Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[lgleye]

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[Icculus]

Hey Peiple:

Revving up for 2L OCI coming up this August..... starting to familiarize myself with the bidding system. Can anyone tell me the typical number of interviews a 2L can get with his points? (assuming he doesn't throw all his points on a couple law firms). Thanks.

Relax, focus on classes, this will all be explained. Short answer get 40ish bids to rank firms, your number of interviews depends on how you rank firms vs. how others do. Average is probably around 12-13 and anything over that you're doing well.

[bk1]

There are no points. It's purely rankings that determine lottery outcomes.

And what Icculus said.

[lgleye]

.

[bk1]

As for ranking, how does a dumb 1L know who to rank? Is there a "Ranking Wizard" question-by-question, or is it simply reviewing dozens and dozens of list of law firms?

You're just reviewing a list. You have to figure out how popular a firm is going to be because the point is to maximize screening interviews (as well as get screeners with the firms you most want to work for).

btw, I'm into securities.....doing a FINRA or NYS_OAG internship this summer. I suppose I rank fiems with major securites practice at the top?

Not necessarily. If you can pick up firm X by bidding them 15th (possibly because others aren't as interested in that firm), there is no reason to bid firm X at 1 even if it is your "dream firm." The point is to maximize screeners, but again you don't have to be thinking about this for another few months.

[Icculus]

Relax, focus on classes, this will all be explained.

There is absolutely no reason you need to worry about this right now. Zero.

[09042014]

PM me next July when you gotta bid. There is a way to maximize bids a bit. I got 35, and I helped someone last year get 20ish.

Generally the strategy is to bid the firms in order of their popularity. Chicago/New York/California firms mostly go in the top 12ish bid spots. DC in the top 20-25. IP firms either never fill up or fill up late. Really selective firms tend to go from 20-35. Texas in the 30s or 40s. Minnesota in the 30-40s. And bum fuck Egypt 40-never.

[Blumpbeef]

is it possible to take self-scheduled exams off campus/in another city?

[bk1]

is it possible to take self-scheduled exams off campus/in another city?

Yes.

[Icculus]

Thanks, guys. Really puts my mind at ease (also, just got rid of CLR except presentation).
As for ranking, how does a dumb 1L know who to rank? Is there a "Ranking Wizard" question-by-question, or is it simply reviewing dozens and dozens of list of law firms?

btw, I'm into securities.....doing a FINRA or NYS_OAG internship this summer. I suppose I rank fiems with major securites practice at the top?

And what bk and DF said. You can PM me as well. I ended up with 20 and probably should have had closer to 30 but I bid a smaller market higher than I needed to. But really, stop worrying until we get to July.

[Icculus]

is it possible to take self-scheduled exams off campus/in another city?

Yes.

I know two people last year who took their exams in Puerto Rico on the beach.

[Blumpbeef]

brb checking travelocity

[09042014]

is it possible to take self-scheduled exams off campus/in another city?

Yes.

I know two people last year who took their exams in Puerto Rico on the beach.

Seems like a huge waste of vacation. Unless their parents were covering it.

[fruitoftheloom]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

[09042014]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

[fruitoftheloom]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

Where do I want to work? Honestly not sure. As long as it's a big city, I think I'll be fine.

Ties to Houston (lived here 3 years) and Kansas City (grew up there). I think I'd probably prefer NYC -> Houston -> Chicago -> KC?

I have connections to smaller firms from my job, so I am definitely going to participate in OCI and work at a biglaw firm my open summer if I get a chance to, but I am going to try as hard as I can to get a midlaw job in the hope of better hours.

ETA - this is assuming that I will hate biglaw. I don't mind hours, but damn sometimes I need a vacation.

[09042014]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

Where do I want to work? Honestly not sure. As long as it's a big city, I think I'll be fine.

Ties to Houston (lived here 3 years) and Kansas City (grew up there). I think I'd probably prefer NYC -> Houston -> Chicago -> KC?

I have connections to smaller firms from my job, so I am definitely going to participate in OCI and work at a biglaw firm my open summer if I get a chance to, but I am going to try as hard as I can to get a midlaw job in the hope of better hours.

ETA - this is assuming that I will hate biglaw. I don't mind hours, but damn sometimes I need a vacation.

You should be able to get an interview at every houston firm that goes to OCI. So that's good.

You'd want to bid

1-15 - NYC firms that have big classes (plus maybe K&E NYC) (a good mix some less selective, some more)
15-20 - selective top vault NYC firms - ie Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc. etc.
20-30 - Texas
30+ KC

You can't really bid NYC and Chicago.

