Top Law Schools

I really do appreciate it.

I constructed a bid list earlier this week, and I'm afraid now that it was too aggressive. I want to maximize my chance at a
job, but I am interested in litigation. My target markets are NY and DC (and its close secondary markets in VA).

I'm coming in with a top 7% rank from a T2, and I was told this equates to a "3.5ish" GPA at GULC.

Here's my top 20 list as it stands now... any critiques? Any "safeties" I'm missing? My plan now is to probably get rid of Skadden (or change it to NY?) move Kirkland down, and move some of the ones with bigger classes up. Thoughts?

EDIT - REvised list of top 21 (as per reply 3):

Crowell – DC
Bryan Cave – DC
Hogan - DC
Patton Boggs – DC
Kramer – NY
Paul Hastings – DC
KL Gates - DC
Jones Day – NY
Mayer Brown – NY
Skadden - NY
Kirkland Ellis – NY
Kasowitz – NY
Stroock – NY
Hughes Hubbard – DC
Cahill – NY
Freshfields – NY
Dechert - DC
Akin Gump – DC
Milbank – NY
Pillsburry – DC

Insider tip: McGuire Woods has canceled its DC and Northern VA summer programs.

Your DC list looks very aggressive. Most of those DC firms are very, very picky. Prior to transferring to GULC, do you have ties to DC - especially work experience type ties?

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Anonymous User wrote:Insider tip: McGuire Woods has canceled its DC and Northern VA summer programs.

Your DC list looks very aggressive. Most of those DC firms are very, very picky. Prior to transferring to GULC, do you have ties to DC - especially work experience type ties?

No, and I've revised my list some due to comments ITT and elsewhere. Here's my new top 21:

Crowell – DC
Bryan Cave – DC
Hogan - DC
Patton Boggs – DC
Kramer – NY
Paul Hastings – DC
KL Gates - DC
Jones Day – NY
Mayer Brown – NY
Skadden - NY
Kirkland Ellis – NY
Kasowitz – NY
Stroock – NY
Hughes Hubbard – DC
Cahill – NY
Freshfields – NY
Dechert - DC
Akin Gump – DC
Milbank – NY
Pillsburry – DC

Yikes. I would not bid on DC without DC ties, background, or credentials as a transfer to GULC.

disco_barred wrote:Yikes. I would not bid on DC without DC ties, background, or credentials as a transfer to GULC.

I went to a school 1L year that is close to DC, while not in DC (and not Mason or UMD). I also have a strong desire to live and work in DC... it's where I want to be. And I'm from Southern PA which is quite close to DC. My undergrad, in VA, also routinely feeds the DC market. Is this enough?

Anonymous User wrote:

disco_barred wrote:Yikes. I would not bid on DC without DC ties, background, or credentials as a transfer to GULC.

I went to a school 1L year that is close to DC, while not in DC (and not Mason or UMD). I also have a strong desire to live and work in DC... it's where I want to be. And I'm from Southern PA which is quite close to DC. My undergrad, in VA, also routinely feeds the DC market. Is this enough?

All I can tell you is that top quarter students from T10 schools were getting killed in the DC market last year. Some got gigs, but all struggled substantially more than peers who bid on non-DC firms. It's a risk. As a transfer to GULC without strong ties, I would personally advice not bidding on DC from a strategy point of view. But if you want to, just be advised that the popularity of DC will mean you face very strong competition from all sides, and be prepared for a fight.

What about prioritizing secondary markets as a GULC transfer? I have a lot of Boston, Willington, and Philly offices pretty high on my bid list. The bid/interview ratios are good for these firms and should lead to more interviews, but my lack of ties to the markets could hurt getting offers. Thoughts?

Anonymous User wrote:What about prioritizing secondary markets as a GULC transfer? I have a lot of Boston, Willington, and Philly offices pretty high on my bid list. The bid/interview ratios are good for these firms and should lead to more interviews, but my lack of ties to the markets could hurt getting offers. Thoughts?

We're moving away from my area of expertise; this advise is mostly guy and less data-based than I am usually comfortable with providing.

Boston has a reputation for being very insular. Philly or DE could work; just be sure to brush up on why want them. Your PA tie will help. NYC is always credited; giant summer classes + willingness to dig deep can be a savior.

That's what I would do. I don't have the GULC bid / interview data that you do, but I would recommend supplementing it with the NALP directory summer class / total attorney data. It sounds like you are approaching this intelligently.

Good luck!

I'm generally targeting DC firms with a historic median hiring GPA of 3.0-3.3 (with a few reaches at 3.4-3.5). I figure since I am supposed to be treated as a 3.5 GPA student, this was a conservative strategy. I also tried to place my bid priority based on past # of bids and # of interviews this year. The more interviews/fewer historic bids, the further down my list I placed it...

Anonymous User wrote:I'm generally targeting DC firms with a historic median hiring GPA of 3.0-3.3 (with a few reaches at 3.4-3.5). I figure since I am supposed to be treated as a 3.5 GPA student, this was a conservative strategy. I also tried to place my bid priority based on past # of bids and # of interviews this year. The more interviews/fewer historic bids, the further down my list I placed it...

It is hard to know what use historic medians are now. Medians jumped by .2 - .5 at most firms last year from the data I have seen, and they may very well remain that high again.

Whoever told you to equate yourself to a "3.5ish" GPA, was being way over optimistic. Your list looks very aggressive.