Midlaw Does Exist
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:36 pm
I've taken a significant amount of wisdom from the people on this site, so now I want to give something back. I'm hopeful that my experiences will help people who find themselves in a similar position in the coming years.
About me: I have many qualities of the typical white male. I'm in my mid-20s, went to a strong public undergrad (but not elite), studied history, and don't have a tremendous amount of money backing me. I'm attending a school ranked somewhere between 40 and 60, paying sticker. I finished the year with grades just outside the top 20% at my school, and I'm on a secondary journal. I landed Midlaw at a great firm that pays, $135,000 (market here is $160,000).
I. School Choice
Though this won't be helpful for people who have already made a decision on a school, it stands as probably the most important thing that benefited me throughout this process. Simply put, I didn't choose a school on a whim. I chose a school in a solid, thriving market. I chose a school without much competition. I chose a school that had a great reputation in that solid market. This has helped me to somewhat outperform what my grades would have otherwise suggested. For those who are going to choose a school and don't have the credentials for the T14, I implore you to consider the target market, its health, and the school's relative position in that market. Less competition is best and a market that's hiring lots of people is ideal. This will give you a leg up and will give you more room.
Likewise, I chose a market that has lots going on. What do most midsize firms do? They specialize in a couple of industries and win market share. If you go to a place that has lots of different industries that need good law firms, then you'll have a better chance at landing a midlaw (or even a biglaw) position. This has been an important piece of the puzzle for me.
II. Bidding Strategy
When it comes to bidding, make sure that you target firms that are realistic. I didn't even bid on some of the more selective, larger firms, because I recognized that they wouldn't dip into the top 25%. I instead focused on a number of the midsize firms that came to our school's OCI. I applied to a few of the larger firms that were less selective, but really kept my attention on the medium-sized firms throughout the process.
III. Selling Yourself
This is the most important part of this "guide." Look around at your classmates and you'll see the same person over and over. They all say the same things in interviews. They all worked for the same judge 1L summer, and they all provide the firm with little more than a robot who Getting To Maybed his way to top-15% grades. Don't be that guy. Be something the firm can latch onto.
Most people think they interview well. This is because most people lack self-awareness and lack any idea of what a good interview sounds like. You don't have to be selling diamonds to do well with this, either. You just need to figure out what makes you unique and you need to come up with a sales pitch. To do this, go through every single line of your resume and figure out what is special about it. I did something completely non-law related in my 1L summer. People warned me that this was a terrible idea and that employers would look down upon it. In reality, it made me different than the other candidates, and I was able to talk about how being the middle man between people from different countries provided me with solid experience and perspective.
Likewise, I've run a small business throughout college and before law school. My business is nothing huge, but pays my bills typically. Though this isn't Steve Jobs starting Apple, it is something that makes me stand out. Midsize firms are looking for people who can go out and get the job done early. They want people who can bring in business early. I sold my experience with stories that showed I could be that guy. This made me somewhat different from every other law student who had come straight from undergrad and hadn't stopped to figure out how to pay their car insurance.
Chances are you have something on your resume that can pop. Sell it hard and use interesting stories. Speak with your hands and don't be afraid to be colorful. Be personable, but don't forget that you are selling. In one interview, I talked about college football for 15 minutes before finally finding a way to work my experience starting a business into the conversation. I later talked to many friends who interviewed with the firm and thought it went "great" because they hit it off with the guys talking about college football for 20 minutes. I did the same thing, but I showed them in that last five minutes that I actually had drive in addition to the ability to hold my own socially.
IV. Firm Targeting
One thing that too many people miss is the opportunity to target their interview pitch in a way that it meets the firm's needs. With midsize firms, there is typically something that they are very proud of. When I read the website and spoke with people about one firm, the message was that they valued entrepreneurial spirit. Naturally, I crafted my message around my experience there. I crafted every story in a way that it hit this point. The response from the firm was overwhelming.
For another firm, they were very proud of their firm "culture." Routinely named one of the best places to work in their home market, they focused a lot on fit. In those interviews, the idea was to show them that I was a person they could work with for extended hours. When I asked questions to that firm, I centered my concerns around the culture of the office. I wanted them to know that I valued the same things they valued. This wasn't pandering, either. It was absolutely true.
Don't miss the valuable opportunity to show a firm that you are what they need. My grades are not elite. They are strong, but not top 10% at a top-20 school. What was elite was my ability to craft a pitch to meet the needs of an employer. Midsize firms are typically hiring small classes. They can't afford to take someone who has great grades, but might not fit into their office. If they do that, it can impact their hiring practices and have a negative impact on the firm.
The doctrines that you read on TLS are true, but only partially. The economy is shit, and it's hard to get hired. People here routinely strike out with top 15% grades. These people inevitably have no idea what held them back. You don't have to be just like every other law student, though. If you have a unique story and you craft a unique voice to tell that story in your interviews, people will respond. Interviewing with these firms is an awful lot about knowing your man. Understand that person on the other side of the table and understand what they are looking for. Don't just parrot off the same uninteresting responses that every one else is giving. Focus your efforts on being a breath of fresh air.
