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I don't have very much work experience before law school but I have strong grades from a strong school. Should I be focusing on lower ranked firms to account for my lack of experience? Does anyone have actual experience going through OCI without a lot of work history?

whats school and approximate rank? that's the most important factor, if you're on the fringe it'll make more of a difference

I've only ever thought pre-JD experience was important for patent pros. Otherwise, don't firms pretty much care about school + GPA with anything else being a soft?

Anonymous User wrote:I don't have very much work experience before law school but I have strong grades from a strong school. Should I be focusing on lower ranked firms to account for my lack of experience? Does anyone have actual experience going through OCI without a lot of work history?

I was k-jd and was on the extreme end of no work experience. I had never been in an office before with my only jobs being working for a moving company and umpiring baseball. I also only did research for professors my 1L summer. I thought I underperformed but ultimately I still got something decent. I think it matters a little bit but it is by no means a death sentence.

I've never heard of that really mattering at all. I was K-JD, had 0 issues at OCI / never even thought about it.

Maybe it would help to have prior work experience if your grades are mediocre or something, I'm not sure.

Anecdotally, I've heard K-JD tend to underperform compared to those with work experience, but your GRADES >> everything.

k-jd at Duke, slightly above median, and I think I slightly underperformed, but still got biglaw in NY. All things being equal, they'd probably prefer someone with experience, but if you've got the grades and interview well, it's certainly not damning.

Your school will matter a lot here. Speaking more generally, from my observations, it matters more the closer you get to median.

lakers180 wrote:whats school and approximate rank? that's the most important factor, if you're on the fringe it'll make more of a difference

I'm the op. YHS, no real way to tell rank but I've been told top 15-10%.

FLAAAMMMMEEEEEEE/Humble-brag

IMO being a k-jd only really hurts to the extent you're relatively awkward in professional settings and have no idea how to interview other than shit you read online and doing some mock interviews at your school -- all this because you've never done it before.

Davis Polk is unfortunately your ceiling here due to K-JD stank

Condolences

LMAO enjoy settling for Cravath instead of Wachtell.

kingpin101 wrote:LMAO enjoy settling for Cravath instead of Wachtell.

Settling for a V1 sounds pretty good to me!

OP- Ignore this. This poster is trolling you. The grim reality is you're going to have to settle for a fake V5 AT BEST. That's the hard truth, but it's the truth. Better you hear this now so you can start crafting the story you're going to tell friends and family when your OCI goes south and they wonder why you're not as prestigious as they always thought you were.

Guys, I'm incredibly attractive, fit, come from a wealthy family and have a big dick but I'm a virgin. Will any women want to sleep with me? Pls halp

BigZuck wrote:Davis Polk is unfortunately your ceiling here due to K-JD stank

Condolences

Literally worse than death. I'm glad I'm not you OP

You'll probably be fine with accepting Gibson Dunn DC because you'll know you tried your best. Having to tell your family is when it will start to hurt.

Not a flame. I didn't want this to be a "chance me" thread. My question was how much of a hit I (or anyone else) should expect to take from not really having great work experience going through OCI. It seems like the answer is some but not a lot?

Anonymous User wrote:Not a flame. I didn't want this to be a "chance me" thread. My question was how much of a hit I (or anyone else) should expect to take from not really having great work experience going through OCI. It seems like the answer is some but not a lot?

Yep that's about right.

answer is none if yale top 10 percent

I don't think being K-JD will be your biggest hurdle at OCI.

I just wouldn't worry about this.

Anonymous User wrote:Not a flame. I didn't want this to be a "chance me" thread. My question was how much of a hit I (or anyone else) should expect to take from not really having great work experience going through OCI. It seems like the answer is some but not a lot?

What kind of job are you looking for? Something unicorn like or biglaw NYC?

idk anything about yls but KJDs definitely don't do as well as their peers that have some decent experience. at my school you'd be fine if you had like one good thing going for you, including: WE, grades, minority, strong connection to very insular market, desirable tech UG and interest in patent law, etc... the only people I know that didn't get biglaw that were seeking it had none of the above

Anonymous User wrote:

lakers180 wrote:whats school and approximate rank? that's the most important factor, if you're on the fringe it'll make more of a difference

I'm the op. YHS, no real way to tell rank but I've been told top 15-10%.

OP, this is gonna be tough to hear, but I don't think you have a shot at working at Wachtell with those grades. Maybe Cravath or maybe even the firm where Gorsuch used to work. Perhaps you should consider clerking for the SDNY or the Supreme Court, as they seem like your only realistic options.

Npret wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Not a flame. I didn't want this to be a "chance me" thread. My question was how much of a hit I (or anyone else) should expect to take from not really having great work experience going through OCI. It seems like the answer is some but not a lot?

What kind of job are you looking for? Something unicorn like or biglaw NYC?

I'd be fine with NYC, SF, or Chicago. I am having trouble parsing the sarcasm from the real feedback in this thread. Opinions seem to range from "you'll settle for Cravath" to "you'll be at a real disadvantage over your peers." Could people with actual experience (personal or anecdotal) weigh in on the effect of being k-jd?