Cornell 2015 AJF/BOJF/DCJF/OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

JLPP work on calls are going out.

this doesn't impact me, but is the JLPP staff based on the west coast or something? Midnight on a weekday seems....bizarre.

ETA: to be sure, i get why this is critical given the due date tomorrow for resumes. still....well i guess i'm up so who knows.

[Anonymous User]

JLPP work on calls are going out.

JLPP always after midnight lol

[Anonymous User]

JLPP work on calls are going out.

this doesn't impact me, but is the JLPP staff based on the west coast or something? Midnight on a weekday seems....bizarre.

ETA: to be sure, i get why this is critical given the due date tomorrow for resumes. still....well i guess i'm up so who knows.

EIC directly mentioned resume implications. With a likely SA position, they'd probably have to sort through 30+ applications after work each day. Seems awesome that they got in down with 12 hours to spare.

[Anonymous User]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

[Anonymous User]

JLPP work on calls are going out.

this doesn't impact me, but is the JLPP staff based on the west coast or something? Midnight on a weekday seems....bizarre.

ETA: to be sure, i get why this is critical given the due date tomorrow for resumes. still....well i guess i'm up so who knows.

EIC directly mentioned resume implications. With a likely SA position, they'd probably have to sort through 30+ applications after work each day. Seems awesome that they got in down with 12 hours to spare.

I was going to talk about how i just surprised that they were doing phone calls this late, but i guess since the goal is get results out before resume deadline, i can see how a phone call is the way to go, no matter how late. No longer bizarre to me.

[Lavitz]

JLPP work on calls are going out.

this doesn't impact me, but is the JLPP staff based on the west coast or something? Midnight on a weekday seems....bizarre.

ETA: to be sure, i get why this is critical given the due date tomorrow for resumes. still....well i guess i'm up so who knows.

No, the EIC is in NYC. He's just great at getting shit done.

[spiritniffler189]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

No, but you can find a natural way to bring it up in an interview. I was a TA the fall after AJF (starting that August) and was told not to put TAing down yet.

[Anonymous User]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

No, but you can find a natural way to bring it up in an interview. I was a TA the fall after AJF (starting that August) and was told not to put TAing down yet.

1) thank you!! I figured as much.

2) do you know when we get the names of our interviewers? I'm assuming some time during the week before AJF?

[runthetrap1990]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

No, but you can find a natural way to bring it up in an interview. I was a TA the fall after AJF (starting that August) and was told not to put TAing down yet.

1) thank you!! I figured as much.

2) do you know when we get the names of our interviewers? I'm assuming some time during the week before AJF?

If you check simplicity, interviewer names are starting to slowly be released by the firms.

[Anonymous User]

I disagree re: putting TA on the resume... I was told to put it on and I cannot think of why you would not?

[Lavitz]

I disagree re: putting TA on the resume... I was told to put it on and I cannot think of why you would not?

Yeah, spirit, who told you not to put it down? You don't start being an honors fellow until the semester starts either, but everyone puts that down.

[spiritniffler189]

I disagree re: putting TA on the resume... I was told to put it on and I cannot think of why you would not?

Yeah, spirit, who told you not to put it down? You don't start being an honors fellow until the semester starts either, but everyone puts that down.

A recruiter at a firm (and not just a random recruiter, but someone I trust/recruiter at firm I'll be heading to in the fall). I think the diff. btwn that and honors fellow is that (1) usually honors fellow is for your lawyering professor, who can still speak about you and (2) while being an Honors Fellow is the same as being a TA, it's a ~program~ and you can be selected for other things like tutoring a 1st year if you're an HF.

Not a big deal either way, but I wouldn't if it's anything but HF.

[Anonymous User]

I disagree re: putting TA on the resume... I was told to put it on and I cannot think of why you would not?

I agree. I attended the BLSA/LALSA Bootcamp and recall the recruiters in attendance (from Paul Weiss, Shearman & Sterling, Freshfields, etc.) suggested that we should list any leadership/mentorship role experiences from undergrad/law school on our resume. I assume that would include TA roles.

[tyrant_flycatcher]

I think the issue is more whether someone should list a TA position on their resume that they don't begin until spring semester, not whether they should list a TA position on their resume at all. Personally, I wouldn't list it, because I think too much can happen between now and then. However, I would work it into the interview, and although I haven't done any screeners yet, it seems like that would be fairly easy to do.

[mt2165]

Holy shit that was insane . . .

[Anonymous User]

Symplicity won't let us sign up for back to back interviews this year. Ugh.

[Anonymous User]

So pardon if this is a dumb question but...

What does it mean when people say "research the firm?" I get we are likely going to get the question "why here?" but... what is a good response? All of these firms seem VERY similar to me. Knowing which practice groups are their strengths? Ok... maybe? but wtf else? What should we know and how should we even answer that question?

