How dumb is it to bid on secondary markets with no ties? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Let's assume marginally above median at a school ranked 7-13.

Obviously the conventional wisdom is bid NYC hard for sure and I won't not do that.

But I am interested in cool places like Dallas and Chicago but I am not from either place and I don't go to school in those cities.

Worth the effort? Will they laugh me out of the building? Assume I am a bad interviewer and kind of Aspie.

[09042014]

Just tell them about how your fiance is from the area and wants to return.

[Anonymous User]

Just tell them about how your fiance is from the area and wants to return.

I have a crush on a girl from Dallas. I might have to pop the question. I am a bad liar and talking to hotshot lawyers intimidates me because I have low T.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Very dumb.

You're a marginal candidate and can't afford to waste bids on "cool places."

[Nammertat]

Just tell them about how your fiance is from the area and wants to return.

I have a crush on a girl from Dallas. I might have to pop the question. I am a bad liar and talking to hotshot lawyers intimidates me because I have low T.

LMAO!

Agreed, the fiance line has been used a million times!

[Br3v]

What is the credited way to gun for a secondary market which you have no ties? Try to work there 1L summer?

[09042014]

Just tell them about how your fiance is from the area and wants to return.

I have a crush on a girl from Dallas. I might have to pop the question. I am a bad liar and talking to hotshot lawyers intimidates me because I have low T.

Dood, what is your digit raich? 105%. Do you even IFNB?

[rad lulz]

Very dumb.

You're a marginal candidate and can't afford to waste bids on "cool places."

[Anonymous User]

Just tell them about how your fiance is from the area and wants to return.

I have a crush on a girl from Dallas. I might have to pop the question. I am a bad liar and talking to hotshot lawyers intimidates me because I have low T.

Dood, what is your digit raich? 105%. Do you even IFNB?

Never measured dig rash, but long time Rod's member.

[Anonymous User]

OP here, what if when I get all my grades back I am closer to top 25 percent?

[JamMasterJ]

What is the credited way to gun for a secondary market which you have no ties? Try to work there 1L summer?

that and/or top 1/4 from CCN

[Lateral2013]

Honestly, probably not the way to go, especially in the markets you listed, as those markets do have decent law schools close and probably have people with ties to the city at top law schools like yours interviewing.

If it were me, knowing then what I know now, I would bid for firms where you have ties and wouldn't mind being for awhile. If that's NYC, even better. NY experience is portable anywhere you go and can make up for lack of ties. I would concentrate on getting my foot in the door and then making connections in other geographic areas (not hard to do at all once practicing) and lateralling after 3-4 years to your desired market.

Even if you got your grades up, to me it wouldn't be worth the risk. Go for the more certain thing and take the long view.

[Anonymous User]

What is the credited way to gun for a secondary market which you have no ties? Try to work there 1L summer?

that and/or top 1/4 from CCN

I had both these things and still struck out in secondary markets. You're a fool not to bid NYC if you don't have very strong ties to another healthy legal market.

[JamMasterJ]

What is the credited way to gun for a secondary market which you have no ties? Try to work there 1L summer?

that and/or top 1/4 from CCN

I had both these things and still struck out in secondary markets. You're a fool not to bid NYC if you don't have very strong ties to another healthy legal market.

oh I definitely don't encourage not bidding NYC. Just saying that these are factors that might get you a shot at secondaries. Also,

Remember, no all secondaries are the same.
For instance (can't remember which is which) but I've heard that SF and SV are not equally willing to hire people w/o ties.

[2014]

If you are going to bid a "cool" place why not go all in and do Florida, San Diego, San Francisco, or Hawaii? Who wants to cop dat free flight to Dallas?

[Anonymous User]

Question about NYC: what if you've never even visited the city? i know they dont care much about ties, but i'm guessing an interviewer would ask me why i want NYC since my resume screams midwest. i want it mostly because it's a stronger hiring market but also because i'm interested in doing corporate work (still open to lit though). is the latter reason a decent answer for the why NYC question?

[guano]

Question about NYC: what if you've never even visited the city? i know they dont care much about ties, but i'm guessing an interviewer would ask me why i want NYC since my resume screams midwest. i want it mostly because it's a stronger hiring market but also because i'm interested in doing corporate work (still open to lit though). is the latter reason a decent answer for the why NYC question?

No one questions why NY - the general attitude is who wouldn't want to work in the best city for the biggest firms on the most important matters?

It just shows ambition

[rad lulz]

,

[guano]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

[Birdnals]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

Really? I thought Minnesota is a pretty well regarded city.

-This is Dingbat

[guano]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

Really? I thought Minnesota is a pretty well regarded city.

-This is Dingbat

We used to do a fair amount of business in Minnesota (north of a billion) and I got that as the reply when discussing the guy in charge over there.

[rad lulz]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

I'm just saying it doesn't always work

I know a few other people w similar experiences

I mean

I actually did OCI and all

[guano]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

I'm just saying it doesn't always work

I know a few other people w similar experiences

I mean

I actually did OCI and all

Fair point.
Could be grilling for the sake of grilling, or whatnot, but I'll admit not ever being on either end if OCI. Still, it's usually not hard to convince NYers that you want to be in NY

[Anonymous User]

My resume has a TON of Southern shit on it

Every NYC interview I got grilled on why NYC

And "how often do you go/have you been to NYC" was common

Just say its thd biggest firms with the best cases

Edit: I've actually heard biglaw senior partners say (about other senior people) that if they'd have had any real ambition they wouldn't be in Minnesota/St. Louis (yes, about those actual cities)

I'm just saying it doesn't always work

I know a few other people w similar experiences

I mean

I actually did OCI and all

this is the anon midwestern bro from above. based on these experiences, would you recommend not bidding NYC for someone like me? almost all grades are in, and worst case scenario i'd be top 40%ish, best case scenario I'll be about 15-20%. i'm definitely gunning for chicago/one secondary market, but i'd rather not fuck myself over by poor bidding. i go to school at mich.

[Paul Campos]

I was looking at some new big law stats this week. Total SAs in major legal markets in 2007: 7500. Total SAs in those same markets last year: 3800.

But here's the kicker: NYC didn't see nearly as big a decline as most markets. There are a lot of cities that have literally a third as many SA slots now as they did five years ago.

If you're at a lower t-14 and want big law and aren't near the top of the class you have to bid NYC hard.