3L Mass Mail Extravaganza Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any tips for mass mailing big firms as a 3L (Top ten School). Grades are not back yet, and I certainly will wait til they are. I would guess after 1L i was top 40-33%. This time around I'd say I'm around top third at least, and with another semester could land in the 15-45% range. I only bid in my hometown market last go around and received a lot of callbacks yet no offer, and was even picky about the practice area.

This time around I am not being picky about anything. I plan to do around 150 dist ct applications and plan to literally mail an application to every large law firm office in a total of 5-7 regions. For any mass mailer who had success as rising 2Ls or 3Ls.
What was your strategy?
When did you mail?
Any other tips?

Thanks, while I realize my chances of finding a job as a 3L are low, I plan on mailing at least 1000 applications to at least be able to tell myself I did not go down without a fight.

[Anonymous User]

Tech pro tip: Mail merge FTW.

[Gideon Strumpet]

Get the sticky envelopes, not the licky ones.

[A'nold]

Tech pro tip: Mail merge FTW.

Okay, what is mail merge? I keep hearing about it but I honestly have no idea what it is other than that it makes mass mailing more efficient.

[071816]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_merge

[Gideon Strumpet]

Okay, what is mail merge?

Chimp's link will tell you what it is. Go here to get the data you want to make it work:

http://nalpdirectory.com/

On the NALP site you can run searches, select firms, whatever; then you use the download feature to get a data file you can use with Word to mass-produce letters and print envelopes.

1. Make form letter in Word

2. Mail merge with NALP data file

3. ? ? ?

4. PROFIT!

[A'nold]

Okay, what is mail merge?

Chimp's link will tell you what it is. Go here to get the data you want to make it work:

http://nalpdirectory.com/

On the NALP site you can run searches, select firms, whatever; then you use the download feature to get a data file you can use with Word to mass-produce letters and print envelopes.

1. Make form letter in Word

2. Mail merge with NALP data file

3. ? ? ?

4. PROFIT!

Thanks. I still don't understand why you would need to merge an NALP data file....for the address?

[Gideon Strumpet]

Thanks. I still don't understand why you would need to merge an NALP data file....for the address?

Yes. It also gives you the name of the hiring contact for each firm. The way it works is you write a letter in Word and insert blanks called "fields." Then you have a data file you get from NALP that is just a big table of addresses and names for the "Dear X:" line of the letter. When you "merge," Word reads through the whole list, and prints a letter for each one, pasting in the address and name for each firm. Then you print envelopes the same way. Thus, no need to type out 500 letters out yourself, and no getting terminal carpal tunnel from hand writing envelopes.

[Sup Kid]

Get the sticky envelopes, not the licky ones.

I actually lol'ed at this, but its a legit point. Also, consider email -- it works just as well as snail mail, is a lot cheaper, and saves paper. Some firms also have online portals where you upload your cover letter/resume, so make sure to use that if they have that option.

[A'nold]

Thanks. I still don't understand why you would need to merge an NALP data file....for the address?

Yes. It also gives you the name of the hiring contact for each firm. The way it works is you write a letter in Word and insert blanks called "fields." Then you have a data file you get from NALP that is just a big table of addresses and names for the "Dear X:" line of the letter. When you "merge," Word reads through the whole list, and prints a letter for each one, pasting in the address and name for each firm. Then you print envelopes the same way. Thus, no need to type out 500 letters out yourself, and no getting terminal carpal tunnel from hand writing envelopes.

Thanks, now I get it. That is pretty convenient.

As for getting the sticky envelopes vs. the licking kind: YES.

[Gideon Strumpet]

As for getting the sticky envelopes vs. the licking kind: YES.

They make sticky stamps too.

[XxSpyKEx]

Does anyone have any tips for mass mailing big firms as a 3L (Top ten School). Grades are not back yet, and I certainly will wait til they are. I would guess after 1L i was top 40-33%. This time around I'd say I'm around top third at least, and with another semester could land in the 15-45% range. I only bid in my hometown market last go around and received a lot of callbacks yet no offer, and was even picky about the practice area.

