As a T14 transfer, should I do write-on? Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 12:46 pm

I was recently accepted at a T14 as a transfer. I can do OCI here. HOWEVER, the write-on competition is AFTER OCI, which almost completely negates the point of being on law review or a journal for job-search purposes. But I wrote-on to my T2 flagship journal, and it is indicated as such on my resume.

I have a 1L Summer Associate position at a firm that I love. An offer to come back 2L year seems highly likely. I would not mind at all if I did my second summer there next year, but if I get another job at OCI, I will try to split my summer (10 weeks - 4 weeks) with that firm.

With my situation, would you still write-on to the journal? If you did, would you take anything less than Law Review?

Other considerations:
-If rumors are correct, the write-on is during a weekend that I already have significant prior commitments.
-I believe I am a good writer and I don't think (I may be wrong) I need the "practice"
-I made a significant transfer "up" and I am afraid of maintaining my grades, so I want to keep a light workload
-I really want to do an externship with a judge (I am aware this and journal are not mutually exclusive)
-At the same time, I do not want to come off as lazy at my current firm, or any other firm
-Asking my current firm for advice is not an option, for the same reason as above (see 'lazy')
-Edit after first post: I am not sure about a clerkship. I doubt my first-year grades at the T2 is hgh enough to get me a prestigious enough clerkship to warrant deferring big law.

Please, TLS peeps, advise me!

A. Nony Mouse · Post by **A. Nony Mouse** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 12:51 pm

Being on a journal (preferably LR) can be important if you want to do a clerkship. Otherwise, I defer to other people's wisdom.

BeenDidThat · Post by **BeenDidThat** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 1:26 pm

This is all about you and your comfort with risk. Up-front work with back-end benefits that you may or may not use.

The tiny risk: no offers post-2L summer or accepted offer falls through (due to dissolution of firm or other events).

The way to potentially benefit yourself in that shitty and unlikely scenario: do LR.

What it could do: give you a better shot at a clerkship, 3L OCI, or getting a job post-3L, if you need to.

Chance of you getting double no-offered is next-to-nil. My bullshit, off-the-cuff odds: 90% you'll be working a jerb with one of these firms 3 months after graduation.

So, 10% chance LR benefits you in the short term. And how much would LR help over and above any increase in grades you could have w/o doing LR? Helps a good bit with any of your options should you get double no-offered. Another effect is longer-term: lots of lawyers see Law Review and have more respect for the other lawyer. GCs are lawyers. You get why that's important.

I'm fairly lazy, okay with marginal risks, and not all that prestige-hungry: I'd skip the write-on. But realize that you're giving up a slight hedge for ensuring employment and a fairly big long-term "soft" that could tip the scales for you in future hiring/promotional decisions. Can't get in your head, so I'll leave it at that.

bk1 · Post by **bk1** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 2:09 pm

If you want to clerk then I'd do it and take any journal you get. If you don't care about clerking then I probably wouldn't.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:31 pm

OP here. Thanks for the advice guys. I am leaning toward just focusing on school, but I am concerned that there are so many votes for "Do any secondary journal." I was thinking there would be more for "Do only law review." Is it just a complete split in opinion regarding risk assessment?

Who is the best person to talk to about this in my life?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 8:37 pm

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Thanks for the advice guys. I am leaning toward just focusing on school, but I am concerned that there are so many votes for "Do any secondary journal." I was thinking there would be more for "Do only law review." Is it just a complete split in opinion regarding risk assessment?

Who is the best person to talk to about this in my life?

If you end up not having to do anything significant during the weekend of the competition, I would do it. Because you are a good writer, it may not take too much effort and you may make LR right off the bat.

Also, a lot of people look at someone's participation in LR or a journal as a proxy not only good grades, but ambition, organization, attention to detail, and bluebooking skills. Making LR at a T14 also just looks awesome.

I also echo the comments about clerking. If you ever want to do this, you best do LR or a secondary. Are secondaries voluntary at your new T14 or do they look to the writing competition too?

Wholigan · Post by **Wholigan** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:40 pm

I don't think your 1L grades mean very much for clerkships, so if you want to clerk I wouldn't decide not to do journal just because you think you are already out of consideration.

I would also consider the likelihood that firms will ask you if you are going to be on a journal during OCI. When I transferred, the writing comp was before OCI, but results weren't released until after most of OCI was over, but a lot of firms asked whether I was planning to be on a journal at my new school. The answer that I had done the competition and was awaiting the results seemed fine. I'm not sure how a "no, I'm not planning on it" answer would play with some firms. But if you are happy with your 1L firm and that doesn't matter, I guess that is a factor. Although if that's the case I might begin to wonder why you decided to transfer.

Finally, at my school I wrote onto a secondary journal and I made many of my friends at my new school through journal. People tend to have friends from their 1L sections and the main structured group activity after 1L seems to be journal. Of course there are student groups and other ways to meet people, but I wouldn't underestimate the value of journal for that reason also.

bk1 · Post by **bk1** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:57 pm

I mean OP doesn't have to admit to firms that he/she isn't doing the write on. If asked, just say "the write on for transfers hasn't happened yet, so I can't know for sure whether I'll be on one." And if prompted just say you intend to do it.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 11:19 pm

I was a T14 transfer, didn't do write-on, wasn't asked about it once, got a job. Transactional focus.

lolwat · Post by **lolwat** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:48 am

I'd do it for the resume boost. There might not be any consequences, but why really risk it? There shouldn't be a reason why your grades or work product (from an externship) should suffer as a result of doing a journal; you'll eat into some of your free time, not your study/work time. Plus, non-editorial board positions are typically minimal work.

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