Northwestern OCI 2017 Forum

[star fox]

what should I be prioritizing? Info interviews over the phone? (Out of town). Sending materials mass mailed to recruiters? Thanks for any and all advice!

Mass mail every firm in your target cities that won't be at OCI. Do it now. It's not too late.[/quote]

You guys are life savers, I'm glad I browsed TLS. How is this info not being told by career services? Why didn't I hear it from friends?

[/quote]
Putting on OCI is like the one thing Career Services actually does. If people are getting jobs outside of OCI, Career Services doesn't have much value.

[ILoveYou]

NU's career services office is pretty close to useless. There's one good advisor and obviously most people don't get lucky there.

[Anonymous User]

What about mass mailing even firms that are coming? Is that tacky?

[star fox]

What about mass mailing even firms that are coming? Is that tacky?

Probably depends on the firm, most will say "We'll be at OCI! Bid on us there and visit our hospitality suite!" Once you get bidding results, be sure to hit up every firm you bid on and didn't get (they can see you bid but not where you put them) and express interest.

[ILoveYou]

What about mass mailing even firms that are coming? Is that tacky?

Not tacky, definitely do it.

[Mullens]

NU's career services office is pretty close to useless. There's one good advisor and obviously most people don't get lucky there.

I also don't have the highest opinion about CSC, but I will say this: A lot of times when students complain about CSC not giving them information, the information is out there somewhere on symplicity/career space and the students are too lazy to actually look for it or read it. I get CSC should make that information easier to find and some of the stuff they do produce is garbage, but students shouldn't expect to be spoon-fed. Many students need to take more control over their job search than they do. As star fox noted above, CSC's main job is to put on OCI and so they aren't going to tell you things like to massmail firms before OCI if it undercuts their job. When I went through OCI, we were explicitly told we could not massmail firms coming to OCI even though it put NU students at a disadvantage. I'm glad they've softened that position. The other thing to understand is that CSC exists to try to get jobs for as many students as possible. They don't necessarily have the time nor do they care about finding the best job for you as long as you get a job.

[Anonymous User]

How low on one's bidlist can I put a firm with 40 or 60 slots? McDermott has 80....how low do you think is safe to put them?

[Anonymous User]

I agree with the above - I was actually encouraged to mass mail firms not coming to OCI. It's a good back up plan you should be doing. and in general I've received the exact same advice from my advisor as what I've seen on here regarding bid lists. They are only one resource, but they're as useless as make them out to be.

[Anonymous User]

3.66, lit, Chicago only. Totally unsure what to do with my last 16 bids. Comments also welcome on my top 24:

1. Jenner & Block LLP (60)
2. Latham & Watkins LLP (60)
3. Dentons (11)
4. sidley austin llp (80)
5. mayer brown llp (20)
6. Kirkland & Ellis LLP (80)
7. Winston & Strawn LLP (60)
8. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP (60)
9. mcguirewoods LLP (20)
10. McDermott Will & Emery LLP (80)
11. Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (20)
12. Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (20)
13. nixon peabody llp (20)
14. Dykema Gosset PLLC (9)
15. Barnes & Thornburg LLP (9)
16. Greenberg Traurig, LLP (20)
17. thompson coburn llp (20)
18. Vedder Price Kaufman & Kammholz PC (20)
19. Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP (17)
20. katten muchin rosenman llp (40)
21. Perkins Coie LLP (20)
22. schiff hardin llp (40)
23. K&L Gates (20)
24. seyfarth shaw llp (20)

[Anonymous User]

Also, I'm interested in DC litigation but Gibson Dunn isn't coming on campus. Should I send my materials to their recruiting coordinator now? (Carrer services is super busy and I don't know when I'll get a reply from them.)

Yes. A rising 3L is at GDC DC now after doing this exact thing.

[Anonymous User]

3.8 - litigation. Chicago is top choice - i grew up in the burbs. NYC is second market, but I was fortunate that I have already had or scheduled several callbacks with firms there, and was lucky enough to land one offer so far. So, I'm only bidding Sull Crom because that would be the only other firm i'd consider outside of those I've already interviewed with. In DC i am swinging for the fences.

Any reason to think I should be bidding the Chicago firms with 20 interview slots, like Perkins or Foley, past 10 or would that just be a waste?

is it okay bid Sidley D.C. and Latham D.C too? I don't wanna seem like I'm really looking to leave town to those firm's Chicago offices.