This time around I am not being picky about anything. I plan to do around 150 dist ct applications and plan to literally mail an application to every large law firm office in a total of 5-7 regions. For any mass mailer who had success as rising 2Ls or 3Ls.
What was your strategy?
When did you mail?
Any other tips?

Thanks, while I realize my chances of finding a job as a 3L are low, I plan on mailing at least 1000 applications to at least be able to tell myself I did not go down without a fight.

I hope you're planning on doing more than just mass mailing law firms with hopes that one will bite. In your case, networking would be a way more efficient use of your time. Look up alumni that are in offices you are interested in and talk to them. This summer, talk to attorneys in offices you are interested in. I heard joining the local bar association and going to events, volunteering, etc can be helpful as well. Also, focus your applications to regions where you have some kind of ties (especially if you are focusing on markets outside of primary markets), and make sure you mention that tie in your cover letter. With 3L hiring, it’s also more about having a demonstrated interest to practice in the areas that they have openings for.

EDIT- Also don’t only focus on large NALP firms. The likelihood of finding a job at a smaller firm is better. Your goal at this point really should be to just find any paying legal job (with some limits, obviously). Try to work during the year for a smaller or midsize firm, do really well, and then they might hire you when you graduate, or might be able to put you in touch with a firm that is hiring, or at the very least will give you a good recommendation that you can use for your applications after graduation.

[gwuorbust]

suggesting that you should use NALP as your main source of information is a terrible, terrible suggestion. Think about it. where are all the other unemployed students going to go first? NALP. The reason mass mailing is generally ineffective for law students is because the people they mass mail are literally flooded with resumes. You need to be applying to firms and companies that get a low number of applications and will actually take the time to consider your application.

NALP has 66 contacts in ALL OF FLORIDA. That law students use NALP as the main source of information is insanity. Say you were trying to break into FL..you should be contacting every firm in FL, not just the 66 that everyone else is contacting.

[Anonymous User]

The list itself is a complete joke, but one really good resource to find medium/small firms is the US News ranking of law firms. You will find smaller firms there that aren't on NALP or other lists.

[Gideon Strumpet]

suggesting that you should use NALP as your main source of information is a terrible, terrible suggestions Think about it. where are all the other unemployed students going to go first? NALP. The reason mass mailing is generally ineffective for law students is because the people they mass mail are literally flooded with resumes. You need to be applying to firms and companies that get a low number of applications and will actually take the time to consider your application. NALP has 66 contacts in ALL OF FLORIDA. That law students use NALP as the main source of information is insanity. Say you were trying to break into FL..you should be contacting every firm in FL, not just the 66 that everyone else is contacting.

FTFY

[gwuorbust]

suggesting that you should use NALP as your main source of information is a terrible, terrible suggestion.Think about it. where are all the other unemployed students going to go first? NALP. The reason mass mailing is generally ineffective for law students is because the people they mass mail are literally flooded with resumes. You need to be applying to firms and companies that get a low number of applications and will actually take the time to consider your application. NALP has 66 contacts in ALL OF FLORIDA. That law students use NALP as the main source of information is insanity. Say you were trying to break into FL..you should be contacting every firm in FL, not just the 66 that everyone else is contacting.

FTFY

your past 3 days of trolling have surely been amusing. for the sake of others, however, please feel free to GTFO.

[shepdawg]

NALP is BS. They want to charge me $13 to download their mail merge data file. I just made one for my region by myself. I plan on doing a huge mass mailing campaign for my region this August and again in december to get a 2L SA job in 2012. I am using the SuperLawyers website to find the contact information for every partner who has graduated from my TTT and adding that info to my data file too.

[XxSpyKEx]

NALP is BS. They want to charge me $13 to download their mail merge data file. I just made one for my region by myself.

Email your school and tell them to add your email address to NALP. They pay for this service (either that, or it's free to law students - can't remember which one, but either way you can get the mail merge data file for free). Then you'll be able to download the merge file with your school email address.