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Title says it all, I know that OCI will likely be a bust, but I'm looking for some DC firms that are less selective and would be willing to look the other way with some targeted letters.

I was thinking: Patton Boggs; Epstein Becker and Green; Beveridge & Diamond; Cohen, Milstein, Seller, and Toll

What else?

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Jessuf wrote:I had a less selective DC firms thread and was told they don't exist. Here's to you getting a more positive response, OP.

OP here; ouch. I'm also willing to look in Philly, Richmond, and Baltimore too.

Anonymous User wrote:

Jessuf wrote:I had a less selective DC firms thread and was told they don't exist. Here's to you getting a more positive response, OP.

OP here; ouch. I'm also willing to look in Philly, Richmond, and Baltimore too.

Add Wilmington DE too then

Cohen is not a less selective firm, from what I know of them. They are a plaintiffs boutique - their website have Georgetown magna associate, American summa, Harvard magna, Howard EIC of law review. Worth mass mailing but I wouldn't bid them high or something.

johndhi wrote:Cohen is not a less selective firm, from what I know of them. They are a plaintiffs boutique - their website have Georgetown magna associate, American summa, Harvard magna, Howard EIC of law review. Worth mass mailing but I wouldn't bid them high or something.

Goodness, guess I stumbled on the wrong few people. Saw a partner from Chicago-Kent and some other so-so things and the firm size...

My still shaping bid-list/target mailings list is:
Arent Fox
Ballard Spahr
Beveridge & Diamond
Brown Rudnick
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
Chadbourne & Parke
Chapman & Cutler
Dorsey & Whitney
Hunton & Williams
Keller & Heckman
LeClair Ryan
Richards, Layton & Finger
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young
Sullivan & Worcester
Vedder Price
Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald
Wiley Rein
williams mullen
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell
Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP
Mound, Cotton & Wollan
Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C.
Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti
Shipman & Goodwin LLP


Way off?

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Anonymous User wrote:Title says it all, I know that OCI will likely be a bust, but I'm looking for some DC firms that are less selective and would be willing to look the other way with some targeted letters.

I was thinking: Patton Boggs; Epstein Becker and Green; Beveridge & Diamond; Cohen, Milstein, Seller, and Toll

What else?

bro i know GeorgeTTTown has been slackin recently, but isn't there still a massive difference between 35% there and at GW?

Wow, top 35% and no shot?

This post is dumb. 35% at GW is completely different from 35% at GULC.

Rancid GW trolling. Also: bid NYC. Way easier to get back to DC with big law experience elsewhere then to get it off the bat.

ajaxconstructions wrote:This post is dumb. 35% at GW is completely different from 35% at GULC.

Was going to say this as well. Why not just out the school?

top30man wrote:

ajaxconstructions wrote:This post is dumb. 35% at GW is completely different from 35% at GULC.

Was going to say this as well. Why not just out the school?

Already did by saying 35%. Only GW feels the need to use such a stupid ranking system.

Good luck OP. most people in that range struck out last year (no interviews, even). Mass mail like your bank account depends on it, and bid on anywhere you think you have a shot.

wow is it so bad
I go to BU and while things are not good here they are better.
I thought they were peer schools.

Anonymous User wrote:wow is it so bad
I go to BU and while things are not good here they are better.
I thought they were peer schools.

Unfortunately GW's "home market" is insanely competitive. It gets less of a home field advantage as compared to i.e. Vandy, BU/BC, WUSTL, Minn, USC...

In addition to the state of the DC hiring market, GW's giant class size and the pure preselect OCI don't help, in my opinion.

Anonymous User wrote:

johndhi wrote:Cohen is not a less selective firm, from what I know of them. They are a plaintiffs boutique - their website have Georgetown magna associate, American summa, Harvard magna, Howard EIC of law review. Worth mass mailing but I wouldn't bid them high or something.

Goodness, guess I stumbled on the wrong few people. Saw a partner from Chicago-Kent and some other so-so things and the firm size...

My still shaping bid-list/target mailings list is:
Arent Fox
Ballard Spahr
Beveridge & Diamond
Brown Rudnick
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
Chadbourne & Parke
Chapman & Cutler
Dorsey & Whitney
Hunton & Williams
Keller & Heckman
LeClair Ryan
Richards, Layton & Finger
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young
Sullivan & Worcester
Vedder Price
Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald
Wiley Rein
Williams Mullen
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell
Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP
Mound, Cotton & Wollan
Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C.
Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti
Shipman & Goodwin LLP


Way off?

