Law Firm Receptions as a 1L Forum

[SLS_AMG]

Hey all, not sure if this is the right forum, but it's at least a defensible choice.

My T14 has some law firm receptions coming up starting this week and heading forward, and I'm wondering just how useful these things are. I've RSVPed to a couple, but can they seriously help you at OCI? Do you guys have any tips as to how to maximize their usefulness? Any particular questions to ask the partners/associates there?

Thanks.

[bowser]

Hey all, not sure if this is the right forum, but it's at least a defensible choice.

My T14 has some law firm receptions coming up starting this week and heading forward, and I'm wondering just how useful these things are. I've RSVPed to a couple, but can they seriously help you at OCI? Do you guys have any tips as to how to maximize their usefulness? Any particular questions to ask the partners/associates there?

Thanks.

Most people say they're worthless, and they will be worthless to the vast majority. But if you're smart about it it can help you.

A friend of mine got to know someone at every reception. When you get a callback at a firm they will often ask if there's anyone you're interested in meeting, and you can put that person's name on the request thing, or request to talk to someone in that person's practice group. You can bring up the person's name---if it's a partner or someone every senior, and you're talking to someone in the same practice group, they probably know them fairly well. It makes you stand out, b/c it's such a grind most people won't be able to point to any kind of connection at all. This friend went balls-out; he kept an Excel sheet with names for every single firm, and name-dropped constantly. It went gangbusters for him; he ended up at Cravath with median-type grades from CCN, which is extremely rare.

Alternatively, if you don't get a bid on a firm you can email someone you met at the reception, and ask if they can sneak you in at OCI. I did this for two different firms; one gave me an interview off the bat, the other said a spot was open the night before OCI.

Again, you have to be sort of gung-ho about it to really make a difference.

It's free alcohol and food, too. Not to be discounted.

[09042014]

I'm interviewing a 1L later this week that we found at one of these things.

[Anonymous User]

I'm interviewing a 1L later this week that we found at one of these things.

I got my 1L SA through a contact I met at one of these. Then again, it wouldn't have come through unless I had the profile/WE/grades/CB interview/ect.

Still, they are basically just free food and drinks. Don't miss anything important for it.

[Yardbird]

Receptions can be very important - Quinn abandoned the OGI model last year and recruits for callbacks solely based on receptions held at a few schools and resumes.

[Anonymous User]

After having a great conversation with a Paul Weiss partner at a 1L reception, I got a call back offer about 5 min into my oci screener. The partner had told the interviewer about me in advance.

If you talk to the right people (ie not juniors) and they like you receptions can be very useful.

[Anonymous User]

I did not go to a single reception as a 1L. I got offers everywhere in OCI.

Remember that grades >>>>> everything else. Never go to a reception over anything that might benefit your academic profile. With that in mind, maybe these receptions move the needle on the margins if you are very lucky.

[bowser]

I did not go to a single reception as a 1L. I got offers everywhere in OCI.

Remember that grades >>>>> everything else. Never go to a reception over anything that might benefit your academic profile. With that in mind, maybe these receptions move the needle on the margins if you are very lucky.

Grades do trump everything else, but people with only average-ish grades still end up doing really well at OCI. Once you're in a position where your grades are nothing special, it helps to distinguish yourself from the hordes of other people with mediocre grades.

[Anonymous User]

I did not go to a single reception as a 1L. I got offers everywhere in OCI.

Remember that grades >>>>> everything else. Never go to a reception over anything that might benefit your academic profile. With that in mind, maybe these receptions move the needle on the margins if you are very lucky.

Grades do trump everything else, but people with only average-ish grades still end up doing really well at OCI. Once you're in a position where your grades are nothing special, it helps to distinguish yourself from the hordes of other people with mediocre grades.

Fair enough, but (a) 1L receptions don't help all that much in that regard - if you have the social skills to impress at a reception, you have the social skills to impress at OCI and (b) 1L year is zero sum, so every night spent at a reception is a night you don't spend cracking the books.

As far as I know, my firm doesn't even really keep track of who shows up to the reception. It's purely a marketing exercise.

Only three things matter 1L year: getting good grades, getting good grades and getting good grades.

[girlrunning]

Hey OP, recently employed 1L here. From my limited experience, I think it depends on the kind of firm and why they do these events. I've found them at worst to be free food and at best a means to differentiate myself and secure a callback. Grades are incredibly important (and ties to some markets, like mine), but I figured I waste tons of time during my day on Facebook and TLS and goofing off with friends, so I allotted my time accordingly and treated it like any other after school activity but with a suit.

Why I think I was successful: I made sure to greet everybody, but to focus on a particular person or maybe two people (mine were smaller events--smaller market/smaller law school) and really just be genuine about learning more about them even if I didn't have a lot in common or thought them kind of boring. Coincidentally, during one of these things, I hit it off with the hiring partner of Firm X. I thought he was kind of condescending and showy, but I was genuinely interested in getting to know him because I really liked Firm X.

