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Practice Group Assignments

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 2:33 pm
by Anonymous User
Many firms including mine assign practice groups based on needs a few months before we start. I was wondering what factors are considered. Is class selection and performance in those classes relevant? Is it only your reviews from that group?

Re: Practice Group Assignments

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:15 am
by Anonymous User
Anonymous User wrote:Many firms including mine assign practice groups based on needs a few months before we start. I was wondering what factors are considered. Is class selection and performance in those classes relevant? Is it only your reviews from that group?

At my firm, school, class selection and grades are considered, among other factors.

Re: Practice Group Assignments

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:49 pm
by alicrimson
Probably depends on how big your firm is. At my firm, I specifically interviewed for my practice group. A lot of it is done by need, which is good. You don't want to work in your dream area, but get laid off in 9 months because there's no work for you to do. If this is a summer gig, they could break you into general litigators and corporate or real estate. That's how it was done during my summers. I know there are some firms that rotate everyone through everything, which seems absurd to me, but no one asked. When you interviewed did you express interest in any specific group or even lit versus transaction?

As for reviews, that varies firm by firm. At mine, you pick your reviewers and then the firm looks at who you did significant amounts of work for. If you don't put those people down, they ask you why and go talk to them anyways. As for summers, you will probably be reviewed on every assignment. We had some sheet where the assigning attorneys would check boxes and then say yes or no if you should get an offer.