Below median at CCN -- Drop out? Forum

[smaug_]

I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

You probably want to limit/refine this. Going into OCI it's probably a wash (or if there's a lean it might be easier to go transactional because there are more job/IME more of they hyperstrivers want lit.) but post OCI, your advice sounds very valuable/possible credited.

[Anonymous User]

that sucks man, hang in there, i think if you stay something will turn up. out of curiosity , how did you score your 1L SA gig? I mean you only got 2 CB's for OCI but got a 1L SA, seems odd. Either way i think you need to work on your interview skills in case you do actually get a bite

I agree. Got my 1L SA gig somewhat through a connection, but I still had to go in and do a callback interview, so I assumed from that (1 cb --> 1 offer) that I would be ok as long as I got a callback or two. I definitely attribute my failure a little bit to bad bidding (I didn't bid on the least selective firms because I thought my background/experience/connections would work in my favor), but overall I think I had really bad luck. I have lots of connections in NYC (partners at big firms, in house people with firm clients), many of whom put in words for me at various firms and NONE of those panned out.

I guess that is what is contributing to my feeling of dropping out. If I pulled out all the stops this year (had biglaw partners and clients going to bat for me, 1L SA on the resume with a stellar rec, 400+ mass mails to multiple markets, plus being above median at a T10) and still got nothing, I don't really see much hope going forward.

[Anonymous User]

Not OP, i'd like to plug my own situation here if I may.

Facts: T10, above median, 3 years WE, 1L SA, struck out at OCI (2 callbacks, 400+ mass mails).

Answers to the usual questions:

how much debt will you have when you graduate? none (significant scholarship + family money filling in the rest)

do you enjoy law school/want to be a lawyer? yes and definitely. but do I want to do doc review for my entire life? no. I don't see this question being so black and white.

I feel like my problem is I focused on transactional from day 1. I still think that is what I want to do and so all my upper electives are transactional focused. but now that the firm route is done, any other route doesn't find my transactional focus that appealing (government, PI), so i'm getting dinged from all those too.

I can't really see any light at the end of the tunnel here. So i'm thinking I may be better off getting a 1+ year start on another career. Thoughts?

Jobless 3l at a t-14, above median, not CCN, and I also feel that my transactional focus during 2L is really hurting me. Friends of mine with lower grades seem to be getting a few bites from DA offices and the like whereas I have not had a legal interview in like forever. I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

It's not too late to start tailoring yourself as a trial/lit person. Intern at the DA, start taking trial ad classes, depos, etc.
Do your best.

I had a very heavy regulatory bent but then took a lot of internships at DA/lit type places that will get you in court more. Really helped a lot in finding a job later.

To the very first OP of this thread, I would stay in CCN basd on what you told me.

[dj_roomba]

Not OP, i'd like to plug my own situation here if I may.

Facts: T10, above median, 3 years WE, 1L SA, struck out at OCI (2 callbacks, 400+ mass mails).

Answers to the usual questions:

how much debt will you have when you graduate? none (significant scholarship + family money filling in the rest)

do you enjoy law school/want to be a lawyer? yes and definitely. but do I want to do doc review for my entire life? no. I don't see this question being so black and white.

I feel like my problem is I focused on transactional from day 1. I still think that is what I want to do and so all my upper electives are transactional focused. but now that the firm route is done, any other route doesn't find my transactional focus that appealing (government, PI), so i'm getting dinged from all those too.

I can't really see any light at the end of the tunnel here. So i'm thinking I may be better off getting a 1+ year start on another career. Thoughts?

Jobless 3l at a t-14, above median, not CCN, and I also feel that my transactional focus during 2L is really hurting me. Friends of mine with lower grades seem to be getting a few bites from DA offices and the like whereas I have not had a legal interview in like forever. I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

What if you're biglaw or bust?

[sparty99]

Not OP, i'd like to plug my own situation here if I may.

Facts: T10, above median, 3 years WE, 1L SA, struck out at OCI (2 callbacks, 400+ mass mails).

Answers to the usual questions:

how much debt will you have when you graduate? none (significant scholarship + family money filling in the rest)

do you enjoy law school/want to be a lawyer? yes and definitely. but do I want to do doc review for my entire life? no. I don't see this question being so black and white.

