Help with firms to mass mail: Median at T30 Midwest Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey all,

I'm trying to brainstorm a list of firms that I have a realistic shot at for a 2L summer associateship for next summer in the Midwest, preferably Chicago. There wasn't a lot of selection for OCI, so I want to do my own campaign. I have a 3.25 (below the top third cutoff, no other cutoff given but likely just above median), secondary journal, and moot court at a T30 regional state school in the Midwest. I worked for a small law firm this summer (6 attorneys) and didn't really do anything stand-out, just typical 1L law firm stuff.

I only have a short list so far, so if anyone knows of ones that aren't worth mailing, or ones I should add, please let me know!

*Baker & McKenzie - Chicago
*Jenner & Block - Chicago
*Kirkland & Ellis - Chicago
*Mayer Brown - Chicago
*Winston & Strawn - Chicago
*Dorsey & Whitney - Minneapolis
*Whitfield & Eddy - Des Moines
*Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave - Des Moines

[Ludo!]

Go ahead and mail but if you're looking for firms you have a realistic shot at you're gonna have to aim a lot lower. Median at a midwestern T30 isn't getting Kirkland dude.

[target]

Go ahead and mail but if you're looking for firms you have a realistic shot at you're gonna have to aim a lot lower. Median at a midwestern T30 isn't getting Kirkland dude.

This. Also, unless you have something special on your resume, I don't think Jenner & Block or Mayer Brown should be on that list either.

[Ludo!]

Go ahead and mail but if you're looking for firms you have a realistic shot at you're gonna have to aim a lot lower. Median at a midwestern T30 isn't getting Kirkland dude.

This. Also, unless you have something special on your resume, I don't think Jenner & Block or Mayer Brown should be on that list either.

Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that the other firms were realistic either. Kirkland was just the most out there. I don't know anything about the Des Moines firms but the others are all out of reach

[Anonymous User]

Interested in this as well. I'm in the same position as OP, but have LR as opposed to secondary journal. Concentrating on Chicago and Minneapolis with Milwaukee thrown in possibly.

[Anonymous User]

Go ahead and mail but if you're looking for firms you have a realistic shot at you're gonna have to aim a lot lower. Median at a midwestern T30 isn't getting Kirkland dude.

This. Also, unless you have something special on your resume, I don't think Jenner & Block or Mayer Brown should be on that list either.

Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that the other firms were realistic either. Kirkland was just the most out there. I don't know anything about the Des Moines firms but the others are all out of reach

So - do you have any advice at where to shoot for then? I don't know anything about the Chicago market, and have never lived in a city bigger than 500k people.

[letsdoit]

Hey all,

I'm trying to brainstorm a list of firms that I have a realistic shot at for a 2L summer associateship for next summer in the Midwest, preferably Chicago. There wasn't a lot of selection for OCI, so I want to do my own campaign. I have a 3.25 (below the top third cutoff, no other cutoff given but likely just above median), secondary journal, and moot court at a T30 regional state school in the Midwest. I worked for a small law firm this summer (6 attorneys) and didn't really do anything stand-out, just typical 1L law firm stuff.

I only have a short list so far, so if anyone knows of ones that aren't worth mailing, or ones I should add, please let me know!

*Baker & McKenzie - Chicago
*Jenner & Block - Chicago
*Kirkland & Ellis - Chicago
*Mayer Brown - Chicago
*Winston & Strawn - Chicago
*Dorsey & Whitney - Minneapolis
*Whitfield & Eddy - Des Moines
*Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave - Des Moines

A) most of these firms will be well out of your reach. B) Where exactly are you from in the Midwest? Chicago usually wants some plausible ties.

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately, with your stats, you are about 99% not going to land a summer associate position in any biglaw firm in the country. Firms in the T30 range place between 5 to 20 percent of their students in biglaw. Median isn't going to cut it. Of course, you can just mass mail still, but I'd be concentrating on local government positions or random small firms.

[Ludo!]

