UChicago OCI 2015 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Thanks! Transactional-leaning but definitely wouldn't mind working in a lit boutique. Have alright (but by no means outstanding) sells on both.

[Anonymous User]

Transactional
Want to fit in Latham NY (31) somewhere but don't know where
Getting very distressed by this process
23-45 is a wtf shot in the dark

1 Sidley Austin Chicago 84
2 Kirkland Ellis Chicago 84
3 Katten Chicago 42
4 Gibson Dunn NYC 21
5 Mayer Brown Chicago 73
6 Skadden Chicago 42
7 Paul Weiss NYC 42
8 McDermott Chicago 63
9 Jones Day Chicago 42
10 Davis Polk NYC 42
11 Cleary NYC 42
12 Milbank NYC 21
13 Simpson NYC 63
14 Sullivan Cromwell NYC 42
15 Debevoise NYC 63
16 Proskauer NYC 21
17 MoFo NYC 21
18 Allen Overy NYC 15
19 King Spalding NYC 10
20 V&E Houston 21
21 Susman Godfrey Houston 19
22 Norton Rose Fulbright Houston 21
23 Baker & McKenzie Chicago 21
24 Dechert Chicago 42
25 Dentons Chicago 21
26 DLA Piper Chicago 21
27 Drinker Biddle Chicago 32
28 Edelson Chicago 21
29 Elmer Stahl Chicago 21
30 Holland Knight Chicago 10
31 Paul Hastings Chicago 21
32 Proskauer Chicago 21
33 Reed Smith Chicago 21
34 Foley Chicago 21
35 Paul Hastings NYC 7
36 Ropes Gray NYC 42
37 Sheppard Mullin NYC 21
38 Wilmer Hale NYC 21
39 Wilson Sonsini NYC 12
40 Winston Strawn NYC 21
41 Baker Hostetler NYC 18
42 Boies Schiller NYC 21
43 Cooley NYC 42
44 Freshfields NYC 20
45 Axinn NYC 21

[Nantucket1]

How low can I go on Pircher, Chapman, Greenberg ?

Bumping this. Any insight?

[N.P.H.]

Transactional
Want to fit in Latham NY (31) somewhere but don't know where
Getting very distressed by this process
23-45 is a wtf shot in the dark

1 Sidley Austin Chicago 84 Good
2 Kirkland Ellis Chicago 84 Good
3 Katten Chicago 42Good
4 Gibson Dunn NYC 21 Good
5 Mayer Brown Chicago 73 Good
6 Skadden Chicago 42 Good
7 Paul Weiss NYC 42 Good
8 McDermott Chicago 63 I think good
9 Jones Day Chicago 42 Good
10 Davis Polk NYC 42 Good
11 Cleary NYC 42 Good
12 Milbank NYC 21 Good 80/20 hit/miss depending on the year
13 Simpson NYC 63 Good
14 Sullivan Cromwell NYC 42 Good
15 Debevoise NYC 63 Maybe too late. Went really late my year (27) but really early last year (I think around 14? check the thread
16 Proskauer NYC 21 Probably too late for a nonselective NY firm
17 MoFo NYC 21 Same as above
18 Allen Overy NYC 15 Nope -- idk why but it seems like everyone and their mother are throwing bids at A&O NY and they are usually higher than this
19 King Spalding NYC 10 Nope unless your class has never heard of it
20 V&E Houston 21 idk houston
21 Susman Godfrey Houston 19 my impression is that you can put sussman very late because they only offer people who could line up clerkships

I think latham could go right before dpw/cleary without screwing too much up.

S&C can probably go later. Throw in cravath later. what's your gpa? seems weird to bid sussman without csm.

You're right that everything later on is a crapshoot. I'd try to stop bidding popular firms in your 20s because they are pretty unlikely. Instead, put firms most people haven't heard of (sheppard mullin) there because you have a better shot at getting them. This advice kind of go against intuitions but if you're not getting a firm past 20 anyway, it makes sense to put in firms you have a shot at (rather than firms you have 0 shot at) if that makes sense.

