Trying for Biglaw in Chicago Forum

[Meisterstuck12345]

I'm a 4-year dual degree student at DNCG. I'm doing a year in another program right now but finished top 15-20%ish after 1L.

My goal is biglaw in Chicago, but I don't have the strongest ties. I plan to shoot for D.C. as well when I do OCI next fall. This coming summer will basically be another 1L summer for me, and I'm looking to find an internship in Chicago to establish some professional ties.

So I have 2 questions:
1. Currently my only connection to Chicago is that my long-time girlfriend is from there. Would this, coupled with an internship in Chicago this coming summer, suffice to get an offer from a Chicago firm at OCI next fall?
2. Assuming I do find a job in Chicago this summer, would this hurt my chances of getting an offer in D.C. at OCI (i.e. will D.C. firms think I really want to be in Chicago)?

[star fox]

Does DNCG mean not Northwestern?

[Meisterstuck12345]

Haha, yea. Let's say DCG.

[Anonymous User]

Ties are going to be a stumbling block - I have no ties to Chicago and even my going to Northwestern didn't really seem to convince anyone off the bat that I wanted to stay here. I had to throw out a compelling story every screener interview and had to justify Chicago in, like, half of my callback interviews too. With that being said, grades do help a lot and I managed to pull the big Chicago firms despite not having any ties - just be prepared to spend more than 30 seconds explaining why you don't see yourself working in any other legal market besides Chicago and especially not New York.

[Mal Reynolds]

Where did you work 1L summer? This might be an uphill battle if you don't go to school or have any family in Chicago. Obviously your grades help but top 20% at lower t14 isn't a golden ticket. I've heard of HYS kids getting shut out of Chicago without better ties.

Not saying you shouldn't try but I think shooting for both DC and Chicago, without proper Chicago ties, is really dangerous. I would say pick one of these markets and then use NYC as a backup.

[Johann]

In your cover letter say your significant other lives in chicago and you consider it home. In interviews say you are Chicago or bust and not applying to other city firms even if thats a lie. IF they ask why you didn't go to NW or UChi the answer is you didn't get in. Not money or some other bs.

[DoveBodyWash]

1. Currently my only connection to Chicago is that my long-time girlfriend is from there. Would this, coupled with an internship in Chicago this coming summer, suffice to get an offer from a Chicago firm at OCI next fall?

Exact same situation for me. Only ties to Chicago was that gf was from there and wanted to settle there...did my 1L summer in Chicago to try and reinforce my purported commitment to the area, worked out for me. The attorneys i interviewed with seemed to understand the gf connection since many of them were in a similar position with their SO's when they went through OCI (Not yet married but planning to be pending how their job placement worked out)

ETA: I go to a Chicago school though

[skers]

Where did you work 1L summer? This might be an uphill battle if you don't go to school or have any family in Chicago. Obviously your grades help but top 20% at lower t14 isn't a golden ticket. I've heard of HYS kids getting shut out of Chicago without better ties.

Not saying you shouldn't try but I think shooting for both DC and Chicago, without proper Chicago ties, is really dangerous. I would say pick one of these markets and then use NYC as a backup.

Yeah this. Targeting Chicago w/o ties and DC sounds like a great way to strike out unnecessarily.

[Mal Reynolds]

ETA: I go to a Chicago school though

This makes a huge difference.

[bdubs]

Transactional or litigation? What is your dual-degree? Where did you work during the summer in between 1L and this year?

I think top 15-20% gives you a shot at both markets (maybe not at the same time as others have said). Your story matters a lot in your situation since you will get consideration from pretty much any firm in Chicago and a lot of them in DC, but you will face strong competition from others with better connections/grades.

If you're shooting for transactional you should bid Chicago and NY. If you're shooting for litigation you should bid DC and NY.

[Desert Fox]

Two protips:

1) Use gf's address on the top of your resume.

2) refer to gf as fiance in interview.

If you are k-jd you might even be able to fake ties by claiming you grew up in Arlington Heights.

[star fox]

Two protips:

1) Use gf's address on the top of your resume.

2) refer to gf as fiance in interview.

If you are k-jd you might even be able to fake ties by claiming you grew up in Arlington Heights.

