot. I would suggest searching Martindale Hubbell for smaller firms and do a mass mailing with them. Otherwise, the public sector would be a good first landing spot. Once you have gotten some experience under your belt, you will have a better shot at lateralling over to a larger firm.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by NYC Law » Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:18 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Big law Prospects for a AA male over 40 years of age and solid 15+ years of investment management and corporate finance WE with top 15% grades at a T50-60?
Bump, I'm interested in this as well, I've heard mixed things about whether age plays a role.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:22 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Thank you so much for doing this! I'll be participating in OCI in a few weeks and my resume has pretty much all public interest type work on it. If an interviewer asks me why I suddenly want to do corporate transactional work, how do I convince them that I only took the public interest summer job because the private sector wasn't hiring 1Ls? The honest answer is that I want to make money and I think that corporate law sounds really interesting (mergers, contracts, etc). How do I approach that kind of a question? Also, I missed my school's top 33% by .01. Should I indicate what the cut off was next to my GPA instead of just putting my GPA with no indication of rank?
Keep in mind that we (recruiters) all know that there are no 1L jobs to be had so just be honest. Say something like you knew you needed to get solid legal experience this summer and found public interest work both challenging and interesting and you will use that experience as you further your legal education . . . DON'T say anything about wanting the $$ that goes with big firms, but you can go into how much transaction work interests you and how the types of classes you are taking this year will help you pursue that goal . . .

As for GPA, put the cut off next to your GPA. It really can help.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 pm

NYC Law wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Big law Prospects for a AA male over 40 years of age and solid 15+ years of investment management and corporate finance WE with top 15% grades at a T50-60?
Bump, I'm interested in this as well, I've heard mixed things about whether age plays a role.
Age should not play a role in this at all.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by SecReg » Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:13 pm

lawfirmrecruiter wrote:
SecReg wrote:Would you be able to give me your opinion in this thread? http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=162188
Well, you are probably in a tough spot. I would suggest searching Martindale Hubbell for smaller firms and do a mass mailing with them. Otherwise, the public sector would be a good first landing spot. Once you have gotten some experience under your belt, you will have a better shot at lateralling over to a larger firm.
Man really? lol I have no interest in public sector work. So any moderately decent paying firm job is probably out of the question (i.e. 60-70k) even if I can finish up my 4L year with a 3.2? Man I really lost on the law school gamble :(.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by cls2009 » Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:32 pm

how many candidates do you plan to interview for the schola2juris program? and will the call-backs be made any earlier than friday? thanks!

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:33 pm

cls2009 wrote:how many candidates do you plan to interview for the schola2juris program? and will the call-backs be made any earlier than friday? thanks!
We are working on the numbers now and will most likely interview 4-5 candidates per apprentice position. I am hoping to make calls about call backs Thursday and Friday and start the interviews next week.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:15 pm

What sort of impact, if any, does it have when you are evaluating OCI candidates if one is a decent candidate but outside the firm's normal range, but there is a senior partner with the firm saying that candidate would be worth an interview?

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:26 pm

Anonymous User wrote:What sort of impact, if any, does it have when you are evaluating OCI candidates if one is a decent candidate but outside the firm's normal range, but there is a senior partner with the firm saying that candidate would be worth an interview?
Same question, but for Schola2Juris.

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by cls2009 » Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:18 pm

How many applications did you receive for the Schola2Juris Program?

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Re: Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit

Post by lawfirmrecruiter » Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:22 pm

Anonymous User wrote:What sort of impact, if any, does it have when you are evaluating OCI candidates if one is a decent candidate but outside the firm's normal range, but there is a senior partner with the firm saying that candidate would be worth an interview?
This will help you get in the door but then it is up to you to make an impression and get a spot.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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