It can be done. Midlaw does exist.
About me: I have many qualities of the typical white male. I'm in my mid-20s, went to a strong public undergrad (but not elite), studied history, and don't have a tremendous amount of money backing me. I'm attending a school ranked somewhere between 40 and 60, paying sticker. I finished the year with grades just outside the top 20% at my school, and I'm on a secondary journal. I landed Midlaw at a great firm that pays, $135,000 (market here is $160,000).
I. School Choice
Though this won't be helpful for people who have already made a decision on a school, it stands as probably the most important thing that benefited me throughout this process. Simply put, I didn't choose a school on a whim. I chose a school in a solid, thriving market. I chose a school without much competition. I chose a school that had a great reputation in that solid market. This has helped me to somewhat outperform what my grades would have otherwise suggested. For those who are going to choose a school and don't have the credentials for the T14, I implore you to consider the target market, its health, and the school's relative position in that market. Less competition is best and a market that's hiring lots of people is ideal. This will give you a leg up and will give you more room.
Likewise, I chose a market that has lots going on. What do most midsize firms do? They specialize in a couple of industries and win market share. If you go to a place that has lots of different industries that need good law firms, then you'll have a better chance at landing a midlaw (or even a biglaw) position. This has been an important piece of the puzzle for me.
II. Bidding Strategy
When it comes to bidding, make sure that you target firms that are realistic. I didn't even bid on some of the more selective, larger firms, because I recognized that they wouldn't dip into the top 25%. I instead focused on a number of the midsize firms that came to our school's OCI. I applied to a few of the larger firms that were less selective, but really kept my attention on the medium-sized firms throughout the process.
III. Selling Yourself
This is the most important part of this "guide." Look around at your classmates and you'll see the same person over and over. They all say the same things in interviews. They all worked for the same judge 1L summer, and they all provide the firm with little more than a robot who Getting To Maybed his way to top-15% grades. Don't be that guy. Be something the firm can latch onto.
Most people think they interview well. This is because most people lack self-awareness and lack any idea of what a good interview sounds like. You don't have to be selling diamonds to do well with this, either. You just need to figure out what makes you unique and you need to come up with a sales pitch. To do this, go through every single line of your resume and figure out what is special about it. I did something completely non-law related in my 1L summer. People warned me that this was a terrible idea and that employers would look down upon it. In reality, it made me different than the other candidates, and I was able to talk about how being the middle man between people from different countries provided me with solid experience and perspective.
Likewise, I've run a small business throughout college and before law school. My business is nothing huge, but pays my bills typically. Though this isn't Steve Jobs starting Apple, it is something that makes me stand out. Midsize firms are looking for people who can go out and get the job done early. They want people who can bring in business early. I sold my experience with stories that showed I could be that guy. This made me somewhat different from every other law student who had come straight from undergrad and hadn't stopped to figure out how to pay their car insurance.
Chances are you have something on your resume that can pop. Sell it hard and use interesting stories. Speak with your hands and don't be afraid to be colorful. Be personable, but don't forget that you are selling. In one interview, I talked about college football for 15 minutes before finally finding a way to work my experience starting a business into the conversation. I later talked to many friends who interviewed with the firm and thought it went "great" because they hit it off with the guys talking about college football for 20 minutes. I did the same thing, but I showed them in that last five minutes that I actually had drive in addition to the ability to hold my own socially.
IV. Firm Targeting
One thing that too many people miss is the opportunity to target their interview pitch in a way that it meets the firm's needs. With midsize firms, there is typically something that they are very proud of. When I read the website and spoke with people about one firm, the message was that they valued entrepreneurial spirit. Naturally, I crafted my message around my experience there. I crafted every story in a way that it hit this point. The response from the firm was overwhelming.
For another firm, they were very proud of their firm "culture." Routinely named one of the best places to work in their home market, they focused a lot on fit. In those interviews, the idea was to show them that I was a person they could work with for extended hours. When I asked questions to that firm, I centered my concerns around the culture of the office. I wanted them to know that I valued the same things they valued. This wasn't pandering, either. It was absolutely true.
Don't miss the valuable opportunity to show a firm that you are what they need. My grades are not elite. They are strong, but not top 10% at a top-20 school. What was elite was my ability to craft a pitch to meet the needs of an employer. Midsize firms are typically hiring small classes. They can't afford to take someone who has great grades, but might not fit into their office. If they do that, it can impact their hiring practices and have a negative impact on the firm.
The doctrines that you read on TLS are true, but only partially. The economy is shit, and it's hard to get hired. People here routinely strike out with top 15% grades. These people inevitably have no idea what held them back. You don't have to be just like every other law student, though. If you have a unique story and you craft a unique voice to tell that story in your interviews, people will respond. Interviewing with these firms is an awful lot about knowing your man. Understand that person on the other side of the table and understand what they are looking for. Don't just parrot off the same uninteresting responses that every one else is giving. Focus your efforts on being a breath of fresh air.
It can be done. Midlaw does exist.