Northwestern OCI Forum

[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.

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.

Thanks! The problem is that once I take out firms that I already have interviews for and ones that don't do cs/EE in chi or DC, this is all I'm left with pretty much. Think I should replace some with NYC?

[Anonymous User]

First shot at bid list. 3.75, secondary journal, couple of years WE as a paralegal in NY biglaw.

Transactional, all in NYC offices. Obviously trying to maximize screeners, but not sure if some of the later/ more selective firms are too low.

1. Proskauer
2. Shearman
3. Cahill
4. White and Case
5. Schulte
6. Simpson Thacher
7. Weil
8. Milbank
9. Fried Frank
10. Willkie
11. Skadden
12. Kirkland
13. Cadwalader
14. Sidley
15. Paul Weiss
16. Latham
17. Cleary
18. Davis Polk
19. Gibson
20. Debevoise
21. Ropes
22. Cravath
23. Seward & Kissel
24. SullCrom

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[terriers]

Would think about moving some of the NYC V10s with mega class-sizes up a bit in your bidding to the mid-teens. IIRC from last year, places like Cravath and S&C might have been around in early 20s, but that may vary from year to year; I don't think that c/o 2015 was very NY heavy. Last year, DPW/Cleary/Weil were available in mid-teens, but some of the "safeties" (Proskauer/White&Case/Shearman) were gone by the end of the top-10 to be fair.

Seems like you have a nice balance and I'd bet 3.75 would be really competitive, would just think about moving Sidley NY down (small class size and I'm not sure how much work their NY office generates) and Latham (smaller class size, not NYC-based, plus Lathaming) and maybe moving a couple of those V10s up a bit.

Obviously each person is different and interviewing ability counts plenty, but several people last year pulled multiple V10 offers with secondary journals and worse GPA.

[Anonymous User]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

Any input would be hugely appreciated. Format goes Bid #/Firm Name/# of Slots.

1/Mayer Brown/80
2/DLA Piper/20
3/Gibson Dunn /20
4/Boies Schiller /20
5/Baker Hostetler/20
6/Jones Day/20
7/Williams & Connolly/18
8/WilmerHale/20
9/Covington & Burling/20
10/Latham & Watkins/19
11/Sidley Austin/20
12/Winston & Strawn/20
13/Baker Botts/40
14/Holland & Knight/20
15/O'Melveny & Myers/60
16/Wiley Rein/20
17/Cooley/36
18/Bryan Cave/40
19/K&L Gates/20
20/Goodwin Procter/20
21/Paul Hastings/20
22/Vinson & Elkins/20
23/Pillsbury WInthrop/20
24/Morrison & Foerster/20

[Anonymous User]

How low will the competitive LA firms go (Irell, GDC, Latham)? Top 15 bids? 20?

[09042014]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

Any input would be hugely appreciated. Format goes Bid #/Firm Name/# of Slots.

1/Mayer Brown/80
2/DLA Piper/20
3/Gibson Dunn /20
4/Boies Schiller /20
5/Baker Hostetler/20
6/Jones Day/20
7/Williams & Connolly/18
8/WilmerHale/20
9/Covington & Burling/20
10/Latham & Watkins/19
11/Sidley Austin/20
12/Winston & Strawn/20
13/Baker Botts/40
14/Holland & Knight/20
15/O'Melveny & Myers/60
16/Wiley Rein/20
17/Cooley/36
18/Bryan Cave/40
19/K&L Gates/20
20/Goodwin Procter/20
21/Paul Hastings/20
22/Vinson & Elkins/20
23/Pillsbury WInthrop/20
24/Morrison & Foerster/20

Are Hogan and A&P not coming?

How many of these share interview slots with other cities?

[Anonymous User]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

Any input would be hugely appreciated. Format goes Bid #/Firm Name/# of Slots.

1/Mayer Brown/80
2/DLA Piper/20
3/Gibson Dunn /20
4/Boies Schiller /20
5/Baker Hostetler/20
6/Jones Day/20
7/Williams & Connolly/18
8/WilmerHale/20
9/Covington & Burling/20
10/Latham & Watkins/19
11/Sidley Austin/20
12/Winston & Strawn/20
13/Baker Botts/40
14/Holland & Knight/20
15/O'Melveny & Myers/60
16/Wiley Rein/20
17/Cooley/36
18/Bryan Cave/40
19/K&L Gates/20
20/Goodwin Procter/20
21/Paul Hastings/20
22/Vinson & Elkins/20
23/Pillsbury WInthrop/20
24/Morrison & Foerster/20

Are Hogan and A&P not coming?

How many of these share interview slots with other cities?

Hogan and A&P are both not coming this year, mailing both.

Most of them share slots. The following DO NOT share slots, all others do.

