NYC V10 from Median (or slightly below) + WE at CCN? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Just wondering if there's a decent chance. From what I've seen, top third is generally the cutoff for the more prestigious firms, but I was wondering if interviewing skills + impressive WE would help? I want to work in M&A and I have fairly extensive experience working in investment banking at one of the more well known (or infamous?) banks. I have worked with several V10 firms on deals and I have networked fairly extensively with them as well. At the same time though, I have heard that grades are by far the most important thing and that many firms won't look at you if you're not up to par. Any advice?

[filibuster]

Dude are you a nerd or can you hold a conversation? Shut up and stop worrying about the odds.

Please remember that you are in the on-topics, not the lounge.

[bearsfan23]

.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

[NYSprague]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

Who told you interviews were mostly formalities?
Misread: isn't median going to get you some screeners?
Why do you only want V10?

[Anonymous User]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

Who told you interviews were mostly formalities?
Misread: isn't median going to get you some screeners?
Why do you only want V10?

OP here.

Before attending law school I reached out to some of the attorneys I worked with and I can distinctly recall an associate at a top firm say that grades were paramount to everything else and, even if you had an excellent interview, you wouldn't be able to overcome being below that firm's cutoff. He told me that he's interviewed candidates that he's really liked, but couldn't bring them in for callbacks because of their grades. I'm not sure if his firm is just particularly anal, but I was wondering if that was the case anywhere else.

I believe every firm that I've worked with on an M&A deal has been one of the V10 (or close) and for the work that I want to do (public M&A), the quality of dealflow seems to drop off considerably outside the top ten firms or so.

[NYSprague]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

Who told you interviews were mostly formalities?
Misread: isn't median going to get you some screeners?
Why do you only want V10?

OP here.

Before attending law school I reached out to some of the attorneys I worked with and I can distinctly recall an associate at a top firm say that grades were paramount to everything else and, even if you had an excellent interview, you wouldn't be able to overcome being below that firm's cutoff. He told me that he's interviewed candidates that he's really liked, but couldn't bring them in for callbacks because of their grades. I'm not sure if his firm is just particularly anal, but I was wondering if that was the case anywhere else.

I believe every firm that I've worked with on an M&A deal has been one of the V10 (or close) and for the work that I want to do (public M&A), the quality of dealflow seems to drop off considerably outside the top ten firms or so.

Some firms do have hard cut offs. But your experience should help you. People with your background are uncommon.
I don't know what to tell you other than apply and work your contacts.
Have you talked to any of the partners at these firms who were on your deals or senior associates who ran them? Use your connections, tell them you're bidding, whatever is appropriate.

[09042014]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

Who told you interviews were mostly formalities?
Misread: isn't median going to get you some screeners?
Why do you only want V10?

OP here.

Before attending law school I reached out to some of the attorneys I worked with and I can distinctly recall an associate at a top firm say that grades were paramount to everything else and, even if you had an excellent interview, you wouldn't be able to overcome being below that firm's cutoff. He told me that he's interviewed candidates that he's really liked, but couldn't bring them in for callbacks because of their grades. I'm not sure if his firm is just particularly anal, but I was wondering if that was the case anywhere else.

I believe every firm that I've worked with on an M&A deal has been one of the V10 (or close) and for the work that I want to do (public M&A), the quality of dealflow seems to drop off considerably outside the top ten firms or so.

Cut offs is the bare minimum you need. I'd imagine most V10 will hire a median CCN student. However, you have to impress them into getting the offer. They aren't going to hire everyone, nor even most, people over the bare minimum.

[NYSprague]

^^^^^
Don't assume interviews don't matter. Work on your interviewing and be prepared. Don't wing it.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not really worried about odds so much as overcoming mediocre grades. I'm confident that I'd be able to go through most interviews based on my experience, but everything I've heard suggests that legal interviews are mostly formalities and your grades always come first and foremost. I wanted to know if having relevant experience will overcome the barrier of not having the idea grades these firms are looking for.

Who told you interviews were mostly formalities?
Misread: isn't median going to get you some screeners?
Why do you only want V10?

OP here.

Before attending law school I reached out to some of the attorneys I worked with and I can distinctly recall an associate at a top firm say that grades were paramount to everything else and, even if you had an excellent interview, you wouldn't be able to overcome being below that firm's cutoff. He told me that he's interviewed candidates that he's really liked, but couldn't bring them in for callbacks because of their grades. I'm not sure if his firm is just particularly anal, but I was wondering if that was the case anywhere else.

I believe every firm that I've worked with on an M&A deal has been one of the V10 (or close) and for the work that I want to do (public M&A), the quality of dealflow seems to drop off considerably outside the top ten firms or so.

OP - based on my experience at a V10 in M&A, everyone you posted above is true. You're in a crappy spot but there's always Skadden. Also, a handful of non-V10 firms have quasi-OK public M&A practices, generally sell-side; Fried Frank does, IIRC, White and Case has the guy they hired from Dewey, etc.

[NYSprague]

I'm a little surprised someone would go to law school with only 10 firms worldwide they would consider working for. But those 10 have big classes so maybe it's a wash?
I would work connections, as I said before, even people at your old job who have connections to firms.