HYS Lateralling w/o Honors Forum

[Anonymous User]

I just got my grades back from my last semester at H and it looks like (based on previous year cut offs) I might have missed cum lauded by a couple of Hs. I am not upset with this in any way and in the end am just thankful to have been able to come here and do decently in classes.

That said, I am curious to know (not that I go back in time) how graduating without honors may affect my chances at Lateralling to other firms in the future. I am not starting my career thinking about a move but would like to keep my options open since it is hard to predict where my career or life will take me.

Outside of the top lit shops like W&C, Susman, etc (I am interested in corporate and also couldn't have gotten into those firms anyway), are there any firms or firm types that I have locked myself out of?

[h2go]

Spend one year working and you'll probably end up not caring about chasing law firm prestige.

[Anonymous User]

It's actually not an issue of law firm prestige for me. I'll be working at one of the so called "prestigious" firms next year so it's not an issue of Lateraling up the prestige chain.

What I am more concerned with its career flexibility in the case that a lateral is ever needed.

[Anonymous User]

Yes, it matters for lateraling at the upper echelon in which you will be working. (Just the other day I was looking at the transcript of someone looking to lateral into our group.) No, it is not that important compared to learning how to translate your skills as a student to skill as an employee.

[Anonymous User]

^from this and other posts on TLS it seems that honors will be a factor at many firms but not a make or break issue at median.

I've heard there might be a few places (like Gibson) that have hard floors that might not allow for someone just above median at HYS to be considered. Anyone anecdotal know what firms may have a hard floor like this?

[Anonymous User]

^from this and other posts on TLS it seems that honors will be a factor at many firms but not a make or break issue at median.

I've heard there might be a few places (like Gibson) that have hard floors that might not allow for someone just above median at HYS to be considered. Anyone anecdotal know what firms may have a hard floor like this?

Your best bet is to look at OCI threads or your own school's CSO and move from there. At Yale I'd assume you're safe no matter what. Off the top of my head, though, the firms with hard "floors" at places like HYS are what you'd expect - Wachtell, S&C, W&C, MTO, etc...

The caveat being that if you manage to get good experience at your first firm, the floors will slowly become meaningless.

[JenDarby]

^from this and other posts on TLS it seems that honors will be a factor at many firms but not a make or break issue at median.

I've heard there might be a few places (like Gibson) that have hard floors that might not allow for someone just above median at HYS to be considered. Anyone anecdotal know what firms may have a hard floor like this?

I mean, if we're going to talk anecdotes, my good friend who was median at Chicago lateralled to Gibson.

[Anonymous User]

^from this and other posts on TLS it seems that honors will be a factor at many firms but not a make or break issue at median.

I've heard there might be a few places (like Gibson) that have hard floors that might not allow for someone just above median at HYS to be considered. Anyone anecdotal know what firms may have a hard floor like this?

I mean, if we're going to talk anecdotes, my good friend who was median at Chicago lateralled to Gibson.

No firm has a hard floor. It's just a default rule that can be difficult to overcome, depending on the firm. I've heard of many students/laterals getting dinged at GDC specifically b/c of grades. Yet, just look at attorney profiles and you will find there are exceptions to the rule.

It's the same at any firm, granted much less so at Wachtell, MTO, etc. (but even then, at those firms, you will see some people w/o LR, latin honors, and all of the other "req's" that people on TLS ascribe to their hiring standards)