Williams & Connolly
WilmerHale
Covington
Latham
Sidley
Wiley Rein
K&L Gates
Goodwin Procter

[lhanvt13]

are shared slots a bad thing?
Also, do firms know which markets you bid or which firms you bid? I'd rather not show a [huge market] firm that I'm also bidding on another huge market. :/

[09042014]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

Any input would be hugely appreciated. Format goes Bid #/Firm Name/# of Slots.

1/Mayer Brown/80
2/DLA Piper/20
3/Gibson Dunn /20
4/Boies Schiller /20
5/Baker Hostetler/20
6/Jones Day/20
7/Williams & Connolly/18
8/WilmerHale/20
9/Covington & Burling/20
10/Latham & Watkins/19
11/Sidley Austin/20
12/Winston & Strawn/20
13/Baker Botts/40
14/Holland & Knight/20
15/O'Melveny & Myers/60
16/Wiley Rein/20
17/Cooley/36
18/Bryan Cave/40
19/K&L Gates/20
20/Goodwin Procter/20
21/Paul Hastings/20
22/Vinson & Elkins/20
23/Pillsbury WInthrop/20
24/Morrison & Foerster/20

Are Hogan and A&P not coming?

How many of these share interview slots with other cities?

Hogan and A&P are both not coming this year, mailing both.

Most of them share slots. The following DO NOT share slots, all others do.

Williams & Connolly
WilmerHale
Covington
Latham
Sidley
Wiley Rein
K&L Gates
Goodwin Procter

I'd move Latham down to maybe 20 or later.

Presume that you won't get anything that shares bids with NYC, Chi, or California, after bid 15 or so.

[Anonymous User]

I'm really lost. I would like NYC if possible, but not sure as to firms to include as starting point. 2.97 GPA. Can someone give a few starters?

[bdubs]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

You sound really intent on getting interviews with these firms, so I don't want to dissuade you from bidding them high, but some are probably unnecessarily high. Although Boies shares interviewing across a number of offices it usually doesn't go very high because people realize how incredibly selective they are. Similarly, W&C usually won't go in the top 10.

I would think hard about how you want to preference your second tier of firms. W&C, BSF, Covington etc.. are not a near certainty for many people, especially in DC.

I would move Winston up if you want any shot at getting an OCI screener with them. A lot of your 10-20 is also unlikely if they are shared offices, however they are very different firms than the ones you are targeting. I might consider moving Sidley and Latham up too, even though they are individual office interviews since both of those are more popular firms for DC at NU.

Also consider the fact that some firms may be more willing to interview you from a resume drop than others (talk to people who have worked in DC at your target firms to see about this).

[Anonymous User]

I'm really lost. I would like NYC if possible, but not sure as to firms to include as starting point. 2.97 GPA. Can someone give a few starters?

similarly with a 3.15. dont care about market though

[Anonymous User]

All offices are DC. Two goals: 1) Ensure interviews at top DC litigation offices (Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Boies Schiller); 2) maximize number of interviews.

You sound really intent on getting interviews with these firms, so I don't want to dissuade you from bidding them high, but some are probably unnecessarily high. Although Boies shares interviewing across a number of offices it usually doesn't go very high because people realize how incredibly selective they are. Similarly, W&C usually won't go in the top 10.

I would think hard about how you want to preference your second tier of firms. W&C, BSF, Covington etc.. are not a near certainty for many people, especially in DC.

I would move Winston up if you want any shot at getting an OCI screener with them. A lot of your 10-20 is also unlikely if they are shared offices, however they are very different firms than the ones you are targeting. I might consider moving Sidley and Latham up too, even though they are individual office interviews since both of those are more popular firms for DC at NU.

Also consider the fact that some firms may be more willing to interview you from a resume drop than others (talk to people who have worked in DC at your target firms to see about this).

Revised for your pleasure. Everyone's help is super super super appreciated:

1 Mayer Brown 80
2 DLA Piper 20
3 Gibson Dunn 20
4 Baker Hostetler 20
5 Jones Day 20
6 Winston & Strawn 20
7 Sidley Austin (DC ONLY) 20
8 Latham & Watkins (DC ONLY) 19
9 WilmerHale (DC ONLY) 20
10 Holland & Knight 20
11 Williams & Connolly (DC ONLY) 18
12 Boies Schiller 20
13 Baker Botts 40
14 O'Melveny & Myers 60
15 Covington & Burling (DC ONLY) 20
16 Cooley 36
17 Bryan Cave 40
18 Paul Hastings 20
19 Vinson & Elkins 20
20 Pillsbury WInthrop 20
21 Morrison & Foerster 20
22 Wiley Rein (DC ONLY 20
23 K&L Gates (DC ONLY) 20
24 Goodwin Procter (DC ONLY) 20

[Anonymous User]

If someone can help with feedback, that'd be great. Minority with firm work this summer. Should I take out Linklaters to move all the other firms up one spot? Their NYC office had a favorable CB GPA spread which was my reason for including them (and Freshfields) at all. There is no information available about Debevoise. Is there a hope of getting any of 13-16? Is this list too aspirational?

