Reminder: Stop Reading Tea Leaves; Start Mass Mailing Forum

[misterjames]

haven't been following this thread whatsoever but just an FYI, Bracewell & Giuliani just opened their application for summer 2016 in NYC and Houston. it's on their site.

[Anonymous User]

Should I mass mail firms I may bid on in OCI before bidding happens (is there any downside)? Depending on the answer to that, should I mass mail firms before OCI bidding that will be at my school's OCI that I do not plan on bidding on? Is there a negative to mass mailing multiple offices of the same firm (will they know/mention it)? For example is it ok to mass mail an LA office of a firm that you plan on bidding their NY office? If that is ok how many markets are ok (would it be weird to do for example LA, SF, DC, and NY, then see a firm's NY office at OCI)? Should mass mails include aa transcript along with a resume and cover letter? Thanks in advance for the help.

[BigZuck]

I don't generally think you should mass mail firms you will be seeing at OCI, nor do I think you should apply to more than one office of a particular firm. But me having said that will now incite a VIGOROUS debate ITT, so thank you for that.

Resume, cover letter, and transcript (but some people with poor grades try and hide the transcript I think so YMMV)

(obligatory "Read the thread guys, it's stickied for a reason, all these questions have already been answered and it's full of great information and it's not like you have anything better to do with your time anyway" post)

[hoos89]

I think mailing multiple offices of the same firm is okay as long as they have different recruiters and your top choice isn't located in a super insular market (I wouldn't, for instance, mass mail other offices of St. Louis firms if your top choice market is St. Louis). As with just about every mass mail detail, this isn't something anyone can give you a definitively correct answer on, so just do what you're most comfortable with.

[BigZuck]

I think mailing multiple offices of the same firm is okay as long as they have different recruiters and your top choice isn't located in a super insular market (I wouldn't, for instance, mass mail other offices of St. Louis firms if your top choice market is St. Louis). As with just about every mass mail detail, this isn't something anyone can give you a definitively correct answer on, so just do what you're most comfortable with.

Well, now, you and I are in a fight

So get ready for that

Good job anon, thanks for that, well done, bravo

(srsly though guys, read the thread, it's well worth your time)

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys I started a new thread for these but someone told me to post here:

1. If you have shitty grades at a T-10, is it a good idea to leave out your transcript in the initial mails?

2. Can I mail firms who are coming to my OCI? We have like 200+ firms coming and only 60 bids, and maybe 20 resultant interviews. There are a lot of firms I'm interested in and I plan on going to see the recruiters of any firms I miss in the lottery. Would it be a bad idea to mass mail these firms beforehand? How about after OCI, if I'm not able to interview with them. Something like " I visited at OCI but you couldn't squeeze me in, I'm still really interested in your firm."

3. How do I deal with mailing the same firms in different markets? I have a "dream" market and NYC and many firms overlap between the two. If asked, is it suicide to be like "Yeah I applied to your office in NY because I'm trying to cover my bases" or "Yes I would prefer market X but NYC is okay too" ?

4. If I mail offices that do not have SA programs, are they gonna just ignore it or are they going to tell their other offices that I'm a moron who doesn't do my research

5. Certain firms do not list office hiring contacts but rather the managing partners. How can I find the appropriate address in these scenarios?

6. Nalp has a few offices that have hiring contacts in other offices/states. Should I roll with this? Or is it better to mail someone at the office I'm applying to, even if they aren't a hiring contact.

[Anonymous User]

Related questions, what should I put in the subject of the email?

Also, if I'm emailing an alum directly, what is a good way to phrase the whole "I want a informational interview but actually I want a real interview" situation? Should I send a resume with my initial email or is that too presumptuous? I'd rather skip the informational interview and go straight to the "putting in a good word for a screener" part of the process, if that's possible.

How about something like "Dear Johnny, I recently submitted my application materials to your recruiting department. If you have the time I would love to talk to you a little about your firm."?

How would this change if the alum is a partner? On that note, is it better to mail a partner or an associate if you have the choice? Partners are more powerful but associates are more likely to care right?

[hoos89]

Subject line has been discussed at length, I believe.

I don't think sending a resume in the opening e-mail is too presumptuous; it's a good way for them to know something about you (and it gives them an idea whether they can actually help you, if they're so inclined). Do not mention anything about an interview in the e-mail, and I would be very hesitant to do so in any subsequent interaction. Just say that you applied, and that you'd like to talk to them about the firm if they have time. Don't be impatient. If they want to help you and they can, they likely will.

As for associates/partners: I'm not sure there's a right answer there. It can feel intimidating to cold e-mail a partner, I think, but I had some decent luck doing that, including one partner who responded to my e-mail by directing the recruiter to set up a screener. That said, not all partners are really involved with recruiting, so don't just assume any of them could do that.

[twixt]

Is it best to contact alumni in the practice area you would prefer, or an alumni who it seems you would have the most in common with (i.e. someone who was on the same journal or in the same organization?). And is it too much to contact both an associate and a partner, should you just pick one?

[efeinste]

Thoughts on sending apps to firms which are coming to OCI but on which I'm not placing bids? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to look for it.

[Manteca]

When mailing to a firm with several practice areas, should you say why you want to work at the firm generally or specify the practice area you're interested in?

Also: cover letter in the body of the e-mail or attached?

[chuckbass]

Thoughts on sending apps to firms which are coming to OCI but on which I'm not placing bids? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to look for it.

I mean why not? It won't hurt.

[ymmv]

Thoughts on sending apps to firms which are coming to OCI but on which I'm not placing bids? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to look for it.

I mean why not? It won't hurt.

Rank them somewhere on your list (even pointlessly low) if you can, though. Always better to be able to say you tried to get in with them but hey, lottery, whatcha gonna do.

[BizBro]

Thoughts on sending apps to firms which are coming to OCI but on which I'm not placing bids? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to look for it.

I mean why not? It won't hurt.

Rank them somewhere on your list (even pointlessly low) if you can, though. Always better to be able to say you tried to get in with them but hey, lottery, whatcha gonna do.

They won't see your bid list, so it doesn't matter. You can say it anyway.

[ymmv]

Yes, flat-out lying to recruiters is always a credited strategy for the aspiring bar applicant.

[hoos89]

Not totally familiar with lottery, but is it possible for a firm to not fill all its slots? If that happened, you'd be caught. Also might be possible for them to know who bid on them or to find out through CSO.

[BizBro]

I think you're making it a bigger deal than it really is, but whatever.

[Anonymous User]

I think you're making it a bigger deal than it really is, but whatever.

CPP at Penn specifically told me that firms will know whether I bid on them for OCI, but not where.

[pancakes3]

Massmail month is upon us.

[Slytherpuff]

Massmail month is upon us.

Let's do this!

[PB&J.D.]

Is there a good resource to use in finding office-specific clients when they're not listed on the website? My initial Google "News" search was inconclusive.

[ManoftheHour]

Massmail month is upon us.

Let's do this!

[2014]

I think you're making it a bigger deal than it really is, but whatever.

CPP at Penn specifically told me that firms will know whether I bid on them for OCI, but not where.

UChi sends firms you bid on but didn't get your resume so they have a list of those who tried. I'm sure other schools do the same.

[mister logical]

Who do I address cover letters to? the recruiting coordinator?

[Anonymous User]

Does day of the week matter for mass-mailing? My draft folder is full of emails ready to be sent. Wait until tomorrow or is sending them on a Sunday ok? Worried the recruiter is less likely to read if they get it on a Sunday and then forget about it.