Final OCI results: 2011 Version Forum

[Anonymous User]

School*: CLS
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: Dead median
Law review: No, secondary
Work experience: solid 1L summer gig which was a huge help
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): dont want to get too specific, but my 1l summer gig gave me common ground with interviewers and i was able to work this into my narrative
Screening Interviews:
Mass mails: started mass mailing NALP firms alphabetically, got to around L and stopped when I got my first offer
Callbacks received: 5
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges:1 V30, 1V50, 1 non NALP, accepted v30
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? a bunch
Thank-you notes sent: one to my oci interviewer at the v30

[SilverE2]

School: GW Law
Market(s): LA, OC, Bay Area, NY, DC
Approximate class rank: Top 40%ish
Law review: No
Work experience: Yes
IP background: Yes
Self-assessed Interview Ability: average
Screening Interviews: 27
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 14
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V10, 1 V25, 2 V100, 1 outside250
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 6
Thank-you notes sent: random - no correlation, sent thank yous to some, not to others, didn't seem to matter

Woah, I think most would agree that the number of callbacks and some of the offers you've received is pretty fantastic ITE for someone just a little above median at GW with no law review. Any more ideas about what may have gotten you so many callbacks, and more importantly swung interviews your way? Either way, congrats!

IP SECURE.

Oh. Yeah. I feel dumb now.

[Blindmelon]

I'm sort of amazed at the uptick in hiring in the Boston/NYC area for BU people. A few 3Ls got bigfirm offers w/out summering through 3L OCI and a lot of 2Ls are sitting on a whole mess of offers. C/O 2011 had likely under 10% for big-firm placement, my year probably 25-30% (C/I 2012), but this years 2Ls seems like its going back towards the boom.

[Anonymous User]

School*: Southeast T1
Market(s): NC, Chicago (kind of)
Approximate class rank: top 25%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: Yes - 4 years, but nothing special.
IP background: Nope
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): ORM, but got a 1L SA through a diversity program. Decent interviewer.
Screening Interviews: 8 (didn't apply to many firms at OCI because I had my 1L SA to fall back on. also for many of the firms I was preselected for I knew I was just there to fill slots.)
Mass mails: 5?
Callbacks received: 2 - 1 from OCI, 1 from mass mail
Callbacks accepted: 2
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V60
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: To recruiting managers after callbacks.

I'm almost positive I'm the exception to the rule at my school. Very happy and feel extremely lucky.

[NYC Law]

I'm sort of amazed at the uptick in hiring in the Boston/NYC area for BU people. A few 3Ls got bigfirm offers w/out summering through 3L OCI and a lot of 2Ls are sitting on a whole mess of offers. C/O 2011 had likely under 10% for big-firm placement, my year probably 25-30% (C/I 2012), but this years 2Ls seems like its going back towards the boom.

At least from this thread it seems like NY is about back at boom level hiring, but everywhere else (aside from strong secondaries, prob Boston too) has gotten worse. Glad I chose NY. Well... maybe I should have chosen BU... but I think it's more of a regional thing than a school thing.

[ndirish2010]

School*: Notre Dame
Market(s): A few different ones, mostly midwest secondaries but mass mailed NY
Approximate class rank: Just outside top 10%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: Nope
IP background: Nope
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Nope
Screening Interviews: 27
Mass mails: 75+
Callbacks received: 7 (2 from OCI, 5 from mailings....4 V100, 1 V100 regional, 1 boutique, 1 regional NLJ250)
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: None
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: To recruiting managers after callbacks.

Kinda sucks.

[Anonymous User]

School*: WUSTL
Market(s): Midwest, primarily secondaries
Approximate class rank: 20%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really):
Screening Interviews: ~20
Mass mails: 1
Callbacks received: 8
Callbacks accepted: 8
Offers w/vault ranges: 4.5 (had 4 actual offers, and one firm I am almost positive was going to offer me, based on what was said when I withdrew). None were vault firms, all were in secondary Midwest markets. Accepted a jerb with a marketpaying firm in mid-sized Midwestern city.
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? Plenty
Thank-you notes sent: Usually an email, but busted out the notes when a firm really impressed me at my callback.

[Anonymous User]

UVA
Top 15%
Not diverse, no IP background, no WE, no outstanding "softs," but I did express an interest in litigation that was backed up by my resume.
On a secondary Journal
I didn't write thank yous and if I had it all to do over again, I still would not have written thank yous.

NYC: 20 screeners, 7 callbacks (1 declined), 2 offers (1 V50, 1 V5)
DC: 1 screener, 1 callback, 1 offer (V25)
Secondary Market: Converted on all 4 screeners but turned down the callbacks, also received some callbacks from mass mailing. I only mass mailed the secondary market where I grew up. Maybe 8 letters in all.