When Firm X held a pre-OCI reception, the hiring partner greeted me and called me "[name of thing we bonded over] girl." Even though I found him condescending, I found myself quickly being introduced by him to other associates at the event AND my classmates who hadn't gone to previous events looked at me like because the hiring partner "knew" me. The OCI interview was incredibly smooth (probably one of my best) because I felt very comfortable and I was extended a callback the day after.

I don't think it hurts to treat these events as nothing more than a time to learn more about a firm and a practice area. I found it easier to ask more "detailed" questions when I'd talked to partners and associates because there are things you just can't learn from the website.

[Anonymous User]

I did not go to a single reception as a 1L. I got offers everywhere in OCI.

Remember that grades >>>>> everything else. Never go to a reception over anything that might benefit your academic profile. With that in mind, maybe these receptions move the needle on the margins if you are very lucky.

Grades do trump everything else, but people with only average-ish grades still end up doing really well at OCI. Once you're in a position where your grades are nothing special, it helps to distinguish yourself from the hordes of other people with mediocre grades.

Fair enough, but (a) 1L receptions don't help all that much in that regard - if you have the social skills to impress at a reception, you have the social skills to impress at OCI and (b) 1L year is zero sum, so every night spent at a reception is a night you don't spend cracking the books.

As far as I know, my firm doesn't even really keep track of who shows up to the reception. It's purely a marketing exercise.

Only three things matter 1L year: getting good grades, getting good grades and getting good grades.

This is way to simplistic of an approach. Yes grades should be the top thing, but no one realistically is studying more then 10-12 hours a day. So most likely the OP would not be studying from 7-9 when these receptions take place. Also, at most T14's once you get into that above median but not top 20% gray zone connections mean alot. A quick example of why the OP should take the couple of hours to go to the networking events. I went to an event and ended up hitting it off with one of the partners and kept in touch with them. When OCI rolled around I walked into the screener room and low and behold the same partner was interviewing me "on accident". He told me within the first 2 minutes that he wanted to take a break and do some work, but he already knew me so I have a callback. The whole interview lasted 3 minutes and I got a callback and subsequently an offer to a firm where my GPA was .2 lower then the median they hired from at my school. So if I was the OP I would def go as you never know what type of connection you might make.

[Anonymous User]

You are wrong. I speak from experience as someone who attends receptions for my firm. Enjoy 3L year.

I did not go to a single reception as a 1L. I got offers everywhere in OCI.

Remember that grades >>>>> everything else. Never go to a reception over anything that might benefit your academic profile. With that in mind, maybe these receptions move the needle on the margins if you are very lucky.

Grades do trump everything else, but people with only average-ish grades still end up doing really well at OCI. Once you're in a position where your grades are nothing special, it helps to distinguish yourself from the hordes of other people with mediocre grades.

Fair enough, but (a) 1L receptions don't help all that much in that regard - if you have the social skills to impress at a reception, you have the social skills to impress at OCI and (b) 1L year is zero sum, so every night spent at a reception is a night you don't spend cracking the books.

As far as I know, my firm doesn't even really keep track of who shows up to the reception. It's purely a marketing exercise.

Only three things matter 1L year: getting good grades, getting good grades and getting good grades.

This is way to simplistic of an approach. Yes grades should be the top thing, but no one realistically is studying more then 10-12 hours a day. So most likely the OP would not be studying from 7-9 when these receptions take place. Also, at most T14's once you get into that above median but not top 20% gray zone connections mean alot. A quick example of why the OP should take the couple of hours to go to the networking events. I went to an event and ended up hitting it off with one of the partners and kept in touch with them. When OCI rolled around I walked into the screener room and low and behold the same partner was interviewing me "on accident". He told me within the first 2 minutes that he wanted to take a break and do some work, but he already knew me so I have a callback. The whole interview lasted 3 minutes and I got a callback and subsequently an offer to a firm where my GPA was .2 lower then the median they hired from at my school. So if I was the OP I would def go as you never know what type of connection you might make.

[09042014]

TLS is useless now that Aspie tards give out advice like they know what they are talking about.

[Big Dog]

I gotta ask why so many of these posts are anon?

user outed for unnecessary anon

[Danger Zone]

I gotta ask why so many of these posts are anon?

He asked, anonymously.

[Anonymous User]

I gotta ask why so many of these posts are anon?

Well, I don't want to be outed, and I certainly dont want my firm to be outed. But as someone with a fair bit of experience with recruiting (I'm an associate, my brother is a junior partner, etc) sometimes after the 5th hour of marking up security agreements, I get yucks by seeing what sort of crazy crap people post on here.


"1L Receptions Can Be Important!!" is one of the more splendiferous tall tales I've seen, almost as good as the "you'll get no-offered for 2L grades" trope.

