2L at TT w/ 2013 SA w/ V100 firm lined up...2L grades? Forum

[Anonymous User]

How important are 2L grades given my situation? 3L? I will almost certainly be the SA from the lowest ranked school in my SA class, if that matters. I'm currently # 4 in my class and on law review, but am having a LOT of trouble motivating myself.

[somewhatwayward]

People always say they don't matter at all, and I don't have any personal experience with someone being no offered because of a drop in grades, but my opinion is that you should keep them up. Why give someone a pretext or even just a second thought about you? I don't think you need to maintain your rank as #4, but if you got all As last year, I think you should aim for, at the least, an even mix of As and Bs this year. You can game this to some extent by taking classes where there are easier curves.

Some people say it is unreasonable to no offer for grades at, say, Latham because they are not very grade-sensitive in the first place - why no offer the kid who went from top third to median when, a year earlier, you hired another kid who was at median? This logic does not apply to you, though, because the firm did not hire anyone at median from your school.

This will also depend on the firm. I understand you don't want to say because then you are identifiable, but if it is a firm that historically offers 100% then you are probably fine. The thing is that just bc you landed an SA does not mean your life is set. You could get laid off the first year and then those grades could matter for finding a new position or you decide you hate your firm and want to change as a 3L....again grades will matter. People have also mentioned grades mattering for lateraling from your firm after a few years. Basically, just keep them up. It gets easier 2L year anyway. I mean, I am a 3L going to a V5 and I am keeping my grades up this year and, if I am, I think you should too....

[blurbz]

I have a friend at a T1 school who got no offered in large part due to a drop in grades. (S)He dropped from top 5% after 1L to top 1/3 after 2L. The firm told this person on the second to last day at the firm that (s)he was below their grade cutoff and they weren't sure what would happen. S(H)e was no-offered two weeks later. This was at a V25 firm in a major market and it is not a firm that was known for caring about grades.

People say grades don't matter, but I think that's more because the type of people who get biglaw are the type who won't let their grades drop TOO much. So it's not that firms don't care, it's that they don't have a reason to care very often. If you let your grades absolutely plummet, you might have some explaining to do.....

[Richie Tenenbaum]

While your firm may not care if your grades drop some, threads like the following should help motivate you to do everything within your power to make sure you avoid being no offered: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=190792