Transfer-friendly Firms Forum

[DeSimone]

Which firms are known to be more predisposed to hiring transfer students? Likely starting at GULC in the fall (still waiting on others), coming from a school in the 30's. Trying to finalize bids, looking at NYC offices of the V100.

[DeSimone]

shameless bump

[keg411]

Extremely interested in this topic if any past transfers have any insight.

[3ThrowAway99]

Signing on.. At this point it looks most likely that I'll be transferring to Vandy..

I think if anyone could provide info re: transfer unfriendly firms that might also help.

[Anonymous User]

Having transferred last year I would focus mainly on firms that you could have gotten from your old school. Your new school may get you in the room, but especially if you are transferring from outside the top 30 or so that is all the recruiters are going to see. That's just my take though.

[keg411]

Having transferred last year I would focus mainly on firms that you could have gotten from your old school. Your new school may get you in the room, but especially if you are transferring from outside the top 30 or so that is all the recruiters are going to see. That's just my take though.

Since you're anonymous, any chance you could be more specific; at least in terms of "unfriendly" firms?

[seriouslyinformative]

I've heard of some attitude from WIlliams & Connolly and Wachtell, but that's about it.

[Anonymous User]

Gibson NYC has at least three transfers this summer; they're definitely not predisposed against them.

[imchuckbass58]

Based on Columbia stats from 2009:

Cravath and S&C, Paul Weiss and Cleary are very unfriendly towards transfers (took none or one).

STB, GDC and Kirkland are pretty friendly towards transfers.

Debevoise and DPW are somewhere in the middle.

Most of the other firms have too small a sample size to really tell.

[DeSimone]

Based on Columbia stats from 2009:

Cravath and S&C, Paul Weiss and Cleary are very unfriendly towards transfers (took none or one).

STB, GDC and Kirkland are pretty friendly towards transfers.

Debevoise and DPW are somewhere in the middle.

Most of the other firms have too small a sample size to really tell.

Great info. Thanks. Any observations from other schools?

[Anonymous User]

Based on Columbia stats from 2009:

Cravath and S&C, Paul Weiss and Cleary are very unfriendly towards transfers (took none or one).

STB, GDC and Kirkland are pretty friendly towards transfers.

Debevoise and DPW are somewhere in the middle.

Most of the other firms have too small a sample size to really tell.

I think it really depends on where you transfer to and how impressive your 1L grades/school are. I transferred to H and all those "very unfriendly" firms made offers to multiple transfers.

That being said, some firms just won't really look at you if they didn't interview at your old school. The only one that jumps immediately to mind is Williams & Connolly and maybe Wachtell.

[Anonymous User]

How much does that change if you're going through 3L OCI?

[seriouslyinformative]

How much does that change if you're going through 3L OCI?

Probably not much, since the only firms that are apparently against transfers don't really recruit through 3L OCI...

[mebeSajid]

How much does that change if you're going through 3L OCI?

Probably not much, since the only firms that are apparently against transfers don't really recruit through 3L OCI...

Possible, but I know of at least two Chicago transfers who got S&C in 3L OCI, and one who got Cravath last year.

[Vronsky]

Another thing to consider, and I am just speculating here as a potential/probable transfer this year because I've been thinking about + researching this quite a bit, is the location of your transferor school with respect to your transfereee school.

For example, if you transfer from a T2 school in Idaho to an east-coast T14 school, there's a good chance that firms will have no clue about your former school and may be less receptive to you in particular, but not necessarily to.all transfer students. I think this applies even to firms that are listed as "transfer friendly" above, because they simply don't have anything to evaluate you against. However, if you transfer from, let's say a DC-area T2 into GULC, there's a very good chance that most firms will be familiar with the local T2, and thus more transfer friendly.

Obviously, if a firm participates in OCI at the transferor school and also participates in OCI at the T14, you can be sure that they will be somewhat "transfer friendly."

The other thing I wanted to add is that a few prestigious firms have signed up to attend OCI at my T2. One that stands out is Cravath, who are known to be extremely grade-selective. I'm making an assumption, but it stands to reason that because they interview at my T2, they should be fairly receptive to transfer students who were at the very tops of their classes at their previous schools.

Other firms known to hire at lower schools: Shearman and Sterling + Ropes and Gray.

[Anonymous User]

For example, if you transfer from a T2 school in Idaho to an east-coast T14 school, there's a good chance that firms will have no clue about your former school and may be less receptive to you in particular, but not necessarily to.all transfer students. I think this applies even to firms that are listed as "transfer friendly" above, because they simply don't have anything to evaluate you against. However, if you transfer from, let's say a DC-area T2 into GULC, there's a very good chance that most firms will be familiar with the local T2, and thus more transfer friendly.

