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Hey all... at a school in the 50s, ranked 7th in the class (which equates top top 5%). School is in greater NY area but not in NYC.

Not too many firms at our OCI. Any suggestions on what firms in NY? I'm interested in just general litigation and appellate advocacy. Plus if the firm has a government relations/political law practice.

Can't give you specific firm names in NYC, but look in to attending job fairs. Your rank makes you competitive, you just have to work harder at finding a firm job than people at higher-ranked schools. For government/political stuff, you probably want to look at DC. Almost every firm does litigation. That's a broad net. Try to narrow it down to "insurance litigation" or "employment law litigation" or "class action litigation."

(Edit- wasn't paying close enough attention to your question!)

Missed that you are looking at NYC firms. That is a saturated market, try looking in other markets at firms that have offices in NYC. Maybe you can eventually lateral. (This is DCduck, didn't mean to post this anonymously).

Yeah I came from DC before school, but am looking to settle in NY. Are there certain firms that might be better for appellate work?

1) Hartford is a long way from NYC

2) Mass-mail every big and midsize firm in NYC. The reason they aren't coming to OCI is because they are only willing to hire about as deep in the class as you are, so it doesn't make sense to send an interviewer to campus for like 5 interviews. But that doesn't mean they won't hire you, with your grades.

3) Appellate work is a very difficult nut to crack, and is quite rare in NYC. Your best bet at appellate work is an appellate clerkship, and that, in turn, is also tough.

Renzo wrote:1) Hartford is a long way from NYC

2) Mass-mail every big and midsize firm in NYC. The reason they aren't coming to OCI is because they are only willing to hire about as deep in the class as you are, so it doesn't make sense to send an interviewer to campus for like 5 interviews. But that doesn't mean they won't hire you, with your grades.

3) Appellate work is a very difficult nut to crack, and is quite rare in NYC. Your best bet at appellate work is an appellate clerkship, and that, in turn, is also tough.

Do you find there to be a difference between mass mailing compared to mass e-mailing?

Just mass mail every firm with any litigation practice in NYC. You have a decent shot with your class rank to find something, it just won't be V20.

ms2010 wrote:

Renzo wrote:1) Hartford is a long way from NYC

2) Mass-mail every big and midsize firm in NYC. The reason they aren't coming to OCI is because they are only willing to hire about as deep in the class as you are, so it doesn't make sense to send an interviewer to campus for like 5 interviews. But that doesn't mean they won't hire you, with your grades.

3) Appellate work is a very difficult nut to crack, and is quite rare in NYC. Your best bet at appellate work is an appellate clerkship, and that, in turn, is also tough.

Do you find there to be a difference between mass mailing compared to mass e-mailing?

Yes: emailing is almost universally preferred by the person at the firm receiving that deluge of resumes. Otherwise, no.

this may be obvious but check out the Nalp directory for a list of firms and chamber-partners for more about what the firms do

Yeah - I've been doing a lot of research. Trying to expand beyond NALP though.

Use Martindale Hubble. You can search by practice area, geography, firm size, etc.