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• 2011 UVA OGI Thread

First Offense wrote:This strikes me as distressingly premature.

First Offense wrote:This strikes me as distressingly premature.

Trout et al wrote: as organically as it did at your first section mixer

olive16 wrote:current 3L here. feel free to PM me with any Qs

DMXdawg wrote:Some general advice:

1. Go to as many job fairs as you can, even if you think you will kill it at OGI. There are numerous benefits to this. First, you get interviewing experience at these fairs. When you are in the swing of things during interview season, then you will answer questions smoothly after you've worked out your kinks. You also get a feel for the type of questions you may get. Second, you get more shots at BigLaw jobs outside of OGI. This is imperative--you really only get one shot (2L fall) at getting a job, and you want as many chances as you can. For markets that you are not from (e.g., California, Texas, Delaware), going to a job fair at one of these locations is a great way to express your interest because you are showing them that you are willing to pay out-of-pocket to interview with them. I have friends who scored jobs in markets which required ties by doing this.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice. You want to practice as much as you can. You'd also want feedback from CSO and your friends. Interview questions are typically softball questions. So ideally you want to think of your answers of being graded on a curve vs. other people applying for these jobs. Because everyone knows what questions everyone gets, you want to answer at a very high, fluid level. Be conscious about each firm that you are interviewing with and how you can tailor your responses. With Weil, you may want to highlight your transactional experiences and/or clerkship with a BK court. With litigation powerhouses, you want to talk about your summer clerking for a federal judge. Even if you're not sure what practice group you want to be in, you want to have an intelligent answer ready.

3. Bid smart. Don't be arrogant. Don't aim for purely DC if you are merely at or below median. If your grades aren't spectacular, try to aim for markets where you may have a relative advantage (e.g., if you are from Seattle, aim for the PNW; or if you are from Ohio, target Jones Day or Tucker Ellis Cleveland). Keep in mind that DC is very grade-conscious, and NYC is probably more grade conscious than you think it is (it's relatively tough to do well in NY with less than a 3.4 or so). There are small advantages you can derive from the bidding process. Some firms have more rooms or are more or less popular than other firms, so try and adjust accordingly. Try and work with CSO with your list. Aim for "matches," but you are welcome to throw a few reach firms here and there.

4. Mass mail biglaw firms that you are willing to work for, but you probably will not interview with. Again, you want to maximize the number of shots that you can take during this brief period. Yes--it's a pain, but an extra 3-4 callbacks could be the difference between having a job and a Kennedy fellowship. Sooner the better; ideally you want your mass mail done by August.

Best of luck in the process. Hustle more if you have below a 3.55 or so. For the most part, people with good grades will come out with jobs and it is tougher for individuals with median or below grades, but intelligent job search and interviewing skills goes a long way. I know people (non-minority) close to 3.0 who got V100 firms. I also know people with strong grades who messed up their bidding and interviewing and came out jobless.

DMXdawg wrote:3. Bid smart. Don't be arrogant. Don't aim for purely DC if you are merely at or below median. If your grades aren't spectacular, try to aim for markets where you may have a relative advantage (e.g., if you are from Seattle, aim for the PNW; or if you are from Ohio, target Jones Day or Tucker Ellis Cleveland). Keep in mind that DC is very grade-conscious, and NYC is probably more grade conscious than you think it is (it's relatively tough to do well in NY with less than a 3.4 or so). There are small advantages you can derive from the bidding process. Some firms have more rooms or are more or less popular than other firms, so try and adjust accordingly. Try and work with CSO with your list. Aim for "matches," but you are welcome to throw a few reach firms here and there.

shadowofjazz wrote:Any advice from 3Ls/Alums for bidding in a (minority) job fair without all grades in?

turkeysub wrote:

shadowofjazz wrote:Any advice from 3Ls/Alums for bidding in a (minority) job fair without all grades in?

Definitely don't miss a bidding deadline just because you don't have all your grades. Just upload the transcript you have and then update it as soon as you can. Firms do this every year and they're aware law schools/professors are lazy about getting grades back. Hopefully you'll have all your grades in the next day or two anyway.

North wrote:Well there we go. Now it's on for real.

Anonymous User wrote:Any advice on the GPA for the elite DC firms? Law review enough or do you need to get your name on a plaque somewhere in the school?

Anonymous User wrote:Any advice on the GPA for the elite DC firms? Law review enough or do you need to get your name on a plaque somewhere in the school?