One thing to say is that I did research for a professor over the summer that exposed me to a few topics that these firms deal with regularly. One is a sort of (I gathered) a hot topic. It came up in a lot of my interviews and the fact I wrote a 20 page memo on it and could talk about it in some depth helped me a lot. I could tell there were a few interviewers who were very impressed with my discussion of the topic and took that away from the interview. I don't know if I would have converted on some of these screeners if not for that resume line. I think for 2 reasons:
1. This is the sort of work they do and it's good to see someone talk about it with some fire and understanding
2. It gave me a chance to discuss a real legal issue and since my interviewers had a passing knowledge of it they could get a sense of whether I actually knew what I was saying.

[Anonymous User]

School*: UH/SMU (PT)
Market(s): Texas
Approximate class rank: Top 10%
Law review: Flagship
Work experience: Y, non-legal
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Firms seemed to like FT work + PT LS.
Screening Interviews: ~18
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 13
Callbacks accepted: 11 (canceled 4)
Offers w/vault ranges: 4 Texas Biglaw, 1 midlaw
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1
Thank-you notes sent: N

[Anonymous User]

School*: Notre Dame
Market(s): A few different ones, mostly midwest secondaries but mass mailed NY
Approximate class rank: Just outside top 10%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: Nope
IP background: Nope
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Nope
Screening Interviews: 27
Mass mails: 75+
Callbacks received: 7 (2 from OCI, 5 from mailings....4 V100, 1 V100 regional, 1 boutique, 1 regional NLJ250)
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: None
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: To recruiting managers after callbacks.

Kinda sucks.

Sucks. Clerkship path?

[ndirish2010]

School*: Notre Dame
Market(s): A few different ones, mostly midwest secondaries but mass mailed NY
Approximate class rank: Just outside top 10%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: Nope
IP background: Nope
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Nope
Screening Interviews: 27
Mass mails: 75+
Callbacks received: 7 (2 from OCI, 5 from mailings....4 V100, 1 V100 regional, 1 boutique, 1 regional NLJ250)
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: None
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: To recruiting managers after callbacks.

Kinda sucks.

Sucks. Clerkship path?

Yep. Decent unpaid offer for next summer in area I want to be in...I'm going to start preparing for clerkship applications at this point.

[Anonymous User]

School: CCN
Market(s): Chicago
Approximate class rank: 50-40%
Law review: secondary
Work experience: no
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc.): no
Screening Interviews: 23
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 6
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V100, 2 market-paying non-vault
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 2

Thank you letters didn't make or break my offer situation - two offers came when no letters sent, one offer came when they were.

[Anonymous User]

UVA
Top 15%
Not diverse, no IP background, no WE, no outstanding "softs," but I did express an interest in litigation that was backed up by my resume.
On a secondary Journal
I didn't write thank yous and if I had it all to do over again, I still would not have written thank yous.

NYC: 20 screeners, 7 callbacks (1 declined), 2 offers (1 V50, 1 V5)

Did you end up choosing Skadden, bro?

[Anonymous User]

School: MVP
Market(s): NYC, DC, Chi, secondary markets
Approximate class rank: slightly below median
Law review: Law review
Work experience: straight through
IP background: No
Anything else: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Mass mails: 60+
Callbacks received: 8
Callbacks accepted: 8
Offers: 0 so far, chasing after random mass mails, offer for unpaid, semi-prestigious government internship

[Anonymous User]

School: MVPDNC
Market(s): DC, CA, IL, VA, NC
Approx Class Rank: A little below median
Law Review: None
Work Experience: Straight from UG
IP Background: None
Anything Else: Not really, though I had some geographic ties that were probably decisive for the offer I landed
Screening Interviews: 20ish
Mass mails: None
Callbacks Received: 2
Callbacks Accepted: 2
Offers: 1 (Regional Midlaw/Biglaw - not sure where this firm fits. Roughly 200 lawyers, Probably my top choice so I'm really happy with it)

[Anonymous User]

School: Top 25
Market(s): Chicago, NYC, home secondary market (Cincinnati- probably just outed myself)
Approximate class rank: Below median
Law review: No
Work experience: Yes, short but substantial experience
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): AA

27 screeners, ton of callbacks and zero offers.

...guess I should have realized any Vault firm interviewing someone below the median at a sub-par school is looking for a blow job.

