Post Your Bidlists Here for Critique, Consolation & Caveats Forum

[oneforship]

If you bid on more than 2 markets and have strong stats, may God have mercy on your soul as you flail around desperately trying to schedule callbacks. You have no idea how cramped the schedule can be and how much it matters to get to a firm early in ITS process of reviewing candidates.

If you're seriously bidding on 5+ going into OCI you're just dumb. It's indefensible and will hurt you in the job hunt.

One or two firms in a weird market is different, maybe you have a compelling reason and can jetison the cb if it interferes with your main hunt. But if you're seriously spreading yourself between multiple markets you're misunderstanding the mechanics of the process. In the ideal world, or if applying by mail, it could be great. With NALP's 28 day rule and crowded calendars at firms and airports, it's suicide.

I can't wait to rack up frequent flyer miles.

[Kilpatrick]

Anyone received a CB from Sqadden via mass mail?

No. Have you heard anything from Watchtell or Cravat?

I like your idea

[Anonymous User]

Anyone? Just want to make sure I'm getting this right because OCI is obviously one of the big reasons I'm transferring.

T30 transfer to NU. Chicago is my first choice but since the Chicago market is still hurting I plan to use 10-15 bids on NYC since they are hiring so many more SAs (no significant ties to NYC, but would certainly love to work there obviously). Just not sure where to sprinkle those NYC bids in yet, but how does this look? Too conservative? Too aggressive? Appropriately all over the place for a transfer (would love to hear more advice on wtf transfers are supposed to do)? I figure I'll probably throw 5-7 NYC firms in the 15-25 bid range. Number in parenthesis is the class size (if available).

CHICAGO
1. Winston Strawn LLP (22)
2. Sidley LLP (41)
3. Katten Muchin Roseman LLP (18)
4. Chapman & Cutler LLP (8)
5. Schiff Hardin LLP (11)
6. Jenner & Block LLP (16)
7. SNR Denton (6)
8. Latham Watkins LLP (10)
9. Jones Day (11)
10. McGuireWoods LLP (5)
11. McDermott Will & Emery LLP (12)
12. Vedder Price PC (5)
13. K&L Gates LLP (4)
14. Baker & McKenzie (3)
15. Reed Smith LLP (4)
16. Drinker Biddle LLP (4)
17. DLA Piper LLP (4)
18. Kirkland & Ellis LLP (54)
19. Foley & Lardner (2)
20. Mayer Brown LLP (12)
21. Dykema Gossett PLLC (3)
22. Perkin Coie LLP (3)
23. Holland & Knife LLP (2)
24. Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
25. Quarles & Brady LLP
26. Edelson McGuire
27. Morgan Lewis LLP
28. Brian Cave LLP (2)
29. Goldberg Kohn LTD (2)
30. Greenberg Traurig LLP (5)
31. Ropes & Gray LLP (7)
32. Skadden LLP (9)
33. Paul Hastings LLP (6)
34. Wildman Harrold LLP (4)
35. Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP (4)
36. Swanson Martin & Bell LLP

NEW YORK
37.Milbank Tweed LLP (38)
38. White & Case LLP (35)
39. Fried Frank LLP (33)
40. Dechert LLP (20)
41. Dewey & LeBoeuf (21)
42. Proskauer Rose LLP (20)
43. Cahill Gordon & Reindel (37)
44. Linklater LLP (24)
45. Allen & Overy (26)
46. Kramer Leven LLP (15)
47. Hogan Lovells LLP (11)
48. Kaye Sholer LLP (15)
49. Shearman & Sterling LLP (37)
50. Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP (2)

[03121202698008]

So, if you had 30 bids at Michigan and wanted to bid mainly DC with some bids in NYC as a precaution. Would you bid like:

safety (DC)
safety (DC)
safety (DC)
safety (DC)
safety (NYC)
safety (NYC)
safety (NYC)
Target (DC)
Target (DC)
Target (DC)
Target (DC)
Target (NYC)
Target (NYC)
Target (NYC)
Reach (DC)
etc?

Or bid all DC then NYC firms?

Trying to figure out a good strategy... A little concerned I may not get interviews at all with the firms I really want but whose median GPA is a bit higher than mine.