I feel like my problem is I focused on transactional from day 1. I still think that is what I want to do and so all my upper electives are transactional focused. but now that the firm route is done, any other route doesn't find my transactional focus that appealing (government, PI), so i'm getting dinged from all those too.

I can't really see any light at the end of the tunnel here. So i'm thinking I may be better off getting a 1+ year start on another career. Thoughts?

Jobless 3l at a t-14, above median, not CCN, and I also feel that my transactional focus during 2L is really hurting me. Friends of mine with lower grades seem to be getting a few bites from DA offices and the like whereas I have not had a legal interview in like forever. I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

What if you're biglaw or bust?

then you are stupid.

[skers]

Not OP, i'd like to plug my own situation here if I may.

Facts: T10, above median, 3 years WE, 1L SA, struck out at OCI (2 callbacks, 400+ mass mails).

Answers to the usual questions:

how much debt will you have when you graduate? none (significant scholarship + family money filling in the rest)

do you enjoy law school/want to be a lawyer? yes and definitely. but do I want to do doc review for my entire life? no. I don't see this question being so black and white.

I feel like my problem is I focused on transactional from day 1. I still think that is what I want to do and so all my upper electives are transactional focused. but now that the firm route is done, any other route doesn't find my transactional focus that appealing (government, PI), so i'm getting dinged from all those too.

I can't really see any light at the end of the tunnel here. So i'm thinking I may be better off getting a 1+ year start on another career. Thoughts?

Jobless 3l at a t-14, above median, not CCN, and I also feel that my transactional focus during 2L is really hurting me. Friends of mine with lower grades seem to be getting a few bites from DA offices and the like whereas I have not had a legal interview in like forever. I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

What if you're biglaw or bust?

Then you've probably busted.

[Anonymous User]

Not OP, i'd like to plug my own situation here if I may.

Facts: T10, above median, 3 years WE, 1L SA, struck out at OCI (2 callbacks, 400+ mass mails).

Answers to the usual questions:

how much debt will you have when you graduate? none (significant scholarship + family money filling in the rest)

do you enjoy law school/want to be a lawyer? yes and definitely. but do I want to do doc review for my entire life? no. I don't see this question being so black and white.

I feel like my problem is I focused on transactional from day 1. I still think that is what I want to do and so all my upper electives are transactional focused. but now that the firm route is done, any other route doesn't find my transactional focus that appealing (government, PI), so i'm getting dinged from all those too.

I can't really see any light at the end of the tunnel here. So i'm thinking I may be better off getting a 1+ year start on another career. Thoughts?

If you have no debt and want to be a lawyer, I don't see the point in dropping out. The biglaw boat has most likely sailed, and there is a very good chance that you won't find a job until after you the pass the bar. But I have known plenty of people who managed to find non-doc review jobs with worse credentials than you. Don't think that it will be easy. I know one guy who spent something like two years doing unpaid work for Legal Aid while his wife supported him until he found a government job. But it is possible if you hustle enough, and I have a hard time recommending that someone drop out with no debt if they do really want to practice law.

[Anonymous User]

I guess this should be a warning to future OCI strike-outs; take the litigation route since it seems to keep more options open.

You probably want to limit/refine this. Going into OCI it's probably a wash (or if there's a lean it might be easier to go transactional because there are more job/IME more of they hyperstrivers want lit.) but post OCI, your advice sounds very valuable/possible credited.

I think this advice needs to be more nuanced. I don't have any firsthand experience but the overwhelming consensus of the people I talk to is that the biglaw exit options are much better for transactional work than litigation.

[Anonymous User]

I was in a similar situation and I did something that hasn't been mentioned here yet: I took a leave of absence.

If you take a leave of absence you will have another shot at OCI next year. And if you decide during your leave of absence that you would really prefer to drop out, then you can obviously do so. You've already paid for this semester, and there's no getting that money back, so you might as well do your best for the next couple of months, which gives you some time to think about everything, too.

Obviously, a leave of absence only makes sense if you realistically think you can get something through OCI next year, so speak with your career counselors in order to see if this is a realistic expectation. And if you do go this route, make sure you go all out next year: mass mail, mock interview, network in the intervening year, call alumni, do whatever it takes. I only did part of this and I went from 2 callbacks to 8.