Final OCI results: 2011 Version Forum

[Anonymous User]

School: UCLA/USC
Market(s): CA (LA & OC)
Approximate class rank: Approx. Top 2-3%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: 4 Years
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): 1L SA at V40. Also, I had a lot of strange/interesting experiences that made for good interview fodder.
Screening Interviews: 8
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 8
Callbacks accepted: 8 (cancelled 2 after receiving other offers)
Offers w/vault ranges: 2 V5s, 2 V20s, 2V40s
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? None.
Thank-you notes sent: Yes.

[Anonymous User]

School*: 40-50
Market(s): TX
Approximate class rank: ~5%
Law review: Y
Work experience: N
IP background: N
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Pretty interesting 1L summer work. A few minor connections. (oh you know so and so?)
Screening Interviews: 21
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 11
Callbacks accepted: 6
Offers w/vault ranges: 5 total: 1 V20, 1 V40, 1 V60, 1V100, 1 non-vault
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? Maybe 2 or 3?
Thank-you notes sent: N

[Anonymous User]

Legal recruiter of a firm called me about a week after my callback, saying multiple times I was one of the firm's top candidates and the committee had great things to say about me, but the firm needed to be fair and conduct its last set of callbacks before extending offers. It's been one week, and I heard recently the firm extended an offer to a student from another school. Haven't heard of offers from my own school yet. Not sure if this firm extends all offers at once.

Does this mean I'm out? And do legal recruiters usually leave voicemails like that...?

[Anonymous User]

Legal recruiter of a firm called me about a week after my callback, saying multiple times I was one of the firm's top candidates and the committee had great things to say about me, but the firm needed to be fair and conduct its last set of callbacks before extending offers. It's been one week, and I heard recently the firm extended an offer to a student from another school. Haven't heard of offers from my own school yet. Not sure if this firm extends all offers at once.

Does this mean I'm out? And do legal recruiters usually leave voicemails like that...?

I've had that. It means you are in the game, but you cannot take much else out of it. They are just trying to prevent you from accepting somewhere else while you decide.

[Anonymous User]

Legal recruiter of a firm called me about a week after my callback, saying multiple times I was one of the firm's top candidates and the committee had great things to say about me, but the firm needed to be fair and conduct its last set of callbacks before extending offers. It's been one week, and I heard recently the firm extended an offer to a student from another school. Haven't heard of offers from my own school yet. Not sure if this firm extends all offers at once.

Does this mean I'm out? And do legal recruiters usually leave voicemails like that...?

I've had that. It means you are in the game, but you cannot take much else out of it. They are just trying to prevent you from accepting somewhere else while you decide.

Thanks for the input. From your personal experience, did you end up getting an offer?

[Anonymous User]

School: Lower T14
Market(s): LA, DC, NYC
Approximate class rank: Top 10%
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: Significant
IP background: None
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): A lot of experience interviewing.
Screening Interviews: 23
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 17
Callbacks accepted: 14
Offers w/vault ranges: 11 (1 V5, 3 V10's, 5 V20's, 2 V50's). Accepted at the V5. Withdrew from the other 3 CB's.
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 3 of the original screeners
Thank-you notes sent: Not one.

[Anonymous User]

School: MVP
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: Top 55%ish
Law review: No
Work experience: 1 year not related to law
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): non liberal arts major?
Screening Interviews: 10
Mass mails:
Callbacks received: 1
Callbacks accepted: 1
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V100
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 of screeners
Thank-you notes sent: No

Things worked out well in the end but it's been very nervewracking to say the least...

[Anonymous User]

School: MVP
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: Top 55%ish
Law review: No
Work experience: 1 year not related to law
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): non liberal arts major?
Screening Interviews: 10
Mass mails:
Callbacks received: 1
Callbacks accepted: 1
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V100
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 of screeners
Thank-you notes sent: No

Things worked out well in the end but it's been very nervewracking to say the least...

Dude, you have an angel on your shoulders. Congrats. Give back to charity.