Overall, I'd try to find some firms that could go in your late teens because as of now you're getting a lot of misses (prioritize these by number of interview slots, number of SAs, strength of transactional practice -- try to think of firms you may have missed by using chambers and vault). Also, take a second to think about the firms and where you're placing them. If you REALLY want chicago, it makes sense to bid McDermott, but if you'd take Latham NY over it, it doesn't make sense to include the former at the expense of the latter. This is all personal preference, though, so I'll try not to pry too much.

All of this is kind of rushed because I'm busy so others should feel free to chime in.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a list of firms that are heavy lit/trans focused?

Ie I'm set on transactional, so trying to avoid firms that will LOL at that. Hard to tell from firm websites.

[Anonymous User]

Is there a list of firms that are heavy lit/trans focused?

Ie I'm set on transactional, so trying to avoid firms that will LOL at that. Hard to tell from firm websites.

I would also really like to see this kind of info

[bearsfan23]

How low can I go on Pircher, Chapman, Greenberg ?

Bumping this. Any insight?

Pircher didn't even fill up last year, and I doubt they fill this year unless a bunch of students are interested in a RE only botique. So you can probably bid low and still get them

Chapman and Greenberg (Chicago) definitely filled, I'm not sure where though (I bid both in the 20's and got neither)

[Anonymous User]

Grades: 176.575
URM: yes
Work exp: 6-months as financial co-op/analyst for Fortune 500 company (took a semester off for this in undergrad)
Preferred market: Chicago, but NY close behind it.
Practice area: Transaction - esp. corporate/M&A, private equity, capital markets
Misc: Want to maximize offers while still having a shot at a few firms I particularly like in Chicago

Bid List:
1 Kirkland (NY) - 54
2 Proskauer Rose (NY) - 39
3 Shearman & Sterling (NY) - 54
4 Cadwalader (NY) - 25
5 White & Case (Chi) - 34
6 Latham (Chi) - 15
7 Skadden (NY) - 108
8 Katten (Chi) - 15
9 Greenberg Traurig (Chi) - 7 (seems too low)
10 Winston & Strawn (Chi) - 25
11 Simpson Thatcher (NY) - 93
12 Fried Frank (NY) - 41
13 Debevoise (NY) - 66
14 Schiff Hardin (Chi) - 16
15 Mayer Brown (Chi) - 23
16 Dechert (NY) - 24
17 Ropes & Gray (NY) - 45
18 Cleary (NY) - 98
19 Paul Weiss (NY) - 128
20 Gibson Dunn (NY) - 29 (probably not here, but didn't know where to put it given higher grade cut-off)
21 Davis Polk (NY) - 134
22 Foley (Chi) - 7 (might be too low)
23 Baker & McKenzie (Chi) - 14
24 Chapman & Cutler (Chi) - 6 (might be unlikely, but has the finance focus I'm interested in)
25 K&L Gates (Chi) - 9

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

Grades: 181.5+
URM: No
Market: Chicago
Practice area: litigation, but I wouldn't mind getting a look at both
Misc: K&E/Law review

Here's a list I have so far (all Chicago). I'm not confident past the top ten, in the sense that I don't really know how to order these firms or whether I need to be going after a more diverse set of firms.

1. Kirkland
2. Skadden
3. Sidley
4. Jenner
5. Latham
6. Winston & Strawn
7. Mayer Brown
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Jones Day
10. McDermott Will & Emery
11. Schiff Hardin
12. Katten
13. K&L Gates
14. Edelson
15. Foley & Lardner
16. DLA Piper
17. McGuire Woods
18. Greenberg Traurig
19. Chapman and Cutler
20. Vedder Price

[Emma.]

Grades: 181.5+
URM: No
Market: Chicago
Practice area: litigation, but I wouldn't mind getting a look at both
Misc: K&E/Law review

Here's a list I have so far (all Chicago). I'm not confident past the top ten, in the sense that I don't really know how to order these firms or whether I need to be going after a more diverse set of firms.

