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What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 3:44 am
by Anonymous User
A friend of mine (both SA-less) were conjecturing as to what exactly are our school's hiring numbers for big law. He seems to think that 70-80 percent of people have a 2L SA at a big firm (if you consider NLJ 350). I don't know where he's getting the data, but he seems fairly certain. I say that's just not in line with the numbers we've been receiving for previous classes (57%, 47%) for the past two years (granted, they did OCI in 09 and '10). But then again, i can't find more than 6 or 7 people who don't have a 2L SA at this point. Anybody at Cornell care to offer their insight?

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:48 am
by Anonymous User
People who strike out are not as vocal or noticeable as people who make it...
Think of it this way, does everyone in your school, EVERYONE, know that you struck out? If not, then those that do not know that, assume you got biglaw in the same way that you assume that everyone but 7 people got biglaw.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:41 am
by Tiago Splitter
64.7% of the class of 2012 ended up in either a Federal clerkship or a firm with 100+ attorneys. Sounds like your friend was pretty close.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:46 am
by WhiteyCakes
Tiago Splitter wrote:64.7% of the class of 2012 ended up in either a Federal clerkship or a firm with 100+ attorneys. Sounds like your friend was pretty close.
LST places that number closer to 50%

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:48 am
by Hattori Hanzo
WhiteyCakes wrote:
Tiago Splitter wrote:64.7% of the class of 2012 ended up in either a Federal clerkship or a firm with 100+ attorneys. Sounds like your friend was pretty close.
LST places that number closer to 50%
LST stats are from 2011. 2012 might have been a better year.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:08 pm
by M458
Hattori Hanzo wrote:
WhiteyCakes wrote:
Tiago Splitter wrote:64.7% of the class of 2012 ended up in either a Federal clerkship or a firm with 100+ attorneys. Sounds like your friend was pretty close.
LST places that number closer to 50%
LST stats are from 2011. 2012 might have been was a better year.
Numbers are out and they're substantially better.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:16 pm
by Anonymous User
And 2013 (my class year) was substantially better than 2012. 2014, however, is about the same or a little bit worse.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:22 pm
by bhan87
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... =employers

8% Federal Clerkships
38.9% Firms with 101+ Attorneys

Around 46.9% is my guess.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:31 pm
by Lincoln
bhan87 wrote:http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... =employers

8% Federal Clerkships
38.9% Firms with 101+ Attorneys

Around 46.9% is my guess.
Again, this is c/o 2011, which was ground zero for the job market collapse. As is the case at pretty much every school, it's improved significantly for the subsequent two classes, although I'd say it leveled off or even dropped a bit for c/o 2014.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:39 pm
by 09042014
If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:51 pm
by Anonymous User
maybe this is premature, but since people are offering c/o 2014 predictions, is there anything out there yet to base c/o 2015 predictions on? i know the dean suggested biglaw rates would be on the rise from c/o 2014, but it's his job to say that.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:52 pm
by 09042014
Anonymous User wrote:maybe this is premature, but since people are offering c/o 2014 predictions, is there anything out there yet to base c/o 2015 prediction on?
I heard 99% of the 1L's who are still writing their briefs and haven't even started studying for finals already have jobs at V100 firms.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:11 pm
by Hattori Hanzo
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
That sounds too high, admittedly based on anecdotal evidence. Where did you get that 80% number? Also, I don't think that number would be the same at Columbia for example and Georgetown.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:19 pm
by 09042014
Hattori Hanzo wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
That sounds too high, admittedly based on anecdotal evidence. Where did you get that 80% number? Also, I don't think that number would be the same at Columbia for example and Georgetown.
Someone survey'd a single section at NW and got 82% after subtracting out those I mentioned. It probably is lower at Georgetown.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:58 pm
by Hattori Hanzo
Desert Fox wrote:
Hattori Hanzo wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
That sounds too high, admittedly based on anecdotal evidence. Where did you get that 80% number? Also, I don't think that number would be the same at Columbia for example and Georgetown.
Someone survey'd a single section at NW and got 82% after subtracting out those I mentioned. It probably is lower at Georgetown.
I feel like HLS sends a smaller percentage of students to Biglaw. Now sure what to make of that.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:04 pm
by 09042014
Hattori Hanzo wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:
Hattori Hanzo wrote: That sounds too high, admittedly based on anecdotal evidence. Where did you get that 80% number? Also, I don't think that number would be the same at Columbia for example and Georgetown.
Someone survey'd a single section at NW and got 82% after subtracting out those I mentioned. It probably is lower at Georgetown.
I feel like HLS sends a smaller percentage of students to Biglaw. Now sure what to make of that.
If you subtract out being gunning PI, Academia, Gov't, consulting from HLS, I bet its probably north of 90%.

