Advice for Targeting DC? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I think its very unlikely that top 1/4 gets DC big law without some other factor (IP, URM, connections, etc.). It's certainly possible but DC is a very competitive market even for students from T14 schools with good grades. Top 1/4 at my lower t14 is far from a guarantee in DC.

OP stated a preference for lit, is IP litigation easier to get than general litigation? I thought IP lit was as competitive as general lit but that patent prosecution was less competitive

IP seems significantly less competitive than general lit in DC specifically and also specifically at some firms (eg, Wilmer, Quinn).

Interesting, haven't seen the same trend in IP lit vs commercial lit at NY offices, specifically Wilmer and Quinn, as well as Gibson Dunn and others. Probably because New York is less competitive as a whole, making IP lit and commercial lit similar in competitiveness in New York

[Anonymous User]

I think its very unlikely that top 1/4 gets DC big law without some other factor (IP, URM, connections, etc.). It's certainly possible but DC is a very competitive market even for students from T14 schools with good grades. Top 1/4 at my lower t14 is far from a guarantee in DC.

OP stated a preference for lit, is IP litigation easier to get than general litigation? I thought IP lit was as competitive as general lit but that patent prosecution was less competitive

IP seems significantly less competitive than general lit in DC specifically and also specifically at some firms (eg, Wilmer, Quinn).

Interesting, haven't seen the same trend in IP lit vs commercial lit at NY offices, specifically Wilmer and Quinn, as well as Gibson Dunn and others. Probably because New York is less competitive as a whole, making IP lit and commercial lit similar in competitiveness in New York

Previous poster -- not that knowledgeable on the certain firms so I deleted that part but noticed at a couple when I was interviewing and networking that the IP litigators came from a much broader range of schools, etc. I do think it's a NY/DC difference just because the general litigation market in DC is competitive and there seems to be a lot of IP work in DC relative to the overall market.

[Anonymous User]

I think its very unlikely that top 1/4 gets DC big law without some other factor (IP, URM, connections, etc.). It's certainly possible but DC is a very competitive market even for students from T14 schools with good grades. Top 1/4 at my lower t14 is far from a guarantee in DC.

OP stated a preference for lit, is IP litigation easier to get than general litigation? I thought IP lit was as competitive as general lit but that patent prosecution was less competitive

Patent prosecution and patent litigation are not the same thing, fwiw! Patent prosecution is "transactional" work, not litigation.

[Anonymous User]

I think its very unlikely that top 1/4 gets DC big law without some other factor (IP, URM, connections, etc.). It's certainly possible but DC is a very competitive market even for students from T14 schools with good grades. Top 1/4 at my lower t14 is far from a guarantee in DC.

OP stated a preference for lit, is IP litigation easier to get than general litigation? I thought IP lit was as competitive as general lit but that patent prosecution was less competitive

Patent prosecution and patent litigation are not the same thing, fwiw! Patent prosecution is "transactional" work, not litigation.

Yes that's why I treated them as different in my question. When people say "IP" is less competitive, they're referring to prosecution, not IP litigation, or at least that was my question

In other words, I was asking the parent comment when they listed "IP" along with URM etc as something that would help their chances, isn't IP lit just as competitive as commercial lit (understanding that prosecution is less competitive, implying prosecution and lit are, as you said, "not the same thing")

[Anonymous User]

I think its very unlikely that top 1/4 gets DC big law without some other factor (IP, URM, connections, etc.). It's certainly possible but DC is a very competitive market even for students from T14 schools with good grades. Top 1/4 at my lower t14 is far from a guarantee in DC.

OP stated a preference for lit, is IP litigation easier to get than general litigation? I thought IP lit was as competitive as general lit but that patent prosecution was less competitive

Patent prosecution and patent litigation are not the same thing, fwiw! Patent prosecution is "transactional" work, not litigation.

Yes that's why I treated them as different in my question. When people say "IP" is less competitive, they're referring to prosecution, not IP litigation, or at least that was my question

In other words, I was asking the parent comment when they listed "IP" along with URM etc as something that would help their chances, isn't IP lit just as competitive as commercial lit (understanding that prosecution is less competitive, implying prosecution and lit are, as you said, "not the same thing")

I believe IP lit has its own job fairs, etc and they hire people to do IT only. When I was looking for 1L summer jobs, a lot of firms have a different job posting for IP, just like for diversity scholars. I guess that’s why if a person is dead set on IP, there will be more doors open than general lit, as the candidate pool will be much smaller.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

Thanks for all the help.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

Thanks for all the help.

