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...how important is it to have connections to the area for EIP/OCI? I have zero experience in DC but want to work there after graduation. I am trying to decide between an internship in NYC and DC for the summer. The NYC one is much more related to my interests, but the DC one would allow me to lay some ties for fall EIP.

Anonymous User wrote:...how important is it to have connections to the area for EIP/OCI? I have zero experience in DC but want to work there after graduation. I am trying to decide between an internship in NYC and DC for the summer. The NYC one is much more related to my interests, but the DC one would allow me to lay some ties for fall EIP.

D.C. IME doesn't particularly care about ties. Do you have interests that can connect you to DC? Like are you into a particular regulated area, etc? Or experience in government, etc? If you just want to litigate that's not as good, but still probably enough. If you want corporate but for some reason want to be in D.C., then it might matter because the D.C. firm is going to have trouble believing you're going to take, e.g., Hogan DC for corporate over an NYC V10.

The short answer is I don't think it really matters. In your position (though without the strong preference for the NY job), I took the DC job to be able to better tell a story, but I kind of doubt it actually mattered. I'd say split if you can. If you can't, I think you're probably fine in NYC, but are perhaps taking a very small risk.

DC cares about ties, it's just further down the list of important factors than it is in other markets. I heard it mentioned specifically by the recruiting director at a recruiting meeting at my summer firm.

I felt like my interest in a DC heavy area of law combined with DC ties helped make this a non-issue. You can also have a convincing sales pitch if your interests are just very DC heavy. Amazing grades/creds can trump this any day in some DC firms though.

NYC over the summer won't be a deal breaker necessarily if it fits with your broader story of "Why DC?".

For example:
If you have SCOTUS level creeds at HYS then you can sell pretty much any story you want, since people will believe you can achieve your ambitions.

vs

A more median-ish HYS student who did an internship at something like the SEC in NYC (for example), and doesn't have ties to the area, might be shooting yourself in the foot for any DC chances.

Did my 1L summer at a firm in another market and I am doing my 2L summer at a DC firm. The firm seemed to care more about my practice area interest and if I was open to being in DC for a few years. I think people get that most folks aren't from DC. Don't worry too much about DC-ties.

When I gave an interview for my firm, I had to rank the applicants ties to DC. So I believe it is relevant. If you have a halfway decent reason you should be fine. And wanting regulatory work or something is a good reason.

isn't it funny how people only ever ask for info from people who were successful, but not input from people who had the same goals but ultimately were unsuccessful (e.g. HYS students who aimed for DC but didn't get it)?

IAFG wrote:isn't it funny how people only ever ask for info from people who were successful, but not input from people who had the same goals but ultimately were unsuccessful (e.g. HYS students who aimed for DC but didn't get it)?

According to board 0L's is such a thing even possbile?

Desert Fox wrote:

IAFG wrote:isn't it funny how people only ever ask for info from people who were successful, but not input from people who had the same goals but ultimately were unsuccessful (e.g. HYS students who aimed for DC but didn't get it)?

According to board 0L's is such a thing even possbile?

if so this whole thread is pointless

but i would be just as curious to hear from people who missed DC and what they think sunk them (if not more curious)