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Hi all, just a 1L at a T35 who is distracting himself from studying by thinking about the year ahead. I'm working in Pittsburgh this summer and would like to land a SA position at one of the larger firms (Jones Day, Buchanan, Reed Smith, K&L Gates) for my 2L summer. I'm curious about my chances for receiving an offer, and what grades I would likely need to receive an offer.

I currently have a 3.5 after my first semester and am involved in a few clubs. I'm not on moot court or mock trial, however, I will be trying to write onto a journal. I'm not from Pittsburgh but went to school near there. Thanks for the help!

There are not many jobs. RS has a summer class of sub 10, and its one of the biggest. Lots of T14s come back to the city.

Whats your grades in term of percentage?

Anonymous User wrote:There are not many jobs. RS has a summer class of sub 10, and its one of the biggest. Lots of T14s come back to the city.

Whats your grades in term of percentage?

Our school doesn't release your percentage until the end of 1L year, but from what I can discern I should be at least in the top third.

It doesn't sound like your grades right now will get you big law anywhere. Go hunker down on finals.

Pm me if you'd like I'll be starting RS in the fall. I've pm'd with multiple people about it.

Pitt Biglaw is hard to crack. I went to Pitt and didn't know anyone that wasn't top 10% or LR that got Biglaw without some very serious connection. And thats from Pitt. Pittsburgh is a very insular market, you need to get those grades up to have a chance from a non PA T35. Where in Pittsburgh are you working this summer?

BarbellDreams wrote:Pitt Biglaw is hard to crack. I went to Pitt and didn't know anyone that wasn't top 10% or LR that got Biglaw without some very serious connection. And thats from Pitt. Pittsburgh is a very insular market, you need to get those grades up to have a chance from a non PA T35. Where in Pittsburgh are you working this summer?

I'll be working in the Field Solicitor's Office for the Department of Interior, doing a lot of work with fracking and federal pollution law violations. I'm not quite sure what I would like to specialize in yet or what road I'd like to take. I do know, however, that I'd like to work in a large or midsize firm and then hopefully transfer to an In-House role 10-15 years later.

Alcoa recruits and hires "in-house" summers for their Pittsburgh office. I know they did on campus interviews at my school (T14).

I go to Pitt Law. I can tell you that a 3.5 will not cut it. You need a 3.8 at least.

What is a t35

Traynor Brah wrote:What is a t35

school ranked 31-35.

whatsEwingdoing wrote:I go to Pitt Law. I can tell you that a 3.5 will not cut it. You need a 3.8 at least.

not that easy to compare GPA's to schools that aren't peers and might grade on a different scale.

Anonymous User wrote:It doesn't sound like your grades right now will get you big law anywhere. Go hunker down on finals.

Not true. but still work on getting better grades. Median at T25 and multiple Big Law offers in NYC/Chi and at their secondary market offices. It's all about presentation - if grades make up for other holes in your resume, then that's what you need and vice versa.