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

[lhanvt13]

AJD checking in. Any patent/ip folks with tips on bidding strategy for Loyola's PLIP? Bids are due Sunday. If a target firm will be at both PLIP and OCI, is it better to bid on the same firm twice to increase odds? Or is it better to use a complementary approach and bid on firms at PLIP that will NOT be at OCI? Any other feedback welcome.

Hi there, I asked career service the same question, they suggested biding IP boutiques at PLIP and other general practice firms at OCI if you are not dead set on IP (some firms like Jones Day claimed they will only interview a candidate once per office).

I am not sure if this is correct but I'll bid everything possible in my target market.

Just apply to firms at PLIP that arent one of the special ones (firms that have policies like jones day), if you're not set on IP. Also apply to boutiques that won't be at NU oci. Then, for oci, bid on whatever firm for oci and put IP boutiques at the lower end of your list so you don't waste high bids and you'll still get IP boutiques. Not much IP action going on at NU IMO. PM me for what I did and other specific details.

[Calvin Murphy]

AJD checking in. Any patent/ip folks with tips on bidding strategy for Loyola's PLIP? Bids are due Sunday. If a target firm will be at both PLIP and OCI, is it better to bid on the same firm twice to increase odds? Or is it better to use a complementary approach and bid on firms at PLIP that will NOT be at OCI? Any other feedback welcome.

CSO will tell you that you aren't allowed to bid on anyone at OCI who offered you an interview at PLIP. Some firms probably wouldn't mind, but more firms would probably be in the Jones Day camp.

At OCI, the GP firms, ESPECIALLY the Chicago and NYC GP firms, will go somewhat quickly. Boutique firms will fall into the 20s, 30s, or sometimes even not fill up.

So...from an interview maximization standpoint, try to bid GP firms.

If your résumé is gold, though, bid for the offices you want most at PLIP, since the summer class will be closer to full at OCI. (Unless IP is your fallback and you really want to do restructuring at Kirkland or something...because PLIP interviewers won't be interested in hearing about your love for M&A or ERISA law).

[cookiejar1]

I personally believe it'll be harder to land K&E through PILP than it will be through our school's OCI but this is just my own baseless speculation (my theory, completely unsubstantiated, is that IP hiring will be down and K&E, as a consequence, will only be interested in extending callbacks to the truly exceptional candidates during PILP whereas during OCI K&E will extend callbacks to kids with great fit and who demonstrate interest in practice groups that are in desperate need of bodies).

For what it's worth, I saved my favorite firms for OCI and used the off campus interview programs to pick up firms that would've required an extremely high bids.

[rinkrat19]

So this question just occurred to me. Does the 3L year school health plan last through the summer like 1L and 2L did even though I won't be enrolled at NU anymore? It cost the same as the other full years, so it should, right?

[Holly Golightly]

So this question just occurred to me. Does the 3L year school health plan last through the summer like 1L and 2L did even though I won't be enrolled at NU anymore? It cost the same as the other full years, so it should, right?

I'm 90% sure I used mine in July and August after graduation.

[rinkrat19]

So this question just occurred to me. Does the 3L year school health plan last through the summer like 1L and 2L did even though I won't be enrolled at NU anymore? It cost the same as the other full years, so it should, right?

I'm 90% sure I used mine in July and August after graduation.

Thank god. I was thinking I'd have to go beg for as many months of migraine meds as they'd prescribe me at once.

[onionz]

I personally believe it'll be harder to land K&E through PILP than it will be through our school's OCI but this is just my own baseless speculation (my theory, completely unsubstantiated, is that IP hiring will be down and K&E, as a consequence, will only be interested in extending callbacks to the truly exceptional candidates during PILP whereas during OCI K&E will extend callbacks to kids with great fit and who demonstrate interest in practice groups that are in desperate need of bodies).

For what it's worth, I saved my favorite firms for OCI and used the off campus interview programs to pick up firms that would've required an extremely high bids.

second this from anecdotal experience hearing about OCI.

[Holly Golightly]

So this question just occurred to me. Does the 3L year school health plan last through the summer like 1L and 2L did even though I won't be enrolled at NU anymore? It cost the same as the other full years, so it should, right?

I'm 90% sure I used mine in July and August after graduation.

Thank god. I was thinking I'd have to go beg for as many months of migraine meds as they'd prescribe me at once.

I would call to be sure, but I am nearly certain I used mine until I started my job in August.

[SA2014]

You 1L's take heart..........Looks like things are going well for NU................... http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/ ... ects-2015/

[captainplanet]

So this question just occurred to me. Does the 3L year school health plan last through the summer like 1L and 2L did even though I won't be enrolled at NU anymore? It cost the same as the other full years, so it should, right?

I'm 90% sure I used mine in July and August after graduation.

Thank god. I was thinking I'd have to go beg for as many months of migraine meds as they'd prescribe me at once.

I would call to be sure, but I am nearly certain I used mine until I started my job in August.

Wendy Weaver said we can use it until the end of August

[captainplanet]

Anyone have a Muchman Ethics outline? For some reason, I haven't been able to find any recent ones for her class.

