How to approach 3L OCI as a Strike Out Forum

[Anonymous User]

Posting for a friend (he doesn't have TLS)

How does someone who struck out 2L approach 3L OCI?

Obviously chances are small, but right now I'm seeing two options:
1) Acknowledge the strike out and explain why you're more confident/better/more prepared now (using examples like moot court, clinics, etc).
2) Act like you wanted to do public interest but changed your mind.


Would love to hear from some interviewers at firms who do 3L OCI.

[Anonymous User]

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

[Anonymous User]

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

Nonprofit doing litigation work. Wants to do lit.

[Anonymous User]

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

Nonprofit doing litigation work. Wants to do lit.

Having just gone through the experience of 3L OCI (but with a 2L SA), I strongly suggest they cast themselves as a 3L who has realized their interest in private practice litigation through some experience over the last year. They thought they wanted to do PI work but X experience this year taught them otherwise and sparked an interest in firm work. This reason should be pretty good, make sure to practice explaining it and make it sound compelling. I wouldn't just own up to getting shut out of OCI last year, I think that's a big mistake.

[Anonymous User]

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

Nonprofit doing litigation work. Wants to do lit.

Having just gone through the experience of 3L OCI (but with a 2L SA), I strongly suggest they cast themselves as a 3L who has realized their interest in private practice litigation through some experience over the last year. They thought they wanted to do PI work but X experience this year taught them otherwise and sparked an interest in firm work. This reason should be pretty good, make sure to practice explaining it and make it sound compelling. I wouldn't just own up to getting shut out of OCI last year, I think that's a big mistake.

I told a firm I struck and got a callback. Ymmv

[Anonymous User]

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

Nonprofit doing litigation work. Wants to do lit.

In order to construct the best narrative, what did friend do this summer? Work for a governmental agency or some sort?

Nonprofit doing litigation work. Wants to do lit.

Having just gone through the experience of 3L OCI (but with a 2L SA), I strongly suggest they cast themselves as a 3L who has realized their interest in private practice litigation through some experience over the last year. They thought they wanted to do PI work but X experience this year taught them otherwise and sparked an interest in firm work. This reason should be pretty good, make sure to practice explaining it and make it sound compelling. I wouldn't just own up to getting shut out of OCI last year, I think that's a big mistake.

Told a firm I struck out and got an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Any other experiences?

[FuturePanhandler]

Your friend is so lazy that he can't take 2 minutes to make an account and post this himself. It's not in the cards for him

poster is a 0L who has no business posting in the legal employment forum

[Anonymous User]

Your friend is so lazy that he can't take 2 minutes to make an account and post this himself. It's not in the cards for him

I made this because he doesn't have TLS and I wanted to help him out. He didn't ask me to but I told him I would give it a shot. Please try to be constructive.

[Anonymous User]

int'l student here. struck out in 2L but stayed in NY over summer. Played out a family emergency back home (that made me have to pull out of recruiting last season) at interviews. No one would ever dare question that. Got multiple CBs and one offer (V10) so far.

Would say that knowing what you're talking about/having a real sense of direction in terms of practice area (I was looking for Corp/Tax/Regulatory) is what helped me the most.

[Anonymous User]

int'l student here. struck out in 2L but stayed in NY over summer. Played out a family emergency back home (that made me have to pull out of recruiting last season) at interviews. No one would ever dare question that. Got multiple CBs and one offer (V10) so far.

Would say that knowing what you're talking about/having a real sense of direction in terms of practice area (I was looking for Corp/Tax/Regulatory) is what helped me the most.

When did you start mass mailing??

[Anonymous User]

int'l student here. struck out in 2L but stayed in NY over summer. Played out a family emergency back home (that made me have to pull out of recruiting last season) at interviews. No one would ever dare question that. Got multiple CBs and one offer (V10) so far.

Would say that knowing what you're talking about/having a real sense of direction in terms of practice area (I was looking for Corp/Tax/Regulatory) is what helped me the most.

When did you start mass mailing??

The CBs (and offer) I got were from OCI and resume collects from the school. I mass mailed the V100 in late July but no response from them, except a few dings here and there.

I should mention that striking out in 2L was pretty anomalous given my stats (CCN, top 15%) and was probably based entirely on how badly I interviewed.

[Anonymous User]

int'l student here. struck out in 2L but stayed in NY over summer. Played out a family emergency back home (that made me have to pull out of recruiting last season) at interviews. No one would ever dare question that. Got multiple CBs and one offer (V10) so far.

Would say that knowing what you're talking about/having a real sense of direction in terms of practice area (I was looking for Corp/Tax/Regulatory) is what helped me the most.

When did you start mass mailing??

The CBs (and offer) I got were from OCI and resume collects from the school. I mass mailed the V100 in late July but no response from them, except a few dings here and there.

I should mention that striking out in 2L was pretty anomalous given my stats (CCN, top 15%) and was probably based entirely on how badly I interviewed.

grats and thanks for the datapoint