Northwestern OCI Forum

[cookiejar1]

Where have the major Silicon Valley/SF tech firms (i.e., Fenwick, Weil, Cooley, Gunderson, WSGR) historically gone? Is it safe to assume that they'll still be available by 10?

This is also of interest to me. Anyone want to drop some knowledge?

Very curious about this too!

[Anonymous User]

Where have the major Silicon Valley/SF tech firms (i.e., Fenwick, Weil, Cooley, Gunderson, WSGR) historically gone? Is it safe to assume that they'll still be available by 10?

This is also of interest to me. Anyone want to drop some knowledge?

Very curious about this too!

Interested in this.

Also, I have an interview with one office of a firm I am very interested in at one of the patent fairs and another interview with a different office of the same firm at OTIP. Is this going to be an issue? I have the interview with my first choice office first if it matters at all.

I just want to make sure I'm not shooting myself in the foot here.

[Anonymous User]

Are basically all the big chi firms with median GPA circa 3.7+ equally selective? The numbers on the sheet OCS sent are essentially the same for KE, Sidley, Mayer, Latham, Winston, Jenner, Jones Day etc.

Are all these firms considered more "reach" firms if one is not at a 3.6/3.7+?

[homestyle28]

Are basically all the big chi firms with median GPA circa 3.7+ equally selective? The numbers on the sheet OCS sent are essentially the same for KE, Sidley, Mayer, Latham, Winston, Jenner, Jones Day etc.

Are all these firms considered more "reach" firms if one is not at a 3.6/3.7+?

You have to remember about the medians is that there were an equal number of people above and below that # given CBs. All of those firms are worth a bid at 3.5+, If you're at 3.4+ I'd prob drop KE, Sidley and Mayer.

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody know/have experience with how much of an impact making LR has on bidding/OCI? Like is it just a decent boost or will it actually make a significant impact?

[09042014]

Does anybody know/have experience with how much of an impact making LR has on bidding/OCI? Like is it just a decent boost or will it actually make a significant impact?

I'm not even sure it's decent.

[igo2northwestern]

Where have the major Silicon Valley/SF tech firms (i.e., Fenwick, Weil, Cooley, Gunderson, WSGR) historically gone? Is it safe to assume that they'll still be available by 10?

This is also of interest to me. Anyone want to drop some knowledge?

Very curious about this too!

Interested in this.

Also, I have an interview with one office of a firm I am very interested in at one of the patent fairs and another interview with a different office of the same firm at OTIP. Is this going to be an issue? I have the interview with my first choice office first if it matters at all.

I just want to make sure I'm not shooting myself in the foot here.

This should be fine, but only if the firm did not indicate that you should interview for a single offices. There is a (small) chance that they communicate about this stuff, but this is usually at the call-back stage. In that situation, you'll need to have a response.

To answer the questions about California, it varies from year to year. In my year, it was pretty darn easy to get CA firms around 10-15. And I was told that people who heavily bid CA the year before had lots of interviews as well. But in a subsequent year, certain firms that I would have bid lower (10-15) went for much higher (1-7); this is in large part because one of the later classes had noticeably more people bid CA & end up there.

Does anybody know/have experience with how much of an impact making LR has on bidding/OCI? Like is it just a decent boost or will it actually make a significant impact?

Hmm, the difference b/w "decent" and "significant" can be pretty subjective, so I'll try to quantify it. I think LR boosts up to 0.15; more so for litigation than another practice, but it's a bonus regardless. A friend of mine who ended up at K&E Chicago, for example, felt that he was able to make up for his high 3.5X by getting LR. This is largely anecdotal, of course, but I think a 0 to 0.15 boost is a pretty fair assessment. Anyone else?

[Anonymous User]

Are there firms that come to OCI that require law review? I have a screener with MTO from one of the off campus career fairs and I know that I basically have no shot there w/o law review. Any other similar firms that have this same attitude?

[homestyle28]

Are there firms that come to OCI that require law review? I have a screener with MTO from one of the off campus career fairs and I know that I basically have no shot there w/o law review. Any other similar firms that have this same attitude?

There are a handful of boutiques with this outlook, I think BarackFerrazano and Grippo&Elden, if those firms are coming this year. Probably a few others.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a transfer wanting Chi NY or DC
I heard splitting it up like that with multiple markets is a death sentence... How should I target my bids?