[bjsesq]

Anyone? Just want to make sure I'm getting this right because OCI is obviously one of the big reasons I'm transferring.

T30 transfer to NU. Chicago is my first choice but since the Chicago market is still hurting I plan to use 10-15 bids on NYC since they are hiring so many more SAs (no significant ties to NYC, but would certainly love to work there obviously). Just not sure where to sprinkle those NYC bids in yet, but how does this look? Too conservative? Too aggressive? Appropriately all over the place for a transfer (would love to hear more advice on wtf transfers are supposed to do)? I figure I'll probably throw 5-7 NYC firms in the 15-25 bid range. Number in parenthesis is the class size (if available).

CHICAGO
1. Winston Strawn LLP (22)
2. Sidley LLP (41)
3. Katten Muchin Roseman LLP (18)
4. Chapman & Cutler LLP (8)
5. Schiff Hardin LLP (11)
6. Jenner & Block LLP (16)
7. SNR Denton (6)
8. Latham Watkins LLP (10)
9. Jones Day (11)
10. McGuireWoods LLP (5)
11. McDermott Will & Emery LLP (12)
12. Vedder Price PC (5)
13. K&L Gates LLP (4)
14. Baker & McKenzie (3)
15. Reed Smith LLP (4)
16. Drinker Biddle LLP (4)
17. DLA Piper LLP (4)
18. Kirkland & Ellis LLP (54)
19. Foley & Lardner (2)
20. Mayer Brown LLP (12)
21. Dykema Gossett PLLC (3)
22. Perkin Coie LLP (3)
23. Holland & Knife LLP (2)
24. Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
25. Quarles & Brady LLP
26. Edelson McGuire
27. Morgan Lewis LLP
28. Brian Cave LLP (2)
29. Goldberg Kohn LTD (2)
30. Greenberg Traurig LLP (5)
31. Ropes & Gray LLP (7)
32. Skadden LLP (9)
33. Paul Hastings LLP (6)
34. Wildman Harrold LLP (4)
35. Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP (4)
36. Swanson Martin & Bell LLP

NEW YORK
37.Milbank Tweed LLP (38)
38. White & Case LLP (35)
39. Fried Frank LLP (33)
40. Dechert LLP (20)
41. Dewey & LeBoeuf (21)
42. Proskauer Rose LLP (20)
43. Cahill Gordon & Reindel (37)
44. Linklater LLP (24)
45. Allen & Overy (26)
46. Kramer Leven LLP (15)
47. Hogan Lovells LLP (11)
48. Kaye Sholer LLP (15)
49. Shearman & Sterling LLP (37)
50. Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP (2)

I would be shocked if you got an interview at one of those NY firms bidding them that low. Also, why do you not have Kirkland, the firm with the largest class size in Chicago, outside of the top 10 and Chapman and Denton inside the top 10? I can't attest to transfer success at OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Around top 10% at GULC. Here's my top 30; top 20 get our resume no matter what. Would prefer to stay in DC but am bidding a significant amount of NY firms to make sure I get a job. I wouldn't mind going there if necessary.

1.Hogan Lovells DC
2.Milbank NY
3.Latham DC
4.Akin Gump DC
5.Sidley DC
6.Steptoe DC
7.Linklaters NY
8.Shearman NY
9.Kirkland DC
10.Skadden NY
11.STB NY
12.Paul Weiss NY
13.White&Case NY
14.Ropes DC
15.Cleary NY
16.Gibson Dunn DC
17.Jones Day DC
18.Wiley Rein DC
19.WilmerHale DC
20.Arnold & Porter DC
21.DPW NY
22.Skadden DC
23.Proskauer NY
24.Cleary DC
25.Weil NY
26.Cahill NY
27.Fried Frank DC
28.Schulte NY
29.Hughes Hubbard NY
30.Crowell MooringDC

Anything stick out?

[GeePee]

Around top 10% at GULC. Here's my top 30; top 20 get our resume no matter what. Would prefer to stay in DC but am bidding a significant amount of NY firms to make sure I get a job. I wouldn't mind going there if necessary.

