UVA Class of 2013 Forum

[dgouzoul]

The title of this post will be - Smaller Markets, Bigger Chances?

We all know NYC and DC biglaw firms aren't easily attainable anymore. What would a median UVA student's chances be like in a market like Raleigh or Charlotte, for example? (Just using those because I'm from NC). There are a decent amount of firms in these markets that pay 130k+...curious as to how successful one might be there.

[thesealocust]

edit: never mind

[McNabb]

Could some 2L's answer the employment questions? It seems like we only have 1L's answering them (although their responses have been appreciated) from browsing this thread.

[RVP11]

NYC is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay easier to get than DC.

Yep.

[RVP11]

Could some 2L's answer the employment questions? It seems like we only have 1L's answering them (although their responses have been appreciated) from browsing this thread.

Very few 2Ls still come around.

And other than having been through fall OGI, I'm not sure how or why their responses would really add much. Most of the 1Ls here are speaking from knowledge they've acquired from 2Ls and 3Ls.

The general feeling is: DC was super hard, NYC was harder than before, other markets varied, having connections to a smaller market can be a very good thing (but won't guarantee you anything), and median doesn't guarantee you BigLaw anymore.

[billyez]

This is going to sound like a stupid question I'm sure - but why is there such a focus on getting jobs in the NYC and DC markets? Perhaps I've gleaned the wrong information from these boards, but it seems like those two places are heralded as the holy grails of summer placement or something. Does everyone want to work in those places and if so why?

[YCrevolution]

..

[vanwinkle]

This is going to sound like a stupid question I'm sure - but why is there such a focus on getting jobs in the NYC and DC markets? Perhaps I've gleaned the wrong information from these boards, but it seems like those two places are heralded as the holy grails of summer placement or something. Does everyone want to work in those places and if so why?

Yeah, those are the two holy grails.

NYC: Many of the biggest and most powerful law firms are there, it is (was?) the financial center of the world, highest pay and great bonuses working for the biggest firms, plus you get to live in the greatest city on the planet.

DC: You get to live in a place where the social scene for lawyers means rubbing elbows with people who run this country. Or at least I think that's what people believe. Plus a lot of the firms there do work for the government so you can get to know important government people directly that way.

[McNabb]

Could some 2L's answer the employment questions? It seems like we only have 1L's answering them (although their responses have been appreciated) from browsing this thread.

Very few 2Ls still come around.

And other than having been through fall OGI, I'm not sure how or why their responses would really add much. Most of the 1Ls here are speaking from knowledge they've acquired from 2Ls and 3Ls.

The general feeling is: DC was super hard, NYC was harder than before, other markets varied, having connections to a smaller market can be a very good thing (but won't guarantee you anything), and median doesn't guarantee you BigLaw anymore.

That's a pretty big deal....if you're answering without having experienced this you only have about 50 percent of the picture at best (plus you don't know exactly how your grades affect things, unless you know a 2L with your exact GPA who is willing to share that info). Thanks anyway though.

[D Brooks]

Could some 2L's answer the employment questions? It seems like we only have 1L's answering them (although their responses have been appreciated) from browsing this thread.

Very few 2Ls still come around.

And other than having been through fall OGI, I'm not sure how or why their responses would really add much. Most of the 1Ls here are speaking from knowledge they've acquired from 2Ls and 3Ls.

The general feeling is: DC was super hard, NYC was harder than before, other markets varied, having connections to a smaller market can be a very good thing (but won't guarantee you anything), and median doesn't guarantee you BigLaw anymore.

That's a pretty big deal....if you're answering without having experienced this you only have about 50 percent of the picture at best (plus you don't know exactly how your grades affect things, unless you know a 2L with your exact GPA who is willing to share that info). Thanks anyway though.

[RVP11]

You still seem to be assuming we don't talk to 2Ls. The 1L class doesn't exist in a vacuum, you know. You don't need to go through OGI to know a fair amount about firm's rough grade cutoffs, the importance of grades and market selection, how OGI went, etc. I base what I know on anecdotal evidence from 2Ls. What do 2Ls base their knowledge on? Anecdotal evidence from other 2Ls (who surprisingly don't talk to each other about OGI much) plus their own personal experience. Doesn't sound like any huge advantage to me. Plenty of 2Ls seem as clueless about the process as many 1Ls.

FWIW, I know a couple 2Ls with virtually the same grades I have, and I know how OGI went for them. But I don't see how this is relevant for you.

[jnorsky]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

[YCrevolution]

..

[RVP11]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

Erm no. 100 more firms at Michigan sounds like someone BSing you.

If anything, Michigan and Virginia got hit in terms of # of firms coming to OCI moreso than Penn due to their inconvenient locations - it's easier/cheaper for a smaller market firm to fly in and out of Philadelphia than to do the skip, hop and jump to get to Ann Arbor or Charlottesville. But I'm doubtful that had a huge impact on actual placement.

[jnorsky]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

Erm no. 100 more firms at Michigan sounds like someone BSing you.

