Anonymous User wrote:Apologies for the anon post but I'm about to give you a lot of personal information in hopes of honest opinions on my shots at OCI/2L SA/biglaw career.
I'm at a T15, male, non-URM minority, with 3 years of (not particularly impressive - I was at two different nonprofits) work experience pre-law school. My first semester gpa is a 3.0 and I'm not feeling too hot about upcoming finals. I'm vice president of a campus affinity group, on moot court, and am hoping for a secondary journal before summer OCI. I'm okay at interviews but not amazing. Assuming my grades stay the same or just marginally increase, do I have a shot at all at an NYC or LA biglaw 2L SA gig? Thanks.
So I am a 2L at a "T15." I also had a 3.0 after my first semester, and my second semester brought that up marginally. I self-selected onto a secondary journal as well. So, I know exactly how you're feeling. But the above comment is right - the best thing you could do for yourself right now is not to concern yourself with hypotheticals, but to just concentrate on killing your upcoming finals. But, because I was in a very similar position as you and I deeply empathize, I'll tell you what I learned from my own circumstances.
I didn't end up with a biglaw gig through OCI. In fact, I still don't have a biglaw gig. But what I have been doing, is networking. Like crazy. After write-on, start sending out feeler emails/calls to firms, explicitly asking to learn more about the firm, and either heavily implying or outright stating you would like to come in for an interview. Being forthright isn't a bad thing - people at law firms are people too. They're also very busy, so if you can avoid wasting their time by getting right to the point, then that's great. Make sure to target midsized firms with your interest as well (there are plenty of those in NYC and LA). Talk to attorneys you know for advice, and lean on contacts you have to get you "ins" at firms (the hardest part is getting your name to stand out from the thousands of other applications the firm has). But yes, the key to your future right now (AFTER WRITE ON) will be how effectively you network. When it comes to my own experiences, though I don't have a SA position lined up, I have made incredibly solid contacts in a number of firms, that I plan to tap once August rolls around, and firms start debating whether their SA class is sufficient to meet their needs.
When it comes time to bid for OCI, you can try for some reach firms, but I wouldn't bother. Do serious research on firms participating at OCI, beyond whatever GPA data your school gives you. Bid at firms you have a realistic shot at, and don't waste high-ranking bids on other (more competitive) firms. Target firms with the largest class sizes, and/or firms with a large alumni network that you can work with. Also, target midsized firms with smaller class sizes (2-5 SAs), because those firms might consider personality at the screening stage, more-so than bigger firms that have sharp GPA cutoffs. This is something I wish I would have done a better job at, pre-OCI.
Also, become close with at least one person at your school's OCS office. Don't be a stranger to them. Let them know the position you're in, and that you will be returning to them often to make sure you fulfill your goals. OCS sees a lot of students, but if you can become familiar/friendly to them, they're more likely to go to bat for you.
Make sure your interviewing skills are up to snuff. Do as many mock interviews as you can - through your school or otherwise. You may think you're great, but you don't know until someone picks apart the flaws.
EDIT: HEAVILY CONSIDER AN EXTERNSHIP! An externship during the fall/spring of 2L is a fantastic way to set yourself apart, show interest and gain experience in your field of choice, and most of all, gives you a great shot to build connections and NETWORK with power and connected people in that practice area.
Lastly, if your GPA ends up being below a 3.3/median, don't put it on your resume. I've spoken to dozens of hiring attorneys outside of interviews, and there seems to be a split, but with a slight bent to the idea that if your resume is below median, then it gives them an easy way to disqualify you without having to give much thought to your other experience (though others will say that if your GPA isn't on your resume, then that sends up a red flag). But I think it's better to be risk-averse in this situation and to leave it off. That way, when you get into your OCI screener and the screener's eyes scan your resume, they don't automatically throw your resume in the trash after you leave the room because they saw your GPA right as the interview began, coloring their entire impression of you as a candidate.
Anyway, that's my summarized advice. Hope it helps. But like what was stated before, this is your priority list as of right now: Finals>Write-On>Networking.