HLS EIP Advice Forum

[Anonymous User]

Spring semester grades aren't out yet, but if this semester is anything like last, i'll have 7-8 Hs going into fall EIP. I'm also URM, to the extent it matters (I've been told not as much as one might guess).

I am solely interested in m&a transactional work, ideally at a V5.

Given the catastrophe that has been this economy, any insight going into EIP from those in the know would be extremely helpful. What would be the optimal bidding strategy? Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Spring semester grades aren't out yet, but if this semester is anything like last, i'll have 7-8 Hs going into fall EIP. I'm also URM, to the extent it matters (I've been told not as much as one might guess).

I am solely interested in m&a transactional work, ideally at a V5.

Given the catastrophe that has been this economy, any insight going into EIP from those in the know would be extremely helpful. What would be the optimal bidding strategy? Thanks!

Optimal bidding strategy: Wachtell, Cravath, Sulcrom, Skadden, Davis Polk

You will get one (probably the latter 4) of those unless you're socially retarded.

[Newberry642]

Anonymous, in case you haven't realized it, you currently attend the number 2 law school in the country. I wasn't exactly at a top 14 law school or in the top 10% of my graduating class, and I still managed to land a job working for a large law firm. Granted this was several years ago when law firms were hiring slightly larger summer classes, but I think that you should be in great shape for the firms that you listed. Be sure to be confident in your interviews. Law firms are looking for people who are natural leaders, positive, and going to reflect well on the profession. As long as you act the part, I believe that you should definitely be able to receive an offer from at least one of the firms that you listed.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

I appreciate the responses, but I don't share your optimism. I've heard tons of stories of people with way better credentials nevertheless coming up empty, and not gonna lie it freaks me out.

Is NY so easy of a market that I'd be safe bidding on Wachtell through, say, Kirkland and calling it a day? If so, I'd just spend the rest of my bids on DC. If not though, I'd consider going way deeper into NY.

Along those lines, any idea how DC is looking? Does it remain a shitshow, or has it become at least a little less difficult to crack?

[flcath]

i'll have 7-8 Hs going into fall EIP. I'm also URM

OP here.

I appreciate the responses, but I don't share your optimism.

Nor do I.

Look, you started strong, and you've still got my support, but at this point it appears that Romney's gonna take your spot in 2012. Sorry man.

[Moxie]

If you end up with 7-8 H's with URM status, V5 definitely seems attainable according to OCS, but get your grades and then figure it out. I had a good experience with OCS in looking for 1L SAs, and upperclassmen have emphasized to me that they're a decent resource in figuring out your bid strategy.

tl;dr - get your grades, then worry.

[Anonymous User]

My friend had 3Hs first semester, is an URM and was given a 1L SA callback offer with Cravath. Although he declined, they told him he'd easily pass the screener interview if he kept up the grades in Spring. His friend received the 1L SA, is an URM and had similar grades. McK work experience, though.

I'd love to hear the horror stories you've been hearing. 7-8 Hs is top 10-15% at HLS and being shut out of the V5 with such stats, in addition to the URM advantage, would be utterly mind boggling to me.

I imagine any stories you've heard may have been about some social retard who has exceptional book smarts but is unable to effectively communicate with people (read: carry on a normal conversation and have something interesting to say without coming across as forced). Are you a social retard? IF not, you shouldn't worry. IF so, go take a few mock interviews and work on your communication skills.

[Anonymous User]

My friend had 3Hs first semester, is an URM and was given a 1L SA callback offer with Cravath. Although he declined, they told him he'd easily pass the screener interview if he kept up the grades in Spring. His friend received the 1L SA, is an URM and had similar grades. McK work experience, though.

I'd love to hear the horror stories you've been hearing. 7-8 Hs is top 10-15% at HLS and being shut out of the V5 with such stats, in addition to the URM advantage, would be utterly mind boggling to me.