[Anonymous User]

School*: CCN (transfer from T25)
Market(s): NY, NJ, Philly
Approximate class rank: Was top 10% at old school
Law review: No, but on a secondary journal at new school
Work experience: 1 year
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Part-Hispanic, and speak Spanish, but this really didn't factor into interviews
Screening Interviews: 36 (28 OCI screeners, and 8 mass mailings led to screeners)
Mass mails: About 60-70 mailings/resume drops/networking apps led to 19 interviews (8 began as screeners and 7 of those 8 invited me to CB's, and 11 of my mass mail apps invited me in directly for CB interview, so 11+8 = 19)
Callbacks received: 25 (could have been more, but I started declining mass-mail/networking interview requests after awhile), and please note that this is NOT 25 of 36 screeners turning into CB's. MANY of my CB's came directly through mailings/networking, so my total number of firms I interviewed with is bigger than the number of initial screeners
Callbacks accepted: 19
Offers w/vault ranges: 4 (1 V20, 2 V40, 1 V50), also had offer from 1 NLJ250 large regional firm, and 1 mid-size firm
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 4 CB's are still pending
Thank-you notes sent: Toward the beginning, I was doing it often, but I tapered off and don't think it mattered

I am coming down the homestretch on deciding between the V20, and one of the V40's, but I'm leaning heavily toward the V20. Transferring seems to have been a good idea, as my new school seemingly gave me instant credibility with employers. I never quite hit the ultra-top echelon of firms, but I'm very happy with the results. With some aggressive networking and legwork, I was able to line up interviews with a bunch of firms outside of OCI, and many of my best offers came outside of the OCI process.

[Anonymous User]

School: MVPDNC
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: Barely Top 1/3
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? Typo on resume
Screening Interviews: 25
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 9
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 4 v100
Thank-you notes sent: Yes, with an "updated" resume

[Anonymous User]

School: Fordham
Market(s): NYC, Connecticut
Approximate class rank: Top 10%
Law review: No, top secondary journal
Work experience: 4 years
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 20
Mass mails: 2
Callbacks received: 7
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 offer (not market, but not terrible), not Vault
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 3
Thank-you notes sent: At first, to everyone with whom I interviewed. At the end, only to the recruiting contact.

Not exactly what I hoped for, but happy to have a job.

[Anonymous User]

School: MVP
Market(s): DC, Secondary
Approximate class rank: Top 10%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 25
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 4
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges: 3 (2 V40, 1 V80)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: 0

[Anonymous User]

Class of 2014 needs to look at the vast difference between the MVP students with target market of DC and those going to NYC. Top 1/3 students can kill it at NYC, while top 10% students can struggle in D.C.

[Anonymous User]

School: HYS
Market(s): D.C./NYC
Approximate class rank: Median, or slightly below
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: Yes, extensive PI (which definitely worked against me, I think)
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? Family connections in D.C. I have a pretty reserved personality and don't interview particularly well.
Screening Interviews: 25
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 5
Callbacks accepted: 5 (Canceled 2 after receiving offers from my top choices)
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 v30, 1 v50. Accepted with the v50.
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 firm I had a callback with hasn't told me either way.
Thank-you notes sent: Post-callbacks, but not after screeners.

[Anonymous User]

School: DCNG
Market(s): NYC, DC, TX, secondary
Approximate class rank: Top third
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: Yes
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact?
Screening Interviews: 19
Mass mails: 5
Callbacks received: 4 (2 from OCI, 2 from mass mail)
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 non-Vault, non-NLJ250 firm that I mass mailed.
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? Heard from all callbacks, still some late round OCI screeners that never responded, even with follow up.

[Anonymous User]

Class of 2014 needs to look at the vast difference between the MVP students with target market of DC and those going to NYC. Top 1/3 students can kill it at NYC, while top 10% students can struggle in D.C.

That's definitely not limited to MVP. I would say that's true even up to T6 and probably HLS too (though the grades cut-off might vary a little, but honestly I doubt very much).

[Detrox]

Class of 2014 needs to look at the vast difference between the MVP students with target market of DC and those going to NYC. Top 1/3 students can kill it at NYC, while top 10% students can struggle in D.C.

That's definitely not limited to MVP. I would say that's true even up to T6 and probably HLS too (though the grades cut-off might vary a little, but honestly I doubt very much).

Almost everyone I know at NYU who applied to NYC + outside market found a huge discrepancy. Obviously NYU has the NYC bias stigma, but even people I know in top 10% found themselves with multiple V10 offers in NYC while being rejected from V100s in DC, Chicago, and California. Level of ties to the area or quality of the interviews didn't seem to have a correlation either (anecdotal evidence and self-assesment mind you, but still).