1. Kirkland
2. Skadden
3. Sidley
4. Jenner
5. Latham
6. Winston & Strawn
7. Mayer Brown
8. Baker & McKenzie
9. Jones Day
10. McDermott Will & Emery
11. Schiff Hardin
12. Katten
13. K&L Gates
14. Edelson
15. Foley & Lardner
16. DLA Piper
17. McGuire Woods
18. Greenberg Traurig
19. Chapman and Cutler
20. Vedder Price

If you are even an average interviewer you'll get callbacks & offers almost everywhere. For you, the bids outside say your top 10 won't really matter at all -- if you want Chicago you're very likely to land at one of the firms in your current top 5.

[N.P.H.]

Yep. You should throw in some of the LR/K&E only firms at the end, of course. Wachtell, W&C, Munger, Susman, etc.

Might as well use your early-teens to explore top firms in other markets you're interested in, too. There's really no reason for you to be bidding any of the firms past 11 (in fact, you'll probably be taking callbacks from classmates who desperately need them--though this is one of those controversial issues because you totally have a right to, you won't need to).

Basically I've seen people with your grades get callbacks at top "culture/personality focused" firms when they have the personality of styrofoam.

[N.P.H.]

Grades: 176.575
URM: yes
Work exp: 6-months as financial co-op/analyst for Fortune 500 company (took a semester off for this in undergrad)
Preferred market: Chicago, but NY close behind it.
Practice area: Transaction - esp. corporate/M&A, private equity, capital markets
Misc: Want to maximize offers while still having a shot at a few firms I particularly like in Chicago

Bid List:
1 Kirkland (NY) - 54
2 Proskauer Rose (NY) - 39
3 Shearman & Sterling (NY) - 54
4 Cadwalader (NY) - 25
5 White & Case (Chi) - 34
6 Latham (Chi) - 15
7 Skadden (NY) - 108
8 Katten (Chi) - 15
9 Greenberg Traurig (Chi) - 7 (seems too low)
10 Winston & Strawn (Chi) - 25
11 Simpson Thatcher (NY) - 93
12 Fried Frank (NY) - 41
13 Debevoise (NY) - 66
14 Schiff Hardin (Chi) - 16
15 Mayer Brown (Chi) - 23
16 Dechert (NY) - 24
17 Ropes & Gray (NY) - 45
18 Cleary (NY) - 98
19 Paul Weiss (NY) - 128
20 Gibson Dunn (NY) - 29 (probably not here, but didn't know where to put it given higher grade cut-off)
21 Davis Polk (NY) - 134
22 Foley (Chi) - 7 (might be too low)
23 Baker & McKenzie (Chi) - 14
24 Chapman & Cutler (Chi) - 6 (might be unlikely, but has the finance focus I'm interested in)
25 K&L Gates (Chi) - 9

Please check the thread and look at our suggestions to other people. Graduating people have the bar next week and it's very unlikely you're going to get a response from one of them when it doesn't look like you even tried.

FWIW, if NY is truly close behind you should probably just shoot straight NY with those grades. There's a decent chance you strike out in Chicago anyway so if they're close you should expand your options (Latham NY is muuuuuuuch easier to get than Latham Chi, for example)

[Anonymous User]

Yep. You should throw in some of the LR/K&E only firms at the end, of course. Wachtell, W&C, Munger, Susman, etc.

Might as well use your early-teens to explore top firms in other markets you're interested in, too. There's really no reason for you to be bidding any of the firms past 11 (in fact, you'll probably be taking callbacks from classmates who desperately need them--though this is one of those controversial issues because you totally have a right to, you won't need to).

Basically I've seen people with your grades get callbacks at top "culture/personality focused" firms when they have the personality of styrofoam.

Thanks! I know this has been discussed a little bit, but am I safe putting the firms you mention, like Wachtell, in the 15-20 range?

[Anonymous User]

Yep. You should throw in some of the LR/K&E only firms at the end, of course. Wachtell, W&C, Munger, Susman, etc.

Might as well use your early-teens to explore top firms in other markets you're interested in, too. There's really no reason for you to be bidding any of the firms past 11 (in fact, you'll probably be taking callbacks from classmates who desperately need them--though this is one of those controversial issues because you totally have a right to, you won't need to).

