Seward & Kissel info? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anybody know how grade-conscious or selective Seward and Kissel is? Particularly its NYC office. They're coming to my MVP and they're one of the few firms for which we have no grade info. Thanks.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at V and the info I got from career services is that they've given callbacks to below median before. I don't know what their average callback was. Last year about a third of people who bid on them were selected for interviews. This is all NYC-specific info.

[Anonymous User]

At my T25, they require top 20% and prefer some law journal or moot court experience. I'm not sure how you would scale that to MVP, but I guess you can assume that their cutoff for you would be 20% or higher. My guess is that, if it is top 20% required at a T25, its likely top 1/3 or so at MVP.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at V and the info I got from career services is that they've given callbacks to below median before. I don't know what their average callback was. Last year about a third of people who bid on them were selected for interviews. This is all NYC-specific info.

Thanks. That's the vibe I was getting, too. My school's got nothing, but they make plenty of offers. Anyone from M have any info on this firm?

[Anonymous User]

I'm at V and the info I got from career services is that they've given callbacks to below median before. I don't know what their average callback was. Last year about a third of people who bid on them were selected for interviews. This is all NYC-specific info.

This is correct. Of the NY firms coming to OGI, they are close to the very bottom in terms of caring about grades.

[Anonymous User]

the thing with seward and kissel is that they are so small that they can afford to be really picky. at my top6 they callbacked something like 4 or 5 students and made offers to none of them.

i wouldnt think they are so snobby about grades though as all the people who interviewed me there last year were from top30 schools. granted those people may have been top 5% in their school, but the fact they hire so many top30 grads probably shows they are not so prestige/grade conscious and focus on fit.

[seriouslyinformative]

the thing with seward and kissel is that they are so small that they can afford to be really picky. at my top6 they callbacked something like 4 or 5 students and made offers to none of them.

i wouldnt think they are so snobby about grades though as all the people who interviewed me there last year were from top30 schools. granted those people may have been top 5% in their school, but the fact they hire so many top30 grads probably shows they are not so prestige/grade conscious and focus on fit.

Probably very similar to Hughes Hubbard in that regard.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at V and the info I got from career services is that they've given callbacks to below median before. I don't know what their average callback was. Last year about a third of people who bid on them were selected for interviews. This is all NYC-specific info.

This is correct. Of the NY firms coming to OGI, they are close to the very bottom in terms of caring about grades.

Gotcha. I don't know if anyone knows, but which other firms are similar in their approach to caring about grades?

[Anonymous User]

the thing with seward and kissel is that they are so small that they can afford to be really picky. at my top6 they callbacked something like 4 or 5 students and made offers to none of them.

i wouldnt think they are so snobby about grades though as all the people who interviewed me there last year were from top30 schools. granted those people may have been top 5% in their school, but the fact they hire so many top30 grads probably shows they are not so prestige/grade conscious and focus on fit.

Probably very similar to Hughes Hubbard in that regard.

Really? At my T10, they seem really selective about grades. Maybe the CSO data is misleading and not representative? What data do you have about HH?

[seriouslyinformative]

the thing with seward and kissel is that they are so small that they can afford to be really picky. at my top6 they callbacked something like 4 or 5 students and made offers to none of them.

i wouldnt think they are so snobby about grades though as all the people who interviewed me there last year were from top30 schools. granted those people may have been top 5% in their school, but the fact they hire so many top30 grads probably shows they are not so prestige/grade conscious and focus on fit.

Probably very similar to Hughes Hubbard in that regard.

Really? At my T10, they seem really selective about grades. Maybe the CSO data is misleading and not representative? What data do you have about HH?

They'll call back and offer everyone and anyone who fits their quirky personality fit requirements.

[timbs4339]

They also highly value people with finance/banking work experience since their practice is almost entirely hedge funds.

[keg411]

I have a note that they look at undergrad transcripts.

[Aston2412]

I have a note that they look at undergrad transcripts.

Hughes or Seward?

How are both on URMs?

