T10 Medianish, OCI looking bad, I need a new plan Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone. Anon because I can be easily outed based on this and my past posts.

I'm at a MVP and slightly below median. Probably ranked at the 40-45th percentile.

OCI is not going well. I have a tiny number of screeners, and of those half of them are firms well outside of my gpa range. Already gotten dinged at one of the firms that IS within my range.

The only market I have ties to is California.

I've been doing mailings to California NALP firms since July, although I have admittedly only done a small number of mailings since most of the NALP Cali firms with summer class sizes of greater than 2-3 people are already coming to our OCI, or were at one of the career fairs I've attended. Have heard only silence from my mailings.

Options/Points
1) Due to scholarships I'm coming out with only a small amount of debt. I have some amount of work experience. If I quit law school now, I will only have a little debt, and I will likely be able to find a somewhat shitty job that pays around 40-50k.

2) I'm attempting to find one of those fabled midlaw jobs but as expected, there don't seem to be many firms. Where should I be looking for these "mid law" firms?

3) I would enjoy clerking for a California Superior Court (state trial court). However, with how saturated Cali is, is this even a likely possibility? What are the expected exit opportunities of having this experience? What do I need to do in order to secure one of these positions?

4) I would also enjoy working at a non-profit organization. Pay is not important, but location is. I want to be in a major California city in this event.

5) If I refuse to do doc review or work for a slip and fall firm, should I just drop out now?

I'm quite depressed and despairing. But I also know that right now is my only chance to salvage this garbage situation into a potential win. WTF do I do?

[Anonymous User]

I'm in a similar boat around median, no cb's from oci at a t10, so this is relevant to my interests.

[Anonymous User]

coming from a lower school I have no useful comment.

However, I've heard bottom half at T6 (2011) who decided to stick out getting offers or something decent. if I were you I would not give up so easily.

I am pretty surprised, however, to find out that top quarter of T30 like fordham getting so many screenings and even call backs ITE. does class rank/ likely honors so readily trump school rank?

[Anonymous User]

does class rank/ likely honors so readily trump school rank?

Yes. Top 10% at Fordham is better than median at pretty much any T14. That statement is based on a direct comparison between people in those exact situations. Fordham may or may not be unique, though, because of its location and network in NYC BigLaw. I can't really speak to that.

[Anonymous User]

does class rank/ likely honors so readily trump school rank?

Yes. Top 10% at Fordham is better than median at pretty much any T14. That statement is based on a direct comparison between people in those exact situations. Fordham may or may not be unique, though, because of its location and network in NYC BigLaw. I can't really speak to that.

is top 10% at fordham really better off than median at hys? i doubt it. eip just wrapped up at hls, and more than a few median kids have v10 callbacks.

[Anonymous User]

Fordham has a solid reputation in NYC biglaw. I've spoken to many alum who said that pre-recession, at least half of Fordham did biglaw. The current 25% rate shouldn't be that surprising, though to be fair, I've heard estimates as low as 10% for the 2010 SA class. I don't really know about comparing top 10% Fordham to median HYS, but my friends in the top 10% got a comfortable amount of V10 offers.

OP, since you don't have much debt, you should stick it through. It sounds like you're open to a lot of different options, while your options if you quit law school sound crummy. Your grades and rankings will probably go up your second and third years, so even if you're shut out of biglaw, you're still doing better than half of your class and you still have a shot at great opportunities coming out of MVP.

[Anonymous User]

Fordham has a solid reputation in NYC biglaw. I've spoken to many alum who said that pre-recession, at least half of Fordham did biglaw. The current 25% rate shouldn't be that surprising, though to be fair, I've heard estimates as low as 10% for the 2010 SA class. I don't really know about comparing top 10% Fordham to median HYS, but my friends in the top 10% got a comfortable amount of V10 offers.

OP, since you don't have much debt, you should stick it through. It sounds like you're open to a lot of different options, while your options if you quit law school sound crummy. Your grades and rankings will probably go up your second and third years, so even if you're shut out of biglaw, you're still doing better than half of your class and you still have a shot at great opportunities coming out of MVP.

but I was not speaking about 10% at fordham - it's more like the top quarter or so...

[Anonymous User]

Fordham has a solid reputation in NYC biglaw. I've spoken to many alum who said that pre-recession, at least half of Fordham did biglaw. The current 25% rate shouldn't be that surprising, though to be fair, I've heard estimates as low as 10% for the 2010 SA class. I don't really know about comparing top 10% Fordham to median HYS, but my friends in the top 10% got a comfortable amount of V10 offers.

OP, since you don't have much debt, you should stick it through. It sounds like you're open to a lot of different options, while your options if you quit law school sound crummy. Your grades and rankings will probably go up your second and third years, so even if you're shut out of biglaw, you're still doing better than half of your class and you still have a shot at great opportunities coming out of MVP.

but I was not speaking about 10% at fordham - it's more like the top quarter or so...

Not sure what you're referring to - I was responding to the poster above who compared top 10% Fordham to median HYS.

[Anonymous User]

T10 transfer here. Had a screener with a secondary/home market "biglaw" firm. Received a call a few hours later to set up a callback for later in the week. Received a ding in the mail a week later. Seriously?

[Anonymous User]

I feel like Fordham is a unique school due to its location. Thus while under top 25% is probably not a great place to be at Fordham, top 25% definitely gives you pretty good opportunities.

Comparing it to better than median at most of the T14 might be true, although I think you need to exclude HYS from that. I know of definite below median students at HLS with V5 callbacks.

[09042014]

I can't read good.

[Anonymous User]

I feel like Fordham is a unique school due to its location. Thus while under top 25% is probably not a great place to be at Fordham, top 25% definitely gives you pretty good opportunities.

Comparing it to better than median at most of the T14 might be true, although I think you need to exclude HYS from that. I know of definite below median students at HLS with V5 callbacks.

You definitely do. HYS are in another league from the rest of the top 14. Honestly, the gap between HYS and the rest of the top 14 is like the gap between a school like Michigan and WUSTL. Going to HYS basically means that you can get biglaw somewhere if you want it (especially at YS).

It's better to be top 10 percent at Fordham, Vandy, Texas, UCLA, USC, or GWU than below median at any non HYS top 14.

[Anonymous User]

T10 transfer here. Had a screener with a secondary/home market "biglaw" firm. Received a call a few hours later to set up a callback for later in the week. Received a ding in the mail a week later. Seriously?

Call and ask what is up. It's probably a clerical mistake.

I guess anything is possible?

[09042014]

T10 transfer here. Had a screener with a secondary/home market "biglaw" firm. Received a call a few hours later to set up a callback for later in the week. Received a ding in the mail a week later. Seriously?

Call and ask what is up. It's probably a clerical mistake.

I guess anything is possible?

Oh I misread the post. I thought the ding came before the CB. I see that it happened after. Yea you just got dinged. It happens.