[Anonymous User]

School: CCN
Market(s): NYC/CHI
Approximate class rank: ~Top 15-20%
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: None
IP background: None
Anything else that might have an impact?: Very strong interviewer
Screening Interviews: 25
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 18
Callbacks accepted: 10
Offers w/vault ranges: 10 (3 V5, 3 V10, 4 V20)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 3 from screeners
Thank-you notes sent: None

[Anonymous User]

School*: UT/Vandy
Market(s): TX
Approximate class rank: 45%
Law review: N
Work experience: One year
IP background:
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): 1L SA, interesting resume, strong ties to the market
Screening Interviews: 14, accepted 10
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 6
Callbacks accepted: 6
Offers w/vault ranges: 5 total: 2 V50, 3 V100
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? a couple
Thank-you notes sent: Y

[Anonymous User]

School*: Davis/Hastings
Market(s): CA
Approximate class rank: 10%
Law review: N
Work experience: two years
IP background: BS in EE
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Fluent in Mandarin, Very strong ties to market
Screening Interviews: 18
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 12
Callbacks accepted: 8
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V20, 2 V50

Accepted the V20. So happy to be done with this whole process and never want to do it again.

[Anonymous User]

School: Duke
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: around top 25% ? maybe higher?
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: A few years, nothing impressive.
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): Not really.
Screening Interviews: 20
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 10
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V5, 2 V10s, 1 V20
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 screener.
Thank-you notes sent: No

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

[Dignan]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

I suspect it's for a couple of reasons. First, people who did really well like to post in threads like these, even if they're doing so anonymously. Second, some of the V10 firms have huge summer classes, especially in New York. With firms making 3 to 4 offers for every open SA slot, there are a lot of V10 offers to go around.

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

You're maybe not a good enough interviewer and/or have good enough grades to have the more selective firms take a look at you?

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

Haha, probably because the people most excited to post in here are the ones with the ridickalous v5 offers. I don't blame them-- congrats all! (i'm happy with my v20)





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[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

You're maybe not a good enough interviewer and/or have good enough grades to have the more selective firms take a look at you?

I think the skills that make one a good interviewer apply across the board. It doesn't seem reasonable for one to be a bad interviewer with elite firms, and a good interviewer with less elite firms. A good interviewer is a good interviewer. I think grades are likely the culprit. I'm a transfer at my school, and my grades were high, as were the grades of all transfers, but my background is a bit unorthodox compared to most, and my grades weren't high enough to make me a sure thing for a transfer up, so perhaps that is the reason for the disparity.

Again, this is not bitterness or anger speaking. I have a quickly growing number of offers from firms I'm totally content with. So I couldn't be happier. Was more just curious.

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

You're maybe not a good enough interviewer and/or have good enough grades to have the more selective firms take a look at you?

I think the skills that make one a good interviewer apply across the board. It doesn't seem reasonable for one to be a bad interviewer with elite firms, and a good interviewer with less elite firms. A good interviewer is a good interviewer. I think grades are likely the culprit. I'm a transfer at my school, and my grades were high, as were the grades of all transfers, but my background is a bit unorthodox compared to most, and my grades weren't high enough to make me a sure thing for a transfer up, so perhaps that is the reason for the disparity.

Yeah, I think what I was getting at was that maybe you're a good interviewer but not great, i.e. somebody who interviews so well to the point of overcoming the grade barrier. I'm not saying you're a bad interviewer with the elite firms, I'm just saying that maybe you didn't crush it to the point of the interviewer saying "hmmm, we would typically not take somebody with this guy's grades and background, but he came across motherfucking awesome during the interview and I have to give him a callback." Whereas the V40 interviewer might say, "his grades are about where we want them and he seems like a solid candidate; let's give him a callback." Then again, I transferred to CCN with borderline transfer-worthy grades, and ended up with a V5 offer even though my interview skills could probably be not be described as anything close to "motherfucking awesome." I don't know, dude.

Congrats on the offers, though. You're in a better place than the HUGE majority of other law students.

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

You're maybe not a good enough interviewer and/or have good enough grades to have the more selective firms take a look at you?

I think the skills that make one a good interviewer apply across the board. It doesn't seem reasonable for one to be a bad interviewer with elite firms, and a good interviewer with less elite firms. A good interviewer is a good interviewer. I think grades are likely the culprit. I'm a transfer at my school, and my grades were high, as were the grades of all transfers, but my background is a bit unorthodox compared to most, and my grades weren't high enough to make me a sure thing for a transfer up, so perhaps that is the reason for the disparity.

