2014 University of Virginia OGI Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

I would highly recommend talking with KD if you have time tomorrow. He was very quickly able to tell me that my bid list was great for the most part, and he easily pointed out firms that I basically have no chance at because of GPA floors he can see on his end (I won't reveal any since that's data they haven't released).

Ever so slightly above median for what its worth.

How did you get a hold of him? I've been trying to talk to him for the past couple of weeks, but he has no slots available on Symplicity and every time I try to go to his office hours, it ends up being one of the other CS people. They're great, don't get me wrong, but for something like this KD is best.

[Anonymous User]

I would highly recommend talking with KD if you have time tomorrow. He was very quickly able to tell me that my bid list was great for the most part, and he easily pointed out firms that I basically have no chance at because of GPA floors he can see on his end (I won't reveal any since that's data they haven't released).

Ever so slightly above median for what its worth.

How did you get a hold of him? I've been trying to talk to him for the past couple of weeks, but he has no slots available on Symplicity and every time I try to go to his office hours, it ends up being one of the other CS people. They're great, don't get me wrong, but for something like this KD is best.

After his last email there were 10 minute counseling slots for tonight - I grabbed one. I did mine by phone. He is also available by phone tomorrow from 10am-11pm. You just call and if you get a voicemail, send an email to the career services main email saying you'd like KD to call you back, and leave a number (don't leave a voicemail). I believe if you do a walk-in tomorrow it's only him there.

He'll answer his phone, then the main email, then his voicemail, then his own email. He said to call his personal line "TOMORROW AND SUNDAY ONLY"

[sprezz]

Assuming that your stats are good, would it be a terrible idea to only use 35-40 bids at OGI? I have exhausted the markets that I am interested in and am wondering if it is worth the effort to write cover letters for more firms.

Would it be smarter to just throw in some bids in major markets to complete the list? I don't want to bid multiple offices in cities that I am not interested in just to hit 50 (unless the firms don't care?).

hi me,

if you've covered the markets you want in 35, other responders are right. you're probably dealing with smaller class sizes. it varies by market, but if that's true your stats are much less important in that context because firms/offices with small class sizes are generally pretty idiosyncratic...stats are more a prerequisite than security. so adjust your risk calculus accordingly.

[Anonymous User]

Mid 3.2-ish GPA. Want to work in the southeast, Atlanta or north Florida preferably. I bid on every single NoFla and Atlanta firm. I've got supplemental bids coming tomorrow, so I included all the Band 3 and INSF New York Firms in this round because I won't be able to bid them tomorrow. Haven't condensed the multiple office/single interview firms yet. I felt very




Taking any and all advice.


1 Troutman Sanders (Atlanta, GA)
2 Foley & Lardner (Tallahassee, FL)
3 Foley & Lardner (Jacksonville, FL)
4 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Jacksonville, FL)
5 Holland & Knight (Jacksonville, FL)
6 King & Spalding (Atlanta, GA)
7 Alston & Bird (Atlanta, GA)
8 Holland & Knight (Atlanta, GA)
9 Greenberg Traurig (Atlanta, GA)
10 Fish & Richardson (Atlanta, GA)
11 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Atlanta, GA)
12 Smith Moore Leatherwood (Atlanta, GA)
13 Sutherland (Atlanta, GA)
14 Paul Hastings (Atlanta, GA)
15 Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP (Atlanta, GA)
16 McKenna Long & Aldridge (Atlanta, GA)
17 Jones Day (Atlanta, GA)
18 Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (Atlanta, GA)
19 Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner (Atlanta, GA)
20 Bryan Cave (Atlanta, GA)
21 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz (Atlanta, GA)
22 Arnall Golden Gregory (Atlanta, GA)
23 Foley & Lardner (Tampa, FL)
24 Foley & Lardner (Orlando, FL)
25 Greenberg Traurig (Tampa, FL)
26 Holland & Knight (Orlando, FL)
27 Holland & Knight (Tampa, FL)
28 Boies Schiller & Flexner (Orlando, FL)
29 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz (Orlando, FL)
30 Baker Hostetler (Orlando, FL)
31 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Washington, DC)
32 Nixon Peabody (Washington, DC)
33 K&L Gates (Charlotte, NC)
34 Greenberg Traurig (West Palm Beach, FL)
35 Linklaters (London, England)
36 Sutherland (New York, NY)
37 Holland & Knight (New York, NY)
38 Baker Botts (New York, NY)
39 Fish & Richardson (New York, NY)
40 Troutman Sanders (New York, NY)
41 Norton Rose Fulbright (New York, NY)
42 K&L Gates (Boston, MA; Miami, FL; New York, NY)
43 Baker Hostetler (New York, NY)
44 Bingham McCutchen (New York, NY)
45 Brown Rudnick (New York, NY)
46 bradley arant boult cummings llp (Montgomery, AL)
47 Katten Muchin Rosenman (New York, NY)
48 Seward & Kissel (New York, NY)
49 Haynes and Boone (New York, NY)
50 Reed Smith (New York, NY)

[Br3v]

To the poster above seeking the SE

I can't give much advice from personal knowledge because I am a 2L myself but I can comment that this list looks very well thought out. That combined with your mass mail plan leads me to conclude you've got your stuff together.

