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Just finished 1L at one of GW/BC/Fordham with a 3.1 GPA. I'm obviously disappointed and recognize that biglaw is out. Nevertheless, I am fortunate to be on pace to only graduate with roughly $35k in debt, due to a strong scholarship and the fact that I commute from my parents house. In the short term, the focus is obviously on meeting with professors to see where I went wrong, and working towards improving grades next year.

I'm fortunate to have strong work experience in my target practice area. In terms of my long term focus on working at a small to mid-sized firm, how concerning of a situation am I in grades wise? Understandably, much of this site is focused on big law, but wasn't sure if other firms are less focused on grades and more so on fit. If I had to venture a guess, it seems to be more of an idiosyncratic process.

I work in a smaller plaintiff's class action firm and grades are important. my boss doesn't want to feel like he's getting rejects.

lawposeidon wrote:I work in a smaller plaintiff's class action firm and grades are important. my boss doesn't want to feel like he's getting rejects.

certainly makes sense, thanks.

Grades matter but at the same time there are many firms who will be happy just to have a graduate of a relatively high ranked law school. This will become more true as one moves away from the NY/DC markets.

I totally read that as "Small & Medium Fries."

On a slightly different note, don't get too discouraged yet if you feel like you want biglaw to still be an option. I was in a similar position to you after 1L, didn't quite kill it my 2L (but my GPA creeped up), and still got a biglaw job my 3L year (then killed it my 3L year, but that was for me).

I'm not sure what you're doing your 1L summer, but what you do is you work your butt off, glean everything you can from your experience, sell it and sell yourself SO well during any and all interviews, and apply anywhere you would remotely be interested in working at for your 2L summer. That way, you can still hustle and apply as stuff opens up at the beginning of your 3L year (for biglaw recruiting).

For small and midsize firms, put yourself in their shoes. Why are these people at small and midsize firms? What is it about that lifestyle and work that draws people to come and stay at these firms? Most likely, passion for the work, a more intimate setting, greater responsibility early on, etc. Grades would be more important at extremely prestigious boutique firms that hire only HYS grads, but otherwise, I think it's really about showing your interviewers that you're passionate, dedicated, hardworking, and someone they can see as a peer in their field, not just a baby first year associate whose assignment they have to always redo.