Top Law Schools

So I just found out I have a network connection with a partner at a midsize firm in Chicago (where I live). I emailed her saying I would like to talk about what she does with the firm, and that I'm looking for internships during the school year, possibly extending into the summer. She got back with me saying she would like to meet, but no mention of an internship in her email.

I'm about to be a 2L at a T20. I'm not participating in OCI because my grades are below the cutoffs for almost all large firms. This is probably my best/easiest shot at getting a firm job during my 2L summer, so I feel like its all on the line.

So now what? I'm meeting with her next Monday. How should I prepare for the meeting? How do I bring up my interest in an internship, especially a paid one, without sounding desperate?

1. Cutoffs are not always as stated
2. If your grades are average/bad enough that even unwritten cutoffs are too high for you, this person will probably not be able to get you a job at their firm. Theyv need an objective way to fight for you.
3. You don't. If they ask for your resume, give it then. Otherwise treat this as advice/mentoring time.

.

Anonymous User wrote:So I just found out I have a network connection with a partner at a midsize firm in Chicago (where I live). I emailed her saying I would like to talk about what she does with the firm, and that I'm looking for internships during the school year, possibly extending into the summer. She got back with me saying she would like to meet, but no mention of an internship in her email.

I'm about to be a 2L at a T20. I'm not participating in OCI because my grades are below the cutoffs for almost all large firms. This is probably my best/easiest shot at getting a firm job during my 2L summer, so I feel like its all on the line.

So now what? I'm meeting with her next Monday. How should I prepare for the meeting? How do I bring up my interest in an internship, especially a paid one, without sounding desperate?

How about you let the firms decide if you grades suck too much?

Let them decide your not good enough don't make the decision for them. Cutoffs tend to be uniform across schools and not true ie top 10% preferred for firms that will give callbacks to people above median....honestly I don't understand this but....

Oh my God who skips OCI because their job prospects are too bleak?!

IAFG wrote:Oh my God who skips OCI because their job prospects are too bleak?!

People that don't go to the gym because they are too fat.

Op here guys.

In addition to grades, I'm not doing OCI because I don't want to work at a big firm. Don't like the hours, culture, etc. I'm not certain that this midsize firm (or even a smaller firm) would be any different than a large one, but I'll take that chance. OCI at my school is pretty much all large firms, btw. There are some smaller ones, but they are pretty far away from where I live. I know it's blasphemy to tell people on TLS that I don't want to do OCI, but just because you are dying to work for Skadden doesn't mean I am.

I'm looking at a firm that is small, local, and has talented lawyers that can mentor me. This one fits the bill. They also practice an area of law that I am very interested in.

But does anyone have ideas regarding my initial question?

Anonymous User wrote:Op here guys.

In addition to grades, I'm not doing OCI because I don't want to work at a big firm. Don't like the hours, culture, etc. I'm not certain that this midsize firm (or even a smaller firm) would be any different than a large one, but I'll take that chance. OCI at my school is pretty much all large firms, btw. There are some smaller ones, but they are pretty far away from where I live. I know it's blasphemy to tell people on TLS that I don't want to do OCI, but just because you are dying to work for Skadden doesn't mean I am.

I'm looking at a firm that is small, local, and has talented lawyers that can mentor me. This one fits the bill. They also practice an area of law that I am very interested in.

But does anyone have ideas regarding my initial question?

Don't get snarky with TLS. You said the reason that would not do OCI was grades which is dumb, then you come back and say "Well I don't want to play their reindeer games anyway."

Also, I disagree with one of the early response. By polite, humble but aggressive. Treat it as a job interview, not a "mentoring" session. You have very little or nothing to lose by telling her straight up that you want a chance to show the kind of asset you could be at her firm.

eandy wrote: treat this as advice/mentoring time.

This. If she didn't pick up on your mention of an internship in her email, then she may not be involved with the hiring process beyond just passing along a resume to the person who is in charge. Bring your resume just in case, though.

kwais wrote:Also, I disagree with one of the early response. By polite, humble but aggressive. Treat it as a job interview, not a "mentoring" session. You have very little or nothing to lose by telling her straight up that you want a chance to show the kind of asset you could be at her firm.

I see where you're coming from, but I think OP might actually have a better shot of turning this into a job possibility (either at this firm or at another firm if the partner puts OP in touch with someone else) if s/he does not come in with guns obnoxiously blazing but instead talks up his/her skills in the form of questions about the job process/legal employment world.

kwais wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Op here guys.

In addition to grades, I'm not doing OCI because I don't want to work at a big firm. Don't like the hours, culture, etc. I'm not certain that this midsize firm (or even a smaller firm) would be any different than a large one, but I'll take that chance. OCI at my school is pretty much all large firms, btw. There are some smaller ones, but they are pretty far away from where I live. I know it's blasphemy to tell people on TLS that I don't want to do OCI, but just because you are dying to work for Skadden doesn't mean I am.

I'm looking at a firm that is small, local, and has talented lawyers that can mentor me. This one fits the bill. They also practice an area of law that I am very interested in.

But does anyone have ideas regarding my initial question?

Don't get snarky with TLS. You said the reason that would not do OCI was grades which is dumb, then you come back and say "Well I don't want to play their reindeer games anyway."

Also, I disagree with one of the early response. By polite, humble but aggressive. Treat it as a job interview, not a "mentoring" session. You have very little or nothing to lose by telling her straight up that you want a chance to show the kind of asset you could be at her firm.

Point taken. I just didn't feel like I had to explain all of my reasons for not doing OCI in the initial post since I was asking a different question.

I think you are right though, I'll treat it as a job interview. I don't think I'll bring my resume. Probably just play it cool, pop the question at some point, and if she bites, email it over. She is one of the few partners at the firm, so I'm sure she has a decent say in who gets hired, especially for a lowly internship haha. I'm not asking for a SA yet, although I'm hoping it could turn into one.

Do OCI ... I am pretty sure you would prefer biglaw SA than no job at all. Plus big law will open doors for mid size and boutique firms.

Bring a resume to the meeting. She knows you are interested in the firm.