I imagine any stories you've heard may have been about some social retard who has exceptional book smarts but is unable to effectively communicate with people (read: carry on a normal conversation and have something interesting to say without coming across as forced). Are you a social retard? IF not, you shouldn't worry. IF so, go take a few mock interviews and work on your communication skills.

thanks. ha, i think i know who you're referring to for what its worth.

but anyway, just look at last year's eip thread for an example of what i'm talking about. when i refer to "horror stories," its relative. so if someone with an overall strong profile unwillingly ends up at a v100, i think its a damn shame and it makes me think like "wtf?!"
your take is alot more optimistic than mine, so i'm hoping you're right. also, you're probably right in that it doesnt make much sense for to narrow down a bidlist before sitting down with ocs.

[DoubleChecks]

what? i havent seen or heard of such horror stories either...though 3Ls keep telling me each year's EIP has gotten better and better...

7-8 Hs and URM status, your grades wont be the issue -- like everyone else said, it'll be your interviewing ability. work on that and i mean, like law school, i guess have a few backup bids?

[DAJ_Summer]

You're badly misinformed if you are even slightly worried. As an URM with strong grades from HLS, there is simply no category better credentialed than you going into EIP. Nobody gets offers from every firm, so you can't just pick one and skip the interview, but there isn't any class of candidates that will look better on paper. Every firm has room for people who are "just" almost perfect after they've skimmed the Olympians from the candidate pool.

Now, you can still cause trouble for yourself by being under prepared or unsociable, but you would have to account for that if you were at a fourth tier school with below median grades too.

[Anonymous User]

My friend had 3Hs first semester, is an URM and was given a 1L SA callback offer with Cravath. Although he declined, they told him he'd easily pass the screener interview if he kept up the grades in Spring. His friend received the 1L SA, is an URM and had similar grades. McK work experience, though.

I'd love to hear the horror stories you've been hearing. 7-8 Hs is top 10-15% at HLS and being shut out of the V5 with such stats, in addition to the URM advantage, would be utterly mind boggling to me.

I imagine any stories you've heard may have been about some social retard who has exceptional book smarts but is unable to effectively communicate with people (read: carry on a normal conversation and have something interesting to say without coming across as forced). Are you a social retard? IF not, you shouldn't worry. IF so, go take a few mock interviews and work on your communication skills.

thanks. ha, i think i know who you're referring to for what its worth.

but anyway, just look at last year's eip thread for an example of what i'm talking about. when i refer to "horror stories," its relative. so if someone with an overall strong profile unwillingly ends up at a v100, i think its a damn shame and it makes me think like "wtf?!"
your take is alot more optimistic than mine, so i'm hoping you're right. also, you're probably right in that it doesnt make much sense for to narrow down a bidlist before sitting down with ocs.

Maybe there are trolls making up numbers in that thread -- who knows.

[Moxie]

My friend had 3Hs first semester, is an URM and was given a 1L SA callback offer with Cravath. Although he declined, they told him he'd easily pass the screener interview if he kept up the grades in Spring. His friend received the 1L SA, is an URM and had similar grades. McK work experience, though.

I'd love to hear the horror stories you've been hearing. 7-8 Hs is top 10-15% at HLS and being shut out of the V5 with such stats, in addition to the URM advantage, would be utterly mind boggling to me.

I imagine any stories you've heard may have been about some social retard who has exceptional book smarts but is unable to effectively communicate with people (read: carry on a normal conversation and have something interesting to say without coming across as forced). Are you a social retard? IF not, you shouldn't worry. IF so, go take a few mock interviews and work on your communication skills.

thanks. ha, i think i know who you're referring to for what its worth.

but anyway, just look at last year's eip thread for an example of what i'm talking about. when i refer to "horror stories," its relative. so if someone with an overall strong profile unwillingly ends up at a v100, i think its a damn shame and it makes me think like "wtf?!"
your take is alot more optimistic than mine, so i'm hoping you're right. also, you're probably right in that it doesnt make much sense for to narrow down a bidlist before sitting down with ocs.

For what its worth, Vault rank is not indicative of selectivity or prestige in many instances. And I didn't find much in last year's EIP thread to be too disheartened about, it was a nice improvement from the year before and hopefully that trend will continue this fall as well.

Edit to say, this thread is a great resource to get a general understanding on how OCI went according to schools/rank, although you have to dig through a bit to find the HLS entries: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=475