1. Mayer brown (LIT) (20)
2. Katten (40)
3. Sidley Austin (80)
4. Jones day (40)
5. Kirkland (80)
6. Skadden (60)
7. Jenner (60)
8. Latham (60)
9. Sull Crom NYC (40)
10. Winston (60)
11. Mcdermott Will & Emory (80)
12. Cleary DC (20)
13. Wilmer Hale DC (20)
14. Covington DC (20)
15. Hogan and Lovells DC (20)
16. Williams and Connelly (20)
17. Barak ferrazano (40)

[Anonymous User]

3.8, interested in DC as primary market, Chicago as secondary (yes I realize not bidding NY is risky), I have long professional and some personal ties to DC market. Primarily interested in regulatory litigation.

1. WilmerHale 20
2. Covington Burling 20
3. O’Melveny Myers 20
4. Sidley (DC) 20
5. Latham Watkins (DC) 20
6. Cleary Gottlieb (DC) 20
7. Morrison Foerster 20
8. Pillsbury 20
9. Hogan Lovells 20
10. Ropes Gray 40
11. Williams Connolly 20
12. Freshfields 20
13. Cooley 40
14. Jones Day (DC) 20
15. Polsinelli 20
16. Goodwin Procter 20
17. White & Case 20
18. Baker Hostetler 20
19. Wilson Sonsini 20
20. Foley Lardner 20
21. Paul Hastings 20
22. Dechert 20
23. Polsinelli 20
24. Winston & Strawn 20
25. Mayer Brown 20
26. Barack Ferrazano 40
27. Kirkland (CHI) 80
28. Katten Muchin 40
29. Skadden 60
30. Holland and Knight (Orl) 20
31. Edelson 40
32. Schiff Hardin 40
33. Jenner Block 60
34. DLA Piper 60

NON OCI mass mail (to be sent Monday 7/17):
Arnold Porter DC
Perkins Coie DC
K&L Gates DC
Mayer Brown DC
Simpson Thacher DC
Weil DC
Gibson Dunn DC

[AVokes]

3.8, interested in DC as primary market, Chicago as secondary (yes I realize not bidding NY is risky), I have long professional and some personal ties to DC market. Primarily interested in regulatory litigation.

. . . .

NON OCI mass mail (to be sent Monday 7/17):
Arnold Porter DC
Perkins Coie DC
K&L Gates DC
Mayer Brown DC
Simpson Thacher DC
Weil DC
Gibson Dunn DC

As noted earlier in this thread, the median GPAs are meant to be confidential. It'd probably be smart to take them out of your post.

[Anonymous User]

3.7, transactional only, interested almost solely in Chicago, but would consider NY or DC for the right opportunity. Happy to hear all thoughts/suggestions. All firms below are Chicago office unless otherwise noted. Thanks in advance for your help.

1. Kirkland (80)
2. Latham (60)
3. Skadden (60)
4. Jones Day (40)
5. Cravath (NY) (40)
6. Mayer Brown (40)
7. McDermott (80)
8. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
9. Jenner Block (60)
10. DLA Piper (60)
11. Sullivan and Cromwell (NY) (40)
12. Weil (NY) (60)
13. Winston and Strawn (60)
14. Paul Weiss (NY) (40)
15. Simpson Thatcher (NY) (40)
16. Covington (DC) (20)
17. Baker McKenzie (20)
18. Paul Hastings (20)
19. Proskauer (20)
20. Ropes and Gray (20)
21. Schiff Hardin (40)
22. Cleary Gottlieb (DC) (20)
23. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
24. Hogan Lovells (DC) (20)
25. K&L Gates (20)
26. McGuire Woods (20)
27. Foley & Lardner (20)
28. Dentons (11)
29. Bryan Cave (20)
30. Nixon Peabody (20)
31. Quarles and Brady (20)

[star fox]

You don't Cravath that high, I think Jenner and Winston are too low. Those Chicago firms at 17-21 are just gonna be wasted bids if you leave them there. Either stick them at the end to say you bid them or make a choice to put them higher.

[Anonymous User]

3.71, transactional(tax/tech transaction/corporate) only, interested in both SoCal & NYC and no interest in Chi at all. Some decent(though not long) working experience. All suggestions appreciated.
*Hv secured screeners/cbs with MoFo, Baker, Shearman & STB through OTIP/networking and as those firms do not allow multiple interviews, I am not bidding for them in OCI.

