Northwestern OCI 2016 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Looking for some input here. ~3.75, with ties to Chicago. Wanting to do transactional. Trying to pick up some screeners in DC and SF with the second half of my bid list, but really just want to maximize my Chicago interviews. Trying to figure out how low I can drop the big Chi firms (Kirkland, Sidley, etc.) while also maximizing my chances with Chicago offices of Ropes, PH, Greenberg, etc. Any insight appreciated.

1. Baker & McKenzie- 30
2. Katten- 40
3. Latham- 76
4. Sidley- 80
5. Jones Day- 40
6. Kirkland- 80
7. McDermott- 80
8. Skadden- 60
9. Mayer Brown- 60
10. Jenner & Block- 60
11. Ropes & Gray- 20
12. Paul Hastings- 20
13. Greenberg Traurig- 20
14. K&L Gates- 20
15. Winston- 80
16. Reed Smith- 20
17. Perkins Coie- 20
18. Holland & Knight- 20
19. Wilson Sonsini, Palo Alto- 40 (9 offices)
20. Fenwick, Mtn View- 20 (3 offices)
21. Simpson Thacher, Palo Alto- 20 (2 offices)
22. Weil, Redwood- 20
23. Kirkland, San Fran.- 40 (2 offices)
24. Hogan Lovells DC- 20
25. Sidley DC- 20
26. White & Case DC- 20
27. Barack Ferrazzano- 30
28. Proskauer- 20
29. …? Will probably put some more "token" Chi bids down here so that I can mass mail/ stop by hospitality suites after OCI schedules are released.

[GoCats56]

Looking for some input here. ~3.75, with ties to Chicago. Wanting to do transactional. Trying to pick up some screeners in DC and SF with the second half of my bid list, but really just want to maximize my Chicago interviews. Trying to figure out how low I can drop the big Chi firms (Kirkland, Sidley, etc.) while also maximizing my chances with Chicago offices of Ropes, PH, Greenberg, etc. Any insight appreciated.

1. Baker & McKenzie- 30
2. Katten- 40
3. Latham- 76
4. Sidley- 80
5. Jones Day- 40
6. Kirkland- 80
7. McDermott- 80
8. Skadden- 60
9. Mayer Brown- 60
10. Jenner & Block- 60
11. Ropes & Gray- 20
12. Paul Hastings- 20
13. Greenberg Traurig- 20
14. K&L Gates- 20
15. Winston- 80
16. Reed Smith- 20
17. Perkins Coie- 20
18. Holland & Knight- 20
19. Wilson Sonsini, Palo Alto- 40 (9 offices)
20. Fenwick, Mtn View- 20 (3 offices)
21. Simpson Thacher, Palo Alto- 20 (2 offices)
22. Weil, Redwood- 20
23. Kirkland, San Fran.- 40 (2 offices)
24. Hogan Lovells DC- 20
25. Sidley DC- 20
26. White & Case DC- 20
27. Barack Ferrazzano- 30
28. Proskauer- 20
29. …? Will probably put some more "token" Chi bids down here so that I can mass mail/ stop by hospitality suites after OCI schedules are released.

If you're trying to do transactional work, I don't know why DC is your backup market. Also, Sidley's DC office has basically no transactional attorneys. I think there's like...a handful of project finance people and that's it.

[Anonymous User]

Looking for some input here. ~3.75, with ties to Chicago. Wanting to do transactional. Trying to pick up some screeners in DC and SF with the second half of my bid list, but really just want to maximize my Chicago interviews. Trying to figure out how low I can drop the big Chi firms (Kirkland, Sidley, etc.) while also maximizing my chances with Chicago offices of Ropes, PH, Greenberg, etc. Any insight appreciated.

1. Baker & McKenzie- 30
2. Katten- 40
3. Latham- 76
4. Sidley- 80
5. Jones Day- 40
6. Kirkland- 80
7. McDermott- 80
8. Skadden- 60
9. Mayer Brown- 60
10. Jenner & Block- 60
11. Ropes & Gray- 20
12. Paul Hastings- 20
13. Greenberg Traurig- 20
14. K&L Gates- 20
15. Winston- 80
16. Reed Smith- 20
17. Perkins Coie- 20
18. Holland & Knight- 20
19. Wilson Sonsini, Palo Alto- 40 (9 offices)
20. Fenwick, Mtn View- 20 (3 offices)
21. Simpson Thacher, Palo Alto- 20 (2 offices)
22. Weil, Redwood- 20
23. Kirkland, San Fran.- 40 (2 offices)
24. Hogan Lovells DC- 20
25. Sidley DC- 20
26. White & Case DC- 20
27. Barack Ferrazzano- 30
28. Proskauer- 20
29. …? Will probably put some more "token" Chi bids down here so that I can mass mail/ stop by hospitality suites after OCI schedules are released.

