UChicago OCI 2014 Forum

[Anonymous User]

any anons w/ K&E status care to share GPA? would be nice to see what it took, both for rising 1Ls/2Ls.

[Anonymous User]

any anons w/ K&E status care to share GPA? would be nice to see what it took, both for rising 1Ls/2Ls.

I'm the K&E from the last page - 181 on the nose. Had a good friend miss it at 180.8. So somewhere between there.

Thanks, all, for the bidlist feedback. Much appreciated. Guess I'm below the cutoff for Proskauer, huh?

[Anonymous User]

any anons w/ K&E status care to share GPA? would be nice to see what it took, both for rising 1Ls/2Ls.

I'm the K&E from the last page - 181 on the nose. Had a good friend miss it at 180.8. So somewhere between there.

Thanks, all, for the bidlist feedback. Much appreciated. Guess I'm below the cutoff for Proskauer, huh?

Hm, that is pretty high compared to previous years no?

[WheninLaw]

any anons w/ K&E status care to share GPA? would be nice to see what it took, both for rising 1Ls/2Ls.

I'm the K&E from the last page - 181 on the nose. Had a good friend miss it at 180.8. So somewhere between there.

Thanks, all, for the bidlist feedback. Much appreciated. Guess I'm below the cutoff for Proskauer, huh?

Hm, that is pretty high compared to previous years no?

Seems about right. Our year was very low. The year previous was very high. Between 180.5-181 seems the sweet spot.

[Anonymous User]

any anons w/ K&E status care to share GPA? would be nice to see what it took, both for rising 1Ls/2Ls.

I'm the K&E from the last page - 181 on the nose. Had a good friend miss it at 180.8. So somewhere between there.

Thanks, all, for the bidlist feedback. Much appreciated. Guess I'm below the cutoff for Proskauer, huh?

Hm, that is pretty high compared to previous years no?

Seems about right. Our year was very low. The year previous was very high. Between 180.5-181 seems the sweet spot.

Ya was mainly comparing to last year. Trying to guess LR cutoff looks like it will be higher than last year though based on K&E being higher.

[Anonymous User]

What is conventional wisdom for bid distribution between markets? For example for Chi/NY bidlist, will most people put all Chicago firms in the top 10-12 and then NYC afterwards?

I had planned on mixing it up throughout the first 16 between NYC/Chicago..but if most people are going to stack the top with chicago, then I'll probably need to do the same to get those screeners right?

[Anonymous User]

What is conventional wisdom for bid distribution between markets? For example for Chi/NY bidlist, will most people put all Chicago firms in the top 10-12 and then NYC afterwards?

I had planned on mixing it up throughout the first 16 between NYC/Chicago..but if most people are going to stack the top with chicago, then I'll probably need to do the same to get those screeners right?

Wondering the same for LA/NY.

[Anonymous User]

What is conventional wisdom for bid distribution between markets? For example for Chi/NY bidlist, will most people put all Chicago firms in the top 10-12 and then NYC afterwards?

I had planned on mixing it up throughout the first 16 between NYC/Chicago..but if most people are going to stack the top with chicago, then I'll probably need to do the same to get those screeners right?

Wondering the same for LA/NY.

And Chi/DC.

[Neal Patrick Harris]

What is conventional wisdom for bid distribution between markets? For example for Chi/NY bidlist, will most people put all Chicago firms in the top 10-12 and then NYC afterwards?

I had planned on mixing it up throughout the first 16 between NYC/Chicago..but if most people are going to stack the top with chicago, then I'll probably need to do the same to get those screeners right?

Basically right. NY firms with over 40 slots are generally the ones bid in the teens. CHI is very competitive

[2014]

DC and LA firms are somewhat less in demand than NY firms but DC and LA firms tend to be 21 slot while the biggest NY players are 42 slot so that throws the comparison off. Ultimately imo you should expect that all NY/DC/LA/Chi 21 slot firms will fill in the top 10 (this isn't strictly true but I'm just trying to help manage expectations), all Chi 42 will also fill in the top 10, and Kirkland/Sidley/Jenner/Skadden will fill up there as well. So the move you make is to choose which 10 firms you want to all but assure yourself of interviews at from those categories I just mentioned and those fill your top 10 bids. For many/most that will be mostly Chi firms, but enough will bid like Proskauer NY, Weil NY, Gibson LA, etc that they will fill up too so it's about your own priorities at that point.