1.Hogan Lovells DC
2.Milbank NY
3.Latham DC
4.Akin Gump DC
5.Sidley DC
6.Steptoe DC
7.Linklaters NY
8.Shearman NY
9.Kirkland DC
10.Skadden NY
11.STB NY
12.Paul Weiss NY
13.White&Case NY
14.Ropes DC
15.Cleary NY
16.Gibson Dunn DC
17.Jones Day DC
18.Wiley Rein DC
19.WilmerHale DC
20.Arnold & Porter DC
21.DPW NY
22.Skadden DC
23.Proskauer NY
24.Cleary DC
25.Weil NY
26.Cahill NY
27.Fried Frank DC
28.Schulte NY
29.Hughes Hubbard NY
30.Crowell MooringDC

Anything stick out?

I can't quite tell if this is supposed to be a litigation or transactional list. Your choices of offices for some of the firms suggestions lit, but it's not terribly obvious. Also, I think you can bid more aggressively in NY if you want.

[Anonymous User]

Around top 10% at GULC. Here's my top 30; top 20 get our resume no matter what. Would prefer to stay in DC but am bidding a significant amount of NY firms to make sure I get a job. I wouldn't mind going there if necessary.

1.Hogan Lovells DC
2.Milbank NY
3.Latham DC
4.Akin Gump DC
5.Sidley DC
6.Steptoe DC
7.Linklaters NY
8.Shearman NY
9.Kirkland DC
10.Skadden NY
11.STB NY
12.Paul Weiss NY
13.White&Case NY
14.Ropes DC
15.Cleary NY
16.Gibson Dunn DC
17.Jones Day DC
18.Wiley Rein DC
19.WilmerHale DC
20.Arnold & Porter DC
21.DPW NY
22.Skadden DC
23.Proskauer NY
24.Cleary DC
25.Weil NY
26.Cahill NY
27.Fried Frank DC
28.Schulte NY
29.Hughes Hubbard NY
30.Crowell MooringDC

Anything stick out?

I can't quite tell if this is supposed to be a litigation or transactional list. Your choices of offices for some of the firms suggestions lit, but it's not terribly obvious. Also, I think you can bid more aggressively in NY if you want.

Thanks for the comment. I am leaning litigation, but am open to trying some transactional work. I don't have any experience with firm work. The main focus is getting a job.

In terms of being more agressive in NY, do you mean more V10 or V20 in my top 20 bids?

EDIT: The main metric I used in making this is class size, followed by selectivity.

[GeePee]

Around top 10% at GULC. Here's my top 30; top 20 get our resume no matter what. Would prefer to stay in DC but am bidding a significant amount of NY firms to make sure I get a job. I wouldn't mind going there if necessary.

1.Hogan Lovells DC
2.Milbank NY
3.Latham DC
4.Akin Gump DC
5.Sidley DC
6.Steptoe DC
7.Linklaters NY
8.Shearman NY
9.Kirkland DC
10.Skadden NY
11.STB NY
12.Paul Weiss NY
13.White&Case NY
14.Ropes DC
15.Cleary NY
16.Gibson Dunn DC
17.Jones Day DC
18.Wiley Rein DC
19.WilmerHale DC
20.Arnold & Porter DC
21.DPW NY
22.Skadden DC
23.Proskauer NY
24.Cleary DC
25.Weil NY
26.Cahill NY
27.Fried Frank DC
28.Schulte NY
29.Hughes Hubbard NY
30.Crowell MooringDC

Anything stick out?

I can't quite tell if this is supposed to be a litigation or transactional list. Your choices of offices for some of the firms suggestions lit, but it's not terribly obvious. Also, I think you can bid more aggressively in NY if you want.

Thanks for the comment. I am leaning litigation, but am open to trying some transactional work. I don't have any experience with firm work. The main focus is getting a job.

In terms of being more agressive in NY, do you mean more V10 or V20 in my top 20 bids?

If you want to. If you like the firms you have up there, I think you're in fine shape. I'm also unsure how likely anyone is to get an interview past #20 on their bidlist at GULC. The 50/50 NYC/DC also makes it a little more difficult to evaluate.

[Anonymous User]

Final check-

GULC- bit better than top 10%.

