V15 Partner/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions... Forum

[itbdvorm]

Thank you so much for answering our questions. Would love to get your insights on my situation.

Briefly about me: I am a 32 year old rising 3L. I transferred from at T2 to a T20. My grades at T20 are above the cutoff for top 10%. I have 8 years work experience prior to law school.

Briefly about my summer: Following the advice of my Alumni mentor, I decided to spend the summer with my 85 year old father who lives abroad. I am utilizing the time by studying my third language.

Briefly about my issue: I am rather light on legal work experience. I was a RA the previous summer, and I didn't intern during the year. I am planning to seek internships for my entire 3L year.

My question: Does my decision foreclose any chances I have at 3L OCI or being hired at a big law firm?

Thank you again for taking the time.

Foreclose? No. But certainly hurts, and frankly a lot. Sounds like terrible advice to me. Why not try to get some sort of legal-related job, instead of what frankly sounds like spending the most important summer of your law school education hanging out with your dad and going to language classes.

I appreciate your honest advice. Do you think I can stymie the damage (even overcome) the damage by volunteering for a legal position here? Thank you, again.

Not sure. This is honestly a resume that doesn't scream great things to me. I'd try what I can to get SOMETHING on there other than "hung out at home w/dad and studied rosetta stone." And I'd try to clerk, I think that cleanses a lot of badness and with your grades it could be doable...

[itbdvorm]

I'm a rising 2L working a summer internship at a fortune 100. I get to work on a variety of projects and will produce a writing sample (40 hrs/wk). A friend of a friend has a case going to a state's supreme court and wants me to moonlight for him: write one or two memos & parts of the brief (paid, btw).

Will taking on this second project help me for OCI? The work will be completely different from what I'm doing at the fortune 100.

I think I'll still have enough time to properly prepare for OCI, even with both of these jobs. Will a second job help me or not?

Assuming it's paid, and above-board w/your current employer, sounds like a great thing. I'd spin it in a way to highlight your writing skills - might be an easy way to talk up your talent, how your friend really wanted you on board, etc.

[Anonymous User]

If an candidate summered at a peer firm, does it make that person more or less desirable to your firm? Would you be less likely to extend an callback offer if the person seems like the 1L firm a lot? Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L, top 25%+ at a lower T14. Got some bad career services advice for 1L summer and am only taking classes and working as an RA for a professor. 9 years work experience prior to law school. Will my lack of a legal internship or job this summer hurt me at OCI, or does the RA position combined with summer classes look good for a 1L summer when getting a job is kind of a crapshoot?

[Anonymous User]

Thanks so much for offering your time and sharing your advice.

I am a rising 3L at a top 25 school. I transfered after my 1L year to a different school. I struck out at OCI after getting a few interviews and 4 call backs. Im at a Fed gov't agency this summer and am enjoying it. I expect one of my problems was I had a strong interest in environmental law and a lot of work experience in public interest.

My 1st semester GPA (3.35) at my new school was good - but not what I had hoped. I was spending too much time focusing on OCI and transitioning to a new school.

2nd semester did a lot better got a 3.85 and did very well in two classes that I am passionate about. Now am close to top 15% of my class.

If I want to give working at a big firm another shot, when should I start contacting firms? Do you have any other advice for someone in a position like me? Would it be bad to contact some of the people that I interviewed with during call backs and ask for advice?

Thanks again for your help.

[Anonymous User]

My T-14 school does not reveal class ranking, nor do they provide a GPA. With that in mind, how do you evaluate?

[Anonymous User]

How would your firm treat a grade drop from a 1L SA (if applicable)?

[itbdvorm]

If an candidate summered at a peer firm, does it make that person more or less desirable to your firm? Would you be less likely to extend an callback offer if the person seems like the 1L firm a lot? Thanks!

More desirable, probably, but wouldn't wildly swing the scale.

[itbdvorm]

Rising 2L, top 25%+ at a lower T14. Got some bad career services advice for 1L summer and am only taking classes and working as an RA for a professor. 9 years work experience prior to law school. Will my lack of a legal internship or job this summer hurt me at OCI, or does the RA position combined with summer classes look good for a 1L summer when getting a job is kind of a crapshoot?

Totally fine for a 1L summer.

[itbdvorm]

Thanks so much for offering your time and sharing your advice.

I am a rising 3L at a top 25 school. I transfered after my 1L year to a different school. I struck out at OCI after getting a few interviews and 4 call backs. Im at a Fed gov't agency this summer and am enjoying it. I expect one of my problems was I had a strong interest in environmental law and a lot of work experience in public interest.

My 1st semester GPA (3.35) at my new school was good - but not what I had hoped. I was spending too much time focusing on OCI and transitioning to a new school.

2nd semester did a lot better got a 3.85 and did very well in two classes that I am passionate about. Now am close to top 15% of my class.

If I want to give working at a big firm another shot, when should I start contacting firms? Do you have any other advice for someone in a position like me? Would it be bad to contact some of the people that I interviewed with during call backs and ask for advice?

Thanks again for your help.

Contact early and often. Always a chance. Good luck.

[itbdvorm]

My T-14 school does not reveal class ranking, nor do they provide a GPA. With that in mind, how do you evaluate?

