1L SA Thread - C/O 2020 Forum

[Anonymous User]

T14 - Any point of sending out apps before grades come out to companies if you're non-diverse, targeting a major market, and have a kinda shitty undergrad college and undergrad gpa?

I'll be the counterpoint to all the people saying yes here.

First of all, of course, if you want a 1L SA job and the only opportunity cost is the time spent doing the apps, by all means, send the apps.

That said: I was almost in the same situation as you. Got into a MVPD based on strong LSAT and great softs, I had a 3.4 GPA from a state school in undergrad. Applied to tons of 1L SA positions with a good cover letter. Got a few screeners in a secondary market (Indianapolis) and primary (DC/Chi), did mostly well and they said to get in touch when grades came out.

Grades came out (very late, like mid-January). My lowest grade was a 3.9. Forwarded grades along to everyone. Four firms called me back, and the message was summed up by one of them who literally said the words: "[Your school] screwed you with grades coming out this late, we would have obviously hired you with these grades but we're full." Two firms asked me "so.... what's with these two GPAs?" Everyone said to reapply next year, etc., and to call them if I still wanted to work there.

Everything worked out for me wonderfully (putting in my plug to be an RA here) but the lesson is: there's a "point" to applying (you might get lucky, you are laying groundwork for the next year, etc.), but be ready to be frustrated!

[wilt]

Does anyone have any advice for cover letters? I don't have any prior legal experience and my school's examples are pretty bare bones.

[EminentDumain]

How many firms have y’all applied to? I’ve gone through a bunch of lists of firms (vault, firms that hired out of my school, etc) and found ~30 that seem like I have a chance (I’m also only applying in the NE). I don’t feel like that’s a lot but compared to the people I’ve talked to it is.

Also is the consensus that Jan 1 is the deadline?

[Anonymous User]

How many firms have y’all applied to? I’ve gone through a bunch of lists of firms (vault, firms that hired out of my school, etc) and found ~30 that seem like I have a chance (I’m also only applying in the NE). I don’t feel like that’s a lot but compared to the people I’ve talked to it is.

Also is the consensus that Jan 1 is the deadline?

Have applied to 12 firms so far. Targeting CA. I have looked at this list (https://www.nalp.org/memberdiversityinitiatives) and found others by googling. Not able to find the vault list you are referring to even though I am on this page: http://www.vault.com/law/law-firm-diversity-programs
Would appreciate if you could point me to it. Thanks.

[EminentDumain]

How many firms have y’all applied to? I’ve gone through a bunch of lists of firms (vault, firms that hired out of my school, etc) and found ~30 that seem like I have a chance (I’m also only applying in the NE). I don’t feel like that’s a lot but compared to the people I’ve talked to it is.

Also is the consensus that Jan 1 is the deadline?

Have applied to 12 firms so far. Targeting CA. I have looked at this list (https://www.nalp.org/memberdiversityinitiatives) and found others by googling. Not able to find the vault list you are referring to even though I am on this page: http://www.vault.com/law/law-firm-diversity-programs
Would appreciate if you could point me to it. Thanks.

I just went down the vault 100 haha.

Edit- accidental anon, sorry.

[Anonymous User]

How many firms have y’all applied to? I’ve gone through a bunch of lists of firms (vault, firms that hired out of my school, etc) and found ~30 that seem like I have a chance (I’m also only applying in the NE). I don’t feel like that’s a lot but compared to the people I’ve talked to it is.

Also is the consensus that Jan 1 is the deadline?

Have applied to 12 firms so far. Targeting CA. I have looked at this list (https://www.nalp.org/memberdiversityinitiatives) and found others by googling. Not able to find the vault list you are referring to even though I am on this page: http://www.vault.com/law/law-firm-diversity-programs
Would appreciate if you could point me to it. Thanks.

I just went down the vault 100 haha.

Applied to about 25 because that was all I could find in my target market

[Anonymous User]

Go a rejection letter in the mail from Littler before grades came out (URM for diversity SA). Happy New Year!

[Anonymous User]

T14 - Any point of sending out apps before grades come out to companies if you're non-diverse, targeting a major market, and have a kinda shitty undergrad college and undergrad gpa?

I'll be the counterpoint to all the people saying yes here.