Basically I've seen people with your grades get callbacks at top "culture/personality focused" firms when they have the personality of styrofoam.

Thanks! I know this has been discussed a little bit, but am I safe putting the firms you mention, like Wachtell, in the 15-20 range?

Wachtell gets a lot of random bids from people without a shot so it needs to be higher than the others, but 15-20 is good and maybe even a bit high. W&C is roughly the same, but generally goes a bit sooner IMO.

Usually you can bid MTO/Irell/Susman wherever because they don't fill up, but a little bird told me that MTO will have roughly half the # of slots this year as in years past, so maybe bid them a bit higher than previous bidlists indicate. I would guess that 30 would do it but who knows.

[N.P.H.]

Yep. You should throw in some of the LR/K&E only firms at the end, of course. Wachtell, W&C, Munger, Susman, etc.

Might as well use your early-teens to explore top firms in other markets you're interested in, too. There's really no reason for you to be bidding any of the firms past 11 (in fact, you'll probably be taking callbacks from classmates who desperately need them--though this is one of those controversial issues because you totally have a right to, you won't need to).

Basically I've seen people with your grades get callbacks at top "culture/personality focused" firms when they have the personality of styrofoam.

Thanks! I know this has been discussed a little bit, but am I safe putting the firms you mention, like Wachtell, in the 15-20 range?

Early teens is fine for all of them

[WheninLaw]

Yep. You should throw in some of the LR/K&E only firms at the end, of course. Wachtell, W&C, Munger, Susman, etc.

Might as well use your early-teens to explore top firms in other markets you're interested in, too. There's really no reason for you to be bidding any of the firms past 11 (in fact, you'll probably be taking callbacks from classmates who desperately need them--though this is one of those controversial issues because you totally have a right to, you won't need to).

Basically I've seen people with your grades get callbacks at top "culture/personality focused" firms when they have the personality of styrofoam.

Thanks! I know this has been discussed a little bit, but am I safe putting the firms you mention, like Wachtell, in the 15-20 range?

Wachtell gets a lot of random bids from people without a shot so it needs to be higher than the others, but 15-20 is good and maybe even a bit high. W&C is roughly the same, but generally goes a bit sooner IMO.

Usually you can bid MTO/Irell/Susman wherever because they don't fill up, but a little bird told me that MTO will have roughly half the # of slots this year as in years past, so maybe bid them a bit higher than previous bidlists indicate. I would guess that 30 would do it but who knows.

Wachtell has not filled in the last few years. Susman often fills.

[Anonymous User]

Hi all:
Interested in litigation, CHI or NYC (weakly prefer CHI to NYC). K-JD, 179.7, secondary journal. Average interviewing skills. I tried to refer to old posts in this thread and others when constructing the list. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Am I being too ambitious with this list? Are bids 17-22 a total waste for being too low? Thanks in advance!

1) Sidley (84) – CHI
2) Jenner (63) – CHI
3) Kirkland (84) - CHI
4) Skadden (84) – CHI
5) Skadden (42) – NYC
6) Mayer Brown (73) – CHI
7) Schiff Hardin (84) – CHI
8) Paul Weiss (42) – NYC
9) Cleary Gottlieb (42) – NYC
10) Davis Polk Wardell (42) – NYC
11) Simpson Thacher (63) – NYC
12) Shearman & Sterling (21) – NYC
13) McDermott Will & Emery (63) – CHI
14) Debevoise & Plimpton (63) – NYC
15) Sullivan and Cromwell (42) – NYC
16) Cravath (38) – NYC
17) Cadwalader Wickersham and Taft (21) – NYC
18) Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy (21) – NYC
19) Fried Frank (42) – NYC
20) Ropes & Gray (42) – NYC
21) White and Case (21) – NYC
22) K&L Gates (21) – CHI
23) Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider (21) – NYC
24) Chadbourne & Parke LLP (21) - NYC
25) Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle (21) - NYC
26) Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP (10) – CHI
27) Hughes Hubbard & Reed L.L.P. (21) – NYC
28) Miller Shakman & Beem (21) – CHI
29) Gibson Dunn & Crutcher (21) – NYC
30) Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (12) - NYC

31-45 are a bunch of firms that I probably won't get (WLRK, others that are placed too low).