There is some truth to this, IME. I was a transfer from a no-name T2 in "flyover" state and noticed this a few years back. My old school didn't prevent me from getting callbacks but more than one managing/senior partner at an east coast firm openly admitted they'd never heard of my school. Then I'd get a rejection letter a few days later. This was right after the economy crashed and about 50% of the SAs at my school ended up being no-offered in the end,btw.

[Anonymous User]

Based on Columbia stats from 2009:

Cravath and S&C, Paul Weiss and Cleary are very unfriendly towards transfers (took none or one).

STB, GDC and Kirkland are pretty friendly towards transfers.

Debevoise and DPW are somewhere in the middle.

Most of the other firms have too small a sample size to really tell.

I think it really depends on where you transfer to and how impressive your 1L grades/school are. I transferred to H and all those "very unfriendly" firms made offers to multiple transfers.

That being said, some firms just won't really look at you if they didn't interview at your old school. The only one that jumps immediately to mind is Williams & Connolly and maybe Wachtell.

What he said. Also, at least at HLS, DPW actually had a reputation as being extremely transfer-friendly.

[seriouslyinformative]

Davis Polk loves transfers.

[Anonymous User]

Would transfer status matter for, say,

Top 2% @ T14 -> Y/H?

I want Cleary/S&C/Paul Weiss. Would they ding based purely on transfer status when they would have wanted me based on my T14 grades.

[ClerkAdvisor]

Would transfer status matter for, say,

Top 2% @ T14 -> Y/H?

I want Cleary/S&C/Paul Weiss. Would they ding based purely on transfer status when they would have wanted me based on my T14 grades.

Assuming you're not at Georgetown, top 2% puts you in the top 5-8 students at your law school. You shouldn't transfer. From an OCI perspective, transferring will give you no benefit -- any firm you want you can get from your T14. From a clerkship perspective, you're better off staying and fighting for #1. At H/Y, you'll be behind the 8-ball establishing yourself, meeting professors, getting institutional support, etc.

[jbagelboy]

Would transfer status matter for, say,

Top 2% @ T14 -> Y/H?

I want Cleary/S&C/Paul Weiss. Would they ding based purely on transfer status when they would have wanted me based on my T14 grades.

Assuming you're not at Georgetown, top 2% puts you in the top 5-8 students at your law school. You shouldn't transfer. From an OCI perspective, transferring will give you no benefit -- any firm you want you can get from your T14. From a clerkship perspective, you're better off staying and fighting for #1. At H/Y, you'll be behind the 8-ball establishing yourself, meeting professors, getting institutional support, etc.

+1. Transferring for those firms (or any career track) in your position would be idiotic unless you are paying sticker at your T14 in which case its really just where would you rather spend 2 yrs.

Also I'm unfamiliar with any firm that explicitly hires/recruits only from HY and not any other T14. So...

[Anonymous User]

Based on Columbia stats from 2009:

Cravath and S&C, Paul Weiss and Cleary are very unfriendly towards transfers (took none or one).

STB, GDC and Kirkland are pretty friendly towards transfers.

Debevoise and DPW are somewhere in the middle.

Most of the other firms have too small a sample size to really tell.

Great info. Thanks. Any observations from other schools?

Based on NU:
Wilmerhale, Kirkland, Allen & Overy, Paul Weiss

[Anonymous User]

T30 --> T14 transfer here. I think the general rule is that firms are happy to take transfers. It's more useful to identify firms that are known to NOT take transfers. I agree that W&C and Wachtell fall into this category. I had a screener with W&C and it didn't go well. Didn't bother bidding Wachtell. I had a callback with Cravath and they seemed fine with the fact that I transferred.

I generally don't agree with the conventional wisdom that firms treat you just like they would have if you were doing OCI at your old school. Granted, they aren't going to treat you as if your 1L grades came from your new school, but they will appreciate the fact that you proved yourself at your old school and are now at a higher ranked school.

[TooOld4This]

I generally don't agree with the conventional wisdom that firms treat you just like they would have if you were doing OCI at your old school. Granted, they aren't going to treat you as if your 1L grades came from your new school, but they will appreciate the fact that you proved yourself at your old school and are now at a higher ranked school.

The fact that you were top of your class at your old school is the evidence that you proved yourself, not the fact that a higher ranked school is happy to take your money. If a firm would not consider taking someone from your old school, they aren't likely to take a transfer from that school. The transfer advantage is logistical. Firms don't spend the resources to go to schools where they are only interested in 1-5 students and mass mailing is not as effective as a screener. But if you were able to transfer even though your 1L rank was lower than what firms would normally consider from that school, I would bid conservatively. You might get some screeners who assume your rank was higher because you were able to transfer, but I would not count on it.

[SLS_AMG]

I have heard that Covington is not friendly towards transfers. Perhaps someone can confirm.