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I sat out OCI last summer because I want to do public interest and don't have any interest in Big Law. That said, I recently landed a 9/2/DC clerkship for 2019-2020, Because of this, I am wondering if I should just suck it up for a year and do BL to get the training, $$ and resume line, then do the clerkship and transition to PI. Knowing I had an out in a year would make the BL experience more livable, I think.

My question - is it possible to get stuff through 3L OCI? Would firms see the clerkship on my resume and figure out that I don't want to stay more than a year? Is this a situation where I should mass mail rather than wait for OCI? Stats - I go to T1 school and am just inside the top 10%. I don't have any loans b/c took a full ride, so $ is less important than training/resume line.

Sorry, I don't have much input about OCI. But have you thought about looking for an 18-19 clerkship? If you don't need the money and your long-term goal is PI, not BL, a year-filling clerkship seems like a better option to aim for. In the first clerkship, you'd get good training (presumably better than in big law), and I think PI employers are going to like another year of clerking more than a year of big law.

As best I can tell, 18-19 hiring is still going on in some places. Although the clerkship application process generally sucks, already have a clerkship secured will certainly help you line up a second one. Also, your COA judge may be able to help you line up a second clerkship, either by giving tips about where to direct applications or making calls on your behalf.

I would think mass mailing would be the move here and, obviously, have a good answer- one that will make firms think you actually want to work for them- to why you didn't do an SA as a 2L

Congrats on the great clerkship!

You obviously have a great resume so will get bites, but be prepared to explain why biglaw. Firms will (understandably) see you as a flight risk since you didn't do an SA and will be leaving after a year to clerk.

ambrajdurbra131313 wrote:I would think mass mailing would be the move here and, obviously, have a good answer- one that will make firms think you actually want to work for them- to why you didn't do an SA as a 2L

Congrats on the great clerkship!

Thanks - I am not sure what a good answer would be. I worked in PI and realize my skills are better suited to working at a firm because I prefer to be part of a large team/work on large-scale issues/have less client contact? This is all I can come up with but it sounds really weak. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Also, what is the schedule usually like for mass mail? Do you do multiple interviews?

bretby wrote:

ambrajdurbra131313 wrote:I would think mass mailing would be the move here and, obviously, have a good answer- one that will make firms think you actually want to work for them- to why you didn't do an SA as a 2L

Congrats on the great clerkship!

Thanks - I am not sure what a good answer would be. I worked in PI and realize my skills are better suited to working at a firm because I prefer to be part of a large team/work on large-scale issues/have less client contact? This is all I can come up with but it sounds really weak. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Also, what is the schedule usually like for mass mail? Do you do multiple interviews?

Sounds weak to me. I'm not sure there's a strong move because I think BL firms are a little paranoid about people with a PI bent already and you will probably look like you have one. I think it's still worth it mass mailing and doing 3L OCI in whatever markets you have some ties/interest in and just telling them they you had initially thought you wanted to do PI/government but you've changed your mind and that you think you'd be happier in BL. I'd say something like you decided you wanted to work on bigger matters and work with important clients or whatever BL people get off on.

Interviewers may give you shit and push you on it but I'd, personally, just (pretend to) own it, and say you made a mistake initially but really think you'd be more satisfied professionally, etc. doing bet the company litigation blah blah blah. It's hard to know exactly what you want to do after one year of law school, blah blah blah. Others may disagree.

Do you have to disclose the clerkship? Why not just go through OCI without it on your resume and tell them down the road?

Or is that considered unethical?

So what are you doing this summer? Can you do that for a year after graduation on some kind of fellowship? I would pursue something along those lines because working for a year is common.

There is an entire thread on massmailing that may be helpful to you.

I don't know firms that will hire someone for a year and it will be even harder with a clear PI focus on your resume but you don't lose anything by trying. Of course the biggest hurdle is that you don't actually want to work in biglaw. I'm guessing you will have a difficult time convincing people to hire you for a job you don't want.

If anything I would say something along the lines of realizing that you will get the best training in biglaw or something close to what you posted here.

bretby wrote:

ambrajdurbra131313 wrote:I would think mass mailing would be the move here and, obviously, have a good answer- one that will make firms think you actually want to work for them- to why you didn't do an SA as a 2L

Congrats on the great clerkship!

Thanks - I am not sure what a good answer would be. I worked in PI and realize my skills are better suited to working at a firm because I prefer to be part of a large team/work on large-scale issues/have less client contact? This is all I can come up with but it sounds really weak. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Also, what is the schedule usually like for mass mail? Do you do multiple interviews?

Yeah, it's tough. I think I would focus on the large-scale issues you get at buglaw firms then select whatever your favorite practice area of each firm is and just hammer home that that is what you really want to do with firm specific examples etc. Gunna be tough to show that you want them but a particular area they excel in that wasn't available at your pi gig is the route I would take- lets you show that you have a definite direction that aligns with what they do. I wouldn't say you don't want client contact- if anything I would mention that the pi gig helped you get accustomed to working directly with clients if they wanted you to say how it might help with the transition to their firm.
I would see the thread on mass mailing because I'm no expert on it- I would just rather have people looking at my materials in the summer rather than at OCI time especially with your credentials.

Also it is my experience that people in biglaw understand money as a motivation. Wanting more money would help you in interviews except you are going to bail after a year for clerkship to PI.