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I had lackluster grades after my 1L year (top 55%). How much does being on a journal make up for this?

Not much. It's a small soft factor, but not going to get you in when you are below their grade cutoff.

That said, I assume you are not at a school where you have a shot at biglaw with those grades (because you know your exact rank). Because of this, you are probably going to get your job through networking- not OCI. Focus on developing a specialty (a reasonable one practiced near where your law school is, not something like international M&A), and make contact with practitioners in that specialty.

well, what school are we talking about? A secondary journal will not make up for grades in all likelihood. Law Review probably wouldn't even make up for grades.

Anonymous User wrote:I had lackluster grades after my 1L year (top 55%). How much does being on a journal make up for this?

Not having a journal will do more to hurt a qualified candidate than boost an unqualified one. Your chances at oci now really depend on what school you go to.

pocket herc wrote:well, what school are we talking about? A secondary journal will not make up for grades in all likelihood. Law Review probably wouldn't even make up for grades.

American

mollie wrote:

pocket herc wrote:well, what school are we talking about? A secondary journal will not make up for grades in all likelihood. Law Review probably wouldn't even make up for grades.

American

Ouch.

no boost at all?

Ty Webb wrote:

mollie wrote:

pocket herc wrote:well, what school are we talking about? A secondary journal will not make up for grades in all likelihood. Law Review probably wouldn't even make up for grades.

American

Ouch.

Yeah. If were talking about oci prospects then journal wont help you. Sorry. Start networking etc.

a little boost, sure, but the grades really won't help. talk to career services, you have to be really proactive,

My impression is not being on a journal can hurt you if you have otherwise good grades, but it cannot help you if you have poor grades. I was actually going to start a thread asking if this was true. Is that the general consensus.

also wonder if the impact of the lack of a secondary journal is overstated

Well, being on a secondary journal is much better than not being on anything at all. If you want a clerkship, being on a journal is a must. Also, I promise you employers will ask you about your extracurriculars during interviews. If you just say that you go to class and don't do anything else, you're basically screwed (even with the good grades).

If you just say that you go to class and don't do anything else, you're basically screwed (even with the good grades).

If they are good enough, and if you go to the right school, you are most certainly not.

Thanks guys--I think I can definitely get my grades up 2L and 3L years. Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

mollie wrote:Thanks guys--I think I can definitely get my grades up 2L and 3L years. Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

Nope!

Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

Possibly a state trial level clerkship.

mallard wrote:

mollie wrote:Thanks guys--I think I can definitely get my grades up 2L and 3L years. Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

Nope!

Lol. The schadenfreude is strong with this one (assuming mollie's naivety is a misfortune).

nealric wrote:

Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

Possibly a state trial level clerkship.

Get your grades to top quarter and state clerkship is in the ballpark.

You'll need at least top 10%, probably higher for fed. district. Considering you only have 2L year to accomplish this, I don't think it is possible.

sorry to step on this thread a little mollie, but what are the benefits of a state clerkship, other than it being a job of course?

nealric wrote: Focus on developing a specialty (a reasonable one practiced near where your law school is, not something like international M&A), and make contact with practitioners in that specialty.

If the journal and the specialty are the same thing, that can be a bonus, get pusblished as much as you can, jounral in spelciaty area + publications + intrst in that area + good grades in smeniars in that area makes it possible to say I'm a good writer but suck at in class exams. Work with what you got.

mallard wrote:

mollie wrote:Thanks guys--I think I can definitely get my grades up 2L and 3L years. Would I have a shot at a clerkship on a secondary?

Nope!

That was rough but kind of quacktastic.

pocket herc wrote:sorry to step on this thread a little mollie, but what are the benefits of a state clerkship, other than it being a job of course?

i Heard this rummor that judges know a lot of lawyers, I think cuase they see each other alot, dunno. Maybe if the judge likes you afater the clerkship he can recoemdn you to some lawyer peeps he knwos. But this really should be last resort, allways look for jobs on craiglist or penny saver first before interacting with judge you work for!

Sorry pocketherc that was too easy not to take the shot.

pocket herc wrote:sorry to step on this thread a little mollie, but what are the benefits of a state clerkship, other than it being a job of course?

I was thinking maybe the chance to network and see other lawyers in action. Seems like it might be a good transition from law school to the real world. It's either that or temping

a shot I deserved Matthies

A journal certainly won't HURT you.
Furthermore, it will give you a shot at being published, which is a very big +++