My preference is Chi > DC > NY but if it means getting a job, then idc where I end up. I have ties to the midwest and DC. Already have a handful of interviews in DC and another handful in NYC through job fairs.

Maybe useful info: targeting IP Lit - CS/EE
top 1/3 from T1

1) did you bid at the loyola patent fair?

2) It's hard to bid Chicago and NYC since they both go really early. NYC sucks for CS/EE patent work anyway, so fuck it bid Chicago your first 13 slots. Bid DC slots 13-25. Then bid every IP botique after 25 (don't bid the chicago and DC ones in the top 25). You should clean up with interviews. Get at least 20 maybe 25.

Got a tentative list down. I have no freakin idea what I'm doing... Anyone care to critique?
I can replace with NYC if that gives me a better chance at a job.
CSO says, as a transfer, I should be looking at 3.4-3.6 to be my targets.
I have 24 preselects from various job fairs so if that info would help I'm happy to PM you guys. Having those preselects kinda limited my bids.
Thanks a bunch!
Firm - Office - Interviews - SA Size

Code: Select all

1. Sidley	               Chicago	80	41
2. Mayer Brown	       Chicago	80	25
3. Kirkland Ellis	       Chicago	80	53
4. Schiff	               Chicago	80	8
5. Husch	               Chicago	20	2
6. Vedder	               Chicago	20	21
7. Drinker Biddle	       Chicago	32	5
8. [url=https://www.bcgsearch.com/bestlawfirms/K7gmT/McGuireWoods/rankings]mcguirewoods[/url]	       Chicago	20	3
9. Reed Smith	       Chicago	20	6
10. Greenberg Traurig  Chicago	20	5
11. Latham	               Chicago	76	10
12. Winston Strawn     Chicago	60	31
13. Dentons	       Chicago	20	4
14. DLA Piper	       DC    	20	?
15. Baker Hostetler      DC    	20	4
16. Paul Hastings	DC	20	6
17. Jones Day	DC	20	35
18. Pillsbury	DC	20	9
19. Williams Connolly	DC	18	41
20. Sidley	DC	20	12
21. Wiley Rein	DC	20	16
22. Gibson	DC	20	26
23. Morrison Fo	DC	20	7
24. Wilmerhale	DC	20	33
25. Covington	DC	20	49
26. Brinks Gilson	Chi-B	10	10
27. Leydig	Chi-B	10	5
28. Banner Witcoff	Chi-B	20	4

[bdubs]

Maybe useful info: targeting IP Lit - CS/EE
top 1/3 from T1

Got a tentative list down. I have no freakin idea what I'm doing... Anyone care to critique?
I can replace with NYC if that gives me a better chance at a job.
CSO says, as a transfer, I should be looking at 3.4-3.6 to be my targets.
I have 24 preselects from various job fairs so if that info would help I'm happy to PM you guys. Having those preselects kinda limited my bids.
Thanks a bunch!
Firm - Office - Interviews - SA Size

Coming from a T1 with only top 1/3 grades you have essentially zero shot at some of the top DC firms. W&C, Covington, WilmerHale, etc. are pretty much a waste of your screener time and their bid spots should probably be redirected toward a NYC firm or a less selective/more IP focused DC firm.

I know CS/EE is a sought after skill set for IP, but I am skeptical that you will get a lot of traction in DC with firms that aren't IP boutiques or aggressively growing their IP practice.

Also, why isn't Finnegan on your DC list? I think they are the biggest IP shop in DC.

ETA: I see NALP says Finnegan doesn't come to NU OCI. You should mass mail them.

[Man from Nantucket]

Maybe useful info: targeting IP Lit - CS/EE
top 1/3 from T1

Got a tentative list down. I have no freakin idea what I'm doing... Anyone care to critique?
I can replace with NYC if that gives me a better chance at a job.
CSO says, as a transfer, I should be looking at 3.4-3.6 to be my targets.
I have 24 preselects from various job fairs so if that info would help I'm happy to PM you guys. Having those preselects kinda limited my bids.
Thanks a bunch!
Firm - Office - Interviews - SA Size

Coming from a T1 with only top 1/3 grades you have essentially zero shot at some of the top DC firms. W&C, Covington, WilmerHale, etc. are pretty much a waste of your screener time and their bid spots should probably be redirected toward a NYC firm or a less selective/more IP focused DC firm.