Once you get past the line where 21 slot firms become unlikely, the goal is to move onto your choice of either 42 slot firms in non-Chi markets (i.e. NYC V10s), or the next tier of Chi firms (McDermott, Schiff, Mayer, etc).

There is no objectively right answer because of the game theory implications so it's just a matter of prioritizing firms that are important to you for whatever reason but only to the extent that you need to in order to barely secure the interview.

[Anonymous User]

T20 transfer here, not sure how this really works so bear with me! NYC/Chi. Leaning transactional.

Bolded means that I was preselected by that firm during T20's NYC day

1. Sidley Chicago 84
2. Kirkland Chicago 84
3. Mayer Brown Chicago 63
4. Skadden Chicago 84
5. Chapman Cutler Chicago 21
6. Winston Chicago 42
7. McDermott Chicago 63
8. Shearman NYC 21
9. Cadwalader NYC 21
10. Paul Weiss NYC 42
11. Cleary NYC 42
12. DPW NYC 42
13. Simpson Thacher NYC 57
14. Katten Chicago 42
15. Debevoise NYC 63
16. Proskauer NYC 39
17. Cooley NYC 42

[Anonymous User]

Can someone clarify: does being a multi-office interview mean that if I am looking at multiple offices I only have to bid one office, or do I still bid both? I was under the impression it was just one, but looking back at the 2013 OCI thread it looks like both.

[2014]

Can someone clarify: does being a multi-office interview mean that if I am looking at multiple offices I only have to bid one office, or do I still bid both? I was under the impression it was just one, but looking back at the 2013 OCI thread it looks like both.

Typically means one interviewer is covering multiple offices. You still signal which ones you are applying for though. The ones you bid separate are like Kirkland and Sidley. Look at however those are flagged on Symplicity and apply that to other firms (since I forget the exact flaggings). If firms are the same as those two, bid twice, if they are different, bid once.

[2014]

T20 transfer here, not sure how this really works so bear with me! NYC/Chi. Leaning transactional.

Bolded means that I was preselected by that firm during T20's NYC day

1. Sidley Chicago 84
2. Kirkland Chicago 84
3. Mayer Brown Chicago 63
4. Skadden Chicago 84
5. Chapman Cutler Chicago 21
6. Winston Chicago 42
7. McDermott Chicago 63
8. Shearman NYC 21
9. Cadwalader NYC 21
10. Paul Weiss NYC 42
11. Cleary NYC 42
12. DPW NYC 42
13. Simpson Thacher NYC 57
14. Katten Chicago 42
15. Debevoise NYC 63
16. Proskauer NYC 39
17. Cooley NYC 42

Preselect thing is probably irrelevant in terms of your behavior. I think your list is fine, I'd probably switch Chapman and Skadden to be safe. I think Proskauer is likely wasted down there but not positive. You should bid Cravath and S&C as well, should be able to get screeners at both if you toss them in at the end of your list. Consider throwing a couple of 21 slot NY firms in between Paul Weiss and Cleary.

[Anonymous User]

does it hurt us at all that our OCI is comparatively later than our peers? By the time we meet the firms who interview on the 28th, it'll be 2 weeks after other T14 kids finished their OCI

[Neal Patrick Harris]

does it hurt us at all that our OCI is comparatively later than our peers? By the time we meet the firms who interview on the 28th, it'll be 2 weeks after other T14 kids finished their OCI

There's no way we can say whether or not this is true. It didn't seem like it was hurting me but that's not a very valuable statement.

I hear that most firms keep spots open for us. I have seen people from Yale/Stanford at callbacks before...

The only thing you can really do is schedule them quickly so you have the best chance as possible at getting that offer.

[Neal Patrick Harris]

T20 transfer here, not sure how this really works so bear with me! NYC/Chi. Leaning transactional.