1 Fenwick & West Mountain View CA 20
2 Davis Polk NYC NY 20
3 Cooley Santa Monica CA 40
4 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton NYC NY 40
5 Pilsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman San Francisco CA 20
6 Wilson Sosini Goodrich & Rosati Palo Alto CA 40
7 O'Melven Myers Menlo Park CA 20
8 Goodwin Procter Menlo Park CA 20
9 Paul Hastings Palo Alto CA 20
10 Winston & Strawn NYC NY 20
11 Goodwin Procter Boston MA 20
12 Weil Gosthal & Manges Redwood City CA 20
13 Skadden NYC NY 20
14 Proskauer NYC NY 20
15 Cravath Swaine & Moore NYC NY 40
16 Paul Weiss NYC NY 40
17 Sullivan & Cromwell NYC NY 40
18 Mayer Brown NYC NY 20
19 Sidley Austin NYC NY 20
20 Kirkland & Ellis NYC NY 20
21 Milbank NYC NY 40
22 DLA Piper Palo Alto CA 60
23 White & Case NYC NY 20
24 Weil Gosthal & Manges NYC NY 60
25 Ropes & Gray Palo Alto CA 40
26 Latham & Watkins Hong Kong HK 11

[Anonymous User]

3.96, transactional, interested in both New York and Chicago, but mostly New York. Firms I absolutely want to interview with: Davis Polk, STB, Cleary, Shearman. (CBs with Weil, Cravath, and Paul Weiss before OCI, hence not on the list.) I'm lost with this whole bidding strategy thing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
2. Skadden (NY) (20)
3. Simpson Thacher (NY) (40)
4. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
5. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (20)
6. White & Case (NY) (20)
7. Skadden (CH) (60)
8. Kirkland (CH) (80)
9. Sidley (CH) (80)
10. Sullivan & Cromwell (NY) (40)
11. Jones Day (CH) (40)
12. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (40)
13. Allen & Overy (NY) (20)
14. Willkie Farr (NY) (40)
15. Mayer Brown (CH) (40) (for transaction only)
16. Latham (NY) (20)
17. Latham (CH) (60)
18. Paul Hastings (NY) (20)
19. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
20. K&L Gates (CH) (20)
21. Ropes & Gray (NY) (40)
22. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
23. Goodwin Proctor (NY) (20)
24. Milbank (NY) (40)
25. Kirkland (NY) (20)
26. Sidley (NY) (20)

[Mullens]

3.66, lit, Chicago only. Totally unsure what to do with my last 16 bids. Comments also welcome on my top 24:

1. Jenner & Block LLP (60)
2. Latham & Watkins LLP (60)
3. Dentons (11)
4. Sidley Austin LLP (80)
5. Mayer Brown LLP (20)
6. Kirkland & Ellis LLP (80)
7. Winston & Strawn LLP (60)
8. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP (60)
9. McGuireWoods LLP (20)
10. McDermott Will & Emery LLP (80)
11. Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (20)
12. Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (20)
13. Nixon Peabody LLP (20)
14. Dykema Gosset PLLC (9)
15. Barnes & Thornburg LLP (9)
16. Greenberg Traurig, LLP (20)
17. Thompson Coburn LLP (20)
18. Vedder Price Kaufman & Kammholz PC (20)
19. Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP (17)
20. Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP (40)
21. Perkins Coie LLP (20)
22. Schiff Hardin LLP (40)
23. K&L Gates (20)
24. Seyfarth Shaw LLP (20)

Bidding only Chicago Lit with that GPA is pretty risky. If you're okay with that, then more power to you. The ordering of your bidlist doesn't make much sense to me based on # of interview spots. Why are Katten and Schiff so low? Why are Jenner and Latham so high? You should look up the summer class sizes in Chicago of all these firms with only 20 interview spots (I think you can find this on NALP) and prioritize the firms with bigger classes.

[Mullens]

3.8 - litigation. Chicago is top choice - i grew up in the burbs. NYC is second market, but I was fortunate that I have already had or scheduled several callbacks with firms there, and was lucky enough to land one offer so far. So, I'm only bidding Sull Crom because that would be the only other firm i'd consider outside of those I've already interviewed with. In DC i am swinging for the fences.

Any reason to think I should be bidding the Chicago firms with 20 interview slots, like Perkins or Foley, past 10 or would that just be a waste?

is it okay bid Sidley D.C. and Latham D.C too? I don't wanna seem like I'm really looking to leave town to those firm's Chicago offices.

