Taxation Interview Program Results Forum

[Anonymous User]

I sent thank you emails on Friday night and Saturday morning.... but now a couple people have told that I should have sent handwritten notes. How many people did that? Does it really matter?

[Anonymous User]

I sent thank you emails on Friday night and Saturday morning.... but now a couple people have told that I should have sent handwritten notes. How many people did that? Does it really matter?

For an OCI screening interview? A short email is fine.

[Anonymous User]

I think hand written notes could be too slow. They haven't made call backs yet, but the interviewers likely wrote up their notes not long after.

[Anonymous User]

In an alumni panel at GULC, alums who went through TIP in the past couple years (and received offers) said that some firms took 2-3 weeks before getting back to them. The recruiting coordinator for Baker McKenzie DC said that she wasn't sure when they would get back to us because they had to get all of the necessary Tax partners together on one day to go through all of the candidate materials and review the interview notes. I'm assuming other firms might have a similar process, so I wouldn't get too nervous just yet.

I'm sure there are outliers, but I would think the majority of firms would extend callbacks within a week. I hope I'm wrong since I still haven't heard anything.

[Anonymous User]

Mcdermott email reject.

[Anonymous User]

How did you get the callbacks? Call? Email? Etc?

[Anonymous User]

Mcdermott email reject. Callbacks from Davis Polk (EB/XC) and Faegre.

Congrats on the callbacks. I guess I should be getting a Faegre rejection in the mail soon. Are you waiting to hear from any other firms for EB/XC?

[Anonymous User]

Seems Milbank has sent some rejections, but can anyone confirm callbacks?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many call back offers are typically made a big law firm through TIP?

[anchuldigs]

Whats the breakdown for NYU and GULC respectively in terms of where their graduates go? I heard that only 10% get biglaw, is that true? How about the 160K boutiques like Roberts & Holland, do they ever hire entry-level from the LLM programs? At the LLM level, do firms care if you're K-JD?

[Anonymous User]

Whats the breakdown for NYU and GULC respectively in terms of where their graduates go? I heard that only 10% get biglaw, is that true? How about the 160K boutiques like Roberts & Holland, do they ever hire entry-level from the LLM programs? At the LLM level, do firms care if you're K-JD?

I would guess most of the big-law hiring is done through TIP or OCI. TIP had roughly 30 biglaw employers (interviews + resume requests) and OCI (Fall/Spring) had maybe 10. That's roughly 40 biglaw jobs to divide among I would guess 300 students at NYU and Georgetown. This doesn't even factor in Florida and Northwestern students (TARE).

I should note though that biglaw is probably not going to look at you unless you have some pretty good JD credentials anyway (i.e. T14) or absolutely killed it the first semester as an LLM.

Even if you're a K-JD, you should have enough LEGAL experience from 1L and 2L summers (and maybe the summer after you graduate) to show employers. I think it matters much more as a 2L interviewing at OCI when all you had to point to was some 1L experience.

[Anonymous User]

Whats the breakdown for NYU and GULC respectively in terms of where their graduates go? I heard that only 10% get biglaw, is that true? How about the 160K boutiques like Roberts & Holland, do they ever hire entry-level from the LLM programs? At the LLM level, do firms care if you're K-JD?

I would guess most of the big-law hiring is done through TIP or OCI. TIP had roughly 30 biglaw employers (interviews + resume requests) and OCI (Fall/Spring) had maybe 10. That's roughly 40 biglaw jobs to divide among I would guess 300 students at NYU and Georgetown. This doesn't even factor in Florida and Northwestern students (TARE).

I should note though that biglaw is probably not going to look at you unless you have some pretty good JD credentials anyway (i.e. T14) or absolutely killed it the first semester as an LLM.

Even if you're a K-JD, you should have enough LEGAL experience from 1L and 2L summers (and maybe the summer after you graduate) to show employers. I think it matters much more as a 2L interviewing at OCI when all you had to point to was some 1L experience.

What do you think my chances are coming K-JD from Fordham, approx. top 10% (including plenty of tax courses), SA at respected boutique that rarely hires entry-level, with a mix of A- and B+ in the first semester of NYU LLM? Will I need better grades than that?

With those stats, what would be my alternatives to Biglaw at TIP?

