Interested in targeting Irvine BL from a CCN school. Will I have a shot? From LA area and have significant work experience there, although my wife is from OC and we prefer to live and work there.
What gpa/ % would I need for Irvine and am should I plan to target some LA firms as a backup?
Targeting Irvine BL Forum
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glitched
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Depends on your grades. If you’re at the very very top, you can go for it.
The better strategy is to apply to LA and then either transfer or lateral to the OC.
There just simply are a lot less summers in satellite offices. It might even be better/safer to work in NY for a year and request a transfer at a firm that has offices in both (e.g., gibson).
The better strategy is to apply to LA and then either transfer or lateral to the OC.
There just simply are a lot less summers in satellite offices. It might even be better/safer to work in NY for a year and request a transfer at a firm that has offices in both (e.g., gibson).
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ncan360
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Thanks. Would above median at Chicago be too low? Does someone median at Berk or top 10% at UCLA have a better shot? Just curious.
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glitched
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Personally I wouldn’t risk it. Go to LA and get barred. Once you got the CA bar it’ll be way easier
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Anonymous User
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
LA biglaw partner here. Three thoughts:
1. Under no circumstances should you target NY. You have above average grades at Chicago. You and your wife are both from Southern California and want to return there. Bidding NY reflects the worst kind of risk aversion, and it will derail your career and life significantly (particularly since you will need to take the CA bar if you ever want to come back here).
2. With that said, I tend to think targeting LA (with a goal of moving to the OC in the next few years) is probably a good move, just because the class sizes are bigger and there are more good market-paying options. While your grades and ties are certainly strong enough for OC biglaw, it is such a small and insular market, and the market is dominated by firms with small summer classes or firms that just don't take summers. OC is just so small and random that I can't in good conscience recommend putting all your eggs in that basket, particularly because it will be relatively easy to make a move there once you are at a firm in LA.
3. If you do go all in on the OC, I would cast a very wide net. Don't limit yourself to Irvine (many firms have offices in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, etc.), and make sure you are including firms like Stradling in addition to true market paying biglaw. I would be wary of splitting bids between LA and OC, just because I think the OC firms really want to see that you are all in on their market.
1. Under no circumstances should you target NY. You have above average grades at Chicago. You and your wife are both from Southern California and want to return there. Bidding NY reflects the worst kind of risk aversion, and it will derail your career and life significantly (particularly since you will need to take the CA bar if you ever want to come back here).
2. With that said, I tend to think targeting LA (with a goal of moving to the OC in the next few years) is probably a good move, just because the class sizes are bigger and there are more good market-paying options. While your grades and ties are certainly strong enough for OC biglaw, it is such a small and insular market, and the market is dominated by firms with small summer classes or firms that just don't take summers. OC is just so small and random that I can't in good conscience recommend putting all your eggs in that basket, particularly because it will be relatively easy to make a move there once you are at a firm in LA.
3. If you do go all in on the OC, I would cast a very wide net. Don't limit yourself to Irvine (many firms have offices in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, etc.), and make sure you are including firms like Stradling in addition to true market paying biglaw. I would be wary of splitting bids between LA and OC, just because I think the OC firms really want to see that you are all in on their market.
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Citronkid
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Firms can't tell where you bid. Bid all the OC offices, then LA, then any other market. There aren't that many OC firms so it's no big deal to try for all of them and LA concurrently. You will probably still have plenty of bids left for NY.
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TigerIsBack
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
I think the point was not to bid for example both Morgan Lewis OC and Morgan Lewis LA, because those recruiters probably do talk (and in some instances they may be the same person).
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Anonymous User
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Earlier anon. That's correct, and it's amplified by the fact that the firms with larger summer classes in OC are also the firms with huge summer classes in LA.TigerIsBack wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:33 pmI think the point was not to bid for example both Morgan Lewis OC and Morgan Lewis LA, because those recruiters probably do talk (and in some instances they may be the same person).
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ncan360
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Re: Targeting Irvine BL
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 12:08 pmLA biglaw partner here. Three thoughts:
1. Under no circumstances should you target NY. You have above average grades at Chicago. You and your wife are both from Southern California and want to return there. Bidding NY reflects the worst kind of risk aversion, and it will derail your career and life significantly (particularly since you will need to take the CA bar if you ever want to come back here).
2. With that said, I tend to think targeting LA (with a goal of moving to the OC in the next few years) is probably a good move, just because the class sizes are bigger and there are more good market-paying options. While your grades and ties are certainly strong enough for OC biglaw, it is such a small and insular market, and the market is dominated by firms with small summer classes or firms that just don't take summers. OC is just so small and random that I can't in good conscience recommend putting all your eggs in that basket, particularly because it will be relatively easy to make a move there once you are at a firm in LA.
3. If you do go all in on the OC, I would cast a very wide net. Don't limit yourself to Irvine (many firms have offices in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, etc.), and make sure you are including firms like Stradling in addition to true market paying biglaw. I would be wary of splitting bids between LA and OC, just because I think the OC firms really want to see that you are all in on their market.
Thank you. This is all super helpful. I'll plan to target LA as well. And yes, I meant OC generally and often consider Irvine/Newport etc all blended together, but I'm targeting across the county.
