Is being on a journal necessary? Forum

[mrm2083]

For big law in a secondary market is being on a journal (assuming you can't make law review) at the T14 a necessity? Obviously it is a good thing to put on your resume but will employers see it's missing and auto ding you?

[Renzo]

No. I wouldn't even go so far as to say it helps in all cases. It can be a good thing to talk about if your resume is pretty light, but that's about it.

[Other25BeforeYou]

No, not necessary at all. I didn't do the writing competition at my school because I didn't want to be on a journal. It was never brought up in any interviews during OCI. It can certainly give you something to talk about if you don't have any interesting work experience, but other than that, meh.

[wiseowl]

Who knows how I got what I got with what was on my resume. Can't say that I would go back and NOT do journal and take my chances.

I had plenty of friends who got the jobs they wanted with no journal, no moot court, or neither, but once I saw moot court wasn't happening before OCI I figured journal was the way to go. Plus it came up constantly in interviews.

[TigerBeer]

If you guys aren't doing journal, are you doing some other extracurricular to put on your resume? I'm curious if many people were able to land offers with no EC of any kind. I had always thought that journal or an equivalent during 2L was a de facto requirement no matter what you're trying to do with your JD.

[pandacot]

No to journal. ECs definitely help.

Did a bunch of ECs and I'm co-authoring an article with a prof I had. Not having journal (I never applied) never came up in an interview.

(ECs, in case you're wondering, consisted of helping develop urban revitalization plans, teaching inner-city youth, Big Brother program, RA for 2 profs after 1L)

[cornellbeez]

Not necessary. Grades and work experience are more important than secondary journal work. Plenty of people I know with good grades and NO journal work (or ECs) for that matter got multiple offers. I think ECs/journal work may help, albeit not much, if your grades are borderline. If your grades are bad, nothing will help except military/other unique work experience or an IP background.

[megaTTTron]

Not necessary. Grades and work experience are more important than secondary journal work. Plenty of people I know with good grades and NO journal work (or ECs) for that matter got multiple offers. I think ECs/journal work may help, albeit not much, if your grades are borderline. If your grades are bad, nothing will help except military/other unique work experience or an IP background.

this.

[MrKappus]

If you have grades/EC's/WE and a secondary journal, then it's better than just having grades/EC's/WE. But it's not going to singlehandedly mean autoding.

[megaTTTron]

things like mock trial and moot court (if you do well) can help too.

[imisscollege]

are there certain kinds of jobs vs certain other kinds of jobs where journals matter decisively more/less? like public interest vs biglaw for example?

[megaTTTron]

are there certain kinds of jobs vs certain other kinds of jobs where journals matter decisively more/less? like public interest vs biglaw for example?

clerkships/ academia are where it matters.

[mikeytwoshoes]

are there certain kinds of jobs vs certain other kinds of jobs where journals matter decisively more/less? like public interest vs biglaw for example?

clerkships/ academia are where it matters.

The journal may not get the job for you, but the skills you learn (advanced research, writing, interpersonal (working with an editor, meeting deadlines, and planning and organizing a symposium) will help you keep it.

[Riles246]

If your grades are great, all of the other stuff doesn't matter. Unless maybe you are trying for like a SCOTUS clerkship or something, but biglaw in a secondary market (the OPs goal) can be cracked simply with a Top 5% or Top 10% class standing.