UChi Students & Alumni Taking Questions Forum

[trramic]

Help - should I do the writing competition? I have no desire to clerk. My goals are to get a market-paying biglaw job in Chicago or my secondary market (where I have a market-paying SA this summer).

I've only read about half the packet so far as I have minimal time to spend on it after work.

Is it a bad call to just give up on it? What future options am I eliminating if I don't do the competition?

Fwiw I currently have slightly above median grades and doubt that will change when grades are released - so grading-on won't happen.

[landshoes]

Help - should I do the writing competition? I have no desire to clerk. My goals are to get a market-paying biglaw job in Chicago or my secondary market (where I have a market-paying SA this summer).

I've only read about half the packet so far as I have minimal time to spend on it after work.

Is it a bad call to just give up on it? What future options am I eliminating if I don't do the competition?

Fwiw I currently have slightly above median grades and doubt that will change when grades are released - so grading-on won't happen.

also interested in this, except without the market-paying SA

[Eldon Tyrell]

If you don't want a clerkship, then the benefits of doing journal are drastically diminished. If you want to do transactional work in addition to no clerkship, definitely don't do it. It's only an exercise in human misery.

If you want lit and no clerkship, then ehhhhhh. I focused mostly on transactional firms during OCI so other people can chime in, but I'm still of the opinion that it's not strictly necessary. I even got an offer at a preftigious lit boutique without it. But I didn't interview at many of these places. Was never asked about journal once when interviewing at a transactional firm.

As for future options outside of OCI, who knows man. Very much doubt five or ten years down the road someone will look at an otherwise qualified U Chicago attorney and ding them because they didn't do a damn journal.

[bbridge]

Help - should I do the writing competition? I have no desire to clerk. My goals are to get a market-paying biglaw job in Chicago or my secondary market (where I have a market-paying SA this summer).

I've only read about half the packet so far as I have minimal time to spend on it after work.

Is it a bad call to just give up on it? What future options am I eliminating if I don't do the competition?

Fwiw I currently have slightly above median grades and doubt that will change when grades are released - so grading-on won't happen.

also interested in this, except without the market-paying SA

Also, if one is interested in perhaps clerking and doing impact lit PI stuff, is there any real benefit to doing Legal Forum or CJIL if one is not selected for the Lawl Review?

[WheninLaw]

Help - should I do the writing competition? I have no desire to clerk. My goals are to get a market-paying biglaw job in Chicago or my secondary market (where I have a market-paying SA this summer).

I've only read about half the packet so far as I have minimal time to spend on it after work.

Is it a bad call to just give up on it? What future options am I eliminating if I don't do the competition?

Fwiw I currently have slightly above median grades and doubt that will change when grades are released - so grading-on won't happen.

also interested in this, except without the market-paying SA

Also, if one is interested in perhaps clerking and doing impact lit PI stuff, is there any real benefit to doing Legal Forum or CJIL if one is not selected for the Lawl Review?

Yes, although mostly outweighed by the drudgery of journal work. A fancy board position (EIC, EE, etc.) is meaningful, as is a good, published comment.

Your average LF/CJIL member is mostly just making their 2L/3L worse.

Edit: With good grades, there isn't much benefit to Law Review outside of clerking. I do think LR can be really helpful at OCI for those with median/above average grades.

[bill_swerski]

Echoing what was said previously re: journal. LR will obviously be a nice addition to your resume, but journals are not necessary to getting a market paying firm job. This is especially true for transactional work.

[daedalus2309]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

[bill_swerski]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I know of one person who this happened to last year, and that person ended up with a terrific firm in the market they were targeting.

This happens to people every year. I wouldn't sweat it honestly, especially if your overall GPA is solid.

Now that 1L grades are coming out people are going to start freaking out about them (even people with high GPAs). I figured I will beat the crowd and say that you will all end up just fine at OCI (assuming you bid decently and are not horrific at interviews)

[landshoes]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I've heard from alums and 3Ls that firms completely ignore it

[Eldon Tyrell]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I've heard from alums and 3Ls that firms completely ignore it

Ehhhhhhh. This is almost certainly false. Will it prevent you from getting something from OCI? No, probably not. But people will take note, and potentially ask about it, as they would for any low outlier grade. Helmholtz isn't special in that regard.

Also this is sort of a dumb question in the abstract. If you have a 180 average and are belly aching over a 177/176/175, then you should do some self reflection. If you're riding the 172 bus (or lower) to property town and have closer to median or below median grades, it might be a bigger concern. Your overall GPA, resume and interviewing skills will have a much, much bigger impact on your job prospects than one grade, though.

This question is probably more appropriate over PM.

[Eldon Tyrell]

Also, as an FYI, I started the OCI thread. Once you spend a few days thinking about literally anything other than grades, you can ask OCI-specific questions there.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=265332

[landshoes]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I've heard from alums and 3Ls that firms completely ignore it

Ehhhhhhh. This is almost certainly false. Will it prevent you from getting something from OCI? No, probably not. But people will take note, and potentially ask about it, as they would for any low outlier grade. Helmholtz isn't special in that regard.

Also this is sort of a dumb question in the abstract. If you have a 180 average and are belly aching over a 177/176/175, then you should do some self reflection. If you're riding the 172 bus (or lower) to property town and have closer to median or below median grades, it might be a bigger concern. Your overall GPA, resume and interviewing skills will have a much, much bigger impact on your job prospects than one grade, though.

This question is probably more appropriate over PM.