If you're trying to do transactional work, I don't know why DC is your backup market. Also, Sidley's DC office has basically no transactional attorneys. I think there's like...a handful of project finance people and that's it.

Anon from above. My thought is I'd rather have DC regulatory-type work as a backup than NYC corporate. I'm pretty NY-adverse-- lived in DC before and liked it.

[Anonymous User]

Random OCI question here: I'm working in-house this summer, and a lot of the attorneys are former BigLaw associates. Let's say one of the people I'm working with this summer left Cravath in the past year or two. Would it be okay in a screener interview to mention that "I worked with XX, who used to be an associate at Cravath and said s/he really loved his time there because YY." Or does this sound bad?

[cookiejar1]

Will look at the other bid lists in a bit.

Random OCI question here: I'm working in-house this summer, and a lot of the attorneys are former BigLaw associates. Let's say one of the people I'm working with this summer left Cravath in the past year or two. Would it be okay in a screener interview to mention that "I worked with XX, who used to be an associate at Cravath and said s/he really loved his time there because YY." Or does this sound bad?

This is fine when framed in this way. You'll almost always get asked the question, "so why Firm X?!" So working this into your answer to "why Firm X?" is a great way to demonstrate (1) that you know why Firm X is differentiated from Firm Y (to the extent that big law can even be differentiated) and (2) that your interest is authentic (to the extent that actively learning about a firm through a firm's former associate is more authentic than reading about a firm's reputation through Partner Emeritus' comments on ATL).

[Anonymous User]

NYC & Chicago secondary
Leaning towards litigation
3.4 GPA

1. Sidley - NYC – 20
2. Cahill Gordon & Reindel - NYC – 20
3. Proskauer - NYC – 20
4. Jones Day - NYC – 20 (17 summers)
5. White & Case - NYC – 20
6. Jenner & Block - CHI – 60
7. Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy - NYC – 40
8. Kaye Scholer - NYC – 20 (14 summers)
9. Hogan Lovells - NYC – 20 (11 summers)
10. Willkie Farr – NYC – 40 (66 summers)
11. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson - NYC- 40
12. Ropes & Gray - NYC – 40
13. Allen & Overy - NYC – 20
14. Wilmerhale - NYC – 20
15. Baker & McKenzie - NYC – 29
16. Paul Hastings - NYC - 20
17. Schulte Roth & Zabel - NYC – 20
18. Paul Weiss - NYC – 40
19. Cleary Gottlieb - NYC – 40
20. Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft - NYC – 40
21. Seward & Kissell - NYC – 20
22. O'Melveny & Myers - NYC – 60
23. Weil - NYC – 60
24. McDermott Will & Emery - CHI – 80
25. Clifford Chance - NYC - 20
26. Cooley - NYC – 40
27. Shearman & Sterling - NYC – 40
28. K&L Gates - CHI – 20
29. Morgan Lewis Bockius - CHI – 20
30. freshfields bruckhaus deringer - NYC – 20
31. Greenberg Traurig - MIA – 10
32. Winston & Strawn - CHI – 60
33. Holland & Knight - CHI – 20
34. Locke Lord - CHI – 20
35. Quarles & Brady - CHI – 20
36. Taft Stettinius & Hollister - CHI – 9
37. Vedder Price – CHI - 20
38. Baker Botts – NYC
39. Mayer Brown - NYC – 20 (will get callback if bid)
40. Foley & Lardner - CHI – 20 (can get callback if bid)

[star fox]

3.9 anon from above. I haven't massmailed the following non-Chicago, non-exclusively NYC V100 firms that will not be at OCI (I can't work in NY) - should I do so now or should I wait until after OCI?

Linklaters
King Spalding
Haynes and Boone
Crowell Moring
Chadbourne Parke
Hunton and Williams
Fenwick
Venable
Arent Fox
Squire Patton Boggs
Hughes Hubbard
Kramer
Bracewell
Mintz Levin
Patterson Belknap
Haynes and Boone
Blank Rome

Do it now

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone! I'm a transfer student, GPA was top 10% at my old school, 4 years' work experience (health industry), hoping for litigation but open to transactional as well, bidding exclusively Chicago. Thanks in advance for any advice, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed trying to get this list together in time and not be a total idiot with strategy.

