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Struck out during OCI. Got a summer position at an investment firm (think PE, HF, asset management). I'm happy about it. I like finance and want to do something similar in the future.

I'm still going to give 3L OCI a shot. My 1L grades weren't great. I'm not at a T14 school. But my grade have improved during 2L, as I've taken mostly financial and corporate law courses. I've also got the usual extracurriculars (TA, journal, comp team).

If I do well during the summer, can I go into 3L OCI saying I really want to do financial and corporate law (maybe even specifically investment management law), really enjoyed my summer, my grades have improved, I think I've gained a lot of useful experience, blah blah.

Or am I already a bit of an untouchable as a 3L?

Any advice would be appreciated. (Yes, I know I'm a bit ahead of schedule right now, but hey it's Saturday night and I'm shooting the breeze.)

You have nothing to lose at this point. I would mass-mail in addition to 3L OCI.

Nothing makes you untouchable but you have an uphill battle. Just mass mail everyone and apply broadly into several markets. Understand that you may have to forgo your chosen practice (i.e. investment related) if you get interviews with firms looking to hire for litigation. You just need to take what you can get.

Like post ^ said, you have nothing to lose.

I have similar experience, except I'm summering at a mid-size law firm in the region. Even if the size of the firm is smaller (think 50 attorneys) it has consistent strong reputation in the area. Our CSO doesn't even give formal 3L OCI, but only summer job fair in NY/ DC.etc. I might exclusively rely on massmailing and networking for 3L firm-jumping.

Thoughts on how to efficiently mass-mail? who do i shoot the email to though? partners and recruiters together for firms that customarily hire 3L, ALL NY firms / How do I transform all networking efforts into some real employment prospect?

How did you land the investment gig? I would have killed to have gotten an offer in finance over my BIGlaw SA.

Anonymous User wrote:Struck out during OCI. Got a summer position at an investment firm (think PE, HF, asset management). I'm happy about it. I like finance and want to do something similar in the future.

I'm still going to give 3L OCI a shot. My 1L grades weren't great. I'm not at a T14 school. But my grade have improved during 2L, as I've taken mostly financial and corporate law courses. I've also got the usual extracurriculars (TA, journal, comp team).

If I do well during the summer, can I go into 3L OCI saying I really want to do financial and corporate law (maybe even specifically investment management law), really enjoyed my summer, my grades have improved, I think I've gained a lot of useful experience, blah blah.

Or am I already a bit of an untouchable as a 3L?

Any advice would be appreciated. (Yes, I know I'm a bit ahead of schedule right now, but hey it's Saturday night and I'm shooting the breeze.)

Use this, talk to your firm, see who they use as counsel, see if their counsel's firm is interviewing. 1L year i did exactly what you did, except i went with the IB since it paid and i worked in IB pre-Law School. I talked with the firm's GC and he put me in touch with their outside counsel. Landed 2 offers with 2 of their firms, but opted to go with someone else in my home market.

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Use this, talk to your firm, see who they use as counsel, see if their counsel's firm is interviewing. 1L year i did exactly what you did, except i went with the IB since it paid and i worked in IB pre-Law School. I talked with the firm's GC and he put me in touch with their outside counsel. Landed 2 offers with 2 of their firms, but opted to go with someone else in my home market.[/quote]

Exactly this, but also mass-mail. I mass-mailed prior to 3L and ended up being contacted and offered by multiple V50 firms, all hiring for private funds groups. I was a little surprised, but I guess it's an area that is still expanding with greater regulation, and isn't as "sexy" to many who have sights set on PE/MA. The work experience will help if that's what you want to do. Just be prepared to sell that you want to be on the firm side and won't jump back to the client side at the first opportunity.