The alums I've spoken to (who interview for OCI) literally don't care about it and specifically mentioned him by name---without being prompted!---as a grade that they disregard when it's a low outlier. And of course if you have law-review grades you'll do better than if you have below-median grades...I don't think anyone is unaware of that. They were asking about how much a Helmholz outlier makes the rest of your grades look shittier. And I think the answer is "it doesn't."

Obviously, we're all speculating (unless we're the people in charge of hiring at the firm you are applying to), but I would err on the side of not worrying about it, in large part because you can't fix it now anyway.

[landshoes]

I mean not to be referencing anonymous sources in a totally unverifiable way, but...yeah, that's what I'm doing. I don't think it's worth tearing your hair out over. It happens to a lot of people.

[Eldon Tyrell]

The difference between our positions isn't big enough to split hairs over, but I have a feeling you're over generalizing.

[WheninLaw]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I've heard from alums and 3Ls that firms completely ignore it

Ehhhhhhh. This is almost certainly false. Will it prevent you from getting something from OCI? No, probably not. But people will take note, and potentially ask about it, as they would for any low outlier grade. Helmholtz isn't special in that regard.

Also this is sort of a dumb question in the abstract. If you have a 180 average and are belly aching over a 177/176/175, then you should do some self reflection. If you're riding the 172 bus (or lower) to property town and have closer to median or below median grades, it might be a bigger concern. Your overall GPA, resume and interviewing skills will have a much, much bigger impact on your job prospects than one grade, though.

This question is probably more appropriate over PM.

The alums I've spoken to (who interview for OCI) literally don't care about it and specifically mentioned him by name---without being prompted!---as a grade that they disregard when it's a low outlier. And of course if you have law-review grades you'll do better than if you have below-median grades...I don't think anyone is unaware of that. They were asking about how much a Helmholz outlier makes the rest of your grades look shittier. And I think the answer is "it doesn't."

Obviously, we're all speculating (unless we're the people in charge of hiring at the firm you are applying to), but I would err on the side of not worrying about it, in large part because you can't fix it now anyway.

It's rare, but it happens. It requires that the interviewer went to UoC, had Hammer or knows of him, and is willing to strike that grade out. I had two associates like that during OCI. Like any bad grade, have a compelling story if asked about it, and not "the dude is called the hammer for a reason."

[landshoes]

The difference between our positions isn't big enough to split hairs over, but I have a feeling you're over generalizing.

Fair enough, probably. As mentioned above, the people I know are also alums so there's probably more knowledge there than other OCI interviewers.

[landshoes]

Helmholz murdered me. How bad is that? Do firms think he's an outlier or am I out of luck?

This stinks.

I've heard from alums and 3Ls that firms completely ignore it

Ehhhhhhh. This is almost certainly false. Will it prevent you from getting something from OCI? No, probably not. But people will take note, and potentially ask about it, as they would for any low outlier grade. Helmholtz isn't special in that regard.

Also this is sort of a dumb question in the abstract. If you have a 180 average and are belly aching over a 177/176/175, then you should do some self reflection. If you're riding the 172 bus (or lower) to property town and have closer to median or below median grades, it might be a bigger concern. Your overall GPA, resume and interviewing skills will have a much, much bigger impact on your job prospects than one grade, though.

This question is probably more appropriate over PM.

The alums I've spoken to (who interview for OCI) literally don't care about it and specifically mentioned him by name---without being prompted!---as a grade that they disregard when it's a low outlier. And of course if you have law-review grades you'll do better than if you have below-median grades...I don't think anyone is unaware of that. They were asking about how much a Helmholz outlier makes the rest of your grades look shittier. And I think the answer is "it doesn't."

Obviously, we're all speculating (unless we're the people in charge of hiring at the firm you are applying to), but I would err on the side of not worrying about it, in large part because you can't fix it now anyway.

It's rare, but it happens. It requires that the interviewer went to UoC, had Hammer or knows of him, and is willing to strike that grade out. I had two associates like that during OCI. Like any bad grade, have a compelling story if asked about it, and not "the dude is called the hammer for a reason."

no, I'm sorry, this is what I'm going to say, and I'm going to waggle my eyebrows when I say it. you can't stop me from shining

[lebongenre]

Question for those who live(d) in Regents Park: Any reports/rumors of a bedbug problem?

Was speaking with an agent when I overheard another agent assisting a resident in preparing her unit for bedbug treatment. Wondering if this is a relatively isolated incident or if I should run for a different building in HP

[RecoveringJD]

Question for those who live(d) in Regents Park: Any reports/rumors of a bedbug problem?

Was speaking with an agent when I overheard another agent assisting a resident in preparing her unit for bedbug treatment. Wondering if this is a relatively isolated incident or if I should run for a different building in HP

I don't know anything about bed bugs, but to anyone who still has a choice: Don't live in Regents.

[2014]

I loved Regents don't give into the hate

[Eldon Tyrell]

I loved Regents don't give into the hate

[lebongenre]

Thanks to all for the responses! Still deciding where to lease, but it's good to hear that Regents isn't a known bug haven.

[chicago-gunner123]

When/how do I sign up for the MPRE? I am a rising 3L right now and I already took Ethics

[WheninLaw]

When/how do I sign up for the MPRE? I am a rising 3L right now and I already took Ethics

http://bfy.tw/7M1u

[Cantbanthesnowman]

Reminds me why I chose to go to Uchi. Dont come here if you're a PUSSY. Go to Berkeley or some other lame ass school