1 Arnold & Porter DC
2 Sidley DC
3 WilmerHale DC
4 Hogan & Lovells DC
5 Jones Day DC
6 Skadden NY
7 Gibson Dunn DC
8 Latham DC
9 Cleary NY
10 Dewey & Leboeuf NY
11 Weil Gotshal NY
12 K&E DC
13 White & Case NY
14 Debevoise NY
15 Akin Gump DC
16 Fried Frank DC
17 Davis Polk NY
18 Milbank NY
19 Shearman NY
20 Paul Weiss NY
21 Baker Botts DC
22 Crowell & Moring DC
23 Cahill NY
24 Williams & Connolly DC
25 Covington DC
26 STB NY
27 Cravath NY
28 Sullivan & Cromwell NY
29 Ropes & Gray DC
30 Steptoe DC

Anything blatantly wrong?

Thanks so much!

[Anonymous User]

bidlist for top 25% at lower tier 1? any firms on the east coast I have a shot at (NY,DC,Philly,Boston)?

Should be preselect right? Just bid everywhere you meet the grade requirements.

there's like nobody coming to oci--it's all going to be unsolicited resumes. where should i start applying?

similar situation. top 25%, T30-40, law review, 1L SA, solid resume. no biglaw firms coming to oci, but all of the regional powers will be there. is there even a point at directing some mailings to large NYC or Chicago firms? my gut says they are out of reach, but would like some confirmation.

[oneforship]

bidlist for top 25% at lower tier 1? any firms on the east coast I have a shot at (NY,DC,Philly,Boston)?

Should be preselect right? Just bid everywhere you meet the grade requirements.

there's like nobody coming to oci--it's all going to be unsolicited resumes. where should i start applying?

similar situation. top 25%, T30-40, law review, 1L SA, solid resume. no biglaw firms coming to oci, but all of the regional powers will be there. is there even a point at directing some mailings to large NYC or Chicago firms? my gut says they are out of reach, but would like some confirmation.

It never hurts to try, and the cost is relatively minimal. I think it's probably a mistake to give up without even trying.

[Unitas]

Hey gang, top 3% at Georgetown. Need to get this mother done soon. Here's what I've got so far, of fifty. If no city mentioned, it's NY. I'm interested in SF, DC, NY litigation. I think I should add some safeties - ideas? I really want to at least interview at W&C and Cravath, so I have them up top. Boies might be too high - I couldn't tell how heavily they are bid, as it was aggregate for whole firm, which is quite heavily-bid:


1. W&C DC
2. Cravath NY
3. MoFo SF
4. Boies - Oakland
5. Cleary - NY
6. SulCrom NY
7. Cov&B DC
8. Quinn - SF
9. Gibson - SF
10. Paul Weiss NY
11. DPW NY
12. Skadden - NY
13. Latham - SF
14. Morgan Lewis SF
15. SimpThatch NY
16. Kirkland SF. NY
17. OMM - SF
18. paul hastings
19. irell & Manella (low)
20. Boies - NY
21. Debevoise -NY
22. Weil - NY
23. Jones Day - NY
24. Latham - NY
25. Baker Botts - DC
26. Arnold and Porter - DC
27. K & L Gates
28. Sidley Austin
29. Quinn - NY


Thanks for comments!

Congrats on doing so well. This is just a thought from someone who didn't do quite as well, but who has been talking to a lot of people about cali biglaw ... SF is pretty insular, and will want you to have some strong ties or good reason to work there, besides the fact that you like the city.

If you don't have ties, then your top bids basically consist of incredibly risky firms like cravath and Wachtell and a market (SF) which you may be at a disadvantage for.

Just a thought. It might be that your grades are so high that no one really cares... so there's that too. Does anyone else with more experience have an opinion?

Thanks for your comments.

I think you're right that SF is pretty tough without ties, but fortunately I have very strong ties there. Born, raised, undergrad, prestigious law firm work, summer work. I realize it's still pretty risky to have just these firms. I added Kramer and 2-3 other firms I have a great chance at to the top twenty so even if I don't get an interview, they'll have my resume and I can (hopefully) pester an interview out of them.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I'll comment on a couple fellow GULCers to PIF now.

What does PIF mean?

[Anonymous User]

Attending Cornell. On Law Review and barely top 1/3. Strong ties to NYC (i kno nobody cares) and somewhat strong ties to Boston.