3.45 GPA

1. Latham 19 (NYC ONLY)
2. Cahill 20 (NYC ONLY)
3. White & Case 20 (NYC ONLY)
4. Milbank 40 (NYC ONLY)
5. Linklaters 20 (ALL OFFICES)
6. Debevoise 20 (NYC ONLY)
7. Weil 60 (NYC ONLY)
8. Fried Frank 40 (NYC ONLY)
9. Cadwalader 40 (NYC ONLY)
10. Simpson Thacher 40 (NYC ONLY)
11. Shearman & Sterling 20 (NYC ONLY)
12. Willkie 40 (NYC ONLY)
13. Paul Hastings 20 (NYC ONLY)
14. Paul Weiss 40 (NYC ONLY)
15. Proskauer 20 (NYC ONLY)
16. Skadden 20 (NYC ONLY)
17. Kaye Scholer 40 (NYC ONLY)
18. Kirkland & Ellis 20 (NYC ONLY)
19. Freshfields 20 (ALL OFFICES)
20. Dechert 20 (ALL OFFICES)

[bdubs]

Revised for your pleasure. Everyone's help is super super super appreciated:

IMO, your list looks fine now.

I really have no idea how you chose certain firms over others (ex. Holland & Knight vs. OMM vs. Paul Hastings), but I think the list in general looks reasonable for someone who is targeting DC. More input could be added if you clarified what you were interested in.

[ghostoftraynor]

Has anyone ever gotten a Chicago firm after bid 20? I feel like my last 20 bids are going to be a giant troll.

[Anonymous User]

NU alum here. Just curious, when are bids due?

[ghostoftraynor]

July 28, 5pm.

[Anonymous User]

July 28, 5pm.

Yikes, it's coming up. Good luck everyone.

[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

So I revised my bid list using some helpful suggestions.

Some more info: since I have a good chunk of interviews (24 total from IP job fairs + CCBA), I decided to take out a couple DC and Chicago to put some NYC in there. Of those interviews I got, I got mostly between V15 and V30 and a couple good boutiques.

Please critique my bidlist! Thanks guys.

Code: Select all

#	Firm	Office	Slots	SA_Class_Size
#	Firm	Office	Slots	SA Size
1	Sidley	Chicago	80	41
2	Mayer Brown	Chicago	80	25
3	Kirkland Ellis	Chicago	80	53
4	Jenner	Chicago	60	14
5	Kirkland Ellis	NYC	20	31
6	Schiff	Chicago	80	8
7	Proskauer	NYC	20	41
8	Cadwalader	NYC	40	29
9	Milbank	NYC	40	36
10	Greenberg Traurig	Chicago	20	5
11	Kaye Scholer	NYC	40	?
12	Latham	Chicago	76	10
13	Winston Strawn	Chicago	60	31
14	Cleary	NYC	40	
15	Covington	DC	20	49
16	Fried Frank	NYC	40	37
17	Paul Hastings	DC	20	6
18	Jones Day	DC	20	35
19	Wiley Rein	DC	20	16
20	Pillsbury	DC	20	9
21	Sidley	DC	20	12
22	Gibson	DC	20	26
23	Morrison Fo	DC	20	7
24	Wilmerhale	DC	20	33
25	DLA Piper	DC	20	?
27	Brinks Gilson	Chi-B	10	10
28	Leydig	Chi-B	10	5
29	Banner Witcoff	Chi-B	20	4

Edit: Redid the list a bit. Also, is Latham too low?

[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

So I revised my bid list using some helpful suggestions.

Some more info: since I have a good chunk of interviews (24 total from IP job fairs + CCBA), I decided to take out a couple DC and Chicago to put some NYC in there. Of those interviews I got, I got mostly between V15 and V30 and a couple good boutiques.

Please critique my bidlist! Thanks guys.