Also, the school has Off campus interviews in Dallas and Houston which you don't have to bid for.

[Icculus]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

Where do I want to work? Honestly not sure. As long as it's a big city, I think I'll be fine.

Ties to Houston (lived here 3 years) and Kansas City (grew up there). I think I'd probably prefer NYC -> Houston -> Chicago -> KC?

I have connections to smaller firms from my job, so I am definitely going to participate in OCI and work at a biglaw firm my open summer if I get a chance to, but I am going to try as hard as I can to get a midlaw job in the hope of better hours.

ETA - this is assuming that I will hate biglaw. I don't mind hours, but damn sometimes I need a vacation.

You should be able to get an interview at every houston firm that goes to OCI. So that's good.

You'd want to bid

1-15 - NYC firms that have big classes (plus maybe K&E NYC) (a good mix some less selective, some more)
15-20 - selective top vault NYC firms - ie Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc. etc.
20-30 - Texas
30+ KC

You can't really bid NYC and Chicago.

Also, the school has Off campus interviews in Dallas and Houston which you don't have to bid for.

FYI: Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc..did not make it that far last year.

[09042014]

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

Where do I want to work? Honestly not sure. As long as it's a big city, I think I'll be fine.

Ties to Houston (lived here 3 years) and Kansas City (grew up there). I think I'd probably prefer NYC -> Houston -> Chicago -> KC?

I have connections to smaller firms from my job, so I am definitely going to participate in OCI and work at a biglaw firm my open summer if I get a chance to, but I am going to try as hard as I can to get a midlaw job in the hope of better hours.

ETA - this is assuming that I will hate biglaw. I don't mind hours, but damn sometimes I need a vacation.

You should be able to get an interview at every houston firm that goes to OCI. So that's good.

You'd want to bid

1-15 - NYC firms that have big classes (plus maybe K&E NYC) (a good mix some less selective, some more)
15-20 - selective top vault NYC firms - ie Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc. etc.
20-30 - Texas
30+ KC

You can't really bid NYC and Chicago.

Also, the school has Off campus interviews in Dallas and Houston which you don't have to bid for.

FYI: Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc..did not make it that far last year.

Really? That fucks AJD's even harder because they can't tell if they should be bidding those firms. Probably not worth bidding them as an AJD then.

[onionz]

DF - I'm doing the AJD program. Would you be able to help with blind bidding? Should I be researching firms now?

Blind bidding is pretty hard. I think that is probably the biggest challenge you guys have. I have zero knowledge about which firms tend to like you guys and which firms tend to dislike.

What city do you want to work in? Which cities to have local ties to?

Where do I want to work? Honestly not sure. As long as it's a big city, I think I'll be fine.

Ties to Houston (lived here 3 years) and Kansas City (grew up there). I think I'd probably prefer NYC -> Houston -> Chicago -> KC?

I have connections to smaller firms from my job, so I am definitely going to participate in OCI and work at a biglaw firm my open summer if I get a chance to, but I am going to try as hard as I can to get a midlaw job in the hope of better hours.

ETA - this is assuming that I will hate biglaw. I don't mind hours, but damn sometimes I need a vacation.

You should be able to get an interview at every houston firm that goes to OCI. So that's good.

You'd want to bid

1-15 - NYC firms that have big classes (plus maybe K&E NYC) (a good mix some less selective, some more)
15-20 - selective top vault NYC firms - ie Skadden, Cleary, DPW, S&C, Cravath, etc. etc.
20-30 - Texas
30+ KC

You can't really bid NYC and Chicago.

Also, the school has Off campus interviews in Dallas and Houston which you don't have to bid for.

Does Boston cost high bid values?

[09042014]

No clue.

[fruitoftheloom]

Thanks DF & Icculus! I will probably bug you later this summer when it's time to actually bid if that's cool.

[Icculus]

Does Boston cost high bid values?

No, this was the mistake I made. I bid them high, missed out on NYC firms I was interested in, and found out Boston firms were around at 30-40. I wouldn't bid them that low, but you don't need to hit top 15 with them. Caveat: most Boston firms have very small classes so even with a CB they are tough to land offers at.

[bk1]

I would also note that things do vary year to year. c/o 2013 had fewer people gunning for NYC than c/o 2014, iirc, requiring that c/o 2014ers bid NYC higher to get screeners.

[Icculus]

I would also note that things do vary year to year. c/o 2013 had fewer people gunning for NYC than c/o 2014, iirc, requiring that c/o 2014ers bid NYC higher to get screeners.

+1. The year before us all the top NYC firms made it through the late teens/early 20s. Though I doubt Boston will ever go top 15.