I know CS/EE is a sought after skill set for IP, but I am skeptical that you will get a lot of traction in DC with firms that aren't IP boutiques or aggressively growing their IP practice.

Also, why isn't Finnegan on your DC list? I think they are the biggest IP shop in DC.

ETA: I see NALP says Finnegan doesn't come to NU OCI. You should mass mail them.

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

[Anonymous User]

Maybe useful info: targeting IP Lit - CS/EE
top 1/3 from T1

Got a tentative list down. I have no freakin idea what I'm doing... Anyone care to critique?
I can replace with NYC if that gives me a better chance at a job.
CSO says, as a transfer, I should be looking at 3.4-3.6 to be my targets.
I have 24 preselects from various job fairs so if that info would help I'm happy to PM you guys. Having those preselects kinda limited my bids.
Thanks a bunch!
Firm - Office - Interviews - SA Size

Coming from a T1 with only top 1/3 grades you have essentially zero shot at some of the top DC firms. W&C, Covington, WilmerHale, etc. are pretty much a waste of your screener time and their bid spots should probably be redirected toward a NYC firm or a less selective/more IP focused DC firm.

I know CS/EE is a sought after skill set for IP, but I am skeptical that you will get a lot of traction in DC with firms that aren't IP boutiques or aggressively growing their IP practice.

Also, why isn't Finnegan on your DC list? I think they are the biggest IP shop in DC.

ETA: I see NALP says Finnegan doesn't come to NU OCI. You should mass mail them.

Thanks for your response!

That last part: yeah, I'm gonna mass mail a bunch of DC IP Shops. Too bad they don't come here :/

Should I just take out the very selective ones and just replace them with NYC Bids? I was having trouble finding enough firms that do CS/EE work that I haven't got through PLIP/SFIPLA/CCBA. I could send you the list if that would help?

[Anonymous User]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

[09042014]

It's not going to be golden at WH but they might not figure out you were only top third.

[Anonymous User]

It's not going to be golden at WH but they might not figure out you were only top third.

I would love that...

[Man from Nantucket]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

I won't go so far as to say that you have a *good* chance at these firms, I really don't know. I do know that CS/EE people are absolutely coveted everywhere and cleaned up at the patent fairs almost regardless of school.

I'm not really familiar with the D.C. market and bidding, but I think the bigger problem is going to be where you have them slated in your bid list. I feel like you might need to move them up in your list in order to get them and into positions that may be better suited for less competitive firms.

[Anonymous User]

3.56, transactional w/ perhaps an interest in real estate. Which firms should I move up/down? And am I maybe being a bit too aggressive here (should I move up the NYC ones and remove some of the Chicago firms)?
Bid Firm City Slots
1 Sidley Chicago 80
2 Katten Chicago 40
3 Baker & McKenzie Chicago 20
4 DLA Piper Chicago 20
5 Kirkland & Ellis Chicago 80
6 Dentons Chicago 20
7 Mayer Brown Chicago 80
8 Paul Hastings Chicago 20
9 McDermott Chicago 80
10 Schiff Hardin Chicago 80
11 Fried Frank New York 40
12 Proskauer Rose New York 20
13 Cahill Gordon New York 20
14 Shearman & Sterling New York 20
15 Pircher Nichols Chicago 20
16 Weil New York 60
17 White & Case New York 20
18 Kaye Scholer New York 40
19 Cadwalader New York 40
20 Milbank Tweed New York 40
21 Dykema Gossett Chicago 11
22 Quarles & Brady Chicago 20
23 Simpson Thacher New York 40
24 Paul Weiss New York 40
25 Cleary Gottlieb New York 40
26 Davis Polk New York 40
27 Cravath New York 36
28 Sullivan & Cromwell New York 40
29 Debevoise New York 20
30 Bryan Cave Chicago 40

[Anonymous User]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

I won't go so far as to say that you have a *good* chance at these firms, I really don't know. I do know that CS/EE people are absolutely coveted everywhere and cleaned up at the patent fairs almost regardless of school.

I'm not really familiar with the D.C. market and bidding, but I think the bigger problem is going to be where you have them slated in your bid list. I feel like you might need to move them up in your list in order to get them and into positions that may be better suited for less competitive firms.

sweet thanks. yeah I'll sift through last year's thread and see where those DC offices started to disappear.