Bolded means that I was preselected by that firm during T20's NYC day

1. Sidley Chicago 84
2. Kirkland Chicago 84
3. Mayer Brown Chicago 63
4. Skadden Chicago 84
5. Chapman Cutler Chicago 21
6. Winston Chicago 42
7. McDermott Chicago 63
8. Shearman NYC 21
9. Cadwalader NYC 21
10. Paul Weiss NYC 42
11. Cleary NYC 42
12. DPW NYC 42
13. Simpson Thacher NYC 57
14. Katten Chicago 42
15. Debevoise NYC 63
16. Proskauer NYC 39
17. Cooley NYC 42

Preselect thing is probably irrelevant in terms of your behavior. I think your list is fine, I'd probably switch Chapman and Skadden to be safe. I think Proskauer is likely wasted down there but not positive. You should bid Cravath and S&C as well, should be able to get screeners at both if you toss them in at the end of your list. Consider throwing a couple of 21 slot NY firms in between Paul Weiss and Cleary.

All seems like good advice. Now it's time to start bulking out the bottom end with firms you think there will be open spots at.

You should bid CSM, but don't bid it 49 or you won't get it. It'll probably be available in add/drop, but I think it dropped in the 20s last year.

IMO you may be able to snag S&C at 18. Not sure how much they like transfers, though.

[Anonymous User]

T20 transfer here, not sure how this really works so bear with me! NYC/Chi. Leaning transactional.

Bolded means that I was preselected by that firm during T20's NYC day

1. Sidley Chicago 84
2. Kirkland Chicago 84
3. Mayer Brown Chicago 63
4. Skadden Chicago 84
5. Chapman Cutler Chicago 21
6. Winston Chicago 42
7. McDermott Chicago 63
8. Shearman NYC 21
9. Cadwalader NYC 21
10. Paul Weiss NYC 42
11. Cleary NYC 42
12. DPW NYC 42
13. Simpson Thacher NYC 57
14. Katten Chicago 42
15. Debevoise NYC 63
16. Proskauer NYC 39
17. Cooley NYC 42

Preselect thing is probably irrelevant in terms of your behavior. I think your list is fine, I'd probably switch Chapman and Skadden to be safe. I think Proskauer is likely wasted down there but not positive. You should bid Cravath and S&C as well, should be able to get screeners at both if you toss them in at the end of your list. Consider throwing a couple of 21 slot NY firms in between Paul Weiss and Cleary.

All seems like good advice. Now it's time to start bulking out the bottom end with firms you think there will be open spots at.

You should bid CSM, but don't bid it 49 or you won't get it. It'll probably be available in add/drop, but I think it dropped in the 20s last year.

IMO you may be able to snag S&C at 18. Not sure how much they like transfers, though.

Thanks for feedback!! Do you think it's worth padding the bottom with Chicago firms at all? I feel like all Chicago firms would be gone by that point

[Anonymous User]

You've got Winston 6th - given that they're fairly unpopular, because of the no-offer thing from 2012, do they really need to be that high?

I have no idea, as a fellow rising 2L, just thought I'd ask.

[Neal Patrick Harris]

T20 transfer here, not sure how this really works so bear with me! NYC/Chi. Leaning transactional.

Bolded means that I was preselected by that firm during T20's NYC day

1. Sidley Chicago 84
2. Kirkland Chicago 84
3. Mayer Brown Chicago 63
4. Skadden Chicago 84
5. Chapman Cutler Chicago 21
6. Winston Chicago 42
7. McDermott Chicago 63
8. Shearman NYC 21
9. Cadwalader NYC 21
10. Paul Weiss NYC 42
11. Cleary NYC 42
12. DPW NYC 42
13. Simpson Thacher NYC 57
14. Katten Chicago 42
15. Debevoise NYC 63
16. Proskauer NYC 39
17. Cooley NYC 42

Preselect thing is probably irrelevant in terms of your behavior. I think your list is fine, I'd probably switch Chapman and Skadden to be safe. I think Proskauer is likely wasted down there but not positive. You should bid Cravath and S&C as well, should be able to get screeners at both if you toss them in at the end of your list. Consider throwing a couple of 21 slot NY firms in between Paul Weiss and Cleary.