1. McDermott Will & Emery (80)
2. Baker & McKenzie (31)
3. DrinkerBiddle (20)
4. Greenberg Traurig (20)
5. K&L Gates (20)
6. Katten Muchin (40)
7. Kirkland & Ellis (80)
8. Perkins Coie (20)
9. McGuire Woods (20)
10. Mayer Brown (60)
11. Jones Day (40)
12. Foley and Lardner (20)
13. Nixon Peabody (20)
14. Bryan Cave (20)
15. Denton's (20)
16. Sidley Austin (80)
17. Schiff Harden (40)
18. Ropes & Gray (20)
19. Holland and Knight (20)
20. Dinsmore (18)
21. Cozen O'Connor (20)
22. Jenner and Block (60)
22. Morgan Lewis and Blockius (20)
24. Vedder Price (20)
25. DLA Piper (20)
26. Dechert (20)
27. locke lord llp (20)
28. Marshall Gerstein & Borun (15)
29. Polsinelli (6)
30. Quarles and Brady (20)
31. Sheppard Mullin (20)
32. Winston and Strawn (60)
33. Paul Hastings (20)
34. Latham and Watkins (76)
35. Duane Morris (20)
36. Reed Smith (20)
37. Skadden (60)
38. Dykema Gossett (20)
39. Thompson Coburn (20)
40. Taft Stettinius (9)

[gatorade_potato]

Hi everyone! I'm a transfer student, GPA was top 10% at my old school, 4 years' work experience (health industry), hoping for litigation but open to transactional as well, bidding exclusively Chicago. Thanks in advance for any advice, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed trying to get this list together in time and not be a total idiot with strategy.

1. McDermott Will & Emery (80)
2. Baker & McKenzie (31)
3. DrinkerBiddle (20)
4. Greenberg Traurig (20)
5. K&L Gates (20)
6. Katten Muchin (40)
7. Kirkland & Ellis (80)
8. Perkins Coie (20)
9. McGuire Woods (20)
10. Mayer Brown (60)
11. Jones Day (40)
12. Foley and Lardner (20)
13. Nixon Peabody (20)
14. Bryan Cave (20)
15. Denton's (20)
16. Sidley Austin (80)
17. Schiff Harden (40)
18. Ropes & Gray (20)
19. Holland and Knight (20)
20. Dinsmore (18)
21. Cozen O'Connor (20)
22. Jenner and Block (60)
22. Morgan Lewis and Blockius (20)
24. Vedder Price (20)
25. DLA Piper (20)
26. Dechert (20)
27. Locke Lord LLP (20)
28. Marshall Gerstein & Borun (15)
29. Polsinelli (6)
30. Quarles and Brady (20)
31. Sheppard Mullin (20)
32. Winston and Strawn (60)
33. Paul Hastings (20)
34. Latham and Watkins (76)
35. Duane Morris (20)
36. Reed Smith (20)
37. Skadden (60)
38. Dykema Gossett (20)
39. Thompson Coburn (20)
40. Taft Stettinius (9)

Disclaimer: Wasn't a transfer, but I'll try my best.

Am I correct in presuming that you have MWE at the top because you have a healthcare background and they're a very strong healthcare law firm? If so, definitely talk about that in the interview, but I personally don't think you need them at #1. If I were you, I'd drop MWE to somewhere in the top 5, and move Baker & McKenzie up to #1 (they almost always go at #1 or #2).

I understand that you're trying to play it safe by having firms like Drinker, GT, and K&L at the top of your bid list (low GPA thresholds, but very small summer classes), but I think you should switch those with firms like Katten, Jones Day, Schiff, and Jenner (slightly higher GPA thresholds, but larger classes). I pulled offers from the second group, but none in the first, even though my GPA would've suggested otherwise. Also, people (perhaps rightfully) say bad things about Winston, but they have a sizable summer class and are based in Chicago, so I would suggest moving them up as well.

Also, you should know that lit is significantly harder to get than transactional in Chicago. If you're sincerely open to transactional, definitely say that in your interviews. At least at my firm this summer, a number of people came in as transactional and then successfully drifted to litigation as the summer went on.

[RaceJudicata]

Hi everyone! I'm a transfer student, GPA was top 10% at my old school, 4 years' work experience (health industry), hoping for litigation but open to transactional as well, bidding exclusively Chicago. Thanks in advance for any advice, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed trying to get this list together in time and not be a total idiot with strategy.

1. McDermott Will & Emery (80)
2. Baker & McKenzie (31)
3. DrinkerBiddle (20)
4. Greenberg Traurig (20)
5. K&L Gates (20)
6. Katten Muchin (40)
7. Kirkland & Ellis (80)
8. Perkins Coie (20)
9. McGuire Woods (20)
10. Mayer Brown (60)
11. Jones Day (40)
12. Foley and Lardner (20)
13. Nixon Peabody (20)
14. Bryan Cave (20)
15. Denton's (20)
16. Sidley Austin (80)
17. Schiff Harden (40)
18. Ropes & Gray (20)
19. Holland and Knight (20)
20. Dinsmore (18)
21. Cozen O'Connor (20)
22. Jenner and Block (60)
22. Morgan Lewis and Blockius (20)
24. Vedder Price (20)
25. DLA Piper (20)
26. Dechert (20)
27. Locke Lord LLP (20)
28. Marshall Gerstein & Borun (15)
29. Polsinelli (6)
30. Quarles and Brady (20)
31. Sheppard Mullin (20)
32. Winston and Strawn (60)
33. Paul Hastings (20)
34. Latham and Watkins (76)
35. Duane Morris (20)
36. Reed Smith (20)
37. Skadden (60)
38. Dykema Gossett (20)
39. Thompson Coburn (20)
40. Taft Stettinius (9)