[patrickd139]

General rule of thumb for LLM hiring at NYU (from NYU Career Services): If you didn't have a shot at biglaw out of law school, you're not going to have a shot after getting your tax LLM. This holds especially true for the major East Coast markets, LA and Chicago.

ETA: In my first-hand experience this year, this has been spot on.

[Anonymous User]

General rule of thumb for LLM hiring at NYU (from NYU Career Services): If you didn't have a shot at biglaw out of law school, you're not going to have a shot after getting your tax LLM. This holds especially true for the major East Coast markets, LA and Chicago.

ETA: In my first-hand experience this year, this has been spot on.

Well, I was on the edge of Biglaw after 1L and would be a shoo-in now, so how does the rule apply to me? Also, according to the rule most people who get Biglaw out of NYU already had Biglaw? Then why go for an LLM?

[patrickd139]

General rule of thumb for LLM hiring at NYU (from NYU Career Services): If you didn't have a shot at biglaw out of law school, you're not going to have a shot after getting your tax LLM. This holds especially true for the major East Coast markets, LA and Chicago.

ETA: In my first-hand experience this year, this has been spot on.

Well, I was on the edge of Biglaw after 1L and would be a shoo-in now, so how does the rule apply to me? Also, according to the rule most people who get Biglaw out of NYU already had Biglaw? Then why go for an LLM?

I have no clue what the hell "on the edge of Biglaw after 1L" means, and even less of an idea what "would [make someone] a shoo-in now" for biglaw. If you want biglaw, and you're a "shoo-in" for biglaw, then go get a job in biglaw.

And it's definitely true that most people who get true biglaw out of NYU (which is a small subset overall) had biglaw, IRS, DOJ Tax or boutique tax firm experience. Think Wachtell, Simpson Thatcher, Caplin & Drysdale, IRS OCC. Most have the hallmarks of biglaw associates as far as credentials, and go back to their firms or join a peer firm.

As for why go for an LLM: Some want to leave firms with smaller tax practices to those with larger/more diversified ones. Other firms pay for the LLMs to enhance specialized knowledge and credentials of their mid-level associates. Some are corporate associates who are sent to get an LLM so they can move to the tax side of deals. ITE, a few people here were laid off and are looking to get back in the ring. (This group is really struggling, btw.) Some are non-biglaw attorneys who want a break from a year and are willing to pay for it. At least one person here wants to teach and found that he needed a tax LLM to get a serious look. He has a Stanford JD, IIRC. Some want to clerk on the Tax Court, which almost always requires an LLM.

As is the case with law school, a vast number of uninformed people came here thinking they could parlay their sub-biglaw credentials into a biglaw job. Almost all of said people are so far disappointed and taking non-biglaw jobs because they're realizing that the general rule is just that: a general rule.

[Anonymous User]

Any more updates? Panic time?

[Anonymous User]

Any more updates? Panic time?

I've still heard nothing. All is lost. I would almost rather have all of my rejections in hand up so I could forget about it completely.

[Anonymous User]

Any more updates? Panic time?

I've still heard nothing. All is lost. I would almost rather have all of my rejections in hand up so I could forget about it completely.

I'm guessing a handful of people got all the callbacks (i.e. T14 + stellar LLM grades) so once those handful start accepting their offers some spots will open up. At least that's what I'm telling myself ...

Any news on CBs? Offers?

[patrickd139]

DPW callbacks have gone out. Very reliable source.

[Anonymous User]

DPW callbacks have gone out. Very reliable source.

Any idea how many?

[patrickd139]

DPW callbacks have gone out. Very reliable source.

Any idea how many?

Not a clue, sorry.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone get a rejection from Faegre ?

[Anonymous User]

DPW callbacks have gone out. Very reliable source.

Any idea how many?

Not a clue, sorry.

Do you know if they are done? I've heard of people getting callbacks and rejections, but I am wondering if they are done, or if they are doing callbacks in waves.

[patrickd139]

Source says it's the traditional single wave of callbacks. They're apparently not pressed to hire and are looking for fit as well as talent.

[saintsfan200]

I believe PWC (DC) has also made calls. It seems as if all of the accounting firms have at least started giving out callbacks and/or rejections.

Anyone hear from the firms interviewing for Benefits/Executive Comp? I haven't heard much news regarding law firms at all.

Stats for Big4 offers anyone?