I get the feeling career services doesn't want to hurt my feelings so I was hoping you guys could chance me. These are the firms I am scheduled to interview with in alphabetical order (firms in bold being the ones i am really interested in).

Allen & Overy (New York City, NY)
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (New York City, NY)
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (New York City, NY)
Clifford Chance US LLP (New York City, NY)
Dechert LLP (New York, NY)
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (New York City)
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (New York, NY)
Hogan Lovells LLP (New York City, NY)
Linklaters (New York City, NY)
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP (New York City, NY)
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (New York City, NY)
Proskauer Rose LLP (New York City, NY)
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP (New York City, NY)
Shearman & Sterling (New York City, NY)
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP (New York, NY)


Bingham McCutchen LLP (Boston, MA)
Foley Hoag LLP (Boston, MA)
Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP (Boston, MA)
Proskauer Rose LLP (Boston, MA)


Thanks.

Anyone...anyone?

[Anonymous User]

Hey gang, top 3% at Georgetown. Need to get this mother done soon. Here's what I've got so far, of fifty. If no city mentioned, it's NY. I'm interested in SF, DC, NY litigation. I think I should add some safeties - ideas? I really want to at least interview at W&C and Cravath, so I have them up top. Boies might be too high - I couldn't tell how heavily they are bid, as it was aggregate for whole firm, which is quite heavily-bid:


1. W&C DC
2. Cravath NY
3. MoFo SF
4. Boies - Oakland
5. Cleary - NY
6. SulCrom NY
7. Cov&B DC
8. Quinn - SF
9. Gibson - SF
10. Paul Weiss NY
11. DPW NY
12. Skadden - NY
13. Latham - SF
14. Morgan Lewis SF
15. SimpThatch NY
16. Kirkland SF. NY
17. OMM - SF
18. paul hastings
19. irell & Manella (low)
20. Boies - NY
21. Debevoise -NY
22. Weil - NY
23. Jones Day - NY
24. Latham - NY
25. Baker Botts - DC
26. Arnold and Porter - DC
27. K & L Gates
28. Sidley Austin
29. Quinn - NY


Thanks for comments!

Congrats on doing so well. This is just a thought from someone who didn't do quite as well, but who has been talking to a lot of people about cali biglaw ... SF is pretty insular, and will want you to have some strong ties or good reason to work there, besides the fact that you like the city.

If you don't have ties, then your top bids basically consist of incredibly risky firms like cravath and Wachtell and a market (SF) which you may be at a disadvantage for.

Just a thought. It might be that your grades are so high that no one really cares... so there's that too. Does anyone else with more experience have an opinion?

Thanks for your comments.

I think you're right that SF is pretty tough without ties, but fortunately I have very strong ties there. Born, raised, undergrad, prestigious law firm work, summer work. I realize it's still pretty risky to have just these firms. I added Kramer and 2-3 other firms I have a great chance at to the top twenty so even if I don't get an interview, they'll have my resume and I can (hopefully) pester an interview out of them.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I'll comment on a couple fellow GULCers to PIF now.

What does PIF mean?

Pay it forward. Meaning in response to getting help, I'll give others in the world help to, karmically, I guess, keep it real.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone? Just want to make sure I'm getting this right because OCI is obviously one of the big reasons I'm transferring.

T30 transfer to NU. Chicago is my first choice but since the Chicago market is still hurting I plan to use 10-15 bids on NYC since they are hiring so many more SAs (no significant ties to NYC, but would certainly love to work there obviously). Just not sure where to sprinkle those NYC bids in yet, but how does this look? Too conservative? Too aggressive? Appropriately all over the place for a transfer (would love to hear more advice on wtf transfers are supposed to do)? I figure I'll probably throw 5-7 NYC firms in the 15-25 bid range. Number in parenthesis is the class size (if available).

