Rising 3L at T40 - Is Anything From OCI Realistic? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a transfer student with a GPA of 3.66 at a Top 40 school in the west. I won't be ranked but based on the cutoffs for the 2L class at my current school, top 10% is 3.63, so I figure I am inside the Top 10% at least.

Currently working in-house in the intellectual property department for a hi-tech company (doing TM and copyright work). Had two internships my 2L year (both in the area of government relations). I realize that I won't be able to take the patent bar but I am very interested in transactional law (perhaps TM and copyright). Did the write-on competition for law review and my status on that is still pending. Other than that, no outstanding extracurriculars.

Struck out at 2L OCI. Can I expect anything from 3L OCI either in the fall or the spring? I know big law is probably out but do I have decent chances of getting a mid-size firm spot?

**EDIT: also I should add that the government relations firm I interned with this past semester asked me to come back next spring. I don't know if this will turn into a job though (I suspect it wont since the firm is small) but still I will have that to put on my resume.

[3ThrowAway99]

I am a transfer student with a GPA of 3.66 at a Top 40 school in the west. I won't be ranked but based on the cutoffs for the 2L class at my current school, top 10% is 3.63, so I figure I am inside the Top 10% at least.

Currently working in-house in the intellectual property department for a hi-tech company (doing TM and copyright work). Had two internships my 2L year (both in the area of government relations). I realize that I won't be able to take the patent bar but I am very interested in transactional law (perhaps TM and copyright). Did the write-on competition for law review and my status on that is still pending. Other than that, no outstanding extracurriculars.

Struck out at 2L OCI. Can I expect anything from 3L OCI either in the fall or the spring? I know big law is probably out but do I have decent chances of getting a mid-size firm spot?

You've got a job with a tech company now and are wondering about getting a different job through OCI? Is there no chance you can keep working where you're at in the future, or is it just not a great job? Normally I would be surprised if you don't have a reasonable shot at biglaw with top 10% at T40, but then again that usually that comes through 2L SA, followed by eventual hire. Your prospects of getting a solid job seem good to me though, even if "the biglaw ship has sailed."

[Veyron]

No biglaw unless you can snag a SWeet clerkship. Then maybe so.

[Anonymous User]

You've got a job with a tech company now and are wondering about getting a different job through OCI? Is there no chance you can keep working where you're at in the future, or is it just not a great job? Also, I would be suprised if 'biglaw' is anything close to being out if you are inside top 10% at a T40.

Thanks.

The job I have now is great and I love the work I am doing, but I kind of get the idea that my boss is interested in hiring an attorney eventually to do the job I am doing. He seems to like the work I am doing but when I first started, my boss kind of told me that he had a long-term plan to hire another attorney.

I guess I am just laying the groundwork for a job search because I figure that it isn't very common for a company to hire a law grad straight out of school.

[Anonymous User]

No biglaw unless you can snag a SWeet clerkship. Then maybe so.

That thought did occur to me. I am thinking about getting some applications ready to go by the end of July for state and fed court clerkships but I worry that it might not be worth it in my case since I am not on law review.

[3ThrowAway99]

You've got a job with a tech company now and are wondering about getting a different job through OCI? Is there no chance you can keep working where you're at in the future, or is it just not a great job? Also, I would be suprised if 'biglaw' is anything close to being out if you are inside top 10% at a T40.

Thanks.

The job I have now is great and I love the work I am doing, but I kind of get the idea that my boss is interested in hiring an attorney eventually to do the job I am doing. He seems to like the work I am doing but when I first started, my boss kind of told me that he had a long-term plan to hire another attorney.

I guess I am just laying the groundwork for a job search because I figure that it isn't very common for a company to hire a law grad straight out of school.

See my edited post above. I think I initially miscalculated given the 3L OCI component (re: biglaw), but I still suspect you do have a reasonable shot at any large firms interviewing at 3L OCI. Also, I think any mid-size or smaller firms interviewing for your OCI will probably pay decent money, and I would suspect you have a great shot at landing something given your grades.

[Anonymous User]

See my edited post above. I think I initially miscalculated given the 3L OCI component (re: biglaw), but I still suspect you do have a reasonable shot at any large firms interviewing at 3L OCI. Also, I think any mid-size or smaller firms interviewing for your OCI will probably pay decent money, and I would suspect you have a great shot at landing something given your grades.

Thank you. I know that the big law ship probably has sailed as you said but I am just curious about whether 3L OCI will be fruitful at all (in terms of mid-size firms which my school seems to draw in sizable numbers) seeing as how last year 2L OCI was a joke (maybe because my resume was a bit weaker). I still plan on doing mass-mailings starting this summer but it is good to know that my situation isn't terrible in terms of job prospects.

[thesealocust]

Historically firms used 3L OCI to poach candidates from other firms. Having an offer from your 2L summer firm is a defacto requirement to doing 3L OCI at a very large portion of the employers who do interviews. Things could be different at your school or different year or you could be the exception (happens every year), but in general 3L OCI is not a place where people land biglaw for the first time.

[Anonymous User]

How common is it for a company to hire a law grad for an in-house position? I didn't think it was that common. The place I am at has offered to keep me on until graduation but my boss really hasn't been definitive about how long he plans to keep me on board. I just presume I am there for the experience and that I am still just an "intern".

[thesealocust]

How common is it for a company to hire a law grad for an in-house position? I didn't think it was that common. The place I am at has offered to keep me on until graduation but my boss really hasn't been definitive about how long he plans to keep me on board. I just presume I am there for the experience and that I am still just an "intern".

It's exceedingly rare. An overwhelming majority of in-house positions are filled via people who began their career at a biglaw type firm. The exceptions are major though, some in-house positions even interview at OCI just like the big firms do.

[theturkeyisfat]

How common is it for a company to hire a law grad for an in-house position? I didn't think it was that common. The place I am at has offered to keep me on until graduation but my boss really hasn't been definitive about how long he plans to keep me on board. I just presume I am there for the experience and that I am still just an "intern".

maybe you could ask him?

[Anonymous User]

How common is it for a company to hire a law grad for an in-house position? I didn't think it was that common. The place I am at has offered to keep me on until graduation but my boss really hasn't been definitive about how long he plans to keep me on board. I just presume I am there for the experience and that I am still just an "intern".

maybe you could ask him?

Yeah, you should just blatantly (though, of course, professionally) ask him what the possibilities are of getting hired post-grad. He will certainly understand given the market.

[OperaSoprano]

How common is it for a company to hire a law grad for an in-house position? I didn't think it was that common. The place I am at has offered to keep me on until graduation but my boss really hasn't been definitive about how long he plans to keep me on board. I just presume I am there for the experience and that I am still just an "intern".

It's exceedingly rare. An overwhelming majority of in-house positions are filled via people who began their career at a biglaw type firm. The exceptions are major though, some in-house positions even interview at OCI just like the big firms do.

This. I know a couple of people who did it (and I even interned for one of them.) Absolutely, absolutely try, but don't get discouraged if nothing comes of it. My friends are possibly the exceptions who prove the rule.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Definitely going to pursue the possibility of working in-house where I am currently at because I feel like my boss is definitely looking to hire someone (whether or not that someone is me).

To a different point: how do law firms hiring 3Ls view experience in an in-house context? I am doing a lot of substantive work like contract drafting, working with/directing outside counsel, helping formulate IP strategies, conducting some case research, etc. Are all of these experiences the kind that firms admire?