Northwestern OCI 2015 Forum

[NYC-WVU]

So they told us employers were up but I'm not seeing anything on simplicity...am I missing something?

Also, when will they give us the median GPA information for firms? Is that along with the list of employers?

They went up at noon. I don't know anything about the GPA info.

[berndie90]

GPA info is up as well. Look under Resources -> Document Library on Simplicity.

[personofinterest]

It says "password protected". What is the password, and why is it password protected if I already logged in to symplicity?

[berndie90]

It says "password protected". What is the password, and why is it password protected if I already logged in to symplicity?

I opened it directly in another Chrome Tab just by clicking on the link instead of downloading it. No password was needed. Not sure if that helps or not though...

[personofinterest]

It says "password protected". What is the password, and why is it password protected if I already logged in to symplicity?

I opened it directly in another Chrome Tab just by clicking on the link instead of downloading it. No password was needed. Not sure if that helps or not though...

Thanks! It worked when I used chrome.

[Anonymous User]

Long story short, I was not able to complete the write-on due to personal reasons and now i'm freaking out a bit. I have a good gpa 3.7+, but have I closed the door to elite firms in NY and Chicago? It seems most firms want journal experience. I want to do transactional work.

Thanks for the help in advance.

[Cobretti]

Long story short, I was not able to complete the write-on due to personal reasons and now i'm freaking out a bit. I have a good gpa 3.7+, but have I closed the door to elite firms in NY and Chicago? It seems most firms want journal experience. I want to do transactional work.

Thanks for the help in advance.

You're fine. If you were targeting lit you might have reason to be nervous but for transactional it shouldn't be a big deal, your GPA will be more than enough.

[Anonymous User]

In a similar vein, if i am interested in doing transactional work and i don't get Law Review, is it worth my time to participate in any of the secondary journals?

[Cobretti]

Can't say for sure, it's certainly not going to help if you don't do any journal, just might not hurt very much. If your GPA is as high as the first anon there's a good chance you would land mostly the same offers as you would otherwise.

But tbf I'd do it if it was still an option, never know what will happen at the margins.

[Anonymous User]

If I'm targeting Chicago with a 3.7 and demonstrate interest in transactional (even though I have zero relevant experience and my background screams litigation), should I be bidding drastically more conservatively in Chicago than NYC/secondary markets?

[homestyle28]

If I'm targeting Chicago with a 3.7 and demonstrate interest in transactional (even though I have zero relevant experience and my background screams litigation), should I be bidding drastically more conservatively in Chicago than NYC/secondary markets?

Everyone targeting Chicago should have a plan B, but with a 3.7 I don't think you need to be super conservative in NYC.

You should probably have your top 5 firms in Chicago and use your first 5 bids on them. Then implement plan B with Bids 6-15. Plan B should likely be good Chicago/NYC firms (but not necessarily super-elite) with bigger classes.

[Anonymous User]

The secondary market I'm targeting only has a small handful of firms coming to OCI. Is there any downside to contacting a legal recruiter in the city for helping finding a 2L spot? I have a 3.85 but just don't know much about that market.

[Anonymous User]

Career services says we should email attorneys we met at networking events to meet for coffee. How do I do this without looking like it's a shameless Oci plug?

[blackcup]

Career services says we should email attorneys we met at networking events to meet for coffee. How do I do this without looking like it's a shameless Oci plug?

Mention specific things about this attorney that interest you (and mean it) in the email asking for coffee. Make it sound like you specifically picked that person out because s/he is special and you are interested in what s/he does. Last thing you want to do is send an email that looks like you copied and pasted it to multiple attorneys.

[splitsplat]

In a similar vein, if i am interested in doing transactional work and i don't get Law Review, is it worth my time to participate in any of the secondary journals?

3.6++ with decent resume and interviewer, don't do non LR journal, not worth the time or effort. anything less or if you are super risk adverse, then maybe

[Cobretti]

Career services says we should email attorneys we met at networking events to meet for coffee. How do I do this without looking like it's a shameless Oci plug?

Mention specific things about this attorney that interest you (and mean it) in the email asking for coffee. Make it sound like you specifically picked that person out because s/he is special and you are interested in what s/he does. Last thing you want to do is send an email that looks like you copied and pasted it to multiple attorneys.

Also, as long as you make it personable like the above post stated, don't really sorry about making it a shameless plug for oci. They know the position you are in and were in the same spot not long ago. Saying you are getting ready for oci in a couple months and are hoping to learn more about their firm and practice area is perfectly acceptable and probably even the ideal approach.

[Dr. Filth]

In a similar vein, if i am interested in doing transactional work and i don't get Law Review, is it worth my time to participate in any of the secondary journals?

3.6++ with decent resume and interviewer, don't do non LR journal, not worth the time or effort. anything less or if you are super risk adverse, then maybe

I would do a secondary journal if you've already gone through write on. It really isn't much work, and a couple of the journals aren't even requiring you to write notes. If you don't have to write a note, then you have maybe 10 hours of work for a resume line.

[Anonymous User]

OP should post poll to see what cities everyone is planning on primarily bidding.

[cookiejar1]

I think journal teaches you transferable skills in the sense that you learn to put up with tedious, meaningless, and arbitrary shit early on as a law student which is basically what life as a junior associate seems to be like.

[Anonymous User]

Start posting your possible bid lists for us 2L's and 3L's to help you out on!

[homestyle28]

In a similar vein, if i am interested in doing transactional work and i don't get Law Review, is it worth my time to participate in any of the secondary journals?

3.6++ with decent resume and interviewer, don't do non LR journal, not worth the time or effort. anything less or if you are super risk adverse, then maybe

I would do a secondary journal if you've already gone through write on. It really isn't much work, and a couple of the journals aren't even requiring you to write notes. If you don't have to write a note, then you have maybe 10 hours of work for a resume line.

If your bidding Chicago there's a decent chance you'll have a call back with an NU alum, and a decent chance that they did a non-LR journal. I'm not sure it moves the needle any on whether you should or shouldn't do journal, but having one more connection with an interviewer isn't a bad thing.

[sener212]

I think journal teaches you transferable skills in the sense that you learn to put up with tedious, meaningless, and arbitrary shit early on as a law student which is basically what life as a junior associate seems to be like.

+1. I hated journal and always complained about it, but as a current first year associate I'll admit learning to be really detail oriented about stupid stuff is a skill I use -- and it's a skill I honed on a secondary journal.

[Anonymous User]

3.27, could really use some advice on whether I should stick close to my GPA in 2-3 markets, or bid NYC exclusively and include more than a few reach firms.

There are only so many NYC offices with larger classes that seem attainable (i.e., have medians ~.2 above my GPA). At the same time, there are a good number of Chicago offices that are within that range, although with smaller classes. Given the common advice to bid NYC with large classes, is it worth going with more reach firms in NYC at the expense of these Chicago offices, or should I bid both markets and keep as close as possible to my GPA? Bidding both would lower the medians I’m up against, but I wonder what it will cost me.

Additionally, I have solid, family/WE ties in 1-2 secondary markets that seem to have much lower medians. Is it suicide to add these?

[Anonymous User]

I would hesitate to put too many eggs in the Chicago basket. I knew quite a few people that did that and struck out. But focus on nyc with your gpa.

[Anonymous User]

How far above our GPA should we reach? i.e if we have a 3.50 what callback GPA is realistically attainable and not a "reach" also what callback GPA would be a reach for a 3.50?