All seems like good advice. Now it's time to start bulking out the bottom end with firms you think there will be open spots at.

You should bid CSM, but don't bid it 49 or you won't get it. It'll probably be available in add/drop, but I think it dropped in the 20s last year.

IMO you may be able to snag S&C at 18. Not sure how much they like transfers, though.

Thanks for feedback!! Do you think it's worth padding the bottom with Chicago firms at all? I feel like all Chicago firms would be gone by that point

I think goldberg kohn and Greenberg Taurig are possibilities that late.

[Neal Patrick Harris]

You've got Winston 6th - given that they're fairly unpopular, because of the no-offer thing from 2012, do they really need to be that high?

I have no idea, as a fellow rising 2L, just thought I'd ask.

It should be considering what they did. But 1) Chicago is a competitive market and 2) some people are eager to get into the "best" firm despite the risk of a no offer.

I didn't bid them at all, but some people don't feel the need to yield to the warning signs and, I mean, so be it.

[20141023]

.

[Anonymous User]

Speaking of no-offers, are there any firms that are coming to OCI that you upperclassmen / graduates would recommend against? If so, which firms, and why? (It doesn't just have to be because of no-offers.)

Also, any updates on the whole Mayer Brown conversation that went downhill pretty quickly from the other thread?

Anon for obvious reasons.

I think Latham's history makes it self-evident.

I think Weil is on the downturn and they recently laid off a lot of people.

I think the people at S&C are miserable to be around because they're all full of themselves.

I think Cleary overplays its "we're nice" culture and people have reported it's not as spectacular as before.

I've heard Cadwalader is more of a sweatshop than most NY firms and has screamers.

I dislike Skadden because of their leverage ratio (haven't made a Chicago partner in ages from what I've heard)

I hear Quinn sucks to work for and people consistently bill way over market for a negligible bump in bonus.

There bad things about OMM in other threads. You can search for them.

I've heard DLA is a sweatshop and doesn't have stimulating work (I don't really buy this considering these things could be said about all of biglaw, but I'm going for maximizing information here).


Honestly though, Reg, I think that "firms not to work for" isn't as helpful as "firms to work for." I don't want anyone to not accept an offer based on my impression. It might, however, be something you can look out for when speaking with people from one of the above firms.

[Anonymous User]

You've got Winston 6th - given that they're fairly unpopular, because of the no-offer thing from 2012, do they really need to be that high?

I have no idea, as a fellow rising 2L, just thought I'd ask.

It should be considering what they did. But 1) Chicago is a competitive market and 2) some people are eager to get into the "best" firm despite the risk of a no offer.

I didn't bid them at all, but some people don't feel the need to yield to the warning signs and, I mean, so be it.

Damn okay time to switch out for Katten/Baker McKenzie or something

[Anonymous User]

So 9 out of first 10 bids are Chicago (usual suspects with larger SA classes)

Then i have NYC (Cleary, DPW, PW, Cadwalader, SullCrom, Cravath, STB, Shearman, Deb, White & Case etc..) from 11-19

Then I have all Chicago firms with 21 slots from 20-34. Will I get any of these?? Is it a waste to bother with 21-slot Chicago firms in this range because they'll all be gone earlier? Was gonna fill 35-50 with NYC and some random ones (e.g. Allen Overy London)

20. Dechert Chicago 21
21. Goodwin Proctor Boston 21 (just throwing in here cuz i'm from Boston)
22. Dykema Chicago 21
23. DLA Piper Chicago 21
24. Dentons Chicago 21
25. Greenberg Traurig Chicago 21
26. Holland Knight Chicago 21
27. K&L Gates Chicago 21
28. mcguirewoods Chicago 21
29. Morgan Lewis Chicago 21
30. Paul Hastings Chicago 21
31. Perkins Cole Chicago 21
32. Proskauer Chicago 21
33. Reed Smith Chicago 21
34. Vedder Price Chicago 21