Gibson Dunn grade cutoffs Forum

[Anonymous User]

According to Vault, GDC has "strict grade cutoffs." They haven't listed any grade cutoffs on their Symplicity listing, however. Does anyone have info on what these cutoffs might be?

[Bikeflip]

What school are you at, and what office are you looking at?

[Anonymous User]

Every big firm has strict grade cutoffs--that's not unique to Gibson. They're going to vary from school to school. They don't vary as much within the top 14 outside of HYS. After that they're going to vary a lot. They're also going to vary within a firm based on the office.

From what I've seen (although it's been a while) the non NYC offices don't really go below the top 20 percent of the non HYS top 14. And to be honest, I believe most of their hires are in the top 10 percent range. NYC is a different beast though. I believe that they dip lower into top 14 classes (not down to median or anything like that but lower).

I believe DC, LA, and Dallas are the most selective offices.

[Anonymous User]

What school are you at, and what office are you looking at?

GULC. Interested in DC and NYC offices.

[Anonymous User]

GDC cutoffs are the same across offices, although I'm sure certain offices, particularly DC, end up being more selective due to the higher demand and quality of applicants. GULC's cut-off is likely the same as it is for the rest of the non-HYS T14, which is right around top 1/3.

[Anonymous User]

GDC cutoffs are the same across offices, although I'm sure certain offices, particularly DC, end up being more selective due to the higher demand and quality of applicants. GULC's cut-off is likely the same as it is for the rest of the non-HYS T14, which is right around top 1/3.

I'm a rising 2L and someone I work with this summer is an alum from same CCN as me and is a former Gibson Dunn associate who worked in DC. I get the impression that you are basically right in terms of the NYC offices (although I am virtually certain the grouping of schools is not HYS ~ 4-14).

I asked him about DC, though, and he said that the GPA cutoff for the DC office coming out of our CCN was a 3.7+. He claimed that he was just a fraction below the number and had a partner arguing for him, which is how he knows. This would be somewhere around top 5-15% (somewhere in that range), which I was surprised about.

[Anonymous User]

GDC cutoffs are the same across offices, although I'm sure certain offices, particularly DC, end up being more selective due to the higher demand and quality of applicants. GULC's cut-off is likely the same as it is for the rest of the non-HYS T14, which is right around top 1/3.

I'm a rising 2L and someone I work with this summer is an alum from same CCN as me and is a former Gibson Dunn associate who worked in DC. I get the impression that you are basically right in terms of the NYC offices (although I am virtually certain the grouping of schools is not HYS ~ 4-14).

I asked him about DC, though, and he said that the GPA cutoff for the DC office coming out of our CCN was a 3.7+. He claimed that he was just a fraction below the number and had a partner arguing for him, which is how he knows. This would be somewhere around top 5-15% (somewhere in that range), which I was surprised about.

I'm a current GDC associate, and I just talked to our hiring partner last week about grade cutoffs. They're definitely the same across all offices, although in practice the DC office and some of the smaller offices end up being more selective. There are specific GPA cutoffs for each school, so I'm sure there's a bit of a sliding scale at the T6 end of the T14, but I don't think the difference is very pronounced. I can't imagine a 3.7 CCN student would need a partner to argue for him based on grades. The partner might have been arguing in favor of him based on some other situational concerns (maybe they had a bunch of top HYS grads vying for a limited number of spots along with this CCN grad), but unless hiring practices have changed significantly from then until now, that doesn't fit. That being said, I'm not in the DC office, so maybe they don't follow the firm-wide rules.

[Anonymous User]

Any insight as to what GDC's cut-off is for GULC students?

[Anonymous User]

Top 1/4 from one of MVP was good enough for me in the NY office

[Anonymous User]

Top 20% + LR at Lower T14 good enough?

[Anonymous User]

Another current GDC associate here. Even though GDC has grade cutoffs for the T14 that are lower than the top 10%, there is a strong preference to hire as many people in the top 10% as possible, at least in my office. So while you're not officially "disqualified" if you don't have top 10% grades, you will very likely be passed over for someone with top 10% grades (assuming such candidates accept our callbacks/offers) unless you have a special factor that a particular group is looking for (i.e., tech background for IP).