CHICAGO
1. Winston Strawn LLP (22)
2. Sidley LLP (41)
3. Katten Muchin Roseman LLP (18)
4. Chapman & Cutler LLP (8)
5. Schiff Hardin LLP (11)
6. Jenner & Block LLP (16)
7. SNR Denton (6)
8. Latham Watkins LLP (10)
9. Jones Day (11)
10. McGuireWoods LLP (5)
11. McDermott Will & Emery LLP (12)
12. Vedder Price PC (5)
13. K&L Gates LLP (4)
14. Baker & McKenzie (3)
15. Reed Smith LLP (4)
16. Drinker Biddle LLP (4)
17. DLA Piper LLP (4)
18. Kirkland & Ellis LLP (54)
19. Foley & Lardner (2)
20. Mayer Brown LLP (12)
21. Dykema Gossett PLLC (3)
22. Perkin Coie LLP (3)
23. Holland & Knife LLP (2)
24. Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
25. Quarles & Brady LLP
26. Edelson McGuire
27. Morgan Lewis LLP
28. Brian Cave LLP (2)
29. Goldberg Kohn LTD (2)
30. Greenberg Traurig LLP (5)
31. Ropes & Gray LLP (7)
32. Skadden LLP (9)
33. Paul Hastings LLP (6)
34. Wildman Harrold LLP (4)
35. Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP (4)
36. Swanson Martin & Bell LLP

NEW YORK
37.Milbank Tweed LLP (38)
38. White & Case LLP (35)
39. Fried Frank LLP (33)
40. Dechert LLP (20)
41. Dewey & LeBoeuf (21)
42. Proskauer Rose LLP (20)
43. Cahill Gordon & Reindel (37)
44. Linklater LLP (24)
45. Allen & Overy (26)
46. Kramer Leven LLP (15)
47. Hogan Lovells LLP (11)
48. Kaye Sholer LLP (15)
49. Shearman & Sterling LLP (37)
50. Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP (2)

I would be shocked if you got an interview at one of those NY firms bidding them that low. Also, why do you not have Kirkland, the firm with the largest class size in Chicago, outside of the top 10 and Chapman and Denton inside the top 10? I can't attest to transfer success at OCI.

OP. Yeah I'm actually not bidding them all that low, that is just kind of how I'm ranking Chi and NYC firms separately (didn't feel like renumbering), and then i'll somehow fit some of those NYC firms into the top 15-20, 21-25, etc. I may also just forget NYC all together, I dont know. 50 bids is ridiculous, over 90% of your interviews are going to come from top 15 bids anyway.

Re: Kirkland I just don't think I'd be competitive for them. Feel like I would be wasting a high bid when I could use it for a firm that is probably more of an appropriate target for transfers, plus I already bid Sidley high (based on the fact they are interviewing at my old school too, so I at least figure they wouldn't write me off immediately). Talking w/ some current transfers I've heard they have had more success with mid market firms, so thats kinda where I'm putting my emphasis (while keeping in mind class size). Maybe a little conservative but I'm scared shitless of striking out.

[Anonymous User]

Here's my crapshoot of a list. I'm right about bottom 20% at a lower T14. I have very low expectations for OCI and will probably wind up getting a job through some other method, but I'm giving it a try. My top bids are in secondary markets that I have ties to and I redacted those bids from here to shore up my anonymity.

Note: I actually bid 50 bids, but 7 of the firms wanted separate bids for separate offices, in which case I bid NYC and DC. In such situations I bid the DC office directly below the NYC office. All other bids are general bids, where you only bid once per firm even if you are interested in multiple offices. My interest in all of the non-secondary firms below is in their NYC, DC, or Chicago offices.

1. [Secondary market]
2. [Secondary market]
3. [Secondary market]
4. [Secondary market]
5. [Secondary market]
6. Baker & McKenzie
7. Seward & Kissel
8. Kelley Drye
9. Curtis
10. Nixon Peabody
11. Pillsbury
12. Baker Hostetler
13. BABC
14. Akin Gump
15. Mayer Brown
16. SRZ
17. Caplin & Drysdale
18. McDermott
19. Morgan Lewis
20. Chadbourne
21. Holland & Knight
22. Cadwalader
23. Linklaters
24. clifford chance
25. Dewey & LeBoeuf
26. Paul Hastings
27. Kramer Levin
28. Hughes Hubbard
29. Milbank
30. Arent Fox
31. Drinker Biddle
32. Cahill
33. Fulbright
34. Dechert
35. Kasowitz
36. Alston + Bird
37. Cooley
38. hogan lovells
39. Jones Day
40. Arnold & Porter
41. Allen & Overy
42. Freshfields
43. Fried Frank

[Anonymous User]

Pretty sure the facts I'll give will out me, but at least this way it doesn't show up in my post history.

