3.65 @ M - DC chances with no ties? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I literally have no ties to the region, although I've visited before a number of times and love it. I want litigation (but not so much finance/Wall Street type stuff) and am interested in eventually jumping over to the government... hence my interest in DC. Admitted to a secondary journal, but no word on law review yet.

Would bidding on DC be a complete waste of time? Or even a little waste? Thanks for your thoughts.

Edit: My primary target will be NYC - just want to see if I should/could bid on DC as well.

[Tree]

Absolutely throw some DC bids out there. 3.65 is high enough to snag a firm like Venable, and you're a reach for some of the more-prestigious firms but not out of the question.

Also, you should load up with some of the V10 in NYC.

[Anonymous User]

3.5 at M with minimal ties. Like 8 callbacks and 4-5 offers (all in DC) last year. Just be able to tell a good story that doesn't involve you wanting to leave to go to the government.

If you want NYC, then using those bids on NYC may be a better payoff. Although firms are very different between DC/NYC (even offices within the same firm) so you may want to consider that.

[Anonymous User]

I had the exact same GPA at Michigan. I had 12 callbacks and 3 offers in DC (I withdrew from about 6 firms after accepting an offer). I had callbacks at a number of top firms (read A&P, Wilmer, Kirkland, Hogan, etc) and accepted an offer at a top firm.

I had worked between college and law school, but had no really relevant or spectacular work experience. I was on LR. I also had ties to DC and was told I interviewed well. But my main point is, you have the grades for some DC firms. DC is idiosyncratic enough that you could still end up with nothing, but it is not a waste to bid on DC firms.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks, guys, for your reassurances.

I certainly think I would enjoy practicing (Big)law more in DC (putting aside long-term career goals) than I would NYC, although the end of the day, I would prefer a job in NYC to being unemployed... In any case, I'll be working on a compelling answer to the why DC question.

Those of you who did well in DC (congrats!) - do you think there was anything on your resume/anything you said that made you particularly wanted by the firms (besides your grades)?

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks, guys, for your reassurances.

I certainly think I would enjoy practicing (Big)law more in DC (putting aside long-term career goals) than I would NYC, although the end of the day, I would prefer a job in NYC to being unemployed... In any case, I'll be working on a compelling answer to the why DC question.

Those of you who did well in DC (congrats!) - do you think there was anything on your resume/anything you said that made you particularly wanted by the firms (besides your grades)?

Honestly, if you really prefer DC to NYC, then that is your compelling answer to the why DC question. Just understand that differences between DC and NYC practices (n.b., the answer is not the hours), and you'll easily be able to answer the why DC question.