First of all, of course, if you want a 1L SA job and the only opportunity cost is the time spent doing the apps, by all means, send the apps.

That said: I was almost in the same situation as you. Got into a MVPD based on strong LSAT and great softs, I had a 3.4 GPA from a state school in undergrad. Applied to tons of 1L SA positions with a good cover letter. Got a few screeners in a secondary market (Indianapolis) and primary (DC/Chi), did mostly well and they said to get in touch when grades came out.

Grades came out (very late, like mid-January). My lowest grade was a 3.9. Forwarded grades along to everyone. Four firms called me back, and the message was summed up by one of them who literally said the words: "[Your school] screwed you with grades coming out this late, we would have obviously hired you with these grades but we're full." Two firms asked me "so.... what's with these two GPAs?" Everyone said to reapply next year, etc., and to call them if I still wanted to work there.

Everything worked out for me wonderfully (putting in my plug to be an RA here) but the lesson is: there's a "point" to applying (you might get lucky, you are laying groundwork for the next year, etc.), but be ready to be frustrated!

If this happens to me I will transfer based solely on principle, particularly because I am targeting Texas, which moves on a fast timeline. Don't advertise yourself as a national school if you are screwing my chances to go somewhere other than the Midwest.

[Anonymous User]

T14 - Any point of sending out apps before grades come out to companies if you're non-diverse, targeting a major market, and have a kinda shitty undergrad college and undergrad gpa?

I'll be the counterpoint to all the people saying yes here.

First of all, of course, if you want a 1L SA job and the only opportunity cost is the time spent doing the apps, by all means, send the apps.

That said: I was almost in the same situation as you. Got into a MVPD based on strong LSAT and great softs, I had a 3.4 GPA from a state school in undergrad. Applied to tons of 1L SA positions with a good cover letter. Got a few screeners in a secondary market (Indianapolis) and primary (DC/Chi), did mostly well and they said to get in touch when grades came out.

Grades came out (very late, like mid-January). My lowest grade was a 3.9. Forwarded grades along to everyone. Four firms called me back, and the message was summed up by one of them who literally said the words: "[Your school] screwed you with grades coming out this late, we would have obviously hired you with these grades but we're full." Two firms asked me "so.... what's with these two GPAs?" Everyone said to reapply next year, etc., and to call them if I still wanted to work there.

Everything worked out for me wonderfully (putting in my plug to be an RA here) but the lesson is: there's a "point" to applying (you might get lucky, you are laying groundwork for the next year, etc.), but be ready to be frustrated!

If this happens to me I will transfer based solely on principle, particularly because I am targeting Texas, which moves on a fast timeline. Don't advertise yourself as a national school if you are screwing my chances to go somewhere other than the Midwest.

Not sure how unusual this really is, our grades don't come out till late January.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any advice for cover letters? I don't have any prior legal experience and my school's examples are pretty bare bones.

There's a large and diverse collection of cover letters on Harvard Law's career page - helped me out a ton.

[Anonymous User]

A partner that interviewed me accidentally sent me an email about my application instead of replying to their recruiter. Fortunately, he had nice things to say

[Anonymous User]

How much of a disadvantage are we at if we're applying right before some of these deadlines? (for the 1L diversity SA positions)

[Anonymous User]

How much of a disadvantage are we at if we're applying right before some of these deadlines? (for the 1L diversity SA positions)

Curious about this too. Looks like interviews have started at some places but doesn't seem like too many offers have started going out.

[Anonymous User]

MoFo bay area ding within 7 days without grades.

[Anonymous User]

Do you think it's worth it to fwd grades along before you have all of them? i only have 1 back so far, but it's an A and if they are evaluating people now, would it be a bad idea to just send that one grade and then an update when the rest come in?

[Anonymous User]

Do you think it's worth it to fwd grades along before you have all of them? i only have 1 back so far, but it's an A and if they are evaluating people now, would it be a bad idea to just send that one grade and then an update when the rest come in?

I wouldn't unless you know they give offers before grades.

[Anonymous User]

MoFo bay area ding within 7 days without grades.

school/ties?