One thought:
I see you bid a few of the same firm but different locations. Are those potentially multiple interviews or would you have to pick? I didn't do a thorough look but seems like you bid different locations that would NOT scare the other locations (like bidding a small Fl town and NYC) but just make sure that's the case.

[Anonymous User]

If i'm using a memo I wrote for work and need to redact the names of the parties, should I just include a sentence at the beginning of the file stating that I removed identifying information or should I attach a coversheet?

I'd do so in a coversheet. Overall I think a coversheet is a useful addition to a writing sample because it provides some context. Whatever you do, make sure you properly redact the names of parties and don't just highlight the names in black, enabling anyone to get the names via copy/paste. Writing samples rarely matter, but I've seen a potential associate get rejected in part because he failed to properly redact information about a confidential government investigation in his writing sample.

As someone who has reviewed a bunch of writing samples recently, I will say that changing the names of the parties to something random (i.e. "Alpha Corporation" instead of "General Motors" or "John Doe" instead of whatever the guy's real name is) helps readability IMMENSELY, especially if there is a lot going on. Also, I agree that a cover sheet is a good place to explain this, and always include a line that the writing sample is being used with permission.

[Anonymous User]

Mid 3.2-ish GPA. Want to work in the southeast, Atlanta or north Florida preferably. I bid on every single NoFla and Atlanta firm. I've got supplemental bids coming tomorrow, so I included all the Band 3 and INSF New York Firms in this round because I won't be able to bid them tomorrow. Haven't condensed the multiple office/single interview firms yet. I felt very




Taking any and all advice.


1 Troutman Sanders (Atlanta, GA)
2 Foley & Lardner (Tallahassee, FL)
3 Foley & Lardner (Jacksonville, FL)
4 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Jacksonville, FL)
5 Holland & Knight (Jacksonville, FL)
6 King & Spalding (Atlanta, GA)
7 Alston & Bird (Atlanta, GA)
8 Holland & Knight (Atlanta, GA)
9 Greenberg Traurig (Atlanta, GA)
10 Fish & Richardson (Atlanta, GA)
11 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Atlanta, GA)
12 Smith Moore Leatherwood (Atlanta, GA)
13 Sutherland (Atlanta, GA)
14 Paul Hastings (Atlanta, GA)
15 Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP (Atlanta, GA)
16 McKenna Long & Aldridge (Atlanta, GA)
17 Jones Day (Atlanta, GA)
18 Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (Atlanta, GA)
19 Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner (Atlanta, GA)
20 Bryan Cave (Atlanta, GA)
21 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz (Atlanta, GA)
22 Arnall Golden Gregory (Atlanta, GA)
23 Foley & Lardner (Tampa, FL)
24 Foley & Lardner (Orlando, FL)
25 Greenberg Traurig (Tampa, FL)
26 Holland & Knight (Orlando, FL)
27 Holland & Knight (Tampa, FL)
28 Boies Schiller & Flexner (Orlando, FL)
29 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz (Orlando, FL)
30 Baker Hostetler (Orlando, FL)
31 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough (Washington, DC)
32 Nixon Peabody (Washington, DC)
33 K&L Gates (Charlotte, NC)
34 Greenberg Traurig (West Palm Beach, FL)
35 Linklaters (London, England)
36 Sutherland (New York, NY)
37 Holland & Knight (New York, NY)
38 Baker Botts (New York, NY)
39 Fish & Richardson (New York, NY)
40 Troutman Sanders (New York, NY)
41 Norton Rose Fulbright (New York, NY)
42 K&L Gates (Boston, MA; Miami, FL; New York, NY)
43 Baker Hostetler (New York, NY)
44 Bingham McCutchen (New York, NY)
45 Brown Rudnick (New York, NY)
46 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP (Montgomery, AL)
47 Katten Muchin Rosenman (New York, NY)
48 Seward & Kissel (New York, NY)
49 Haynes and Boone (New York, NY)
50 Reed Smith (New York, NY)

Looks reasonable. I can tell you that I think Atlanta will be an uphill battle for you at below median. Not impossible by any means, but it is not an easy market. I guess I would view those NY interviews not as "backups" but as option 1a.

