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I hear they just care about grades and journal membership. Is that true?

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It really depends on what it is, and the rest of your resume. If it's interesting work, and you went to LS straight from UG, it'll likely come up. If it's boring/generic and you had interesting WE or 1L summer, it's far less likely to come up.

Basically, the question is this: If someone only had 20 minutes to get to know you, what would they pick from your resume to ask about?

Getting on a journal is probably a good move. It won't help much, but if you're not doing anything at all, then be prepared to field questions on why not. If you end up with amazing grades, then great, you can say "I just wanted to focus on grades," but if not you won't have much to lean on.

From everything I've read, a lot of firms do like people who do extracurriculars as a 1L. It's an easy way to show that you're a well-rounded person, and not some shut in who only knows how to read books and type up exam answers on a computer.

How much difference it makes, I don't know, but quite a few firms actually mention that they are looking for stuff like that.

I'm on law review and a very active member of my school's SBA, and surprisingly more questions during OCI were about the SBA stuff than the journal stuff. It's probably because talking about a journal is boring, but at the very least it was helpful to have something else other than class, 1L summer job, & other academic stuff to talk about.

Biglaw interviewer told me that they notice if someone has not taken a leadership role in any of the organizations they have joined (FedSoc and other groups like that). Not that it's like an auto-ding or admit but I was told this particular firm noticed. Probably varies but there ya go.

Sup Kid wrote:I'm on law review and a very active member of my school's SBA, and surprisingly more questions during OCI were about the SBA stuff than the journal stuff. It's probably because talking about a journal is boring, but at the very least it was helpful to have something else other than class, 1L summer job, & other academic stuff to talk about.

Could it have also been that you had done absolutely nothing on the journal yet because you were a rising 2L?

Anonymous User wrote:

Sup Kid wrote:I'm on law review and a very active member of my school's SBA, and surprisingly more questions during OCI were about the SBA stuff than the journal stuff. It's probably because talking about a journal is boring, but at the very least it was helpful to have something else other than class, 1L summer job, & other academic stuff to talk about.

Could it have also been that you had done absolutely nothing on the journal yet because you were a rising 2L?

First, no reason that had to be anonymous. Anyways, that might be part of the reason, but by OCI we had already been told the basics of writing a note, and had to start thinking about ideas. By the time callbacks came around, we had done assignments and began outlining our note topic, so it can't be the only reason.

what you talk about in interview =/= what the interviewer actually cares about when hiring you

I specifically asked this question to about six biglaw associates/partners over the last couple weeks at networking events where I had a chance to talk with them. Reason is that I haven't had much opportunity to include much SBA/community stuff in my schedule this year.

I got about an even split. A few basically told me all that matters is grades/law review/WE/interview skills, and they don't give a shit about anything else. The others told me that their firms value community and pro bono work and it would be nice to do to least one activity along these lines before OCI. Probably depends on how much each firm weighs that stuff in their culture. None of them told me it was vital to do any SBA stuff.

tome wrote:

Sup Kid wrote:I'm on law review and a very active member of my school's SBA, and surprisingly more questions during OCI were about the SBA stuff than the journal stuff. It's probably because talking about a journal is boring, but at the very least it was helpful to have something else other than class, 1L summer job, & other academic stuff to talk about.

Could it have also been that you had done absolutely nothing on the journal yet because you were a rising 2L?

Some schools allow 1Ls to join journals as early as their first semester. 1Ls at Boalt get substantive journal work right away.

IzziesGal wrote:

tome wrote:

Sup Kid wrote:I'm on law review and a very active member of my school's SBA, and surprisingly more questions during OCI were about the SBA stuff than the journal stuff. It's probably because talking about a journal is boring, but at the very least it was helpful to have something else other than class, 1L summer job, & other academic stuff to talk about.

Could it have also been that you had done absolutely nothing on the journal yet because you were a rising 2L?

Some schools allow 1Ls to join journals as early as their first semester. 1Ls at Boalt get substantive journal work right away.

Does some include law review? If so, then that is relevant and surprising, otherwise it is neither.