Do people ever actually lie like this at OCI?

[cookiejar1]

Two protips:

1) Use gf's address on the top of your resume.

2) refer to gf as fiance in interview.

If you are k-jd you might even be able to fake ties by claiming you grew up in Arlington Heights.

Do people ever actually lie like this at OCI?

I never made up a fiance but I told every Chicago firm that I was Chicago-or-bust and that I couldn't even imagine working in a hellish place like New York for so many different reasons.

I'm going to New York next summer.

[Mal Reynolds]

Two protips:

1) Use gf's address on the top of your resume.

2) refer to gf as fiance in interview.

If you are k-jd you might even be able to fake ties by claiming you grew up in Arlington Heights.

Do people ever actually lie like this at OCI?

If you ain't cheatin you ain't tryin.

[Anonymous User]

Two protips:

1) Use gf's address on the top of your resume.

2) refer to gf as fiance in interview.

If you are k-jd you might even be able to fake ties by claiming you grew up in Arlington Heights.

Do people ever actually lie like this at OCI?

If you ain't cheatin you ain't tryin.

I was in your exact same position except from a NY school. Long term Chicago gf, and interned for a judge in Chicago after 1L. Called my GF my Fiance in interviews, and I put her address on my resume. Ties were not a problem for any of the firms.

[sublime]

..

[Cobretti]

I never made up a fiance but I told every Chicago firm that I was Chicago-or-bust and that I couldn't even imagine working in a hellish place like New York for so many different reasons.

I'm going to New York next summer.

+1, but for every firm in every city I interviewed with that wasn't NY.

I did it for NY too just for good measure (not going to NY)

[Meisterstuck12345]

A little more info in response to some of the questions above: My dual degree is unrelated to law, but this year I'm working as a research assistant for a professor at the law school and am also doing an externship with a federal district court judge. Last summer I did an internship in my home state (not a particularly prestigious location) with the USAO criminal trial division.

I take the point made by others that going after Chicago and D.C. is a dangerous plan. I hate the thought of working in NY, but I think choosing either Chicago/DC and then NY as a backup is a wise decision.

So 2 more questions:
1. Assuming I choose Chicago and NY, would my doing a summer internship in Chicago this coming summer hurt my chances with NY firms at OCI (I have no NY ties)?
2. I have no ties to DC at all. Would I have a better shot at Chicago with my gf connection + a summer internship in Chicago? Or would it be safer to look for 2015 summer work in DC and then pursue DC and NY at OCI next fall?

[Desert Fox]

I'm not sure you are going to be all that competitive in DC either. I'd bid Chi/NYC combination at lolci.

[Mal Reynolds]

1. No.
2. Other people might know better but DC firms are generally looking for a little more than a simple interest in working there. You have to have a demonstrable background in DC's specific practice areas or strong family ties/work history in the area. Obviously people get jobs there all the time without the above, but you need to have a lot going for you and it's a risk. I would absolutely choose Chicago + NYC in this case.

[DoveBodyWash]

1. No.
2. Other people might know better but DC firms are generally looking for a little more than a simple interest in working there. You have to have a demonstrable background in DC's specific practice areas or strong family ties/work history in the area. Obviously people get jobs there all the time without the above, but you need to have a lot going for you and it's a risk. I would absolutely choose Chicago + NYC in this case.

Agree with all of the above. DC is very very competitive, even for students who have ties. If you're going to bid Chicago, I'd suggest bidding the larger offices that take bigger SA classes. I know some people feel that the smaller firms are "safeties" because they seem less prestigious, but IMO those offices are more difficult because they give offers to much fewer people (some might disagree with me though)

[Anonymous User]

Just to provide some additional anecdata (I'm the first anon poster from above). I had similar grades as you (top 10/15%) and successfully picked up offers in both DC and Chicago without any ties or girlfriends. You just gotta convince the person sitting across from you at the table that you really want to be there. Of course some people are better at doing this than others. You have the grades to get through the door but now it's on you to go win that beauty pageant. Practice bullshitting. You gotta be able to convince interviewers that you want to work in DC/Chicago just as badly as your top 15% classmate who worked in DC/lived in Chicago most of their life.