[Anonymous User]

Posted a week or so ago, but here's an updated bid list that I'd appreciate feedback on. Looking at Boston and Chicago, with NYC as a backup. I think I bid every Boston and Chicago firm as long as there were no conflicts with multiple offices. Firms are in bid order, I'd appreciate feedback on positioning of firms in my list.

Median, secondary journal, some leadership positions, K-JD with good work experience throughout undergrad (same company for 5 years, multiple promotions and management responsibilities), minority. Also a good interviewer, so my top 10 is a bit aggressive.

Jenner & Block CHI
Kirkland & Ellis CHI
Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr BOS
Goodwin Procter BOS
Latham & Watkins BOS
Davis Polk & Wardwell NY
White & Case NY
Willkie Farr & Gallagher NY
K&L Gates BOS
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle NY
Nixon Peabody BOS
Choate, Hall & Stewart BOS
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom NY
Katten Muchin Rosenman NY
Bracewell & Giuliani NY
Foley Hoag BOS
Seward & Kissel NY
Debevoise & Plimpton NY
Schulte Roth & Zabel NY
Venable NY
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft NY
Bryan Cave CHI
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld NY
Cahill Gordon & Reindel NY
Clifford Chance NY
Paul Hastings NY
Baker & Hostetler NY
Epstein Becker & Green NY
Linklaters NY
Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman NY
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider NY
Allen & Overy NY
Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villenueve Franklin & Hachigian BOS
Fish & Richardson BOS
Mayer Brown CHI
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson NY
Cooley BOS
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius NY
Proskauer Rose NY
Shearman & Sterling NY
Jones Day BOS
Dechert BOS
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy NY
Foley & Lardner BOS
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe NY
Greenberg Traurig CHI
Sidley Austin NY
Brown Rudnick BOS
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman NY
Holland & Knight CHI

[North]

herp derp

[daleearnhardt123]

Posted a week or so ago, but here's an updated bid list that I'd appreciate feedback on. Looking at Boston and Chicago, with NYC as a backup. I think I bid every Boston and Chicago firm as long as there were no conflicts with multiple offices. Firms are in bid order, I'd appreciate feedback on positioning of firms in my list.

Median, secondary journal, some leadership positions, K-JD with good work experience throughout undergrad (same company for 5 years, multiple promotions and management responsibilities). Also a good interviewer, so my top 10 is a bit aggressive.

Jenner & Block CHI
Kirkland & Ellis CHI
Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr BOS
Goodwin Procter BOS
Latham & Watkins BOS
Davis Polk & Wardwell NY
White & Case NY
Willkie Farr & Gallagher NY
K&L Gates BOS
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle NY
Nixon Peabody BOS
Choate, Hall & Stewart BOS
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom NY
Katten Muchin Rosenman NY
Bracewell & Giuliani NY
Foley Hoag BOS
Seward & Kissel NY
Debevoise & Plimpton NY
Schulte Roth & Zabel NY
Venable NY
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft NY
Bryan Cave CHI
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld NY
Cahill Gordon & Reindel NY
Clifford Chance NY
Paul Hastings NY
Baker & Hostetler NY
Epstein Becker & Green NY
Linklaters NY
Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman NY
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider NY
Allen & Overy NY
Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villenueve Franklin & Hachigian BOS
Fish & Richardson BOS
Mayer Brown CHI
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson NY
Cooley BOS
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius NY
Proskauer Rose NY
Shearman & Sterling NY
Jones Day BOS
Dechert BOS
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy NY
Foley & Lardner BOS
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe NY
Greenberg Traurig CHI
Sidley Austin NY
Brown Rudnick BOS
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman NY
Holland & Knight CHI

This is a pretty good list, save for the fact that I think that--good interviewing or not-- you're out of your league w most of that top 10. Kirkland and Jenner CHI, Wilmer BOS and DPW NY are gonna have floors significantly above median. Even if those floors are soft, those are wasted bids I think.

[Anonymous User]

This is a pretty good list, save for the fact that I think that--good interviewing or not-- you're out of your league w most of that top 10. Kirkland and Jenner CHI, Wilmer BOS and DPW NY are gonna have floors significantly above median. Even if those floors are soft, those are wasted bids I think.

From talking to KD, I am not out of play at any of those because of a GPA floor (hard or soft). Thanks for the input though, I appreciate it!

[Anonymous User]

2Ls who got supplemental bids last year, will we be able to shuffle documents around (e.g., update a cover letter) for the initial 50 firms during the supplemental bidding period tomorrow?

