Transfer from West to East coast Forum

[Lawschlglobal]

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[GreenerGrass]

Not really. I would say if you're focusing on an East Coast market OCI wise, then transfer will make a huge difference (in a good way).

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[CivProGunner12b]

Not really. I would say if you're focusing on an East Coast market OCI wise, then transfer will make a huge difference (in a good way).

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Any tips for those of us coming from the west coast to get ahead on networking and for OCI? I'm coming from a small T4 school in the NW, and in at GW. Applied to Georgetown and will apply to Fordham.

[GreenerGrass]

In an ordinary year you want to network your butt off early during the summer -- most biglaws host receptions during the month of June. However, this is not an ordinary year and we're now in uncharted waters. GULC has followed Columbia and Harvard in postponing their OCI to next spring, and my guess is that other T14s that haven't done so will eventually switch. Firms want to wait and see another semester of grades (given that most schools have adopted some sort of pass/fail grading for this Spring) and their post-COVID hiring needs.

Given these circumstances, I am hesitant to give advice regarding the timeline for networking this year. That said, the substance of networking should be the same. Attend as many receptions as possible when they become available. Make the partners (and the associates, especially if the office is smaller) like you and keep following up with them throughout the recruiting cycle. If they think you're a good fit, they likely will offer you callbacks directly. Also, don't focus on a single market, and remember that DC is particularly competitive. If you keep NOT getting callbacks after screeners/receptions, depending on where you are in the recruiting cycle, you may want to blanket NYC and other big markets in addition to your desired ones.

Not really. I would say if you're focusing on an East Coast market OCI wise, then transfer will make a huge difference (in a good way).

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Any tips for those of us coming from the west coast to get ahead on networking and for OCI? I'm coming from a small T4 school in the NW, and in at GW. Applied to Georgetown and will apply to Fordham.

[CivProGunner12b]

In an ordinary year you want to network your butt off early during the summer -- most biglaws host receptions during the month of June. However, this is not an ordinary year and we're now in uncharted waters. GULC has followed Columbia and Harvard in postponing their OCI to next spring, and my guess is that other T14s that haven't done so will eventually switch. Firms want to wait and see another semester of grades (given that most schools have adopted some sort of pass/fail grading for this Spring) and their post-COVID hiring needs.

Given these circumstances, I am hesitant to give advice regarding the timeline for networking this year. That said, the substance of networking should be the same. Attend as many receptions as possible when they become available. Make the partners (and the associates, especially if the office is smaller) like you and keep following up with them throughout the recruiting cycle. If they think you're a good fit, they likely will offer you callbacks directly. Also, don't focus on a single market, and remember that DC is particularly competitive. If you keep NOT getting callbacks after screeners/receptions, depending on where you are in the recruiting cycle, you may want to blanket NYC and other big markets in addition to your desired ones.

Not really. I would say if you're focusing on an East Coast market OCI wise, then transfer will make a huge difference (in a good way).

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Any tips for those of us coming from the west coast to get ahead on networking and for OCI? I'm coming from a small T4 school in the NW, and in at GW. Applied to Georgetown and will apply to Fordham.

Wow, thank you, I didn't even realize OCI was being pushed back. I guess that makes sense, and may even end up being an advantage for the transfer students. I'm definitely going to shoot for both the DC and NYC markets. My school is doing optional pass fail, but allowing us to decide after we see our grades but not our rank. If my GPA goes down, would it be better to do pass fail because of Corona or to just take the grades?

Any general tips for OCI? My school doesn't tell us anything about it because literally only a few firms participate and literally not a single person gets hired through it.

[GreenerGrass]

Research the firms and be prepared. If you've done some corporate/banking/consulting works, highlight that and frame the conversation to show what you have learned from those experiences and what you can contribute in the future. Likewise, if you've done some paralegal works before, highlight that. Make sure you are ready to talk about everything that is on your resume, including and especially your summer legal experience (or fall legal experience if you're doing a fall externship and the OCI is in spring).

Be nice to people you meet and use your common sense. Don't try to rush through all of your talking points, especially if you're a fast talker. Many callbacks I got were from interviewers who talked way more than I did. To do this you need to ask thoughtful questions. Also have an interest (that is, at least one) outside of law.

Finally, go to hospitality suites. Directly apply to firms on their website if you did not get on their interview list at the OCI. I got four additional screeners and two callbacks from doing so.

In an ordinary year you want to network your butt off early during the summer -- most biglaws host receptions during the month of June. However, this is not an ordinary year and we're now in uncharted waters. GULC has followed Columbia and Harvard in postponing their OCI to next spring, and my guess is that other T14s that haven't done so will eventually switch. Firms want to wait and see another semester of grades (given that most schools have adopted some sort of pass/fail grading for this Spring) and their post-COVID hiring needs.

Given these circumstances, I am hesitant to give advice regarding the timeline for networking this year. That said, the substance of networking should be the same. Attend as many receptions as possible when they become available. Make the partners (and the associates, especially if the office is smaller) like you and keep following up with them throughout the recruiting cycle. If they think you're a good fit, they likely will offer you callbacks directly. Also, don't focus on a single market, and remember that DC is particularly competitive. If you keep NOT getting callbacks after screeners/receptions, depending on where you are in the recruiting cycle, you may want to blanket NYC and other big markets in addition to your desired ones.

Not really. I would say if you're focusing on an East Coast market OCI wise, then transfer will make a huge difference (in a good way).

I had a quick question for anyone who's successfully transferred from a California law school to an east coast school.

Did you notice that there was a difference in teaching style or grading system? I've heard there is a bit of a change between the coasts but no one was able to define the differences. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Any tips for those of us coming from the west coast to get ahead on networking and for OCI? I'm coming from a small T4 school in the NW, and in at GW. Applied to Georgetown and will apply to Fordham.

Wow, thank you, I didn't even realize OCI was being pushed back. I guess that makes sense, and may even end up being an advantage for the transfer students. I'm definitely going to shoot for both the DC and NYC markets. My school is doing optional pass fail, but allowing us to decide after we see our grades but not our rank. If my GPA goes down, would it be better to do pass fail because of Corona or to just take the grades?

Any general tips for OCI? My school doesn't tell us anything about it because literally only a few firms participate and literally not a single person gets hired through it.