Top 30% at a T25...best biglaw strategy? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Grades are looking like I'll hover around the top 30% of my class at a t25 which places around 40% in BL/FC. How difficult of road do I have? What are some strategies I should start looking at (any good threads). Lets assume I find myself in the same place after my 2nd semester.

[ManoftheHour]

Not out of the running but far from secure. There's no time for hypos, just get better grades. Look over exams. Talk with your professors. Analyze weaknesses. Crushing your next semester is the best big law strategy.

Also hustle.

[bluedolphin]

Get alot of lunches with attorneys in your area unless you go to ND. Most firms will pay for lunch so it's not coming out of your pocket and it helps for being in and getting interviews. I was in a similar position and I outperformed my grades from what I assumed was networking in my host city.

[ManoftheHour]

I should have clarified "hustle." Agreed with the above poster. I know a few people at my T1 with LR and top 15% that struck out. I also know a guy that wasn't top 15% with no LR that networked with attorneys. Landed V25 SA. Just so happens to be at a firm in which he met this one guy who he clicked with. He met the guy at an event at our school and also reconnected again in the summer.

[Anonymous User]

Just wondering how networking works when it comes to biglaw. I thought biglaw partners had very little pull with HR. Can a partner essentially get your hired? I'm mostly curious because I've been put in contact with a partner at a BL firm who is getting my resume next week.

[cowgirl_bebop]

Just wondering how networking works when it comes to biglaw. I thought biglaw partners had very little pull with HR. Can a partner essentially get your hired? I'm mostly curious because I've been put in contact with a partner at a BL firm who is getting my resume next week.

I think a partner can help you get an interview, but after that it is up to you to sell yourself. With your grades and school you might be at or near the threshold for some firms, so that extra boost might make the difference between getting a decent look and getting your resume thrown in the trash can. But it is by no means a guarantee, as it depends on the firm, the position you are applying for, and the amount of pull that partner actually has.

[Anonymous User]

Networking can also help you interview. Since you can bettertalk about firm culture, why you want that firm versus other firms, and little unique things that make you memorable, your interviews are stronger.

[Anonymous User]

Yeah, I mean its pretty obvious. If a law student asked me to lunch and I like him/her, I would definitely tell HR about that person, lobby for that student to receive and interview, and if they person really showed initiative and asked questions I'd probably spoon feed them sound bites about the firm culture that they can spew out during the interview. Being a social, normal person definitely helps.

[pancakes3]

Congrats on the grades but you've got another semester of grades and pride goes before the fall. There's no reason to think that just because you crushed Crim, you'll also crush Property. Outside of that bummer, no-shit caveat, hustling is TCR. Getting a biglaw alum 1 on 1 helps on so many levels. Older alums (partners) can get you an interview that you otherwise wouldn't. Younger alums (associates) can give you real talk and help you with canned answers such as "why firm x?" and "why practice x?"

And as always, go to any/all receptions. Free food and free booze is always tcr.

[RaceJudicata]

First off, wait for second semester grades and then get the ball rolling. But assuming you do the same, this is what worked for me, so take it FWIW:

1. Set up phone calls/coffee (note: these arent interviews, but treat them as such) with as many alumni partners from your school as you can. Do this even if they don't practice the specific area that you are interested in/or work at a firm or location that you are interested in. 9/10 of these won't turn into a real interview, let alone a job. However, these IMO are the absolute best way to practice your interviewing skills.

1B. Important note: Several of these meetings are going to be incredibly awkward at first (so... why you calling me..., or "your grades won't cut it here"), but you just have to take that in stride. Don't get discouraged.

2. Mass mail NYC early and often. See threads for advice on approaching Mass mail.

3. If your school does pre-select (which I think most in this range do? not totally sure) then you HAVE to email every firm you are on the cusp of the grade cut off and say: "Hi, im Great Law Student, and while my grades do not meet xyz cut off, I did achieve top 30% grades, participated in xyz journal, and have abc relevant work and leadership experience. And truly believe that I would be an excellent candidate yada yada yada.." I landed 5 or 6 screeners this way.

4. If Number 3 doesnt work, go to their OCI room and approach them at an APPROPRIATE time to hand off your resume and say hey if there is a change in your schedule I would love the opportunity to interview w/ the firm.

5. Apply to a wide range of firms and practices areas. No job is worse than unemployed.

6. Be humble. You are likely to get rejected by many firms, just have to move on to the next one. Don't get hung up on a firm that you really liked or an interview that you thought went really well.

Thats all i got. This sounds like a lot of work because it is. It is a miserable 1-3 months, and your friends and significant other will be annoyed as hell with you, but this is what it takes for us "marginal" candidates. Good luck! And again, this worked for me and several of my classmates (from a lower ranked school - so your work may be slightly less), so take it FWIW and this may not be everyone's approach

[gaddockteeg]

Networking is the best way to get a biglaw job outside of grades.

I was median at a t20 after 1L. Graduated in top third. current DC v20 associate.

Aside from focusing on grades, reach out to alums on linkedin, and use whatever other connex you got.

I probably reached out to 75ish practicing lawyers through family friends, linkedin, school mentors, etc throughout my 3 years of law school. Of those 75, I had coffee or talked on the phone with like 15. Out of those 15, I connected well enough to have further email communication with like 4. Out of those 4, 1 pushed my resume straight to a Callback and into my current job.

[Anonymous User]

Networking is the best way to get a biglaw job outside of grades.

I was median at a t20 after 1L. Graduated in top third. current DC v20 associate.

Aside from focusing on grades, reach out to alums on linkedin, and use whatever other connex you got.

I probably reached out to 75ish practicing lawyers through family friends, linkedin, school mentors, etc throughout my 3 years of law school. Of those 75, I had coffee or talked on the phone with like 15. Out of those 15, I connected well enough to have further email communication with like 4. Out of those 4, 1 pushed my resume straight to a Callback and into my current job.

Totally agree with this. I was a median student at a T35 and landed DC big law through networking. In fact, had multiple big law offers to choose from. Like the above post mentions, the "hit rate" will be low on meaningful contact. I had a few awkward conversations where the attorney was not interested/did not help out. It is a numbers game though - give yourself a higher chance of getting that job by reaching out to any undergrad/law school alum you can find. All it takes is one person to go to bat for you.

[20160810]

I was T25% at a (then-)T25 and got a summer gig through OCI. I was definitely a bubble candidate, because I got a lot of interviews and relatively few offers, but the best think you can do is be pragmatic in your OCI bidding and work hard to interview well. Apart from that, if you have a medium-sized city where you grew up, leverage your ties and mail something to every single halfway-decent firm in or around that town. Your grades are probably sufficient for most "regional biglaw"-type firms, but it'll take local ties (or a lot of luck) to make that pay off.

Those are going to be your two best bets, so make sure they are your priority, and get the mass-mailing done early. After that, just start blanketing NYC, LA, Chicago, and any other major city you have time to hit. This is low-percentage shot stuff, but you do not have any better options and your future depends on it. I was literally sending out resumes to firms in Oklahoma City, Anchorage, and Des Moines before I got a job.