[Anonymous User]

Current GDC summer. GDC cares a lot more about personality and culture-fit than most peer firms, and marginal candidates can get offers if they fit into the firm's gregarious /assertive mold. By contrast, GDC will not give offers to great students who are anti-social, awkward, etc. The firm is pretty fratty, and I mean that in the best way possible. If you're conflicted over which offices to choose, here are the reps for the top 3:

LA: Very CA-focused work, more laid-back and family-friendly
NYC: Best location for white collar/FCPA work, longer hours than LA
DC: Best location for appellate/regulatory work, much more conservative (politically and personality-wise) than the other offices, crazy hours

If you're interested in litigation, the balance of power is now NYC/DC. Most of the top litigation partners-Randy Mastro, Mark Kirsch, Orin Snyder (NYC), and Ted Olson and Eguene Scalia (DC)-are in those offices. GDC is an LA-firm in name-only at this point. Main HR is in LA, but the office is kind of considered to be a backwater.

[Anonymous User]

Don't want to out myself, but above poster's impression is pretty inaccurate in my experience. GDC is very much an LA firm, it just has very, very strong offices on the East Coast. The firm is managed out of the LA office--it's not just HR that's located there (Ken Doran is a USC grad who started in the LA office). Far from being a backwater, the LA office is home to a number of the firm's star partners, including Deb Wong Yang (former US Attorney for C.D. Cal.), Scott Edelman, Ted Boutros, Daniel Swanson (antitrust), Wayne Barsky (IP) ... And that's just in litigation/white collar. The LA office is the oldest and arguably most prestigious firm in the second-largest city in the country. As you would expect, much of the work done in the LA office is national or international in scope, and many of the big matters are worked on by partners and associates in multiple offices. I don't think any of the firm's offices are viewed as "backwaters" by the attorneys. It's really one of the few firms where every office is excellent, and the hiring standards reflect that.

[t-14orbust]

Anyone know the rank cutoffs for HYS; CCN; and MVPB? I'm wondering if I should go to a lower ranked t14 and aim for a higher class rank or go to a higher up t14 and likely be less distinguished(or is it likely I'll do just as well at either?) Do firms go considerably lower into the class at higher up t14s?

[RodneyRuxin]

Anyone know the rank cutoffs for HYS; CCN; and MVPB? I'm wondering if I should go to a lower ranked t14 and aim for a higher class rank or go to a higher up t14 and likely be less distinguished(or is it likely I'll do just as well at either?) Do firms go considerably lower into the class at higher up t14s?

Here you go

[t-14orbust]

My bad, I keep posting in this forum when I see the threads on the active page, not realizing it until it's too late.

[RVP11]

LOL at GDC being "fratty" - it's one of the nerdiest firms in the country.

[Anonymous User]

Top 20% + LR at Lower T14 good enough?

I know several people who had offers and one that is summering at GDC DC that were on secondary journals (so most likely not inside 10%). Since DC in my experience and according to people in this thread is the most competitive, I think you will have a fighting chance with top 20% and LR.

[Anonymous User]

UCLA - top 20%

[20160810]

At Davis they posted top-5% lol

[Anonymous User]

Lowest I know of someone getting them at SLS is 2 Hs. Average definitely seemed higher, though, around 4-5 (out of 12 or so).

[Anonymous User]

I'd be wasting a bid on Gibson SF/SV with median at CCN, yes?

[Anonymous User]

I'd be wasting a bid on Gibson SF/SV with median at CCN, yes?

if you ask gunners, they're going to say yes. bid them if you want them. everyone else will. and since when has being median at t6 stopped anyone from trying?

[Anonymous User]

I'd be wasting a bid on Gibson SF/SV with median at CCN, yes?

Are you from NorCal? Might be worth it as a reach if you interview well.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW my best friend was median at a CCN and got a CB at Gibson NY.