Yeah, I think what I was getting at was that maybe you're a good interviewer but not great, i.e. somebody who interviews so well to the point of overcoming the grade barrier. I'm not saying you're a bad interviewer with the elite firms, I'm just saying that maybe you didn't crush it to the point of the interviewer saying "hmmm, we would typically not take somebody with this guy's grades and background, but he came across motherfucking awesome during the interview and I have to give him a callback."

I understand. My interview style is pretty informal in that I'm always smiling, telling jokes, and looking like I'm having a great time. This works wonders with younger interviewers, but I didn't seem to click with the older interviewers (and the V25 firms I interviewed with largely sent older dudes to interview me). Also, my "story" usually takes more than 15 hurried minutes to get through in order to spin my background into a really positive light by hitting all my bases. And perhaps I let it get to my head that I was interviewing with an "elite" firm, and got nervous and off my game. Who knows?

[Anonymous User]

School: HYS
Market(s): Chicago/SF
Approximate class rank: above median, below top third
Law review: nope
Work experience: one year, good legal experience, 1L big firm SA
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): no
Screening Interviews: 9 (1L firm offer)
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 7
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 7, 1 V5, 1 V10, 5 V10-30ish, idk
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 0
Thank-you notes sent: never

[Anonymous User]

Man, how do so many people on here have V5/V10 offers? Its so weird, since I have like 20 CB's, yet not a single one with V25 firms, though the majority are in the V25-V75 range. Not at all complaining, but I'm very curious as to the disparity. Obviously not a bad interviewer or else I wouldn't have the CB's that I was lucky enough to get.

OCI season has been pretty weird for me in this respect. I got double digit callbacks, only 1 with a V5 (rest with V25-V100). At the end of my callback season, I only received 1 offer and it was from the V5. I don't know if there was a yield protect-type thing going on with the rest of my callbacks (do law firms even do that?) or if I somehow suck at articulating my interests in some firms. I strongly suspect, however, that the real reason is that the V5 I interviewed with has a FAR larger summer program than every other firm I had callbacks at. So I think that might be the reason why so many people on TLS tend to have V5/V10 offers. The summer classes just might be bigger.

[Anonymous User]

I understand. My interview style is pretty informal in that I'm always smiling, telling jokes, and looking like I'm having a great time. This works wonders with younger interviewers, but I didn't seem to click with the older interviewers (and the V25 firms I interviewed with largely sent older dudes to interview me).

<-----CCN transfer from above

Yeah, I'm the opposite. Much better with older, more serious interviewers. Completely struck out at everything below V20. Maybe I'm the type of person who comes across as somebody who you would want working for you (partners), as opposed to somebody who you would want working with you (associates).

[Anonymous User]

I understand. My interview style is pretty informal in that I'm always smiling, telling jokes, and looking like I'm having a great time. This works wonders with younger interviewers, but I didn't seem to click with the older interviewers (and the V25 firms I interviewed with largely sent older dudes to interview me).

<-----CCN transfer from above

Yeah, I'm the opposite. Much better with older, more serious interviewers. Completely struck out at everything below V20. Maybe I'm the type of person who comes across as somebody who you would want working for you (partners), as opposed to somebody who you would want working with you (associates).

Totally makes sense. I wish I had the skill to switch it up. But the whole super serious interview coming from me would never seem genuine. And it certainly doesn't help that I look like I'm about 18.

[Anonymous User]

School: CCN
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: Median
Law review: No
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): International experience
Screening Interviews: 30
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 15
Callbacks accepted: 6
Offers w/vault ranges: 2 v5, 3 v30; 1 ding (v40).
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 2
Thank-you notes sent: One to each interviewer following callback. Don't know whether it helped but it surely can't hurt.

[Anonymous User]

School: CCN
Market(s): NYC, home secondary market
Approximate class rank: Top 25%?
Law review: Secondary
Work experience: Several years of interesting (but non-finance, non-law) WE
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? (diversity, etc. or whatever, really): No
Screening Interviews: 28
Mass mails: 0
Callbacks received: 20
Callbacks accepted: 15
Offers w/vault ranges: 2 V10, 2 V20, 1 V50, 2 V100 (updated 9/23 for accuracy's sake)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? N/A.
Thank-you notes sent: Some; confident they had zero bearing on the results.