You need to be looking at midsize to small firms in Chicago. Ask your OCS if they have a thing called the Chicago 4 or more list. Most of the schools around here have it but for some reason they all seem to be password protected (I tried googling it for you). This is a list of all the firms in Chicago that have four or more attorneys. Apply to every single one of those. And pray.

[target]

A) most of these firms will be well out of your reach. B) Where exactly are you from in the Midwest? Chicago usually wants some plausible ties.

Also, it's different if you go to say UIUC vs. wisonsin (are they still T30?) or iowa. If UIUC, you may a bigger, though still slim to none, chance of getting a chicago job.

[Anonymous User]

A) most of these firms will be well out of your reach. B) Where exactly are you from in the Midwest? Chicago usually wants some plausible ties.

I guess I'm not shooting for biglaw, I just would like to be in Chicago if at all possible - my gf is going to school there for PHD and then stay there after most likely.

I'm not from Chicago, my mom's whole side of the family lives in a small town near Chicago.

[letsdoit]

A) most of these firms will be well out of your reach. B) Where exactly are you from in the Midwest? Chicago usually wants some plausible ties.

I guess I'm not shooting for biglaw, I just would like to be in Chicago if at all possible - my gf is going to school there for PHD and then stay there after most likely.

I'm not from Chicago, my mom's whole side of the family lives in a small town near Chicago.

Sounds valid. Definitely aim for more medium-sized firms. Resume launchpad should be helpful here.

[Anonymous User]

Sounds valid. Definitely aim for more medium-sized firms. Resume launchpad should be helpful here.

Has anyone used that site? I checked it out, but am very nervous that potential employers will be able to tell and ding me because of it. I don't want to resumelaunchpad every viable firm in Chicago and realize that I sealed myself out of the market completely.

[YankeesFan]

I just use it for research aka to find the firms name. I send out an email from my own account.

[letsdoit]

I just use it for research aka to find the firms name. I send out an email from my own account.

TITCR.

[theavrock]

I just use it for research aka to find the firms name. I send out an email from my own account.

TITCR.

Ditto. Using it right now and there are firms on there that are not on NALP or Martindale.

[Anonymous User]

When mass mailing out, who did you address the physical envelope to? Should we put "Summer Associate Program" or should we send it to a partner?

[wuduhel]

When mass mailing out, who did you address the physical envelope to? Should we put "Summer Associate Program" or should we send it to a partner?

Email

[Anonymous User]

Email a partner? If there is no recruiting director or mention of careers/summer associate program on their website? This is for medium to smaller sized firms obviously

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately, with your stats, you are about 99% not going to land a summer associate position in any biglaw firm in the country. Firms in the T30 range place between 5 to 20 percent of their students in biglaw. Median isn't going to cut it. Of course, you can just mass mail still, but I'd be concentrating on local government positions or random small firms.

More like 5-10%, if in T14 it will go lower.

[rad lulz]

Terrible necro

[Anonymous User]

Unfortunately, with your stats, you are about 99% not going to land a summer associate position in any biglaw firm in the country. Firms in the T30 range place between 5 to 20 percent of their students in biglaw. Median isn't going to cut it. Of course, you can just mass mail still, but I'd be concentrating on local government positions or random small firms.

More like 5-10%, if in T14 it will go lower.

Wrong. Look up BC/BU

[hephaestus]

Unfortunately, with your stats, you are about 99% not going to land a summer associate position in any biglaw firm in the country. Firms in the T30 range place between 5 to 20 percent of their students in biglaw. Median isn't going to cut it. Of course, you can just mass mail still, but I'd be concentrating on local government positions or random small firms.

More like 5-10%, if in T14 it will go lower.

Wrong. Look up BC/BU

Thank God this is anonymous. And either way, median isn't cutting it at BU/BC

[Anonymous User]

Well, the ABA report for 2011 says 44 out of 210 at firms of 500+ so I guess I stand corrected. Surprising in some respects. Might be partly due to geography, alumni or perception. I see WUSTL for example, placed only 31 at 500+ attorney firms.

[hephaestus]

During the boom BC/BU were averaging like 30% in big law. The last few years, as you point out, are not close at all.