Just a disclaimer -- MWE's healthcare group is almost entirely transactional/corporate focused. Not much lit. (From what i can remember from prepping for an interview - i dont work there, so take it FWIW)

[Anonymous User]

Preliminary schedules are (supposed) to be released tomorrow

[Anonymous User]

How many screeners did everyone get? I think I got 20 and I'm not sure if this is par for the course.

[Anonymous User]

I got 22

[Anonymous User]

I got 22

I also got 22.

[Anonymous User]

For posterity:

1. Kirkland
2. Sidley
3. Skadden (Chi)
4. Jenner
5. Jones Day
6. Skadden (NY)
7. SullCrom
8. DPW
9. STB
10. CSM
11. Eimer Stahl
12. Barack Ferrazzano
13. Miller Shakman & Beem
14. Cleary (DC)
15. Covington (DC)
16. WilmerHale (DC)
17. W&C (DC)
18. Hogan (DC)
19. Miller Chevalier (DC)
20. Irell & Manella (LA)
21. O'Melveny (DC)
22. Paul Hastings (DC)

[Anonymous User]

Chicago unless stated otherwise.

1 Baker & McKenzie
2 DLA Piper
3 Ropes & Gray
4 Kirkland & Ellis LLP
5 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
6 Winston & Strawn
7 Jones Day
8 Jenner & Block
9 Latham & Watkins LLP
10 McDermott Will & Emery
11 Reed Smith LLP
12 Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP NYC
13 Quarles & Brady LLP
14 Greenberg Traurig, LLP
15 Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP NYC
16 nixon peabody llp
17 Simpson Thatcher & bartlett llp NYC
18 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP NYC
19 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP NYC
20 Pircher, Nichols & Meeks

[Anonymous User]

For the kids (Chi unless otherwise noted):

1. Baker
2. Katten
3. Latham
4. Jones Day
5. Sidley
6. Kirkland
7. McDermott
8. Skadden
9. Mayer
10. Jenner
11. Ropes
12. Greenberg
13. Paul Hastings
14. Winston
15. Reed Smith
16. Perkins
17. Fenwick (3 offices)
18. WSGR (10 offices)
19. STB Silicon Valley
20. Weil Silicon Valley
21. Goodwin Procter (SV/ SF)
22. Perkins (7 offices)

[Anonymous User]

All Chicago:

1. Baker
2. Katten
3. Foley
4. Sidley
5. Jones Day
6. Jenner
7. Kirkland
8. Skadden
9. Mayer Brown
10. Schiff Hardin
11. Winston
12. Latham
13. Dechert
14. McDermott

and then Eimer Stahl at 19 and Barack at 20.

[Anonymous User]

All Chicago:

1. Baker & McKenzie
2. Katten Muchin
3. Foley & Lardner
4. Sidley Austin
5. Jones Day
6. mcguirewoods
7. Bryan Cave
8. Denton’s
9. Mayer Brown
10. Kirkland & Ellis
11. Greenberg Traurig
12. Drinker Biddle & Reath
13. K&L Gates
14. Perkins Coie
15. McDermott Will & Emery
16. Nixon Peabody
17. Jenner & Block
18. Schiff Hardin
19. Ropes & Gray
20. Skadden

Plus Donohue at 27, and Latham & Watkins at 33

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone pick up some bids yesterday from the open slots?

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone pick up some bids yesterday from the open slots?

I was able to pick up 3 interviews with SF and LA firms.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone pick up some bids yesterday from the open slots?

I was able to pick up 3 interviews with SF and LA firms.

Picked up two NYC but there were more for the taking.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone pick up some bids yesterday from the open slots?

I grabbed 2 Chicago and 1 Houston. Saw at least 4 Chicago, 3-5 in TX generally, and 1 or 2 in NY (if I recall correctly). I was shocked there were so many spots open.

[Anonymous User]

Any NY Lists?

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone pick up some bids yesterday from the open slots?

I grabbed 2 Chicago and 1 Houston. Saw at least 4 Chicago, 3-5 in TX generally, and 1 or 2 in NY (if I recall correctly). I was shocked there were so many spots open.

This year's class seems to be much smaller than previous years, add that firms likely have the same number of interview slots. Not surprised your class generally had more interviews for OCI than previous classes and thus had more open slots available as well