[N.P.H.]

Hi all:
Interested in litigation, CHI or NYC (weakly prefer CHI to NYC). K-JD, 179.7, secondary journal. Average interviewing skills. I tried to refer to old posts in this thread and others when constructing the list. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Am I being too ambitious with this list? Are bids 17-22 a total waste for being too low? Thanks in advance!

1) Sidley (84) – CHI
2) Jenner (63) – CHI
3) Kirkland (84) - CHI
4) Skadden (84) – CHI
5) Skadden (42) – NYC
6) Mayer Brown (73) – CHI
7) Schiff Hardin (84) – CHI
Paul Weiss (42) – NYC
9) Cleary Gottlieb (42) – NYC
10) Davis Polk Wardell (42) – NYC
11) Simpson Thacher (63) – NYC
12) Shearman & Sterling (21) – NYC
13) McDermott Will & Emery (63) – CHI
14) Debevoise & Plimpton (63) – NYC
15) Sullivan and Cromwell (42) – NYC
16) Cravath (38) – NYC
17) Cadwalader Wickersham and Taft (21) – NYC
18) Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy (21) – NYC
19) Fried Frank (42) – NYC
20) Ropes & Gray (42) – NYC
21) White and Case (21) – NYC
22) K&L Gates (21) – CHI
23) Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider (21) – NYC
24) Chadbourne & Parke LLP (21) - NYC
25) Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle (21) - NYC
26) Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP (10) – CHI
27) Hughes Hubbard & Reed L.L.P. (21) – NYC
28) Miller Shakman & Beem (21) – CHI
29) Gibson Dunn & Crutcher (21) – NYC
30) Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (12) - NYC

31-45 are a bunch of firms that I probably won't get (WLRK, others that are placed too low).

Looks good!

17-22 are likely a waste of time, but that's kind of expected when you get that late.

You likely won't need them anyway with those grades.

[Anonymous User]

Do you think it would be better to have Fried Frank NY 9 and Sidley 11 or Sidley 11 Fried Frank 9

Both NY firms.

Thank you for your input

[Anonymous User]

Does it make sense to put a smaller office number one or do I risk missing out on some of the larger class firms?

[bearsfan23]

Do you think it would be better to have Fried Frank NY 9 and Sidley 11 or Sidley 11 Fried Frank 9

Both NY firms.

Thank you for your input

Since you're talking about Sidley NY, I'd bid Fried Frank the higher of the two.

It's a pretty good bet that Sidley NY won't fill up until later

[Teddy Martin Bear]

.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks in advance for your help!
Grades: 177.4 (secondary journal)
URM: no
Work experience: yes, but not particularly relevant
Practice area: Leaning lit
Misc: I'm interested in whether I'm likely to miss out on firms in the PNW and LA. There's less information out there on where these firms tend to fill up.

Asterisk means the slots are sharing offices.

On another note, how reliable are the numbers on symplicity? I'm pretty sure Foster Pepper (120 attorney firm) is not bringing in 21 this summer, for instance.

1 Paul Hastings LA (6)
2 OMM LA (21)*
3 Wilson Sonsini SEA (12)*
4 Perkins POR (3)
5 K & L Gates SEA (5)
6 Davis Wright Tremaine POR (21)*
7 Cooley SEA (42)*
8 Foster Pepper SEA (21)
9 Holland & Knight POR (11)*
10 Dorsey & Whitney SEA (5)
11 Jones Day LA (21)*
12 BakerHostetler LA (18)*
13 Kirkland & Ellis LA (21)
14 Latham & Watkins LA (21)*
15 Irell LA (27)
16 MoFo LA (21)
17 Mayer Brown LA (7)
18 Goodwin Proctor LA (7)
19 Dechert LA (21)
20 Foley Lardner LA (21)
21 Winston & Strawn LA (21)*
22 Stroock & Stroock LA (21)

[Anonymous User]

I think you're being way too aggressive at median but maybe you already know that. You should report back with results because my gut feeling is that you're going to have a rough time at OCI.