Top Firms @ OCI's, at T14s and then none-T14s Forum

[Anonymous User]

The same firms in V100 interview both at these top T14 schools and at schools that are not. I realize a lot of it might just come from geography (NYC firms interview not only @ Columbia/NYU but also at Fordham and Cardozo, California firms interview at Pepperdine, Hastings, etc.). Would you say it's fair game once you get the first interview (assuming it's a preselect system and not lottery), or do you think in the end the firms would still fill more of its class with T14 kids?

I'm at a school ranked in the top 60s and seeing that my friend at a lower T14 has pretty much bid on the same firms, and hasn't even bothered to apply to some firms I bid on because he thinks he's not competitive there (he's below median at his school). He thinks I'll be fine because I'm top 10% at mine but then theres like 50-55 spots of law school between ours...!

[Pokemon]

The same firms in V100 interview both at these top T14 schools and at schools that are not. I realize a lot of it might just come from geography (NYC firms interview not only @ Columbia/NYU but also at Fordham and Cardozo, California firms interview at Pepperdine, Hastings, etc.). Would you say it's fair game once you get the first interview (assuming it's a preselect system and not lottery), or do you think in the end the firms would still fill more of its class with T14 kids?

I'm at a school ranked in the top 60s and seeing that my friend at a lower T14 has pretty much bid on the same firms, and hasn't even bothered to apply to some firms I bid on because he thinks he's not competitive there (he's below median at his school). He thinks I'll be fine because I'm top 10% at mine but then theres like 50-55 spots of law school between ours...!

I think top 10% at your school probably has the same chances as median at a lower T-14. If your friend is considerably below that, then he is right in being worried about himself and thinking you will do better.

[Anonymous User]

Do you know if law firms give more interview slots to T14 schools than to others? Or do they just choose base on what gets submitted?

[Pokemon]

Do you know if law firms give more interview slots to T14 schools than to others? Or do they just choose base on what gets submitted?

Not sure why that matters, but I think most firms give the same amount of slots. It is just that most firms do not go to lower ranked schools. But if Cahill has twenty slots at NU, and if they also send someone to a T-100, I doubt they will tell the attorney to interview fewer people than he would interview at NU. I can imagine a firm however having 60 slots at a t-14 and only 20 at another place.
Again, this is all guesswork.

[guano]

Interviewers might have less callback slots for lower ranked schools.
Additionally, how hiring committed work varies by firm, but you can be sure that if it comes down to one of two candidates, school/grades will be part of the discussion.

[Bronte]

Given your grades, you're the type of applicant they're targeting if they're at your school. You should just give it your best shot and not worry about what's going on at T14s.

[Anonymous User]

My (non T14) school recently submitted actual student GPA data for screeners at OCI firms for the first time. I was shocked (SHOCKED!) at how deeply in the class firms go to invite students for screening interviews, even firms considered the most selective/competitive/prestigious. The medians were not that high either, lower than I expected. I got callbacks at firms where my GPA was around (or a little above, like 0.1 above) the median they interviewed. I got an offer at a firm where my GPA was only 0.1 above the median GPA of all their screeners.

My takeaway is that simply getting a screener doesn't mean much. They cast a very wide net at this stage. Maybe partly to insure they don't miss a "diamond in the rough" but also because I think they have a relationship with the school and particularly certain faculty, and interviewing heavily is part of that. If your grades are decent (around median of what they screen) then it's up to you to stand out from all the other medianish screeners. If your grades are bad then it's up to you to figure out a way to impress their pants off. If your grades are significantly above the median then it's up to you to not screw up.

Getting the callback is much more meaningful than the screener. You had some combination of grades, charisma, unique background, and je ne sais quoi to make them want to hire you. Reinforce the points you made at the screener, be charming, etc. If you're not an all-star candidate you're hoping their first pick chooses another firm and they go down the list to you.

[Talar]

Interviewers might have less callback slots for lower ranked schools.
Additionally, how hiring committed work varies by firm, but you can be sure that if it comes down to one of two candidates, school/grades will be part of the discussion.

This. I would say that even though a V10 will interview 20 people at a T14 and 20 people at a T60, they usually have specific instructions for how many people they can bring back for a callback per school.