And the numbers at NW is only one section. Each section should be a decent sample, but other sections could be lower/higher.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:05 pm
by Revolver066
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
Hopefully the new data will put a damper on the YOU DONT UNDERSTAND, YOU ONLY HAVE A COINFLIP SHOT AT BIGLAWL poasters. Not that I disagree with their overall message that lawl school is usually a terrible idea (it is), but at least be honest about it.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:45 pm
by 09042014
Revolver066 wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
Hopefully the new data will put a damper on the YOU DONT UNDERSTAND, YOU ONLY HAVE A COINFLIP SHOT AT BIGLAWL poasters. Not that I disagree with their overall message that lawl school is usually a terrible idea (it is), but at least be honest about it.
It's pretty hard to separate who tried for big law and show didn't.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:51 pm
by de5igual
Desert Fox wrote:
Revolver066 wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
Hopefully the new data will put a damper on the YOU DONT UNDERSTAND, YOU ONLY HAVE A COINFLIP SHOT AT BIGLAWL poasters. Not that I disagree with their overall message that lawl school is usually a terrible idea (it is), but at least be honest about it.
It's pretty hard to separate who tried for big law and show didn't.
that's what i was thinking when you mentioned that survey. sure there are some people who were gungho about PI/business when they started law school, but I bet a lot of people also use that as a psychological crutch to justify striking out.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:09 pm
by 09042014
f0bolous wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:
Revolver066 wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:If you take out PI puritans, JDMBA's and others who aren't really trying, I'd guess 80% get something resembling big law at non-HYS t14's.
Hopefully the new data will put a damper on the YOU DONT UNDERSTAND, YOU ONLY HAVE A COINFLIP SHOT AT BIGLAWL poasters. Not that I disagree with their overall message that lawl school is usually a terrible idea (it is), but at least be honest about it.
It's pretty hard to separate who tried for big law and show didn't.
that's what i was thinking when you mentioned that survey. sure there are some people who were gungho about PI/business when they started law school, but I bet a lot of people also use that as a psychological crutch to justify striking out.
The person who stalked/survey tried to figure out if it was their plan all along, but people definitely do suddenly discover a passion for PI when they strike out. But I think the more common thing is, going in looking for PI but then when push comes to shove, you half ass OCI. Should they count as striking out? Who knows.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:34 pm
by KidStuddi
Pro Tip: Google.com
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/career ... -Stats.pdf

Doesn't break down the data by firm size, but 75% of the 2L reported firm jobs last year.

Interesting to see that they actually release summer data. I wish more schools did.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:58 pm
by Anonymous User
OP, do you mind giving a rough estimate of where you are in the class ranking wise? I'm just trying to gather if there is a point where the ability to interview outweighs the grade disparity.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:15 pm
by BullShitWithBravado
KidStuddi wrote:Pro Tip: Google.com
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/career ... -Stats.pdf

Doesn't break down the data by firm size, but 75% of the 2L reported firm jobs last year.

Interesting to see that they actually release summer data. I wish more schools did.
Last year DeRosa told us that 80% of the class of 2013 who participated in AJF got Big Law. Looking at this graph, there's no way that that's right.

OP, I don't personally know everyone in our class who doesn't have a job yet, but I've heard that there are at least 15 people who did not get Big Law and have still been unable to get a PI job.

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:02 am
by Anonymous User
BullShitWithBravado wrote:
Last year DeRosa told us that 80% of the class of 2013 who participated in AJF got Big Law. Looking at this graph, there's no way that that's right.

OP, I don't personally know everyone in our class who doesn't have a job yet, but I've heard that there are at least 15 people who did not get Big Law and have still been unable to get a PI job.
Interesting, it feels like I’m the only one

Re: What is Cornell's ACTUAL Big Law Rate?

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:42 am
by KidStuddi
BullShitWithBravado wrote:
KidStuddi wrote:Pro Tip: Google.com
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/career ... -Stats.pdf

Doesn't break down the data by firm size, but 75% of the 2L reported firm jobs last year.

Interesting to see that they actually release summer data. I wish more schools did.
Last year DeRosa told us that 80% of the class of 2013 who participated in AJF got Big Law. Looking at this graph, there's no way that that's right.
You're probably right, but to be fair, if a significant portion of your class self-selected themselves out of OCI (I assume that's what AJF is) because they had bottom 1/3rd grades or whatever, then the figures could match up.