1L Secondary markets at median Forum

[summer99]

CCN, at/slightly above median according to 1L fall grades, Boston or bust. Strong ties there (family, fiance, undergrad all there).

The main advice I see for people in my position is to target large NYC firms V30-50. What can I do to get to Boston? What are my prospects?

[Anonymous User]

You should be competitive in Boston with those ties and frankly you'll be competitive with even V10 in NYC. People on here tend to exaggerate the grades needed for these firms especially from the top schools. You've passed the minimum threshold for probably all firms in Boston and NYC barring WLRK. At that point it's up to you to do well in the interview stage.

[Anonymous User]

You should be competitive in Boston with those ties and frankly you'll be competitive with even V10 in NYC. People on here tend to exaggerate the grades needed for these firms especially from the top schools. You've passed the minimum threshold for probably all firms in Boston and NYC barring WLRK. At that point it's up to you to do well in the interview stage.

OP would not get any offer from S&C from my CCN at median barring extremely attractive softs, so this take is off. That being said, I agree that OP has a good shot at Boston.

OP, your focus during interviews is nailing the "Why Boston" and "Why this firm" answers. Make it very explicit that you want to be in Boston.

[Anonymous User]

What can I do to get to Boston?

Aside from bringing your grades up, I would suggest showing a serious interest in a practice area that's prevalent here (something biotech related, VC, IP, etc.) and currently bleeding associates.

How do you do that? Reach out to people you might know or have ties to (undergrad, law school, etc.) in that practice area and start talking (doesn't need to be Boston per se). What brought them to that practice area? What are the trends ? What's the work like? What are good associates like? What should you know going into that area? What's special about how X, Y, and Z firms handle that practice? Then (respectfully) emphasize the shit out of your interest in (and fit for) that practice area during interviews.

You're not going to become an expert on any practice area as a 1L, but being able to articulate a genuine interest and base knowledge in a really profitable practice area where the firm literally just needs warm bodies is going to be a huge asset. Most 1L's have no clue wtf they want to do or why they'd be good at it.

Edit: spelling.

[summer99]

What can I do to get to Boston?

Aside from bringing your grades up, I would suggest showing a serious interest in a practice area that's prevalent here (something biotech related, VC, IP, etc.) and currently bleeding associates.

I have a humanities background with a computer science minor. I would love to do something STEM-adjacent. I've heard mixed things about whether someone with my background (non-STEM major) should even try for life sciences/soft-IP. Patents/hard-IP is basically out of the question (would have to take the patents bar). Like you said, these industries are major in Boston. Is this a good avenue?

[Anonymous User]

You should be competitive in Boston with those ties and frankly you'll be competitive with even V10 in NYC. People on here tend to exaggerate the grades needed for these firms especially from the top schools. You've passed the minimum threshold for probably all firms in Boston and NYC barring WLRK. At that point it's up to you to do well in the interview stage.

This was a few years ago but my OCI, S&C/STB/Cleary/PW/DPW/GDC NY offices etc were all 75%+ Stone at Columbia, which is approximately top third. Most of the non-Stone offers are reserved for URM.

so don't really agree w/this take.

[Anonymous User]

What can I do to get to Boston?

Aside from bringing your grades up, I would suggest showing a serious interest in a practice area that's prevalent here (something biotech related, VC, IP, etc.) and currently bleeding associates.

I have a humanities background with a computer science minor. I would love to do something STEM-adjacent. I've heard mixed things about whether someone with my background (non-STEM major) should even try for life sciences/soft-IP. Patents/hard-IP is basically out of the question (would have to take the patents bar). Like you said, these industries are major in Boston. Is this a good avenue?

I'm the quoted anon and am in IP biglaw in Boston. If you have enough science/engineering credit from your minor and other courses you might still be able to sit for the patent bar, but I agree you probably won't get many looks from patent prosecution firms without a STEM major. Two thoughts on where to go from there.

1) Look at tech transactions. That's definitely STEM-adjacent, though you might get put on some biotech deals as well. Gunderson is huge on this and hiring a lot (though mostly midlevels), but almost every big Boston firm has a group that does this work. Being technically literate might make you valuable if some aspect of the deal depends on complex technology.

2) Look at IP lit, including STEM-related patent lit. At my firm most patent litigators do not have any tech background. You just can't be afraid of the technology, and it sounds like you're not.

I would be happy to PM you to shed some more light on this sort of stuff.

[Anonymous User]

CCN, at/slightly above median according to 1L fall grades, Boston or bust. Strong ties there (family, fiance, undergrad all there).

The main advice I see for people in my position is to target large NYC firms V30-50. What can I do to get to Boston? What are my prospects?

I work in Boston and I’m not sure what you’re worried about. You have ties, you have decent grades from CCN. I wouldn’t say there’s anything special you need to do. Interview well, express interest in the work the firms you’re interviewing with do, and apply to as many Boston offices as you can. My experience (which seems to be the norm based on conversations I’ve had) is that Boston is not particularly tough to get if you go to a top school and have ties.

[Anonymous User]

I think you'll be fine if you have decent interview skills.

Lower T14 grad with weak ties to Boston. I was about top 1/3 after 1L and landed plenty of callbacks in Boston (although only two job offers) even though my ties were only prior work experience in the city. I wasn't successful at landing callbacks at the very top firms in Boston (Ropes, Goodwin, Wilmer), but seemed to get my foot in the door at most other places in the city. I ultimately ended up taking a job in a different secondary market where I had stronger ties, but getting the callbacks was surprisingly not a problem for me, even with weak ties.