I was accepted as a transfer to SLS. I'm top 5% at a tier one midwest state school, with no significant ties to either coast. I don't have great softs, I'm white, have no post undergrad work experience. I have some vaguely interesting softs other than WE, but I am nothing even close to the exceptional people my classmates will be. I am transferring for academia/clerkship chances, but want to do a biglaw SA or a couple years in biglaw after graduation.

I have absolutely NO IDEA how i am supposed to bid. I am interested in litigation, and would love to live in CA, but I know they're huge on ties. Is transferring to S a sufficient tie to make an SF/LA heavy bidlist safeish?

Chicago would be the closest major market to home, but they're big on ties as well, and I seriously don't think I have been to Chicago in 5 years at least. Is being from the midwest at large a sufficient tie?

Should I just say fuck ties, we'll do it live, and bid NYC only even though I'd rather not move across the country again?

[Grizz]

Why is Chambers always down damnit.

[Anonymous User]

Checking back in. HLS, approximately top 1/4, litigation only. All firms NY unless I've specified DC.

After speaking with multiple people (recruiters, OCS, knowledgeable friends) about my bidlist, the collective feedback has turned it into what feels like a 30 reach list. Is this too aggressive? Any other firms to include? Thanks.

1. Boies, Schiller & Flexner
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Weil, Gotshal & Manges Employment Group
4. Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler
5. Davis, Polk & Wardwell
6. Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman
7. Morrison & Foerster
8. Cravath, Swaine & Moore
9. Debevoise & Plimpton
10. WilmerHale (DC)
11. Williams & Connolly (DC)
12. Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
13. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
14. Kirkland & Ellis – BP litigation; keep this in mind
15. O’Melveny & Myers
16. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (DC)
17. Covington & Burling (DC)
18. Ropes & Gray (DC)
19. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
20. Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan
21. Sidley Austin
22. Sullivan & Cromwell
23. Mayer Brown
24. Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett
25. Crowell & Moring
26. Hughes Hubbard and Reed
27. Jenner & Block
28. Steptoe (DC)
29. Hogan (DC)
30. Jones Day (DC)

[vamedic03]

Checking back in. HLS, approximately top 1/4, litigation only. All firms NY unless I've specified DC.

After speaking with multiple people (recruiters, OCS, knowledgeable friends) about my bidlist, the collective feedback has turned it into what feels like a 30 reach list. Is this too aggressive? Any other firms to include? Thanks.

1. Boies, Schiller & Flexner
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Weil, Gotshal & Manges Employment Group
4. Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler
5. Davis, Polk & Wardwell
6. Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman
7. Morrison & Foerster
8. Cravath, Swaine & Moore
9. Debevoise & Plimpton
10. WilmerHale (DC)
11. Williams & Connolly (DC)
12. Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
13. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
14. Kirkland & Ellis – BP litigation; keep this in mind
15. O’Melveny & Myers
16. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (DC)
17. Covington & Burling (DC)
18. Ropes & Gray (DC)
19. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
20. Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan
21. Sidley Austin
22. Sullivan & Cromwell
23. Mayer Brown
24. Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett
25. Crowell & Moring
26. Hughes Hubbard and Reed
27. Jenner & Block
28. Steptoe (DC)
29. Hogan (DC)
30. Jones Day (DC)

Quick thoughts:

-Hogan, Steptoe, and Jones Day are probably all worth listing above Crowell.

-Why Kirkland NYC rather than Kirkland DC or Chi?

-Why Sidley NYC rather than Sidley DC or Chi?

-Why Jenner & Block NYC rather than Chi?

-What about OMM DC?

-Why A&P NYC rather than DC?

-Why Weil Employment group? Do you have a particular interest in employment law?

-Why no Skadden? They're far better than many of the other firms on that list.

[Anonymous User]

Checking back in. HLS, approximately top 1/4, litigation only. All firms NY unless I've specified DC.

After speaking with multiple people (recruiters, OCS, knowledgeable friends) about my bidlist, the collective feedback has turned it into what feels like a 30 reach list. Is this too aggressive? Any other firms to include? Thanks.