1. Mayer brown (LIT) (20)
2. Katten (40)
3. Sidley Austin (80)
4. Jones day (40)
5. Kirkland (80)
6. Skadden (60)
7. Jenner (60)
8. Latham (60)
9. Sull Crom NYC (40)
10. Winston (60)
11. Mcdermott Will & Emory (80)
12. Cleary DC (20)
13. Wilmer Hale DC (20)
14. Covington DC (20)
15. Hogan and Lovells DC (20)
16. Williams and Connelly (20)
17. Barak ferrazano (40)

Congrats on the early offer. This looks pretty good to me based on my experience. You might miss one or two of the firms in your top 11 if things shake out weird this year but that's just the nature of the game. Between the top 8, I would think that you'd get an offer somewhere since you seem to be a decent interviewer and have real ties to Chicago. If you're pretty set on Chicago, then you should bump up Barrack just to make sure you get an interview. It has high callback GPA data but sometimes it goes higher than you'd expect because it's in Chicago. Might as well put all the 20 spot Chicago firms at the bottom of your list and email them as soon as bid results coming out asking if they can fit you into their schedule.

[Mullens]

3.8, interested in DC as primary market, Chicago as secondary (yes I realize not bidding NY is risky), I have long professional and some personal ties to DC market. Primarily interested in regulatory litigation.

1. WilmerHale 20
2. Covington Burling 20
3. O’Melveny Myers 20
4. Sidley (DC) 20
5. Latham Watkins (DC) 20
6. Cleary Gottlieb (DC) 20
7. Morrison Foerster 20
8. Pillsbury 20
9. Hogan Lovells 20
10. Ropes Gray 40
11. Williams Connolly 20
12. Freshfields 20
13. Cooley 40
14. Jones Day (DC) 20
15. Polsinelli 20
16. Goodwin Procter 20
17. White & Case 20
18. Baker Hostetler 20
19. Wilson Sonsini 20
20. Foley Lardner 20
21. Paul Hastings 20
22. Dechert 20
23. Polsinelli 20
24. Winston & Strawn 20
25. Mayer Brown 20
26. Barack Ferrazano 40
27. Kirkland (CHI) 80
28. Katten Muchin 40
29. Skadden 60
30. Holland and Knight (Orl) 20
31. Edelson 40
32. Schiff Hardin 40
33. Jenner Block 60
34. DLA Piper 60

NON OCI mass mail (to be sent Monday 7/17):
Arnold Porter DC
Perkins Coie DC
K&L Gates DC
Mayer Brown DC
Simpson Thacher DC
Weil DC
Gibson Dunn DC

All of your Chicago bids are wasted. I'd be surprised if you got more than one or two of them. It's counter-intuitive but you need to put the Chicago firms at the top of your bid list, even if they are secondary to you. You can intersperse a few in your top 10 if you want to feel certain you get interviews at Wilmer/Cov. Any reason you're bidding Sidley DC but Kirkland CHI?

[Mullens]

3.96, transactional, interested in both New York and Chicago, but mostly New York. Firms I absolutely want to interview with: Davis Polk, STB, Cleary, Shearman. (CBs with Weil, Cravath, and Paul Weiss before OCI, hence not on the list.) I'm lost with this whole bidding strategy thing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
2. Skadden (NY) (20)
3. Simpson Thacher (NY) (40)
4. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
5. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (20)
6. White & Case (NY) (20)
7. Skadden (CH) (60)
8. Kirkland (CH) (80)
9. Sidley (CH) (80)
10. Sullivan & Cromwell (NY) (40)
11. Jones Day (CH) (40)
12. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (40)
13. Allen & Overy (NY) (20)
14. Willkie Farr (NY) (40)
15. Mayer Brown (CH) (40) (for transaction only)
16. Latham (NY) (20)
17. Latham (CH) (60)
18. Paul Hastings (NY) (20)
19. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
20. K&L Gates (CH) (20)
21. Ropes & Gray (NY) (40)
22. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
23. Goodwin Proctor (NY) (20)
24. Milbank (NY) (40)
25. Kirkland (NY) (20)
26. Sidley (NY) (20)

You have Baker and Shearman listed twice on here. Do Skadden, Kirkland, Latham (Latham also seems very low) and Sidley let you bid multiple offices? If you want NY, then you should bid the NY offices of these firms. You don't need a secondary market with those grades and a NY focus so don't bid Chicago if you're set on NY. If you're genuinely unsure, then you should bid the Chicago offices of Sidley and Kirkland. I would probably work at Skadden NY over Skadden Chi if I had no city preference but that's up to you.