Seriously, it's not that hard. Get good grades 1L year. Practice interviewing with people who aren't your closest friends and family, and get real feedback. If you have good grades from a good school, and your interviews are good - don't need to be Holy Crap More Charisma Than Jennifer Lawrence, just, good - you will get a nice job. So much of life is complex and nuanced and requires balancing 7 different variables, and law firm recruiting, god bless it, isn't like that. It's so simple it hurts. And everyone tries to find ways to make it more complex, and it's just not. If you want to go to a world where it's about networking and the strength of your handshake and a 7 month-long recruiting-cum-networking process, then go to B-School. But you're at law school. So crack the books and get a job.

[WheninLaw]

I have no idea whether these things get you CBs. Anecdotal story: I went to a firm reception, and hit it off with a couple of partners (as in, got drunk). OCI came around, and I missed out on interviewing with the firm (they were very popular, you needed to rank them top 5 to snag an interview). A day or two before their interviews, the recruiting director called and say "X and Y really enjoyed meeting you last year, we noticed you didn't get an interview spot. We'd be happy to tell Partner Z to stick around after she finishes to interview you." So who knows.

[Frayed Knot]

Also, they can be good to go to just to get used to Biglaw. As someone who didn't grow up around that type of money/attitude, I was glad that OCI wasn't my first exposure some of the "large personalities" that Biglaw can have on offer.

[dead head]

Also, they can be good to go to just to get used to Biglaw. As someone who didn't grow up around that type of money/attitude, I was glad that OCI wasn't my first exposure some of the "large personalities" that Biglaw can have on offer.

This is very true.

I would also disagree that, as an earlier commenter said, "grades trump everything." There's no doubt that grades are important—and that without the requisite grades you aren't going to get very far—but grades will only carry you so far, and the basic reality is that once you have met a firm's grade cutoffs grades become much less important and fit is much more important. If you know, based on your school and first-semester grades, that you are likely going to meet a lot of firm grade cutoffs, I would suggest that being a good interviewer and being comfortable with the process is more valuable than spending that extra couple of hours per week studying. Of course, if you're already a good interviewer and comfortable with everything, then go ahead and study. But if your background hasn't prepared you for this or you tend to get nervous or interview poorly, then receptions, mock interviews, etc. can be much more helpful than studying.

[Anonymous User]

Most receptions/events will be useless but it just takes one person to make a difference. I think I made an impression at a 1L reception and I think it helped me get a 1L SA there. I reached out to a couple of people I met and they ended up being my interviewers. I met another person at an event and he has been a big help to me, has given me some great advice, and has offered to help me during recruiting at his firm. That being said, I network my ass off and expect that 99% of the people I meet probably wont be helpful but, I've enjoyed most of the conversations so I dont mind and again, it just takes one person to make a difference and get you an interview you wouldnt ordinarily have gotten, etc. Its still up to you to get good grades, nail interviews, etc but some people can give you a hand along the way.

[Anonymous User]

For most, it won't actually help at OCI. But if a student comes into OCI havent gone to a reception, learned about the firm, kept in touch with a lawyer or 2, etc., it can only help. So whether or not these receptions hold any value is really based on how you utilize it.

[Anonymous User]

How do you know this? It's one of those awesome myths.

At my current firm, my previous firm, and frankly every big firm I'm aware of in NYC, the odds of receiving an offer - or put differently, the importance of "fit" (meaning, social skills) - is proportional to your grades. The worse your grades, the more charming you have to be. I work with a junior associate who was in the top 2 or 3 overall at her T6 law school, and she has the social skills of the Unabomber. Does beautiful work, though . . .

I would also disagree that, as an earlier commenter said, "grades trump everything." There's no doubt that grades are important—and that without the requisite grades you aren't going to get very far—but grades will only carry you so far, and the basic reality is that once you have met a firm's grade cutoffs grades become much less important and fit is much more important.

[Anonymous User]

The receptions are as valuable as you make them. I've used the receptions to get a sense of the firm's personality, in one instance to maintain relationships that I had with one firm, in another to let the firm know that I was still interested in them, and in another to set up a collaboration between the firm and my student groups. In the latter two cases, that turned into two pre-OCI callbacks.

[SLS_AMG]

Thanks for the great responses everyone! And yes, I'm fully aware that grades are the most important credential 1L year. I don't believe, though, that good grades and reception attendance are two mutually exclusive things.

To follow up from the first point, who are the best people to socialize with as far as establishing connections with the firm? It seems like partners are often a bit more guarded than associates and recruiting coordinators and they also draw law students like magnets.

[Anonymous User]

As an associate doing recruiting now, do these matter a ton? Nah.

But we log every contact and keep every email. Who knows where it might help down the road?

I guess be realistic with yourself. Is the marginal utility of 2 more hours of studying more valuable than networking and attending? Then study. Is it your top firm? Do you know that a lot of your peers also think it's their top firm, and they're going to the reception? I'd go.