I'm probably the only one having this struggle, but the struggle is real.

[Anonymous User]

It it even worth signing up for "open slot" interviews with firms that you know are not within your GPA?

[Arbiter213]

It it even worth signing up for "open slot" interviews with firms that you know are not within your GPA?

Define "know." I "knew" S&C wasn't in my range, since I was at best at the very bottom of the range and have no special qualities, but I ended up with an offer. Are you completely outside the range, e.g., a 3.0 picking up Cravath? Then don't waste your own energy and time, or the firm's. Do you have a 3.6 and want to apply to Paul Weiss? Give it a shot, if you want.

So pardon if this is a dumb question but...

What does it mean when people say "research the firm?" I get we are likely going to get the question "why here?" but... what is a good response? All of these firms seem VERY similar to me. Knowing which practice groups are their strengths? Ok... maybe? but wtf else? What should we know and how should we even answer that question?

I'm probably the only one having this struggle, but the struggle is real.

Yes, research the firm's competencies/ strong practice areas. This is the most important.

Research your interviewer. This is more valuable than anything else

Research structural differences such as lockstep vs merit based compensation (e.g. Cleary, Debevoise, Cravath are true lockstep- that has a huge influence on culture and those three really stress it), free market vs rotations vs central assignments (don't actually talk about this, it doesn't actually make a difference for the most part, but you should know Cravath uses a rotation system), international presence vs. two offices (unless you mean specifically London, don't tell Cravath you love their international profile. Likewise, don't tell White & Case that you love how focused on US domestic work they are).

If there are particular people that you would love to work for, and have a good reason to, that can count too (e.g. you want to do patent litigation and you're interviewing at WilmerHale in Boston, saying you want to work for Bill Lee. More dangerous the more famous they are).

Major clients or matters is another thing you should be aware of, especially current ones (probably a good idea to start reading NYTimes DealBook and WSJ LawBlog for the remaining time).

The best resources for the above stuff are:

Vault firm profiles: https://johnson.library.cornell.edu/databases/vault
Decent cultural description, quick and dirty. Don't take it that seriously.

Chambers Associate http://www.chambers-associate.com/home
Solid overview, covers the basics of structure and the cultural points the firm wants to stress and overall competencies. Best resource, really, as the information is almost entirely PR puff from the firms themselves- which means it says what they think is important about themselves.

Chambers & Partners: http://www.chambersandpartners.com/guide/usa/5
More accurate subject area competencies, including highlights of standout partners.

Miscellaneous:

NYTimes Dealbook
Major business news, skews toward law relevant coverage or explicitly law news.

WSJ LawBlog
Law news.

[Anonymous User]

Arbiter - your response was extremely helpful. THANK YOU!

[Toubro]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

No, but you can find a natural way to bring it up in an interview. I was a TA the fall after AJF (starting that August) and was told not to put TAing down yet.

1) thank you!! I figured as much.

2) do you know when we get the names of our interviewers? I'm assuming some time during the week before AJF?

If you check simplicity, interviewer names are starting to slowly be released by the firms.

Surprisingly, all names I have listed our partners. I thought associates did screeners!

[hephaestus]

If you're TAing a course in the Spring, would you put it on your resume now? [e.g., "Teaching Assistant, Bird Law (Spring 2016)"]

No, but you can find a natural way to bring it up in an interview. I was a TA the fall after AJF (starting that August) and was told not to put TAing down yet.

1) thank you!! I figured as much.

2) do you know when we get the names of our interviewers? I'm assuming some time during the week before AJF?

If you check simplicity, interviewer names are starting to slowly be released by the firms.

Surprisingly, all names I have listed our partners. I thought associates did screeners!

Partners generally do screeners. A callback will usually be two partners and two associates.

[Anonymous User]

Should I list a named scholarship on my resume, and to what extent should I mention it (if at all) in an interview if asked "Why Cornell?"

[King Cayuga]

Should I list a named scholarship on my resume, and to what extent should I mention it (if at all) in an interview if asked "Why Cornell?"

When I got a named scholarship I asked the FA office exactly what it was good for(since it just replaces grant $) and they told me that it's something to put on your resume. I would definitely put it down in the CLS section of your resume, but it's hard to imagine it coming up organically in an interview. Do you know exactly why you got the scholarship?

[Anonymous User]

It sounds like we're in the same position then. I (mostly) fit the description of who the scholarship is supposed to benefit. I was considering referencing it when asked why I chose Cornell. Is it kosher to say that I decided on Cornell because I received a generous merit scholarship, or am I supposed to stick with answers like "I fell in love with upstate NY on my visit."