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[Deleted in fear of too much identifying information. Thanks for all the help, everyone.]

You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

The honest truth? You need to be mass mailing every firm in every city. You need to send out 500+ apps to maybe get a single hit. It doesn't help you aren't really doing legal work this summer either

I was an associate at Sutherland (before the merger with Eversheds) and back then at least top 25% at a decent school would have a good shot (thinking W&M level).

NYC generally will be easier for you than DC (not for Sutherland, their NY office is like 2 people).

Anonymous User wrote:You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

This is the OP here. Since I'm abroad, I'm doing a lot of my networking online or through phone. But obviously I shouldn't be waiting until all these connections follow through before I mass mail. So is general protocol to mass mail, then if someone offers to help, tell them you applied and they could get in touch with recruiting at their firm?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

This is the OP here. Since I'm abroad, I'm doing a lot of my networking online or through phone. But obviously I shouldn't be waiting until all these connections follow through before I mass mail. So is general protocol to mass mail, then if someone offers to help, tell them you applied and they could get in touch with recruiting at their firm?

You massmail to recruiting to apply to firms. People aren’t exaggerating when they say how many firms you need to contact. Maybe this one thing will work out, but you don’t have a job and your chances of getting in through OCI are not great.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

This is the OP here. Since I'm abroad, I'm doing a lot of my networking online or through phone. But obviously I shouldn't be waiting until all these connections follow through before I mass mail. So is general protocol to mass mail, then if someone offers to help, tell them you applied and they could get in touch with recruiting at their firm?

Original anon here. Yes, mass mail to the recruiting department directly right now. Then if your connections offer help, tell them you’ve applied.

Edit: to clarify, I’m the first anon who responded, not the OP anon

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

This is the OP here. Since I'm abroad, I'm doing a lot of my networking online or through phone. But obviously I shouldn't be waiting until all these connections follow through before I mass mail. So is general protocol to mass mail, then if someone offers to help, tell them you applied and they could get in touch with recruiting at their firm?

Original anon here. Yes, mass mail to the recruiting department directly right now. Then if your connections offer help, tell them you’ve applied.

Edit: to clarify, I’m the first anon who responded, not the OP anon

Update: a networking contact has said he wants to look at my application materials before forwarding them to HR. Is this euphemistic language to mean that if he thinks my grades/rank/credentials aren't good enough, he won't forward them? Or am I just being overly pessimistic? /OP anon

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:You’re screwed if you rely on OCI for a biglaw job coming out of a T35. UGA sent 23.2% of last year’s class to biglaw + federal clerkships. Wake Forest sent 20.4%. Job shadowing at an international office isn’t enough to guarantee you biglaw by any means, especially in a market as competitive as DC.

You need to mass mail every single market you have any feasible connection to. I’m around the top quarter at a T20 and I’ve already sent out 50+ mass mail applications. That number will be around 100 by the end of the day today and 250+ by the end of next week.

This is the OP here. Since I'm abroad, I'm doing a lot of my networking online or through phone. But obviously I shouldn't be waiting until all these connections follow through before I mass mail. So is general protocol to mass mail, then if someone offers to help, tell them you applied and they could get in touch with recruiting at their firm?

Original anon here. Yes, mass mail to the recruiting department directly right now. Then if your connections offer help, tell them you’ve applied.

Edit: to clarify, I’m the first anon who responded, not the OP anon

Update: a networking contact has said he wants to look at my application materials before forwarding them to HR. Is this euphemistic language to mean that if he thinks my grades/rank/credentials aren't good enough, he won't forward them? Or am I just being overly pessimistic? /OP anon

That's pretty standard. I offer to do that when there's a good candidate, and I want to make sure there aren't any glaring errors that would put off the rest of the hiring committee.