Top Law Schools

How bad does this look at OCI that I couldn't land anything? I'm top third at a lower tier1-any shot at biglaw, or will not doing anything legal this summer eliminate my biglaw chances?

It looks bad. But if you're top 1/3 at a lower T1, this isn't the thing that is going to shut you out of BigLaw; that ship has sailed long ago. However, if you get the chance to do OCI, and even if you don't, you do not want to be the person who couldn't even convince someone to let them work for free for three months. Do whatever you have to do to find some legal work for this summer. It doesn't matter what or for who; just make sure it's work, and it's legal.

I'm sorry to say, but Gideon Strumpet is totally right - with one exception.

"It looks bad."

Nope. It's devastatingly bad!!

"But if you're top 1/3 at a lower T1, this isn't the thing that is going to shut you out of BigLaw; that ship has sailed long ago."

Total bullshit. Get A's, do your EC's, and work on your interview skills. This idea that it's futile to get BigLaw from ANY T1 is nonsense. Just look at the numbers. As long as your in the top 30, you have more than a shot.

However -
"Do whatever you have to do to find some legal work for this summer. It doesn't matter what or for who; just make sure it's work, and it's legal."

Gideon Strumpet is %100 on the money. You have to do something related to the advancement of your legal career. Get your ass on the street. Go to every non-profit around and let them know "I'll do anything, work any hours, go to whatever distance it takes to be a part of your organization."

PILA deadlines have passed, but there are still grants and programs out there. Get up and go. Tomorrow. 7 am, resume and references in hand.

Passion is the best weapon you have. Use it. However, you are still at a T1 - you will be fine in the long run. But If you don't get a job this summer, OCI is a waste of time.

And Gideon Strumpet, I totally agree with your advice, but its nonsense to think that if you are not in the t14 you don't have a shot a BigLaw. You have to work 10x as hard, but by no means is that door closed. I know at least 10 attorneys working BigLaw, and others who working as in-house for Fortune 500 companies - all in the top 50.

But you are right - if you can't convince an org to let you work for free, then you 0% chance of surviving in the BigLaw world.

Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNL ... hbxlogin=1

You're gonna need something better than top 1/3 to get biglaw from a school ranked 35-50 which is what i'm assuming you mean by lower Tier 1.

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

The difference between lower T1 and all of T2 is negligible for the most part. The differences are illusory when it comes to biglaw.

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

Um, no. Dude, you should be apologizing for another reason.....top 1/3 at freaking Notre Dame or similar schools around the 20's won't even cut it for the most part.

mpard84 wrote:Total bullshit. Get A's.

If he could "get As" he wouldn't be "top 1/3." That's not a dig at the OP either; he's probably a smart person and works hard, but at any school you will have 5-10% of the class that will "get As" in every class, and 90-95% that never get an A in any class.

His question was if not having a job will keep him out of BigLaw. The answer is he's not getting BigLaw, but not for that reason. If he wants to get any job at all next summer, and when he graduates, then he needs to get legal work this summer, and he needs to get it now.

beach_terror wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

The difference between lower T1 and all of T2 is negligible for the most part. The differences are illusory when it comes to biglaw.

Do you mean the difference between 50-100 and T2 is negligible? I agree with that.

mpard84 wrote:

beach_terror wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

The difference between lower T1 and all of T2 is negligible for the most part. The differences are illusory when it comes to biglaw.

Do you mean the difference between 50-100 and T2 is negligible? I agree with that.

No. There are plenty of schools in the 35-50 range that are no better than some schools in the 50-100 range. There are even a few schools in the 20-35 range that really aren't any better. (By "better", I mean for BigLawl, not in general)

mpard84 wrote:

beach_terror wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

The difference between lower T1 and all of T2 is negligible for the most part. The differences are illusory when it comes to biglaw.

Do you mean the difference between 50-100 and T2 is negligible? I agree with that.

Dude, are you a 0L? If so, do some serious research before you choose a school/give others advice. Not trying to be mean but am being dead serious.

I'm confused, I thought 50+ was T2?

It's bad. Go all out for OCI, but you should also start looking for a 2L summer job now, and not through OCI. OCI isn't the only way to get a job, and not everyone is employed going into 3L. Unless you've done horribly and hate law school, no need to give up, but you should prepare to pursue a job through alternative means. Get out there and meet people.

.

mpard84 wrote:

beach_terror wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Apologies, Gideon Strumpet. It's late, and I didn't equate t1 with top 100 - I was talking t1 as top 50. Whoops.

The difference between lower T1 and all of T2 is negligible for the most part. The differences are illusory when it comes to biglaw.

Do you mean the difference between 50-100 and T2 is negligible? I agree with that.

No, learn to read. For some reason, it seems that 0Ls are posting/trolling on here. T1 is the top 50and the T2 is 50-100, just to clear up any confusion.

Very bad. I would continue trying to find something somewhere.

does your school have like an independent research class? you could register for that. even if it isn't normally offered in the summer..beg! you need something on your resume.

mpard84 wrote:
"But if you're top 1/3 at a lower T1, this isn't the thing that is going to shut you out of BigLaw; that ship has sailed long ago."

Total bullshit. Get A's, do your EC's, and work on your interview skills. This idea that it's futile to get BigLaw from ANY T1 is nonsense. Just look at the numbers. As long as your in the top 30, you have more than a shot.

Biglaw hiring occurs before classes begin. All those A's next semester won't help for biglaw. They may help for other things, small firms, for example. But the biglaw spots will have long been filled by the time fall grades come out.

No one said you can't get biglaw from lower T1. They said you can't get biglaw at top 1/3 from lower T1 when there are no more semesters left to increase that GPA before hiring occurs.

Gideon Strumpet wrote:at any school you will have 5-10% of the class that will "get As" in every class, and 90-95% that never get an A in any class.

This doesn't add up unless we assume that the only way to get an A in any class is to get As in all of them.

Gideon Strumpet wrote:at any school you will have 5-10% of the class that will "get As" in every class, and 90-95% that never get an A in any class.

um, no.

TheFactor wrote:

Gideon Strumpet wrote:at any school you will have 5-10% of the class that will "get As" in every class, and 90-95% that never get an A in any class.

um, no.

Gideon Strumpet is a very subtle troll fyi

gwuorbust wrote:

TheFactor wrote:

Gideon Strumpet wrote:at any school you will have 5-10% of the class that will "get As" in every class, and 90-95% that never get an A in any class.

um, no.

Gideon Strumpet is a very subtle troll fyi

My mistake. I'm kinda new around here.

TheFactor wrote:

gwuorbust wrote:
Gideon Strumpet is a very subtle troll fyi

My mistake. I'm kinda new around here.

naw. most people don't even know it yet.

TheFactor wrote:My mistake. I'm kinda new around here.

Don't believe everything that you read.

absolutely 0% chance at biglaw