This is a very bad list. Actually, an atrocious list. Sorry, but I'm trying to be helpful before you make a big mistake. Some comments.

Arent Fox - DC powerhouse, probably out of your reach.
Ballard Spahr - More of a Philly focus, but ok. Small class though.
Beveridge & Diamond - Environmental law firm.
Brown Rudnick - Boston firm, doesn't even recruit at GW
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft - Ok, not terrible, but a long reach.
Chadbourne & Parke - Ok, not terrible, but a long reach.
Chapman & Cutler - Chicago firm, requires strong ties to Chicago.
Dorsey & Whitney - Minneapolis/Midwest firm. Probably out of reach.
Hunton & Williams - Global firm, probably out of reach.
Keller & Heckman - Science (IP and environmental) law firm.
LeClair Ryan - Local firm, small class, looking for VA ties.
Richards, Layton & Finger - DE corporate firm, requires strong ties to DE.
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young - Philly firm. No shot of Philly unless you're from there. DC office hires one investment management summer.
Sullivan & Worcester - MA firm. Need ties to MA.
Vedder Price - Chicago firm, see Chapman.
Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald - Construction law firm, but in VA.
Wiley Rein - DC powerhouse. Def a long reach for top 35% at GW.
williams mullen - Virginia firm, not a terrible choice if you have ties.
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell - DE corporate firm, requires strong ties to DE.
Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP - DE corporate firm, requires strong ties to DE.
Mound, Cotton & Wollan - Insurance law firm, small class.
Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. - NJ firm, requires strong ties to NJ.
Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti - NJ firm, requires strong ties to NJ.
Shipman & Goodwin LLP - CT firm, need ties to CT, not just NY.

You're targeting way too many markets and firms just based on GPA.

First, 35% at GULC vs. 35% at GW is very different. Second, whoever said "GeorgeTTTown has been slackin recently" really is focusing on 2010 versus later years...

Anyway, first, figure out what the general breakdown has been for offers/callbacks, etc. from whatever school you are at to whatever firm you want (based on your GPA). I"m sure your school has that data. Second, you really need to broaden the scope of your search and include bigger DC firms. As an earlier poster established, you've gone way too broadly with a bunch of markets/firms just based on GPA, and you're putting yourself at risk of striking out and then coming here to bitch about how shitty your school is even though 50% of EIW is all about how the hell you bid (remember that, anyone who solely bids on DC -- don't forget NYC, and if you do, please don't fucking complain about how your school sucks).

So what if you are top 35% overall but have a huge difference in GPA between first and second semester (big upward trend). Is it appropriate to somehow highlight that on resume/cover letter?

Anonymous User wrote:So what if you are top 35% overall but have a huge difference in GPA between first and second semester (big upward trend). Is it appropriate to somehow highlight that on resume/cover letter?

Do you have anything else going for you?

I landed something through OCI with a similar swing (below median to Top 35%), but had things beyond grades that the firm wanted. But the grades are key - it is a great talking point ("I learned how to blah blah blah.")

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:So what if you are top 35% overall but have a huge difference in GPA between first and second semester (big upward trend). Is it appropriate to somehow highlight that on resume/cover letter?

Do you have anything else going for you?

I landed something through OCI with a similar swing (below median to Top 35%), but had things beyond grades that the firm wanted. But the grades are key - it is a great talking point ("I learned how to blah blah blah.")

I have strong ties to a secondary market that I will be able to target (through OCI + mass mailing). Did you just list your overall GPA on your resume, and then talk about the swing when the topic when it came up during interviews?

chipchip wrote: Anyway, first, figure out what the general breakdown has been for offers/callbacks, etc. from whatever school you are at to whatever firm you want (based on your GPA). I"m sure your school has that data.

GW does not have that data.

Anonymous User wrote:Did you just list your overall GPA on your resume, and then talk about the swing when the topic when it came up during interviews?

Yea. I just made sure to work it in to conversation, let them know you blew second semester out of the water.

dudders wrote:GW does not have that data.

This is true and lame. We are missing that last important part - the offer data.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Did you just list your overall GPA on your resume, and then talk about the swing when the topic when it came up during interviews?

Yea. I just made sure to work it in to conversation, let them know you blew second semester out of the water.

dudders wrote:GW does not have that data.

This is true and lame. We are missing that last important part - the offer data.

Do they actually give out interview data now?