Georgetown 2011 OCI Thread Forum

[chipchip]

Did you already accept the offer for Tax? If so, then you're in a more difficult boat, because you have committed to journal. I'd talk to OJA if that is the case and see what they say. You don't want to get sanctioned.

I have friends who were extremely bright (Top 5%) and simply did not want to do journal. If you have other things on your resume (e.g. moot court, externship, etc.), then you can point to those instead. If they ask, just be honest and say that you decided that you wanted to focus your attention on other activities. And just say here's an updated resume.

Look, these are attorneys interviewing you. They are not sitting with baited breath about your journal results. They want to see if you are intelligent and well spoken and someone they could bear to be around until 2AM if need be. Your personality matters infinitely more than journal.

[Anonymous User]

ACLR and Tax are strong journals in their respective fields. I had an attorney at one firm last year tell me that he thinks ACLR is the only one that matters (he was a prosecutor). Either way, getting on journal depends on the subjective perceptions of your work by a rising 3L, and not everyone likes the same thing. Obviously OJA has a process for limiting the influence of one grader or another, but it's not completely scientific. It's a check mark on your resume. If you are a strong candidate otherwise, no firm is going to care about journals. I was never asked during my entire SA if I'm on main or something else. It doesn't matter in practice at all. Maybe judges care more, but even then...

In the same position as original questioner, except Tax Lawyer. Don't care about doing a journal at all in particular - want to quit ASAP and would have put up with main journal only for prestige. Simply not interested, but want top job. Any idea what my gameplan should be, and what this means? Unfortunately put, "journal not yet decided" on resume submitted thru OCI; how should I cope during interviews?

Similarly, I'm wondering if a secondary at gulc is really that prestigous. I'm under the impression that everyone who wanted to be on a journal got to be. Is this the norm?

[chipchip]

If you write a decent note for write-on, then yes, though as we've discussed the secondary journals also have "rankings." If you submit a piece of garbage to write-on, don't write any analysis at all, don't edit, etc., then you're going to not get on a journal. Generally, that's a person who just decided to say fuck it and stop doing the competition but still submitted.

Look, you all can sit here and debate journal prestige or whatever. Having gone through this process last year and seen exactly what firms care about when it comes to SAs this summer, I can tell you that a) it's a 5 second discussion at most during the interview process, and at best will help a borderline student get ahead -- if you've got the grades, journal doesn't matter; b) it will never be mentioned again and no one will care what journal you are on at the firms (judges are more likely to care); and c) try and relax -- EIW is a long week and obviously you want to do well, but it's not worth freaking out over every small thing.

[Anonymous User]

If you write a decent note for write-on, then yes, though as we've discussed the secondary journals also have "rankings." If you submit a piece of garbage to write-on, don't write any analysis at all, don't edit, etc., then you're going to not get on a journal. Generally, that's a person who just decided to say fuck it and stop doing the competition but still submitted.

Look, you all can sit here and debate journal prestige or whatever. Having gone through this process last year and seen exactly what firms care about when it comes to SAs this summer, I can tell you that a) it's a 5 second discussion at most during the interview process, and at best will help a borderline student get ahead -- if you've got the grades, journal doesn't matter; b) it will never be mentioned again and no one will care what journal you are on at the firms (judges are more likely to care); and c) try and relax -- EIW is a long week and obviously you want to do well, but it's not worth freaking out over every small thing.

Thanks brother. All right, gents, let's get ready to kill these interviews!

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else in the Journal of Int'l Law?

[Anonymous User]

I just wanted to say that, as a grader of the write-ons, I thought many of you did an unexpectedly good job. A number of you strained to sound a lot smarter than you are, there were some cringe-worthy 'creative' titles, and by the end of the grading I was ready to kill myself if I had to read another dull piece about how recusals wouldn't work, but on the whole I thought most of the pieces I read were a lot better than the actual model answer they give out as an example of what a good write-on looks like. Good luck with OCI.

[nealric]

I am a Tax Lawyer alumnus and would strongly encourage people to join. It's generally a very well-run journal and the workload isn't too heavy. There is also free beer in the Tax Lawyer fridge

[Anonymous User]

I am a Tax Lawyer alumnus and would strongly encourage people to join. It's generally a very well-run journal and the workload isn't too heavy. There is also free beer in the Tax Lawyer fridge

*jealous*

I need to talk to my ACLR EIC about this immediately.

[Unitas]

I am a Tax Lawyer alumnus and would strongly encourage people to join. It's generally a very well-run journal and the workload isn't too heavy. There is also free beer in the Tax Lawyer fridge

How old is this beer? and will it be refilled after I drink it?

[Anonymous User]

Where do ya'll see information about accepting our journal placement? When I log on to get my results, it doesn't say anything about that.

[Anonymous User]

That should be the very first thing it does say... if you're on a journal.

[Anonymous User]

That should be the very first thing it does say... if you're on a journal.

Not true. I'm on the International Environmental Law Review and it says that they'll contact us.

[Anonymous User]

Ok, thats the one I'm on, so I guess thats how they do it. Just checking to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious.

[DeSimone]

15 interviews. All NY.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know when firms who received our resume b/c they were in our T20 would start contacting us? (assuming they liked it......) Should you start mailing them already or wait to give them a chance to contact you?

[nycdweller]

Anyone know when firms who received our resume b/c they were in our T20 would start contacting us? (assuming they liked it......) Should you start mailing them already or wait to give them a chance to contact you?

From talking to recruiters I get the sense that it never hurts to reach out first & express interest

[Anonymous User]

Have you all sent any emails to firms that you didn't get through the lottery?

[DeSimone]

Have you all sent any emails to firms that you didn't get through the lottery?

Yes.

[Anonymous User]

Sent about 8 emails with resume/CL to firms I bid on but didn't get a lottery interview with. Yet to hear anything back. Hoping by the end of the week maybe?

[chipchip]

Don't hold your breath. Most responses to interview requests will occur next week or the week of EIW itself. A lot of the summer programs are ending right now so the recruiters are focusing on reviews and such.

[Anonymous User]

I've gotten one interview this way and one response saying they will review my resume and let me know. Haven't heard anything from 7 others....

[Anonymous User]

I've gotten one interview this way and one response saying they will review my resume and let me know. Haven't heard anything from 7 others....

Have you used any sort of cover letter beyond something like "hey I bid on you and didn't get you through lottery but would like to interview"?

[Anonymous User]

I've gotten one interview this way and one response saying they will review my resume and let me know. Haven't heard anything from 7 others....

Have you used any sort of cover letter beyond something like "hey I bid on you and didn't get you through lottery but would like to interview"?

Nope just attached resume and transcript

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

Debevoise and Plimpton contacted me based on the resume GULC sent out because they were a top 20 bid. That's it so far. Going to write some cover letters tonight and send out a bunch of emails tomorrow to other firms that I didn't get interviews with from the lottery. Not looking forward to writing the cover letters; I hate writing cover letters.