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What's your rank? It's going to be nearly impossible to get just about anything. I know a lot of firms have cutoff around 3.3. Latham's cutoff is 3.4+

I'd take Latham out entirely, same for K&S. those just aren't happening

mr.hands wrote:What's your rank? It's going to be nearly impossible to get just about anything. I know a lot of firms have cutoff around 3.3. Latham's cutoff is 3.4+

I'd take Latham out entirely, same for K&S. those just aren't happening

OP here. Thanks for the heads up. I realize Latham is selective, but I was hoping they would be less so for their satellite office. I'll take Latham and K&S out. I'm not sure what my rank is because my school only releases top third, 15%, and 10%. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere around middle third (below median, obviously).

I realize my chances are pretty slim, but I still wanted to give myself the best possible chance at getting something. Anything. What do you think of my bidding strategy in terms of getting interviews? It's pure lottery.

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Anonymous User wrote:

mr.hands wrote:What's your rank? It's going to be nearly impossible to get just about anything. I know a lot of firms have cutoff around 3.3. Latham's cutoff is 3.4+

I'd take Latham out entirely, same for K&S. those just aren't happening

OP here. Thanks for the heads up. I realize Latham is selective, but I was hoping they would be less so for their satellite office. I'll take Latham and K&S out. I'm not sure what my rank is because my school only releases top third, 15%, and 10%. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere around middle third (below median, obviously).

I realize my chances are pretty slim, but I still wanted to give myself the best possible chance at getting something. Anything. What do you think of my bidding strategy in terms of getting interviews? It's pure lottery.

just because it's a lottery in getting interviews doesn't mean you'll have any shot in the interview.

ask career services for firms where people w/your grades got jobs last year. bid those places first. see if they can help you with places that will not go down to your GPA at all. my guess is Gibson, Sidley, Proskauer, White & Case and Kasowitz are also virtually no chance

Bottom third at Georgetown doesn't get biglaw. Gtown law grads are a dime a dozen.

DocReviewPro wrote:Bottom third at Georgetown doesn't get biglaw. Gtown law grads are a dime a dozen.

OP has nothing to lose by participating in OCI and doing his/her best, even if, as you say, "bottom third at Georgetown doesn't get big law." That said – OP, you should retool your bid list, I think, to specifically target firms that have hired from GULC with lower GPAs. It may be true that you won't get anything, but you should maximize your chances by getting rid of the likes of Sidley, etc, as other posters have suggested.

Fellow rising 2L at Gtown. I think your best bet is to gun hard for Texas and network hard it only takes 1 person to really fight for you to give you a chance. I'll comment on your NYC firms, because thats where I'm bidding. Morgan Lewis is most likely a no go but as good a shot as any of the NYC firms with big classes, I've talked to a partner and they aren't looking to dip below median in this economy, but maybe you can wow them in the interview so I may move them a spot or two as they are overbid. Kelley Dyre looks good at that spot since they doubled their OCI spots for this year. Chadbourne is a good bid at 19. SRZ you have a very small chance just look at previous Gtown hires they all are cum laude or law review. Shearman no shot they have a 3.2 solid floor at Gtown at least what recuriting told me when I asked how my grades were in comparison. Milbank seems to really like Gtown people so very slim shot. Akin Gump is a small NYC class and I've basically been told my 3.4 is borderline too low for a CB. I'll stop there because you probably won't get any others or a small amount.
Sorry if that came off harsh, but just trying to help. But don't get down about your grades they are what they are and fuck it you can't change it now, but what you can do now is network your ass off at all of the Texas firms and if your summer is not in Texas your summer market. Also, you have to make yourself more then your resume, because yours is not good enough point blank (neither is mine so no worries) Tomorrow go out there and hustle like your life depends on it so that when someone sees your resume they don't only see your GPA but they see the person who you are and who they want to work with. Further, with my secondary market non NYC i've been emailing them and saying I know you lump all the bids and interview for all the offices with the same person, but I really want this office that is not NYC or DC so could I possibly just come into that office before EIW. It worked for 3 out of 7 firms I tried and it saved me 3 high bids something to look in to for the Texas firms that are overbid not because everyone wants Texas but the DC office is on the same schedule.
Hope that helps keep your head up grades are random as hell and don't say anything about how good of a lawyer you will be.

I know nothing of Texas but your list looks pretty solid for NYC. Shearman and Milbank probably aren't happening, as the other poster said. Maybe move Kasowitz and Edwards Wildman up a bit. Your URM status will help; good luck!

itbdvorm wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

mr.hands wrote:What's your rank? It's going to be nearly impossible to get just about anything. I know a lot of firms have cutoff around 3.3. Latham's cutoff is 3.4+

I'd take Latham out entirely, same for K&S. those just aren't happening

OP here. Thanks for the heads up. I realize Latham is selective, but I was hoping they would be less so for their satellite office. I'll take Latham and K&S out. I'm not sure what my rank is because my school only releases top third, 15%, and 10%. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere around middle third (below median, obviously).

I realize my chances are pretty slim, but I still wanted to give myself the best possible chance at getting something. Anything. What do you think of my bidding strategy in terms of getting interviews? It's pure lottery.

just because it's a lottery in getting interviews doesn't mean you'll have any shot in the interview.

ask career services for firms where people w/your grades got jobs last year. bid those places first. see if they can help you with places that will not go down to your GPA at all. my guess is Gibson, Sidley, Proskauer, White & Case and Kasowitz are also virtually no chance

Kasowitz has hired at lower. But, I'd say you're correct in that the others are out.

Do you have strong ties to Texas? If not, those are wasted bids.

OP here. Thank you so much to everyone who has posted in this thread so far. I really appreciate the help. The consensus seems to be that I should remove the following firms from my list: Gibson, Sidley, Proskauer, W&C, Akin Gump, SRZ, and Shearman. Should I also take out Kasowitz, or do I move it up so I actually have a shot at an interview?

Also, does anyone have advice for bidding on unselective firms in NYC? Based on past hiring data from GULC, it seems like Kelley (3.08 median), Morgan Lewis (3.2), Curtis (3.1), Alston Bird (3.06), Chadbourne (3.23), Seward (3.05), clifford chance (3.25), and McDermott (3.24) were a few that I could target. Are there any more firms fitting this criteria that I have left out or that should be higher on my list?

With regard to bid strategy, would it make more sense for me to move the unselective NY firms higher on my list and move the Houston firms down? Ideally, I would like to work in Houston, so I put those first initially. But it would also be ideal for me to somehow get a job, and NY tends to be more heavily bid.

Joe Quincy wrote:Do you have strong ties to Texas? If not, those are wasted bids.

I grew up in Houston but left for undergrad and law school. My parents still have a house there, and all my immediate family still lives in the area. Does that qualify as strong ties, or are firms looking for something more?

Anonymous User wrote:

Joe Quincy wrote:Do you have strong ties to Texas? If not, those are wasted bids.

I grew up in Houston but left for undergrad and law school. My parents still have a house there, and all my immediate family still lives in the area. Does that qualify as strong ties, or are firms looking for something more?

Those are good ties. Put the local address on your materials. You just need to come off as someone that is going to make a career in Houston.