2L Transfer and 3L OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi Guys!
I transferred after 1L year to a T20 school. Missed OCI and have been cold emailing firms and applying to a lot of different jobs on symplicity. It did not seem to work out well given the fact that I am still searching for a summer job. I initially thought it was because I didn't have official grades from the new school. So I tried my best and got a 3.7x. Slightly out of 10%.
In terms of Big Law, should I just wait for 3L OCI? I understand that 2L Summer positions for alot of the firms are gone, so where should I be focusing my job search to?

Thank you!

[Anonymous User]

3L OCI is largely group dependent, meaning that only groups that anticipate a need for juniors will be hiring. This process is unlike 2L OCI, where firms just look to hire students that they want at their firm and assign them to groups afterwards. I think your best bet would be to work for a speciality court that focuses on a certain type of law (tax, bk, Del. chancery court, maybe some securities ALJ stuff) to show an interest in that practice group. That worked for me when I did 3L OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Get legal work experience, preferably with firm. Does your school have some kind of practicum where you spend time at firm and can spin it as firm experience?

A lot of 3L OCI, at least at my school, was about poaching other firms 2L summer associates. Spots for people that wasn’t 2L summer associate somewhere (or at least we’ll respected internships/internships) were very limited.

With 3.7 GPA, just reach out to professors, deans, recruiting people. Some of them will go to bat for you.

[QContinuum]

Hi Guys!
I transferred after 1L year to a T20 school. Missed OCI and have been cold emailing firms and applying to a lot of different jobs on symplicity. It did not seem to work out well given the fact that I am still searching for a summer job. I initially thought it was because I didn't have official grades from the new school. So I tried my best and got a 3.7x. Slightly out of 10%.
In terms of Big Law, should I just wait for 3L OCI? I understand that 2L Summer positions for alot of the firms are gone, so where should I be focusing my job search to?

Thank you!

There's literally no advantage to giving up now and waiting for 3L OCI. Continue applying now and plan to bring your A-game to the 3L job hunt.

Also, for now, you should do your best to secure a legal job - even if not BigLaw - for your 2L summer. It'd absolutely tank your 3L prospects if you spent your 2L summer unemployed.

[Anonymous User]

Get legal work experience, preferably with firm. Does your school have some kind of practicum where you spend time at firm and can spin it as firm experience?

A lot of 3L OCI, at least at my school, was about poaching other firms 2L summer associates. Spots for people that wasn’t 2L summer associate somewhere (or at least we’ll respected internships/internships) were very limited.

With 3.7 GPA, just reach out to professors, deans, recruiting people. Some of them will go to bat for you.

Well, I am looking for even in house and everything, and I guess my school considers that an externship. With regard to firm experience program, I do not think our school has that. I mean our career counselors are pretty... umm... yeah. I am currently applying constantly so, hopefully I will get something by end of March... Thank you for the reply!

[Anonymous User]

Hi Guys!
I transferred after 1L year to a T20 school. Missed OCI and have been cold emailing firms and applying to a lot of different jobs on symplicity. It did not seem to work out well given the fact that I am still searching for a summer job. I initially thought it was because I didn't have official grades from the new school. So I tried my best and got a 3.7x. Slightly out of 10%.
In terms of Big Law, should I just wait for 3L OCI? I understand that 2L Summer positions for alot of the firms are gone, so where should I be focusing my job search to?

Thank you!

There's literally no advantage to giving up now and waiting for 3L OCI. Continue applying now and plan to bring your A-game to the 3L job hunt.

Also, for now, you should do your best to secure a legal job - even if not BigLaw - for your 2L summer. It'd absolutely tank your 3L prospects if you spent your 2L summer unemployed.

Will do! Thank you for your reply!

[QContinuum]

Will do! Thank you for your reply!

Best of luck! Keep at it. You're at a T20; I know this is depressing and stressful, but something will work out.