You'd be okay removing Shearman and White & Case from your top ten because as long as you're not a total weirdo you're pretty much guaranteed an offer at one of Weil, Cravath, Paul, Weiss + your top 4 on this list. I just don't see the draw to Shearman/White & Case for transactional work compared to your 7-10 but that's just me.

Is there a specific type of transactional work you want to do? I can't tell from this bid list but it might be informative

[Mullens]

3.7, transactional only, interested almost solely in Chicago, but would consider NY or DC for the right opportunity. Happy to hear all thoughts/suggestions. All firms below are Chicago office unless otherwise noted. Thanks in advance for your help.

1. Kirkland (80)
2. Latham (60)
3. Skadden (60)
4. Jones Day (40)
5. Cravath (NY) (40)
6. Mayer Brown (40)
7. McDermott (80)
8. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
9. Jenner Block (60)
10. DLA Piper (60)
11. Sullivan and Cromwell (NY) (40)
12. Weil (NY) (60)
13. Winston and Strawn (60)
14. Paul Weiss (NY) (40)
15. Simpson Thatcher (NY) (40)
16. Covington (DC) (20)
17. Baker McKenzie (20)
18. Paul Hastings (20)
19. Proskauer (20)
20. Ropes and Gray (20)
21. Schiff Hardin (40)
22. Cleary Gottlieb (DC) (20)
23. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
24. Hogan Lovells (DC) (20)
25. K&L Gates (20)
26. McGuire Woods (20)
27. Foley & Lardner (20)
28. Dentons (11)
29. Bryan Cave (20)
30. Nixon Peabody (20)
31. Quarles and Brady (20)

No Sidley? I don't know if you would get Davis Polk at 8. You don't need to bid Kirkland #1 to get it. And star fox is right about the firms 17-21.

[Anonymous User]

3.96, transactional, interested in both New York and Chicago, but mostly New York. Firms I absolutely want to interview with: Davis Polk, STB, Cleary, Shearman. (CBs with Weil, Cravath, and Paul Weiss before OCI, hence not on the list.) I'm lost with this whole bidding strategy thing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
2. Skadden (NY) (20)
3. Simpson Thacher (NY) (40)
4. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
5. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (20)
6. White & Case (NY) (20)
7. Skadden (CH) (60)
8. Kirkland (CH) (80)
9. Sidley (CH) (80)
10. Sullivan & Cromwell (NY) (40)
11. Jones Day (CH) (40)
12. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (40)
13. Allen & Overy (NY) (20)
14. Willkie Farr (NY) (40)
15. Mayer Brown (CH) (40) (for transaction only)
16. Latham (NY) (20)
17. Latham (CH) (60)
18. Paul Hastings (NY) (20)
19. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
20. K&L Gates (CH) (20)
21. Ropes & Gray (NY) (40)
22. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
23. Goodwin Proctor (NY) (20)
24. Milbank (NY) (40)
25. Kirkland (NY) (20)
26. Sidley (NY) (20)

You have Baker and Shearman listed twice on here. Do Skadden, Kirkland, Latham (Latham also seems very low) and Sidley let you bid multiple offices? If you want NY, then you should bid the NY offices of these firms. You don't need a secondary market with those grades and a NY focus so don't bid Chicago if you're set on NY. If you're genuinely unsure, then you should bid the Chicago offices of Sidley and Kirkland. I would probably work at Skadden NY over Skadden Chi if I had no city preference but that's up to you.

You'd be okay removing Shearman and White & Case from your top ten because as long as you're not a total weirdo you're pretty much guaranteed an offer at one of Weil, Cravath, Paul, Weiss + your top 4 on this list. I just don't see the draw to Shearman/White & Case for transactional work compared to your 7-10 but that's just me.

Is there a specific type of transactional work you want to do? I can't tell from this bid list but it might be informative

Thanks for the advice! I'm mostly interested in M&A. The reason I bid Kirkland Chi higher than Kirkland NY is because I heard the culture in their NY office is pretty brutal and their Chicago office handles big deals as well.