[Anonymous User]

MoFo bay area ding within 7 days without grades.

school/ties?

lower t13/family

[knnet]

I'm noticing that some 1L SA offers require SAs to return for the first 4 weeks of their 2L summer. How much does blocking off the first 4 weeks of the summer hurt your ability to land a 2L summer SA gig at another firm?

[Anonymous User]

MoFo bay area ding within 7 days without grades.

when exactly did you apply?

[Anonymous User]

MoFo bay area ding within 7 days without grades.

when exactly did you apply?

12/25

[Anonymous User]

I'm noticing that some 1L SA offers require SAs to return for the first 4 weeks of their 2L summer. How much does blocking off the first 4 weeks of the summer hurt your ability to land a 2L summer SA gig at another firm?

I think this happens often enough that big firms understand it is industry practice and do their best to accommodate. My friend just had to split her summer between two firms for this exact reason. She said it was annoying, but I don't think it hurt her chances seeing as she still ended up at her choice of firms, and has secured a job post-graduation.

[Anonymous User]

Crowell & Moring NY Ding. Applied shortly before NYE. CCN. Diverse but not URM. Nothing special otherwise.

[Anonymous User]

T14 - Any point of sending out apps before grades come out to companies if you're non-diverse, targeting a major market, and have a kinda shitty undergrad college and undergrad gpa?

I'll be the counterpoint to all the people saying yes here.

First of all, of course, if you want a 1L SA job and the only opportunity cost is the time spent doing the apps, by all means, send the apps.

That said: I was almost in the same situation as you. Got into a MVPD based on strong LSAT and great softs, I had a 3.4 GPA from a state school in undergrad. Applied to tons of 1L SA positions with a good cover letter. Got a few screeners in a secondary market (Indianapolis) and primary (DC/Chi), did mostly well and they said to get in touch when grades came out.

Grades came out (very late, like mid-January). My lowest grade was a 3.9. Forwarded grades along to everyone. Four firms called me back, and the message was summed up by one of them who literally said the words: "[Your school] screwed you with grades coming out this late, we would have obviously hired you with these grades but we're full." Two firms asked me "so.... what's with these two GPAs?" Everyone said to reapply next year, etc., and to call them if I still wanted to work there.

Everything worked out for me wonderfully (putting in my plug to be an RA here) but the lesson is: there's a "point" to applying (you might get lucky, you are laying groundwork for the next year, etc.), but be ready to be frustrated!

If this happens to me I will transfer based solely on principle, particularly because I am targeting Texas, which moves on a fast timeline. Don't advertise yourself as a national school if you are screwing my chances to go somewhere other than the Midwest.

Chill dude- UChicago 1L grades don't come out until mid-late January, and we send SAs to Texas every year.

[Anonymous User]

T14 - Any point of sending out apps before grades come out to companies if you're non-diverse, targeting a major market, and have a kinda shitty undergrad college and undergrad gpa?

I'll be the counterpoint to all the people saying yes here.

First of all, of course, if you want a 1L SA job and the only opportunity cost is the time spent doing the apps, by all means, send the apps.

That said: I was almost in the same situation as you. Got into a MVPD based on strong LSAT and great softs, I had a 3.4 GPA from a state school in undergrad. Applied to tons of 1L SA positions with a good cover letter. Got a few screeners in a secondary market (Indianapolis) and primary (DC/Chi), did mostly well and they said to get in touch when grades came out.

Grades came out (very late, like mid-January). My lowest grade was a 3.9. Forwarded grades along to everyone. Four firms called me back, and the message was summed up by one of them who literally said the words: "[Your school] screwed you with grades coming out this late, we would have obviously hired you with these grades but we're full." Two firms asked me "so.... what's with these two GPAs?" Everyone said to reapply next year, etc., and to call them if I still wanted to work there.

Everything worked out for me wonderfully (putting in my plug to be an RA here) but the lesson is: there's a "point" to applying (you might get lucky, you are laying groundwork for the next year, etc.), but be ready to be frustrated!

If this happens to me I will transfer based solely on principle, particularly because I am targeting Texas, which moves on a fast timeline. Don't advertise yourself as a national school if you are screwing my chances to go somewhere other than the Midwest.

Chill dude- UChicago 1L grades don't come out until mid-late January, and we send SAs to Texas every year.

Not at UChicago, dude.