1. Boies, Schiller & Flexner
2. Arnold & Porter
3. Weil, Gotshal & Manges Employment Group
4. Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler
5. Davis, Polk & Wardwell
6. Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman
7. Morrison & Foerster
8. Cravath, Swaine & Moore
9. Debevoise & Plimpton
10. WilmerHale (DC)
11. Williams & Connolly (DC)
12. Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
13. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
14. Kirkland & Ellis – BP litigation; keep this in mind
15. O’Melveny & Myers
16. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (DC)
17. Covington & Burling (DC)
18. Ropes & Gray (DC)
19. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
20. Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan
21. Sidley Austin
22. Sullivan & Cromwell
23. Mayer Brown
24. Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett
25. Crowell & Moring
26. Hughes Hubbard and Reed
27. Jenner & Block
28. Steptoe (DC)
29. Hogan (DC)
30. Jones Day (DC)

Quick thoughts:

-Hogan, Steptoe, and Jones Day are probably all worth listing above Crowell.

-Why Kirkland NYC rather than Kirkland DC or Chi?

-Why Sidley NYC rather than Sidley DC or Chi?

-Why Jenner & Block NYC rather than Chi?

-What about OMM DC?

-Why A&P NYC rather than DC?

-Why Weil Employment group? Do you have a particular interest in employment law?

-Why no Skadden? They're far better than many of the other firms on that list.

Thanks for the feedback. As far as choices of offices, Chicago is out because my SO would strongly prefer to stay on the east coast close to family, and I'm of similar enough mind that it's not worth moving us to the midwest. Besides that, I have no ties to the city and don't want to spread possible callbacks to 3 markets.

As far as Kirkland, I made a couple of connections with Kirkland Senior Associates and a Partner in NY, so figured it was prudent to see if I could pull those strings.

I'm conflicted about Jenner, A&P, and Sidley; I have a slight preference for the work the firms do in DC but I have a countervailing preference for NYC as a city (although I have ties to DC, I grew up in NYC). These may very well be DC bids by the time I submit my final list.

As far as Weil Employment Group, I'm interested in the complex litigation element of employment law and can see myself practicing in the field. The group also places a stronger emphasis on partner mentorship and staffs cases fairly leanly -- these are all intriguing possibilities.

I probably should add Skadden, though.

[Anonymous User]

Revised bid list. 6 H's at Harvard. Want litigation in SoCal. All firms are LA except 1 (some firms have offices in both SD and LA or Century City and LA and if that is the case I am applying to both). List is sorted by some combination of class size on NALPDirectory, number of interview slots, historical callback and offer rates, and "places I'd like to work." I am mostly not bothering with places that had 1 or 2 summers or places that were virtually all transactional.

1. MoFo (SD/LA) (20)
2. Paul Hastings (SD/LA) (20)
3. Shepard Mullin (CC/LA) (20)
4. Winston & Strawn (20)
5. Sidley Austin (20)
6. Quinn Emanuel (30)
7. Gibson Dunn (40)
8. Kirkland (36)
9. Latham (SD/LA) (32)
10. Irell (52)
11. Cooley (SD) (20)
12. Bingham (20)
13. Jenner (20)
14. Jones Day (20)
15. Mitchell Silberberg (20)
16. Mayer Brown (20)
17. Akin Gump (20
18. WilmerHale (20)
19. McDermott (20)
20. Pillsbury (20)
21. Orrick (20)
22. Proskauer (20)
23. O'Melveny (CC/LA) (40)
24. Skadden (40)
25. Baker & Hoestetler (40)
26. Foley & Lardner (62)
27. Goodwin Procter (20)

Mailings so far: Manatt; Reed Smith; Stroock; Loeb & Loeb. Planning on getting Morgan Lewis out ASAP and Allen Matkins/McKenna Long out in early August (as their websites instruct). Most other places do virtually no litigation or are just bad places to work.

[beach_terror]

15% at a Philly T2 (missed LR by 3%), secondary journal - lived in the area my entire life, so about as strong of ties as you can get.

I blanketed Philly and Wilmington biglaw - do I have a shot at NYC? Since you are all infinitely more familiar with NYC firms than I am, are there any that I should focus on? Any general advice?

[thesealocust]

Anyone received a CB from Sqadden via mass mail?

Skappen is the proper misspelling for comic effect of Skadden.