If anything, Michigan and Virginia got hit in terms of # of firms coming to OCI moreso than Penn due to their inconvenient locations - it's easier/cheaper for a smaller market firm to fly in and out of Philadelphia than to do the skip, hop and jump to get to Ann Arbor or Charlottesville. But I'm doubtful that had a huge impact on actual placement.

word, good point on penn

[Doritos]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

Erm no. 100 more firms at Michigan sounds like someone BSing you.

If anything, Michigan and Virginia got hit in terms of # of firms coming to OCI moreso than Penn due to their inconvenient locations - it's easier/cheaper for a smaller market firm to fly in and out of Philadelphia than to do the skip, hop and jump to get to Ann Arbor or Charlottesville. But I'm doubtful that had a huge impact on actual placement.

word, good point on penn

I agree and relate with your unedited post

[YCrevolution]

..

[billyez]

Thanks for the explanations. I'm very glad that my future job propsects are centered in an area where I won't have to worry about every law student in the country trying to butt in (read: I'll be coming back to my current conservative oasis after UVA).

[McNabb]

Could some 2L's answer the employment questions? It seems like we only have 1L's answering them (although their responses have been appreciated) from browsing this thread.

Very few 2Ls still come around.

And other than having been through fall OGI, I'm not sure how or why their responses would really add much. Most of the 1Ls here are speaking from knowledge they've acquired from 2Ls and 3Ls.

The general feeling is: DC was super hard, NYC was harder than before, other markets varied, having connections to a smaller market can be a very good thing (but won't guarantee you anything), and median doesn't guarantee you BigLaw anymore.

That's a pretty big deal....if you're answering without having experienced this you only have about 50 percent of the picture at best (plus you don't know exactly how your grades affect things, unless you know a 2L with your exact GPA who is willing to share that info). Thanks anyway though.

From: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0#p2526390

For URMs I know that 1L firm jobs are very doable--even in this economy. I know an AA male who attends one of MBVP and is well below median who landed a top firm job in the Texas market, with no ties and straight from undergrad.

And you're a 0L and an alt.

I'm trying to figure out what the correlation between those two particular posts I made is when it comes to answering this question. So I know a 1L URM who got a firm job and so that means that I somehow can't ask a question about 2L hiring?

[jnorsky]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

Erm no. 100 more firms at Michigan sounds like someone BSing you.

If anything, Michigan and Virginia got hit in terms of # of firms coming to OCI moreso than Penn due to their inconvenient locations - it's easier/cheaper for a smaller market firm to fly in and out of Philadelphia than to do the skip, hop and jump to get to Ann Arbor or Charlottesville. But I'm doubtful that had a huge impact on actual placement.

word, good point on penn

Grrr, I had a comment all written out for your unedited post.

haha i misread the other one, i thought it called me emo. dont be mad at me

[im_blue]

Is UVA doing worse compared to PENN and Michigan? I heard that Michigan dominated UVA at OCI this year, having like 100 or so more firms coming for interviews. And I have not heard any negatives coming from PENN like I read in that article. This is actually scaring the shit out of me.

Erm no. 100 more firms at Michigan sounds like someone BSing you.

If anything, Michigan and Virginia got hit in terms of # of firms coming to OCI moreso than Penn due to their inconvenient locations - it's easier/cheaper for a smaller market firm to fly in and out of Philadelphia than to do the skip, hop and jump to get to Ann Arbor or Charlottesville. But I'm doubtful that had a huge impact on actual placement.

You might be surprised to learn that Michigan is actually closer to DTW (25 miles) than Chicago is to ORD (28 miles).

[pilotgal]

A bit off topic:

I am $1000 poorer, having paid both UVA seat deposits on Monday. What is the proper way to tell other schools that you decided to go somewhere else? One school specifically says to email them. Is that pretty much the standard method?

[YCrevolution]

..

[vanwinkle]

A bit off topic:

I am $1000 poorer, having paid both UVA seat deposits on Monday. What is the proper way to tell other schools that you decided to go somewhere else? One school specifically says to email them. Is that pretty much the standard method?

I sent E-mails to the adcomms at each school, that looked like this:

Dear X School of Law:

I wish to withdraw my application at this time due to having accepted an offer at another law school. My LSAC number is Lxxxxxxxx. If you require a mailed confirmation letter, please let me know and I will send one. Thank you for your consideration of my application.

Sincerely,

vanwinkle

Not a single school asked for a letter to confirm. Some wrote back and thanked me for letting them know, others did nothing at all.

[Doritos]

Ok guys, I got bone to pick with Kevin Donovan. Apparently he replied to the Law Weekly article on a password protected blog and apparently students got the username and password emailed to them. At least this blog told me so...http://www.uvalawblog.com/. Why can't I see it? I just dropped a G to hold my seat and am about to take out a butt load of loans...aren't I entitled to see his retort? Aren't such rebuttals supposed to clear the air or make a public correction? How does that work when the public can't see it. I haz sad now...