[seriouslyinformative]

I have a note that they look at undergrad transcripts.

Hughes or Seward?

How are both on URMs?

Since Hughes Hubbard just topped the A-List, I wouldn't be surprised if they loved minorities.

[RVP11]

Seward asks for UG transcripts but they don't seem to care much if your UG grades are bad.

They call back well below median at V. But they are very selective on fit - they give very few offers compared to callbacks (like 1 in 4).

[Aston2412]

From Vault:

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP

This firm is looking to hire, “bright, ambitious attorneys who also have strong social and inter-personal skills. Interviews often focus on non-law school or law-related topics such as personal hobbies and interests"

Seward asks for UG transcripts but they don't seem to care much if your UG grades are bad.

They call back well below median at V. But they are very selective on fit - they give very few offers compared to callbacks (like 1 in 4).

At V? I'm assuming you mean U Va and not Vanderbilt?

[ndirish2010]

When is V ever Vandy?

[Aston2412]

Well I thought Virgina was always Va when it wasn't included in a list a la MPBV.

[keg411]

I have a note that they look at undergrad transcripts.

Hughes or Seward?

How are both on URMs?

Seward has the undergrad transcript thing. Think I found that on Chambers Associate.

[Grizz]

At my T25, they require top 20% and prefer some law journal or moot court experience. I'm not sure how you would scale that to MVP, but I guess you can assume that their cutoff for you would be 20% or higher. My guess is that, if it is top 20% required at a T25, its likely top 1/3 or so at MVP.

1. What the firm says their cutoff is and what they actually hire from is not the same thing. They may hire top third, or top 5%.

2. Trying to scale in this way is pretty silly but I think you knew that.

[ndirish2010]

At my T25, they require top 20% and prefer some law journal or moot court experience. I'm not sure how you would scale that to MVP, but I guess you can assume that their cutoff for you would be 20% or higher. My guess is that, if it is top 20% required at a T25, its likely top 1/3 or so at MVP.

1. What the firm says their cutoff is and what they actually hire from is not the same thing. They may hire top third, or top 5%.

2. Trying to scale in this way is pretty silly but I think you knew that.

I don't know if this is the same at Vandy, but at NDLS if there is a "required" cutoff, CDO doesn't assign you a screener if you are below that cutoff unless there isn't anyone else that bid that does meet the cutoff. So in that way, the "required" cutoffs matter a bit. Of course, this is irrelevant to whether you will get a callback because you meet or don't meet the cutoff. And it doesn't apply when Symplicity says "preferred."

[Anonymous User]

the thing with seward and kissel is that they are so small that they can afford to be really picky. at my top6 they callbacked something like 4 or 5 students and made offers to none of them.

i wouldnt think they are so snobby about grades though as all the people who interviewed me there last year were from top30 schools. granted those people may have been top 5% in their school, but the fact they hire so many top30 grads probably shows they are not so prestige/grade conscious and focus on fit.

Probably very similar to Hughes Hubbard in that regard.

Really? At my T10, they seem really selective about grades. Maybe the CSO data is misleading and not representative? What data do you have about HH?

At the wustl/vandy New York Job Fair the grade cut off is top 10%, and no other firms have a higher grade cut off at the Job Fair.

[Anonymous User]

At Michigan, the median GPA for a student given an offer by Seward is 3.07. That's bottom third or so? They have given an offer to somebody with around a 2.8. Not even sure what that would be. Bottom 10%? Bottom 5%?

[Anonymous User]

At GULC, the median GPA for a student given an offer is 3.05 and the maximum GPA for a student given an offer is 3.26.

edited to add that median is around 3.3 here.

[Anonymous User]

At Michigan, the median GPA for a student given an offer by Seward is 3.07. That's bottom third or so? They have given an offer to somebody with around a 2.8. Not even sure what that would be. Bottom 10%? Bottom 5%?

My T14 doesn't have such info - yikes. Would you mind sharing what other firms make offers to students with below median GPAS at Mich or Gulc?