Top Law Schools

Hi, here's my background: 1) top 20% at cornell, 2) Law review, 3) no IP, 4) ties to west coast, no ties to California, where I've vacationed twice. I know I want to go to a smaller market, like SF, SD, or Palo Alto, etc. But LA is not attractive to me.

So is mass mailing the top California firms worth it (that are not coming to OCI)? I'm thinking Covington, Munger Tolles, QE, etc.

More importantly, how the heck do I write a cover letter without ties...? Just tell them I want the Californian sun?

Thanks a ton TLS!

Sure, mass mail

It'll take you like an hour to get a list of firms and write CLs

Make up a reason why you want to be there based on your resume/experience

Probably shouldn't waste your time mass-mailing Munger. Quick search on their website: no lawyer at Munger graduated from Cornell. Plus, I don't think your grades are high enough.

OP here, thanks. Ya I'll put together a list then and mass email.

Palo Alto isn't considered a small market.

I think it's worth the time if you have time. I think Cornell is prestigious enough of a school.

Anonymous User wrote:Probably shouldn't waste your time mass-mailing Munger. Quick search on their website: no lawyer at Munger graduated from Cornell. Plus, I don't think your grades are high enough.

Ditto this. Covington are also incredibly snobby about Cornell, but that's worth a shot. Better move on Quinn fast.

Also, congratulations on law review.

Probably shouldn't waste your time mass-mailing Munger. Quick search on their website: no lawyer at Munger graduated from Cornell. Plus, I don't think your grades are high enough.

Mass mailing takes relatively little time and effort, though. I'm sure it's a bit different to have no Cornell grads at a firm (being that it's a T14), but there are a ton of firms that have zero grads from my non-T14 school that have interviewed me from a mass-mail. Including callbacks.

Not Munger, but still.

Anonymous User wrote:Probably shouldn't waste your time mass-mailing Munger. Quick search on their website: no lawyer at Munger graduated from Cornell. Plus, I don't think your grades are high enough.

FWIW, I'm from Cornell, and I did get preselected for an interview with Munger through a career fair. Cornell is a small school that self selects heavily into NY so I don't think that a west coast firm having no Cornell grads necessarily means that such firms aren't open to hiring from Cornell

Congrats! Definitely mass mail. You'll probably get more bites if you already have a trip planned out there (because that makes your desire to be there more believable), but I imagine with your stats you'll get at least one screener, so you could wait until that happens and then send follow-up emails once you have your trip planned.

Also, start telling people you're targeting those California markets to drum up contacts. My dad (of all people) mentioned a key contact for me out of the blue when I mentioned my intent to move West.

Good luck! It's a hustle to break into a market with no ties, but you have good stats, so I think you have a good chance.