Top Law Schools

I'm a MVDC student, 3.65-ish GPA (I'm going to say top 1/3 or maybe top 1/4, they don't rank us). CA born and raised, plus went to undergrad at UC Berkeley. Would like Biglaw in Northern California. Interested in litigation, esp criminal defense. Least interested in IP litigation but recognize that it might come with the Silicon Valley territory.

Any recommendations for firms I should be looking into?

Are cats just inventing ranking bands now?

Anonymous User wrote:I'm a MVDC student, 3.65-ish GPA (I'm going to say top 1/3 or maybe top 1/4, they don't rank us). CA born and raised, plus went to undergrad at UC Berkeley. Would like Biglaw in Northern California. Interested in litigation, esp criminal defense. Least interested in IP litigation but recognize that it might come with the Silicon Valley territory.

Any recommendations for firms I should be looking into?

If you want to do criminal defense, you should work in a PD's office.

As for law firms, there's some non-IP commercial lit in the Bay Area, but there's not much of it. I would just apply broadly to decent-sized firm with litigation practices. If you keep your grades in the top 1/4 range second semester, you'll get bites at OCI with your Bay Area ties.

I guess it depends what kind of criminal defense -- but white collar is almost all NYC. Otherwise, criminal defense is the real of public defenders and small law firms exclusively.

Okay, so reality check well taken- criminal defense is not a realistic goal outside of NY or W&C for DC.

So if I'm okay with any practice area for litigation, what are some firms with a good reputation that my numbers/school would be competitive for?

Anonymous User wrote:Okay, so reality check well taken- criminal defense is not a realistic goal outside of NY or W&C for DC.

So if I'm okay with any practice area for litigation, what are some firms with a good reputation that my numbers/school would be competitive for?

I mean, there is some white collar work in SF. But it's mostly performed by HYSB--->law-clerk types. A top-third student at Cornell isn't really competitive for white collar in SF. If it's what you're interested in long-term, you should do what you can over the next 2.5 years to try to snag a clerkship and set yourself up for a AUSA spot down the road.

As for what firms to shoot for, what I wrote upthread is good advice: apply broadly to decent-sized firm with litigation practices. There aren't many firms that you're categorically shut out of, assuming top 25% or so grades. KVN is definitely out. Gibson and Convington are probably out as well. Latham might be out if you're not IP. All other firms with sizable lit groups are at least theoretically in play.

Anonymous User wrote:Okay, so reality check well taken- criminal defense is not a realistic goal outside of NY or W&C for DC.

So if I'm okay with any practice area for litigation, what are some firms with a good reputation that my numbers/school would be competitive for?

You should broadly apply to all firms with litigation groups in SV/SF at this point. You can narrow the list down when you actually start interviewing.

Although the broad approach that people are giving you here is wise, a couple specific litigation heavy firms for you are Reed Smith in SF and WilmerHale in SV.

Okay, thanks all for the advice! =)