Lateral applicant - grades question Forum

[Anonymous User]

I graduated with a 3.5 but missed the Latins cutoff. Will this hurt me?

[the lsat failure]

Way too vague for anyone to actually give you a helpful answer. What kind of firms would you be interested in lateraling to? Law School? Practice group? YOE? These are likely far more important than slightly missing any cutoff for Latin honors. Also depends on the broader market when you apply; if you applied in 2021, you would have had a much greater chance of receiving an offer than even now.

[gregfootball2001]

Also depends on when you graduated. Grades become much less important over time.

[LittleRedCorvette]

No idea if your grades will be a problem lateraling, but your complete inability to communicate effectively certainly will.

[Anonymous User]

I lateraled as a mid-level. My grades at graduation were low honors (one 'A' from high) from CCN (do we still call it that?)

When I interviewed years back with 1L grades I was median or a little below. A lot of firms didn't even callback me.

When I lateraled I pretty much had my choice in firms. Ended up at a top shop.

So basically I guess it depends on if you can tell your grades story in an upward trajectory.

[BrowsingTLS]

No idea if your grades will be a problem lateraling, but your complete inability to communicate effectively certainly will.

I hope you don't manage anyone. If this post is any indication of your personality, it would be miserable to work you. Yes, there are open questions remaining from OP's post. No, that does not mean OP failed to or cannot communicate effectively. OP simply should provide more information.

I realize some of the mean-posting on this forum may be the result of stress.

[Anonymous User]

No idea if your grades will be a problem lateraling, but your complete inability to communicate effectively certainly will.

I hope you don't manage anyone. If this post is any indication of your personality, it would be miserable to work you. Yes, there are open questions remaining from OP's post. No, that does not mean OP failed to or cannot communicate effectively. OP simply should provide more information.

I realize some of the mean-posting on this forum may be the result of stress.

I think the mean-posting (ironically) stems from feelings of disrespect. If you're going to post on this forum looking for free advice, people expect you to at least put in a minimum level of effort into crafting your question. If you don't, I can see why someone logging on to give that advice would perceive it as disrespectful. Not saying that justifies a mean response - just that there's probably something more behind frequent shitposting in response to naïve or poorly phrased questions.

Anyway, to answer OP's question - it depends. Grades still matter for lateralling, but not nearly as much as during school. From what I've seen in my niche practice area at a V20, we're willing to drop down a lot more in the grade pool for a "good" lateral. Whereas we might have looked for well above median from a non-T14 during OCI (e.g., law review type), I think some of the laterals I've interviewed were just about at median. YMMV based on a number of factors as other suggested, including where you went to law school, where you work now, what year you are, what city you're in, how good you are at your job, your practice group, the firm you want to lateral to (and its current hiring needs), who you know, etc. Posting any of that info might help us narrow down our advice beyond "it depends."

[Anonymous User]

Don't some firms (e.g. Gibson) still adhere to strict grade cutoffs in lateral hiring, just as if it were OCI? It matters a lot less at other similar firms, but there are few if any hard and fast rules for laterals.

[Anonymous User]

Don't some firms (e.g. Gibson) still adhere to strict grade cutoffs in lateral hiring, just as if it were OCI? It matters a lot less at other similar firms, but there are few if any hard and fast rules for laterals.

I think it all depends on your experience and the economy (and therefore the firm needs) much more than grades. I had a GPA above 3.8 heading into OCI at my CCN in early 2021. I received only one V10 callback. As a 3L (with an additional semester of mediocre grades - 3.4ish), I had three V10 offers. If a 3.4 in my spring 2L doesn't matter for 3L recruiting, I can't imagine it being anywhere as important as your experience when you lateral.
Just sharing a data point and my opinion: not saying V10 firms are better than others or claiming that I know more than the experienced folks.

[Anonymous User]

for litigation, grades will always matter. there's just so much competition for so few spots that you want to stand out.

nothing says stupid and lazy louder than low grades. it sucks.

[cornerstone]

for litigation, grades will always matter. there's just so much competition for so few spots that you want to stand out.

nothing says stupid and lazy louder than low grades. it sucks.

Do you mean to imply that 3.5 is "low grades?" That's above median at pretty much every school I know of.

[almostperfectt]

for litigation, grades will always matter. there's just so much competition for so few spots that you want to stand out.

nothing says stupid and lazy louder than low grades. it sucks.

Do you mean to imply that 3.5 is "low grades?" That's above median at pretty much every school I know of.

Depends on where you're trying to go. Above median but below honors is not high enough to meet the grade cutoff at many of the particularly grade selective firms

[Anonymous User]

for litigation, grades will always matter. there's just so much competition for so few spots that you want to stand out.

nothing says stupid and lazy louder than low grades. it sucks.

Do you mean to imply that 3.5 is "low grades?" That's above median at pretty much every school I know of.

Depends on where you're trying to go. Above median but below honors is not high enough to meet the grade cutoff at many of the particularly grade selective firms

Sure, but I was referring more to the "stupid and lazy" part of the comment. I wouldn't call people with 3.5s categorically stupid and lazy.

[nealric]

for litigation, grades will always matter. there's just so much competition for so few spots that you want to stand out.

nothing says stupid and lazy louder than low grades. it sucks.

Nobody cares about the grades of a 20-year rainmaker partner lateraling.

[cornerstone]

OP can we please get some more deets? This thread is derailing fast.

[Anonymous User]

OP can we please get some more deets? This thread is derailing fast.

I had mediocre grades at a T20. Lateraled as a 4th year to a V40 firm in 2021, and had multiple offers from firms in the same range. This year I floated my resume to a couple V5s and was told that my grades didn't cut it. I wonder if that would have been the case in 2021, as well.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. My bad for the hurried post! It's all on me, so I apologize.
I graduated in 2011 from a t30. I am at a satellite biglaw office and looking to move to a major market in corporate. If I recall correctly, my gpa was above median but not my much. It didn't do me much good during OCI and I had to network to get my current job. I guess what I'm asking is whether I am going to get screeners on paper, or if I need to get to networking again.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. My bad for the hurried post! It's all on me, so I apologize.
I graduated in 2011 from a t30. I am at a satellite biglaw office and looking to move to a major market in corporate. If I recall correctly, my gpa was above median but not my much. It didn't do me much good during OCI and I had to network to get my current job. I guess what I'm asking is whether I am going to get screeners on paper, or if I need to get to networking again.

I would think c/o 2011 would be more of a hinderance than a 3.5 from a T30. Are you trying to lateral to of counsel/partner? 11 years out is far past the golden years for associate lateraling.

Can you just transfer offices in your current firm?