Congrats OP, though I can't think of a V10 with a big presence except Skadden and GDC (and maybe PW?). The others seem to be antitrust-focused outposts. Are you antitrust focused? It's a hot practice area.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

Thanks for all the help.

Congrats OP, though I can't think of a V10 with a big presence except Skadden and GDC (and maybe PW?). The others seem to be antitrust-focused outposts. Are you antitrust focused? It's a hot practice area.

I'll be at one of Latham/K&E/GDC

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

chill out good lord, didn’t come across as bragging to me so much as indicating that it’s one of the several big firms. let’s not do the dc lit prestige debate here alright

[Anonymous User]

OP, did you stick with lit as a preference?

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

chill out good lord, didn’t come across as bragging to me so much as indicating that it’s one of the several big firms. let’s not do the dc lit prestige debate here alright

Yeah, uh, I was just saying thanks for all the advice, and for future people in my situation, a benchmark to show that it is possible to get a DC SA gig even if you are only interested in lit and aren't, like, on track for magna at Columbia or something. More than happy to acknowledge that I might not be at the most prestigious lit shop in town, just glad that I got my desired job! No need for the weird hostility...

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

OP is just happy he got DC lit that's not Covingttton, can you blame him?

[Anonymous User]

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

I had offers to all three of those offices in DC and worked at one of them, doing appellate work, and I genuinely can't tell what you mean as far as "different class." Which is so much better? KE lost a step when Paul Clement left, but they all are excellent DC offices.

[Anonymous User]

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

I had offers to all three of those offices in DC and worked at one of them, doing appellate work, and I genuinely can't tell what you mean as far as "different class." Which is so much better? KE lost a step when Paul Clement left, but they all are excellent DC offices.

That poster simply saw an opportunity to let us know that they know the ins and outs of the true DC lit hierarchy and they pounced

[Anonymous User]

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

I had offers to all three of those offices in DC and worked at one of them, doing appellate work, and I genuinely can't tell what you mean as far as "different class." Which is so much better? KE lost a step when Paul Clement left, but they all are excellent DC offices.

That poster simply saw an opportunity to let us know that they know the ins and outs of the true DC lit hierarchy and they pounced

The depths of boutique jealousy of the V10 never ceases to amuse.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Figured I’d jump on this threadto ask essentially the same question about targeting DC but from a clerk/non-OCI perspective.

I graduated magna from a T20 and ended up with a 2-year clerkship with a Judge in the midwest (not ILND). My fiance just got a job in DC so I need to target there for post-clerkship. Lit is a priority.

Obviously in-person networking over the summer isn’t really an option and I get the sense that lit positions are really limited at the big firms in DC. Should I start thinking about moving to mid law or is there something I can do to lay the foundation nowish/the near future?

[Anonymous User]

Figured I’d jump on this threadto ask essentially the same question about targeting DC but from a clerk/non-OCI perspective.

I graduated magna from a T20 and ended up with a 2-year clerkship with a Judge in the midwest (not ILND). My fiance just got a job in DC so I need to target there for post-clerkship. Lit is a priority.

Obviously in-person networking over the summer isn’t really an option and I get the sense that lit positions are really limited at the big firms in DC. Should I start thinking about moving to mid law or is there something I can do to lay the foundation nowish/the near future?

I would think a d.ct. clerkship + fiancee being in the city would set you up well for a lit position in DC biglaw, especially if you have any prior experience living/working in DC. Though you probably can't afford to be too choosy.

[Anonymous User]

You seem confused. V10 doesn't mean anything for litigators. It means less than nothing for people who care about the DC lit market.

Gibson is in a different class than Kirkland and Lathan as far as DC, and then DC lit, and then DC lit appellate is concerned.

Anything market-paying is great, so congrats. But the weird bragging is off-base here.

I had offers to all three of those offices in DC and worked at one of them, doing appellate work, and I genuinely can't tell what you mean as far as "different class." Which is so much better? KE lost a step when Paul Clement left, but they all are excellent DC offices.

The “different class” thing screams “2L.” Roughly equivalent offices, including for appellate, with the Clement proviso.

[erzezhifu]

OP here. I was able to get a V10 offer in DC through pre-OCI/networking (still not really sure how) so everything turned out great

Thanks for all the help.

Congrats OP! Im a 1L at a T10. probably top 40 percent first semester. idk about the second semester yet-- probably gonna be worse because classes are so much harder! (maybe the curve can save me). Do u have any advice after your pre OCI/networking experience? I really want a niche reg area in DC. Went to DC for undergrad. Thanks!