[Mullens]

3.71, transactional(tax/tech transaction/corporate) only, interested in both SoCal & NYC and no interest in Chi at all. Some decent(though not long) working experience. All suggestions appreciated.
*Hv secured screeners/cbs with MoFo, Baker, Shearman & STB through OTIP/networking and as those firms do not allow multiple interviews, I am not bidding for them in OCI.

1 Fenwick & West Mountain View CA 20
2 Davis Polk NYC NY 20
3 Cooley Santa Monica CA 40
4 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton NYC NY 40
5 Pilsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman San Francisco CA 20
6 Wilson Sosini Goodrich & Rosati Palo Alto CA 40
7 O'Melven Myers Menlo Park CA 20
8 Goodwin Procter Menlo Park CA 20
9 Paul Hastings Palo Alto CA 20
10 Winston & Strawn NYC NY 20
11 Goodwin Procter Boston MA 20
12 Weil Gosthal & Manges Redwood City CA 20
13 Skadden NYC NY 20
14 Proskauer NYC NY 20
15 Cravath Swaine & Moore NYC NY 40
16 Paul Weiss NYC NY 40
17 Sullivan & Cromwell NYC NY 40
18 Mayer Brown NYC NY 20
19 Sidley Austin NYC NY 20
20 Kirkland & Ellis NYC NY 20
21 Milbank NYC NY 40
22 DLA Piper Palo Alto C 60
23 White & Case NYC NY 20
24 Weil Gosthal & Manges NYC NY 60
25 Ropes & Gray Palo Alto CA 40
26 Latham & Watkins Hong Kong HK 11

San Francisco is in Northern California not SoCal. If you made that mistake in an interview you might get dinged. Your teens look risky and idk how many of those firms you'll get. I would remove Goodwin Boston since you're already bidding a different office (even if it's allowed). Winston seems high but I haven't seem the GPA data recently and it looks like you might be on the GPA border for some of the V10 NY firms.

[Mullens]

3.96, transactional, interested in both New York and Chicago, but mostly New York. Firms I absolutely want to interview with: Davis Polk, STB, Cleary, Shearman. (CBs with Weil, Cravath, and Paul Weiss before OCI, hence not on the list.) I'm lost with this whole bidding strategy thing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1. Davis Polk (NY) (20)
2. Skadden (NY) (20)
3. Simpson Thacher (NY) (40)
4. Cleary Gottlieb (NY) (40)
5. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (20)
6. White & Case (NY) (20)
7. Skadden (CH) (60)
8. Kirkland (CH) (80)
9. Sidley (CH) (80)
10. Sullivan & Cromwell (NY) (40)
11. Jones Day (CH) (40)
12. Shearman & Sterling (NY) (40)
13. Allen & Overy (NY) (20)
14. Willkie Farr (NY) (40)
15. Mayer Brown (CH) (40) (for transaction only)
16. Latham (NY) (20)
17. Latham (CH) (60)
18. Paul Hastings (NY) (20)
19. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
20. K&L Gates (CH) (20)
21. Ropes & Gray (NY) (40)
22. Baker & McKenzie (CH) (20)
23. Goodwin Proctor (NY) (20)
24. Milbank (NY) (40)
25. Kirkland (NY) (20)
26. Sidley (NY) (20)

You have Baker and Shearman listed twice on here. Do Skadden, Kirkland, Latham (Latham also seems very low) and Sidley let you bid multiple offices? If you want NY, then you should bid the NY offices of these firms. You don't need a secondary market with those grades and a NY focus so don't bid Chicago if you're set on NY. If you're genuinely unsure, then you should bid the Chicago offices of Sidley and Kirkland. I would probably work at Skadden NY over Skadden Chi if I had no city preference but that's up to you.

You'd be okay removing Shearman and White & Case from your top ten because as long as you're not a total weirdo you're pretty much guaranteed an offer at one of Weil, Cravath, Paul, Weiss + your top 4 on this list. I just don't see the draw to Shearman/White & Case for transactional work compared to your 7-10 but that's just me.

Is there a specific type of transactional work you want to do? I can't tell from this bid list but it might be informative

Thanks for the advice! I'm mostly interested in M&A. The reason I bid Kirkland Chi higher than Kirkland NY is because I heard the culture in their NY office is pretty brutal and their Chicago office handles big deals as well.

Massmail Debevoise if you haven't already. You'll probably get a screener with Wachtell if it's still happening the same way (also be on the lookout on Symplicity in case it's posted as a resume drop). I would bump up S&C too since they are an elite M&A firm.