OCI Decision Forum

[Young Marino]

So I'm working at a local DA office in a semi-large metropolitan area and that is where I want to be post graduation. I have a public sector heavy resume and this is my second summer in a row at the same office. Therefore, I'm considering not participating in OCI this fall for 2L SAs next summer as most employers coming to the school are firms. Is it unheard if not to participate in the OCI process even if one does not have an interest in working for firms?

[Traynor Brah]

young marino post

didn't you like shit the bed grade wise (see, e.g., http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 9#p8257449) and go to a really shitty school? I don't think this would possibly matter either way.

[Kratos]

you should probably participate and not totally close any doors yet. if nothing else, interview experience is good

[DavidConeSplitter]

Where do you go OP

[chuckbass]

Is it unheard if not to participate in the OCI process even if one does not have an interest in working for firms?

I mean sure, people come in wanting PI and some jump ship if they can get biglaw, but why are you interested in OCI if you want PI? If you really want PI, you should be doing that every summer and sure people that really want PI skip OCI.

[Danger Zone]

I don't think this would possibly matter either way for you.

[TheSpanishMain]

There's no harm in doing it. If nothing comes of it, oh well. You're no worse off than you are now. If you do get an offer, then you decide between that and the DA's office, if they're hiring. Nothing to lose.

[Young Marino]

Is it unheard if not to participate in the OCI process even if one does not have an interest in working for firms?

I mean sure, people come in wanting PI and some jump ship if they can get biglaw, but why are you interested in OCI if you want PI? If you really want PI, you should be doing that every summer and sure people that really want PI skip OCI.

I guess I'm just interested in it as a backup plan. I have been going back to the same DA's office. Worked there last yr during the summer going into law school and now this is my first summer working there as a law student and I plan to go back next summer. I've been hearing from many of the attorneys that I should be fine in terms of getting a job there post grad but Idk I just don't want the possibility of something like a hiring freeze because of budget cuts ruining that for me so I guess part of me is a little anxious about that and thus, considering oci.

[minnbills]

Most people at my school didn't participate in OCI.

[chuckbass]

Is it unheard if not to participate in the OCI process even if one does not have an interest in working for firms?

I mean sure, people come in wanting PI and some jump ship if they can get biglaw, but why are you interested in OCI if you want PI? If you really want PI, you should be doing that every summer and sure people that really want PI skip OCI.

I guess I'm just interested in it as a backup plan. I have been going back to the same DA's office. Worked there last yr during the summer going into law school and now this is my first summer working there as a law student and I plan to go back next summer. I've been hearing from many of the attorneys that I should be fine in terms of getting a job there post grad but Idk I just don't want the possibility of something like a hiring freeze because of budget cuts ruining that for me so I guess part of me is a little anxious about that and thus, considering oci.

Biglaw hiring isn't really a backup plan though, and especially not in your situation.

[Danger Zone]

Most people at my school didn't participate in OCI.

Same

But not voluntarily

The joys of pre-select

[TheSpanishMain]

Biglaw hiring isn't really a backup plan though, and especially not in your situation.

I'm assuming that wherever he goes (FIU? Nova?) OCI is mostly small local firms.

[Young Marino]

Biglaw hiring isn't really a backup plan though, and especially not in your situation.

I'm assuming that wherever he goes (FIU? Nova?) OCI is mostly small local firms.

I mean yea that's exactly what it is with the big firms looking only at the top 10%. And personally, I'd rather take the $40k first year salary with great benefits at the DA's than a $50k-$55k small law job with a poorer work - life balance, not as good benefits, and lack of trial experience though it would be a viable backup plan.

[chuckbass]

Considering this is your second summer there, and that's where you want to work, I'd just stick with it and hope they're able to hire you in two years. That's probably your best chance of employment anyways.

[ClubberLang]

Biglaw hiring isn't really a backup plan though, and especially not in your situation.

I'm assuming that wherever he goes (FIU? Nova?) OCI is mostly small local firms.

I mean yea that's exactly what it is with the big firms looking only at the top 10%. And personally, I'd rather take the $40k first year salary with great benefits at the DA's than a $50k-$55k small law job with a poorer work - life balance, not as good benefits, and lack of trial experience though it would be a viable backup plan.

Is the starting pay seriously only 40k? That's disgraceful. I get that the jobs are still competitive at that salary level, but wtf.

[minnbills]

I know people making 20-30k in private practice. People need to readjust their expectations for what happens if you don't get biglaw/clerkships.

[ClubberLang]

I know people making 20-30k in private practice. People need to readjust their expectations for what happens if you don't get biglaw/clerkships.

I always thought being a prosecutor was a position of some esteem. Certainly a barred ADA should make more than a police trainee. 40k for an ADA job, just like 20k for private practice, is insulting. I know the market is sps, but this is surprising.

[Effingham]

I know people making 20-30k in private practice. People need to readjust their expectations for what happens if you don't get biglaw/clerkships.

I get what you're going for here minnbills, but there are far fewer people making less than 30k as privately practicing lawyers than there are biglaw lawyers making 160k. I wouldn't really use those few exceptions you may know of as an example of people needing to readjust their expectations.

[minnbills]

Well, there is no political appetite to pay for lawyers for criminals.

As far as private practice is concerned, the market is so unbelievably over-saturated that employers can really do whatever they want. The bi-modal salary curve is no joke.

EDIT: Effingan, see above about the bi-modal distribution. Per the stats, the "typical" employment outcome outside of biglaw is a salary running between 40-60k.

That said, and I don't have numbers to back it up, I suspect the number of people making below 40k is much, much higher than the stats would indicate - simply because at that point most people aren't reporting their employment outcomes, or because their income isn't predictable to a point where they can report it.

Part of my position comes from what I am seeing as a recent grad from a T20. Pretty much everyone I know either is unemployed or has a clerkship/biglaw.

[Young Marino]

Well to be fair, it's $40k the first year and you typically get a pay bump of $5k-$7k annually til you hit about $70k- $80k salary per year at my office. The problem is that many people jump to the private sector before that and understandably so. Also can't forget about the great health insurance, job security, PSLF/IBR options on student loans, and Pension plan that is currently considered one of the best funded state plans in the country so yes, $40k annually does suck to start but it's not all bad.

And yea, working at a small firm in the private sector is rough now a days. As the poster above correctly emphasized, most guys out of law school are raking in about $40k-$60k a year and from what I understand, there's not a lot of room for upward mobility because the market is just that damn saturated. Additionally, the benefits that typically come with state jobs are almost non - existent in small law. You'll be lucky to find an employer who offers the job security and student loan options that state jobs do. Further, from what I've heard, the 401k plans these small firms are offering today are a joke. These firms have no incentive (and maybe no $$) to help their associates with this stuff because they're all so easily replaceable.

[Desert Fox]

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[Young Marino]

Can you do an extrenship with the DA's office fall of 3L or even Spring 2L? Or both?

turning down fat stacks of 30k that a firm will throw you sucks.

But if you are for sure not going to do a firm summer 2L dont bother with OCI.

Yes you can during 3L and I definitely plan to. I turned down a clerk job that would have paid $14/hr to intern at the DA's again this summer so I know about turning down those "fat" stacks lol

[Desert Fox]

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[TLSModBot]

And by TTT I mean anything lower than Gtown.

Aww, it's so rare for us GULC'ers not to get considered TTT here. Thanks.

[Desert Fox]

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