[bdubs]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

I'm not CS/EE or even IP, but I did interview with several of these firms at NU and familiarized myself with their standards over a number of years. Most of the time their minimum CB GPA is well within the top 1/3 at NU and transfers are traditionally told to assume that their GPA at their old school should guide them.

Just to get a sense of what you're up against go to Covington's website and filter for IP associates in DC. Almost all are T14 with honors or T1 with LR+coif. Throw in a few people like this, too:

http://www.cov.com/blee/
http://www.cov.com/dgarr/

The other firms don't have associate bios by practice, but I doubt they are substantially different.

[Man from Nantucket]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

I'm not CS/EE or even IP, but I did interview with several of these firms at NU and familiarized myself with their standards over a number of years. Most of the time their minimum CB GPA is well within the top 1/3 at NU and transfers are traditionally told to assume that their GPA at their old school should guide them.

Just to get a sense of what you're up against go to Covington's website and filter for IP associates in DC. Almost all are T14 with honors or T1 with LR+coif. Throw in a few people like this, too:

http://www.cov.com/blee/
http://www.cov.com/dgarr/

The other firms don't have associate bios by practice, but I doubt they are substantially different.

CS/EE is substantially different. Read through a few of the patent fair threads for some examples.

[igo2northwestern]

Absolutely not a waste of your time to bid these firms. CS/EE background is golden for pretty much anywhere and WilmerHale specifically requested this background for the D.C. office at the Loyola Patent Fair.

oh. now I'm confused T_T haha thanks for your reply! Is there any change that I should make to my bid list then? Any advice is welcome! Also, more information is available via pm if you need!

I'm not CS/EE or even IP, but I did interview with several of these firms at NU and familiarized myself with their standards over a number of years. Most of the time their minimum CB GPA is well within the top 1/3 at NU and transfers are traditionally told to assume that their GPA at their old school should guide them.

Just to get a sense of what you're up against go to Covington's website and filter for IP associates in DC. Almost all are T14 with honors or T1 with LR+coif. Throw in a few people like this, too:

http://www.cov.com/blee/
http://www.cov.com/dgarr/

The other firms don't have associate bios by practice, but I doubt they are substantially different.

CS/EE is substantially different. Read through a few of the patent fair threads for some examples.

Maybe you should see what career services says and stress your science background. Let them know that you spoke with some people who told you know that those high caliber firms could be considered given IP track. Test the waters a bit, and if it seems that s/he has no familiarity, talk to a recruiter/seek out other people? Personally, I know of only 1 Northwestern grad who went to Covington DC, and she was EIC of law review.

Edit: before all that, go to firm websites, filter by office and practice (IP), and see what turns up.

[Anonymous User]

Maybe you should see what career services says and stress your science background. Let them know that you spoke with some people who told you know that those high caliber firms could be considered given IP track. Test the waters a bit, and if it seems that s/he has no familiarity, talk to a recruiter/seek out other people? Personally, I know of only 1 Northwestern grad who went to Covington DC, and she was EIC of law review.

Edit: before all that, go to firm websites, filter by office and practice (IP), and see what turns up.

Sweet. OP here, thanks for all the info. I'll definitely run my bidlist by CSO and ask about IP specific data, if they have any.

[fishfry111]

[

[Man from Nantucket]

Maybe you should see what career services says and stress your science background. Let them know that you spoke with some people who told you know that those high caliber firms could be considered given IP track. Test the waters a bit, and if it seems that s/he has no familiarity, talk to a recruiter/seek out other people? Personally, I know of only 1 Northwestern grad who went to Covington DC, and she was EIC of law review.

Edit: before all that, go to firm websites, filter by office and practice (IP), and see what turns up.

Sweet. OP here, thanks for all the info. I'll definitely run my bidlist by CSO and ask about IP specific data, if they have any.

I'm generally very bullish on EE/CS degrees (perhaps overly so), but I think this is your best bet. Also see if you can maybe contact someone at the firm for an objective response.

After thinking about it a bit more and talking it over with bdubs I think it's going to be tough. I'm still not sure you'll be entirely shut out, but unless you're really set on these particular firms I think you may want to consider replacing them with some safer ones.