Just because it's not provided doesn't mean we can't figure it out - it's not that hard.

[itbdvorm]

How would your firm treat a grade drop from a 1L SA (if applicable)?

All depends on how big a drop.

[Anonymous User]

Rising 2L, top 25%+ at a lower T14. Got some bad career services advice for 1L summer and am only taking classes and working as an RA for a professor. 9 years work experience prior to law school. Will my lack of a legal internship or job this summer hurt me at OCI, or does the RA position combined with summer classes look good for a 1L summer when getting a job is kind of a crapshoot?

Totally fine for a 1L summer.

Thanks for the response, and for the time!

[Anonymous User]

What are your suggestions for a rising 2L at a T2, top 10% of class, and grade on Law review, in reference to transferring? Should I Stick it out and try my luck at OCI, or make a attempt to transfer into a T20- T30? How would firms, such as your own, view this?

[Anonymous User]

My T-14 school does not reveal class ranking, nor do they provide a GPA. With that in mind, how do you evaluate?

Just because it's not provided doesn't mean we can't figure it out - it's not that hard.

Given the above, I figure the transcript has to figure in. From the transcript if you saw, A-, A-, B+, B+, B+, B+, B+, B, B. . . how do you figure that out in ref to score and placement consideration for a T-14 candidate?

[vegeta]

Does it sound bush league to mention this during an interview? "Oh, I really wanted to apply here because you're Band 1 in this practice area."

[Anonymous User]

Transfer student going to CCN from University of London (Kings College, London School of Economics, University College London) as part of a double degree program (LLB and JD). Since I'll be joining the 2L class and heading straight into OCI, I won't have any grades from the US law school. The program is very selective and only 2 students from my uni are selected every year. What should I expect from OCI? How will V10 firms gauge my grades given that we don't rank students in UK law schools? Anything else I should be aware of?

Appreciate any advice, thanks.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Does it sound bush league to mention this during an interview? "Oh, I really wanted to apply here because you're Band 1 in this practice area."

The thought it good; the phrasing is not so good. Perhaps you should try "I'm very interested in x, given y, and it is my understanding that your firm is quite strong in that practice area. The opportunity to work on X at a high level made me very interested in your firm." Or something along those lines.

[r6_philly]

Does it sound bush league to mention this during an interview? "Oh, I really wanted to apply here because you're Band 1 in this practice area."

The thought it good; the phrasing is not so good. Perhaps you should try "I'm very interested in x, given y, and it is my understanding that your firm is quite strong in that practice area. The opportunity to work on X at a high level made me very interested in your firm." Or something along those lines.

I said this (what the OP said). I am working there.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Does it sound bush league to mention this during an interview? "Oh, I really wanted to apply here because you're Band 1 in this practice area."

The thought it good; the phrasing is not so good. Perhaps you should try "I'm very interested in x, given y, and it is my understanding that your firm is quite strong in that practice area. The opportunity to work on X at a high level made me very interested in your firm." Or something along those lines.

I said this (what the OP said). I am working there.

Doesn't mean its a good/great way to phrase it. Saying "you're band 1" just sounds odd. These bands are created by publications, and different publications place firms in different bands (or tiers). Seems better to just mention that the firm is well regarded in a particular practice area instead of saying "band 1."

[r6_philly]

Doesn't mean its a good/great way to phrase it. Saying "you're band 1" just sounds odd. These bands are created by publications, and different publications place firms in different bands (or tiers). Seems better to just mention that the firm is well regarded in a particular practice area instead of saying "band 1."

I don't mean to imply it's great, I am just saying it isn't necessarily bad. When you are sitting in the reception area waiting for the recruiter while reading the folder they gave you, what do they put on the flyers/brochures/bios? Vault, Chambers, Law360 quotes, etc... Why is it improper to mention stuff they want you to notice? These rankings mean a lot to firms because potential clients probably look them up too.

[manofjustice]

Why are non-OPs posting replies ITT? Only opinion that matters ITT is OPs. See OP's job.

[Anonymous User]

JD/MBA? Any help or waste of time/money?

[clint4law]

thanks

[Anonymous User]

My T-14 school does not reveal class ranking, nor do they provide a GPA. With that in mind, how do you evaluate?

Just because it's not provided doesn't mean we can't figure it out - it's not that hard.

Given the above, I figure the transcript has to figure in. From the transcript if you saw, A-, A-, B+, B+, B+, B+, B+, B, B. . . how do you figure that out in ref to score and placement consideration for a T-14 candidate?

Not OP - but I think just about anyone can tell you that your transcript - 3.3 GPA (B+). Considering most T14's are on ~B+/3.3 median, the interviewer/screener/recruiter/whatever would know that you're a median student. The two A-'s and two B's are reflective of occasionally being on the upper or lower margin's of the median. How a firm will look at this will depend on the firm, your resume, and your interview skills. If you're talking to a firm that doesn't have any hard cutoffs, you have WE, and you have a decent interview, you might get an offer... I'm not sure what else you're looking for...

FYI - Everyone I knew at my T14 which "didn't rank" and "didn't provide GPA's" was able to figure out: (a) their GPA and (b) their approximate class rank. I can assure you that the recruiters can ballpark it as well.