3L mass mailing strategy Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:16 am

2L here that struck out at biglaw this recruiting season, although I did get a mid-law offer for next summer. I'm still holding out hope for a biglaw gig upon graduation (I know it's extremely tough). For various reasons, going the clerkship route is not feasible for me, and my TTT school's OCI is a joke, particularly for 3L recruiting. So, mass mailing is the only way to go for me, and I have some question:

1. I landed a full time federal COA externship next semester (think 1/2/9 circuit), although I hadn't gotten the offer before accepting my current summer offer, so none of the big law firms were aware of this when I was applying. Will this give any appreciable boost for 3L biglaw applications?
2. When is the opportune time to start mass-mailing? The consensus seems to be Aug. 1 (or even earlier) for 2L's, but I would think that it might be a little later for 3Ls (i.e. waiting for the summer programs to end so that firms have a better idea of hiring needs). Any thoughts?
3. What can I do between now and next summer to make 3L recruiting more successful? Most of the advice floating around says to just thoroughly acquaint yourself with areas of law that you want to practice in biglaw. Anything else?

Stats: T3, top 10% officially (closer to top 5% unofficially), LR. Major market.

Thanks!

Edit:
TL;DR: best way to get biglaw as a 3L outside OCI?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:19 am

maybe see how you like the mid-law firm. you might end up loving it, and this will all become moot next year. why do you want "big law" so bad? also, i would caution against referring to your situation as "striking out." you have a solid law firm job for next summer. there are people still looking for ANY legal job..especially coming from a TTT, you're in a better position than most.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:29 pm

(OP)

don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for the midlaw summer offer. However, it pays pretty poorly (at least the summer position does anyway), and they were purposefully ambiguous as to whether it would lead to a full time offer. Im trying to maximize my options in the event I either get no-offered or get a very low paying offer.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:46 pm

Anonymous User wrote:(OP)

don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for the midlaw summer offer. However, it pays pretty poorly (at least the summer position does anyway), and they were purposefully ambiguous as to whether it would lead to a full time offer. Im trying to maximize my options in the event I either get no-offered or get a very low paying offer.

hmm...yeah, i guess their playing coy about whether they can offer you a permanent position would give me pause, as well. well, i'll tell you what i plan on doing to maximize my chances during 3L OCI (i got a decent SA position, but it's not in the market i want to be in long-term). my main strategy is networking: i plan on reaching out to alums at firms in the market i want to work in. i also plan on trying to form strong relationships with some of my professors to hopefully get their seal of approval in the event that i opt the clerkship-->big law route.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 1:57 pm

Anonymous User wrote: 1. I landed a full time federal COA externship next semester (think 1/2/9 circuit), although I hadn't gotten the offer before accepting my current summer offer, so none of the big law firms were aware of this when I was applying. Will this give any appreciable boost for 3L biglaw applications?

Nope

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 2:05 pm

Grizz wrote:
Anonymous User wrote: 1. I landed a full time federal COA externship next semester (think 1/2/9 circuit), although I hadn't gotten the offer before accepting my current summer offer, so none of the big law firms were aware of this when I was applying. Will this give any appreciable boost for 3L biglaw applications?
Nope

Seconded. District and state judicial externships are literally a dime a dozen. One district judge I knew took over 20 interns a year from the local TTTT. If it's a semester externship, even moreso because any firms know how much less competition you had to get it. The only place my district judge's externship ever helped me was in applying to his firm, and then it only got me a callback in one of their branch offices. COA is worth more of course and props to getting it, but I strangely think a flyover COA would be worth more than a 1/2/9 because all those places have great boutique firms, federal and competent state agencies and other places that a big firm would ask "why did you do this COA instead of working for the Fed Reserve?" if that was your field.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:31 pm

I sent out about 100 apps to biglaw firms and didn't get a single callback. I'm at a T6 and was top 1/3 after 2L but no SA. My theory was it was probably a waste of time but if it even had a 1% chance of turning into a callback I would have done it.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:32 pm

[OP]

Well that sucks.. I guess it will at least give me an opportunity to network with the clerks and the externs. So it sounds like there's nothing between 2L recruiting and 3L recruiting that one could add to their resume to increase one's opportunity in getting biglaw? What about an LR board position? Published comment?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:34 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I sent out about 100 apps to biglaw firms and didn't get a single callback. I'm at a T6 and was top 1/3 after 2L but no SA. My theory was it was probably a waste of time but if it even had a 1% chance of turning into a callback I would have done it.

[OP]

Ouch, sorry to hear that. What did you do during your 2L summer? When did you send your apps out?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:50 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I sent out about 100 apps to biglaw firms and didn't get a single callback. I'm at a T6 and was top 1/3 after 2L but no SA. My theory was it was probably a waste of time but if it even had a 1% chance of turning into a callback I would have done it.

I did the same thing, with similar stats, slightly higher grades, only got 1 (which rejected me after two callbacks).

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:09 pm

Anonymous User wrote:[OP]

Well that sucks.. I guess it will at least give me an opportunity to network with the clerks and the externs. So it sounds like there's nothing between 2L recruiting and 3L recruiting that one could add to their resume to increase one's opportunity in getting biglaw? What about an LR board position? Published comment?

Be lucky. 3L biglaw hiring is practically nonexistent.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:29 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I sent out about 100 apps to biglaw firms and didn't get a single callback. I'm at a T6 and was top 1/3 after 2L but no SA. My theory was it was probably a waste of time but if it even had a 1% chance of turning into a callback I would have done it.
I did the same thing, with similar stats, slightly higher grades, only got 1 (which rejected me after two callbacks).

I'm still waiting on a firm that did 2 callbacks. Was it in NYC by any chance?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:30 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I sent out about 100 apps to biglaw firms and didn't get a single callback. I'm at a T6 and was top 1/3 after 2L but no SA. My theory was it was probably a waste of time but if it even had a 1% chance of turning into a callback I would have done it.
[OP]

Ouch, sorry to hear that. What did you do during your 2L summer? When did you send your apps out?

Around August 1, and I worked state gov't. Northeast markets.

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