Code: Select all

#	Firm	Office	Slots	SA_Class_Size
1	Sidley	Chicago	80	41
2	Mayer Brown	Chicago	80	25
3	Kirkland Ellis	Chicago	80	53
4	Schiff	Chicago	80	8
5	Shearman	NYC	20	44
6	Jenner	Chicago	60	14
7	Cadwalader	NYC	40	29
8	Simpson Thatcher	NYC	40	102
9	??			
10	Greenberg Traurig	Chicago	20	5
11	Weil	NYC	60	53
12	Latham	Chicago	76	10
13	Winston Strawn	Chicago	60	31
14	Dentons	Chicago	20	4
15	Covington	DC	20	49
16	Fried Frank	NYC	40	37
17	Paul Hastings	DC	20	6
18	Jones Day	DC	20	35
19	Wiley Rein	DC	20	16
20	Pillsbury	DC	20	9
21	Sidley	DC	20	12
22	Gibson	DC	20	26
23	Morrison Fo	DC	20	7
24	Wilmerhale	DC	20	33
25	DLA Piper	DC	20	?
26	Baker Hostetler	DC	20	4
27	Brinks Gilson	Chi-B	10	10
28	Leydig	Chi-B	10	5
29	Banner Witcoff	Chi-B	20	4

Maybe you've researched this already, and if so, sorry to belabor the point. Are you sure about Covington/Gibson/Sidley/Wilmer/Jones Day DC? For Cov/Sidley: The single NU grad I know who got Covington was editor in chief of law review. And the person who got Sidley DC this past year was summa cum laude/will be clerking for a feeder. I'm not altogether informed about the IP advantage, but does anyone else think this DC bidlist is aggressive?

[Anonymous User]

Maybe you've researched this already, and if so, sorry to belabor the point. Are you sure about Covington/Gibson/Sidley/Wilmer/Jones Day DC? For Cov/Sidley: The single NU grad I know who got Covington was Editor in Chief of law review. And the person who got Sidley DC this past year was summa cum laude/will be clerking for a feeder. I'm not altogether informed about the IP advantage, but does anyone else think this DC bidlist is aggressive?

yeah, I'm wondering if this is way too aggressive. I got a screener with Covington preselect with my previous school but withdrawing because transfer. but idk if I was selected as just a spot filler for them. I got 6 DC firms (which I can PM if it'll help) so it was hard to avoid the firms in the current list. especially after filtering for CS/EE work :/ so I don't know what to replace them with.

[Anonymous User]

Still working on the bid list. Anyone know where Schiff Hardin (80 slots), McDermott (80), DLA (20), and K&L (20) - all Chicago - need to be in order to have a chance?

[GoCats56]

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

So I revised my bid list using some helpful suggestions.

Some more info: since I have a good chunk of interviews (24 total from IP job fairs + CCBA), I decided to take out a couple DC and Chicago to put some NYC in there. Of those interviews I got, I got mostly between V15 and V30 and a couple good boutiques.

Please critique my bidlist! Thanks guys.

Code: Select all

#	Firm	Office	Slots	SA_Class_Size
1	Sidley	Chicago	80	41
2	Mayer Brown	Chicago	80	25
3	Kirkland Ellis	Chicago	80	53
4	Schiff	Chicago	80	8
5	Shearman	NYC	20	44
6	Jenner	Chicago	60	14
7	Cadwalader	NYC	40	29
8	Simpson Thatcher	NYC	40	102
9	??			
10	Greenberg Traurig	Chicago	20	5
11	Weil	NYC	60	53
12	Latham	Chicago	76	10
13	Winston Strawn	Chicago	60	31
14	Dentons	Chicago	20	4
15	Covington	DC	20	49
16	Fried Frank	NYC	40	37
17	Paul Hastings	DC	20	6
18	Jones Day	DC	20	35
19	Wiley Rein	DC	20	16
20	Pillsbury	DC	20	9
21	Sidley	DC	20	12
22	Gibson	DC	20	26
23	Morrison Fo	DC	20	7
24	Wilmerhale	DC	20	33
25	DLA Piper	DC	20	?
26	Baker Hostetler	DC	20	4
27	Brinks Gilson	Chi-B	10	10
28	Leydig	Chi-B	10	5
29	Banner Witcoff	Chi-B	20	4

Maybe you've researched this already, and if so, sorry to belabor the point. Are you sure about Covington/Gibson/Sidley/Wilmer/Jones Day DC? For Cov/Sidley: The single NU grad I know who got Covington was Editor in Chief of law review. And the person who got Sidley DC this past year was summa cum laude/will be clerking for a feeder. I'm not altogether informed about the IP advantage, but does anyone else think this DC bidlist is aggressive?

Covington: if you look at their DC office, they have four NU grads currently working as associates. All of them were very qualified, but none were upper level LR editors. Like any DC firm it's gonna be selective, but it's not like they drop-dead won't hire you if you aren't at the tippity top of the pyramid.

Sidley DC: 6 NU grads working as associates. Most of them were JCLC, a few of their bios don't mention any journals or honors at all. Again, certainly a very competitive office, but I don't think bidding them is excessively aggressive.

TL;DR: Plenty of NU grads get hired at these offices without being LR EIC or Summa Cum Laude. Read the attorney bios to find out more.

[Anonymous User]

I didn't get a call back, but I got a phone interview from Covington DC with top third grades + IP / BSEE. It was from a resume drop, so they at least thought I was in the running.