[Yardbird]

Seems bids are officially locked in. Good luck everyone! If I recall correctly, here's the timeline going forward:

Preselect/Alternate sign-ups: July 26 10:00 am - July 29 11:00 pm
Deadline to put OCI exceptions into Symplicity: July 29 11:00 pm
Lottery Run: July 30-August 1
Lottery Results: August 2 (at some point)
Firms see schedules: August 4
CSO program: August 10 late afternoon
OGI: August 11-20

[Anonymous User]

so from what i've read, people below/at median get very few preselects, so the rest is up to lottery. Generally how many interviews do people in that range end up with?

[Br3v]

Seems bids are officially locked in. Good luck everyone! If I recall correctly, here's the timeline going forward:

Preselect/Alternate sign-ups: July 26 10:00 am - July 29 11:00 pm
Deadline to put OCI exceptions into Symplicity: July 29 11:00 pm
Lottery Run: July 30-August 1
Lottery Results: August 2 (at some point)
Firms see schedules: August 4
CSO program: August 10 late afternoon
OGI: August 11-20

When do we find out pre selects? Aug 2?

[Yardbird]

Seems bids are officially locked in. Good luck everyone! If I recall correctly, here's the timeline going forward:

Preselect/Alternate sign-ups: July 26 10:00 am - July 29 11:00 pm
Deadline to put OCI exceptions into Symplicity: July 29 11:00 pm
Lottery Run: July 30-August 1
Lottery Results: August 2 (at some point)
Firms see schedules: August 4
CSO program: August 10 late afternoon
OGI: August 11-20

When do we find out pre selects? Aug 2?

July 26. You accept/decline pre-selects and alternates from July 26-29

[Yardbird]

so from what i've read, people below/at median get very few preselects, so the rest is up to lottery. Generally how many interviews do people in that range end up with?

Wouldn't it depend on how aggressive your list is? If mostly Band 3 toward the top I would think median would get a lot of lottery picks. If mostly Band 1 you might get some but not nearly as much.

[Anonymous User]

2Ls who got supplemental bids last year, will we be able to shuffle documents around (e.g., update a cover letter) for the initial 50 firms during the supplemental bidding period tomorrow?

If anyone was wondering, the answer is yes.

[5ky]

so from what i've read, people below/at median get very few preselects, so the rest is up to lottery. Generally how many interviews do people in that range end up with?

Wouldn't it depend on how aggressive your list is? If mostly Band 3 toward the top I would think median would get a lot of lottery picks. If mostly Band 1 you might get some but not nearly as much.

I don't know the modern terminology, but if Band 1 = the best firms, then no. Firms will typically get more bids as you decrease in selectiveness/prestige

[Anonymous User]

Now that non-supplemental OGI bids are in, the OCI tab in Simplicity has disappeared (for those w/o supplemental bids). The resume collection appeared under this tab, and is now also inaccessible. My understanding was that the resume collection closed later. Is this incorrect?

I definitely had a couple resume collection bids w/o the correct/updated documents attached, and will have to email KD to disregard my resume collection bids if the deadline has passed.

Does anyone remember when the resume collection closes/closed? Thanks.

I'm hoping it will reappear shortly.

[Edit: NVM, "Always on top of things" KD sent an email to everyone. Resume collect will be back tomorrow, until the end of the month.]

[North]

I'm hoping it will reappear shortly.

I think it will. I distinctly remember the deadline for resume collect being sometime in August -- the 25th I think.

[Yardbird]

I'm hoping it will reappear shortly.

I think it will. I distinctly remember the deadline for resume collect being sometime in August -- the 25th I think.

July 31, but yea definitely later on.

[lookingin]

Sorry if this was already answered in one of KD's emails or in the handbook, but I just skimmed through both and couldn't find an answer...

How exactly does the resume collection work? Is it that after the deadline, Simplicity just sends your documents to those firms and then maybe they'll contact you about meeting up for an interview? In which case I'm guessing you'd have to drive out to the firm to interview, as those firms are not coming to OGI... ?

[wahoolaw16]

Is it that after the deadline, Simplicity just sends your documents to those firms and then maybe they'll contact you about meeting up for an interview? In which case I'm guessing you'd have to drive out to the firm to interview, as those firms are not coming to OGI... ?

Yes, I believe KD discussed it in one of the strategy sessions.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry if this was already answered in one of KD's emails or in the handbook, but I just skimmed through both and couldn't find an answer...

How exactly does the resume collection work? Is it that after the deadline, Simplicity just sends your documents to those firms and then maybe they'll contact you about meeting up for an interview? In which case I'm guessing you'd have to drive out to the firm to interview, as those firms are not coming to OGI... ?

In my year, Kirkland did resume collect and contacted people directly for callbacks. It's probably firm-dependent but Kirkland did not reach out until early September, after the two weeks of on-ground screener interviews.