[hearsay77]

I was reading through http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =5&t=36040 (and some similar ones) and a lot of students recommended reading E&E's over the summer before the semester starts (and some are totally against it), but the thread is pretty old. Any current students done this, and did you find it effective at Northwestern specifically? Or is it pretty useless? I've also read in a lot of other places that any 0L prep is useless, so I'm conflicted. If not reading E&E's, do you recommend doing anything else over the summer to prepare to do well during 1L?

[lhanvt13]

I was reading through http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =5&t=36040 (and some similar ones) and a lot of students recommended reading E&E's over the summer before the semester starts (and some are totally against it), but the thread is pretty old. Any current students done this, and did you find it effective at Northwestern specifically? Or is it pretty useless? I've also read in a lot of other places that any 0L prep is useless, so I'm conflicted. If not reading E&E's, do you recommend doing anything else over the summer to prepare to do well during 1L?

Party, travel, and sleep.

[Holly Golightly]

I was reading through http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =5&t=36040 (and some similar ones) and a lot of students recommended reading E&E's over the summer before the semester starts (and some are totally against it), but the thread is pretty old. Any current students done this, and did you find it effective at Northwestern specifically? Or is it pretty useless? I've also read in a lot of other places that any 0L prep is useless, so I'm conflicted. If not reading E&E's, do you recommend doing anything else over the summer to prepare to do well during 1L?

Party, travel, and sleep.

This. It's entirely useless. Skim the first chapter of Getting to Maybe if you really want to do something. Other than that, enjoy yourself.

[hearsay77]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

[Calvin Murphy]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

Hardly ever useful. Students get free public transportation while school is in session, and there is going to be very little need for a car. On top of that, you have the hassle of parking/finding places to park/affording places to park.

As I understand it, very few students have cars in the city, and I know of no one who drives to school. I do know a few people who use ZipCar, though.

[MT Cicero]

On a related note, I just checked my Ventra account and it looks like our U-Pass is good through 11:59pm on May 15th. It's nice having that extra week post-finals.

[Holly Golightly]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

Is your car paid off, and where in the city are you planning on living? There are neighborhoods where having a car would be useful and not exorbitantly expensive, but if you're going to have to make payments on the car during law school, I'd just sell it before you move.

[lhanvt13]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

you'll only need it if you're living out west of the river or certain parts of upper chicago. Otherwise, public transit is all you need, especially if you're living somewhere that has buildings 10+ stories high.

[hearsay77]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

Is your car paid off, and where in the city are you planning on living? There are neighborhoods where having a car would be useful and not exorbitantly expensive, but if you're going to have to make payments on the car during law school, I'd just sell it before you move.

Yea it is paid off, my parents recently moved out of the country and gave it to me and its a pretty new car. They also still pay for the insurance, which I don't think will change at least for the next year or so. I'm looking at places mostly in Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and Lake View. I also have some family that lives about an hour outside of Chicago and I figure it could be useful when I go to visit them, but that alone is not a reason to pay all the expenses associated with having a car.

[lhanvt13]

Thank you to all of you for answering all my questions, this has been really helpful!

One more: I'm planning to bring my car to Chicago with me. Bad idea? Or will be useful?

Is your car paid off, and where in the city are you planning on living? There are neighborhoods where having a car would be useful and not exorbitantly expensive, but if you're going to have to make payments on the car during law school, I'd just sell it before you move.

Yea it is paid off, my parents recently moved out of the country and gave it to me and its a pretty new car. They also still pay for the insurance, which I don't think will change at least for the next year or so. I'm looking at places mostly in Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and Lake View. I also have some family that lives about an hour outside of Chicago and I figure it could be useful when I go to visit them, but that alone is not a reason to pay all the expenses associated with having a car.

My opinion: you won't need a car. you'll be living close to all the public transit you need. For visiting family, I guess you could rent a car or get a zip car. it's a personal decision but i think it'd be much cheaper and almost equally convenient even without a car.

[Desert Fox]

Parts of lakeview are pretty car friendly and will greatly shorten many of your commutes.

[hearsay77]

thanks, all!

[Holly Golightly]

Parts of lakeview are pretty car friendly and will greatly shorten many of your commutes.

Yeah, if you live in not-Boystown Lakeview, keep the car. But I wouldn't want to deal with one in Lincoln Park or Gold Coast.

[cookiejar1]

For what it's worth you can pay for parking near school (look up the requirements . . . you might have to live "x" miles away from school) and it's extremely cheap for unlimited parking in streeterville (<$600 for the whole year?). If you don't mind paying a premium for a place that comes with a parking spot then taking a car isn't too horrible.

It's an added cost, yes, but sometimes it's nice to just drive to school instead of standing on public transportation. Especially during the dead of winter . . . you can drive to school's parking lot and walk through all the hospitals until you get to within 2 blocks of the school. Minimizes your outside time to <10 minutes!

Having a car in Chicago is nice. You don't need it but it's not as impracticable as having a car in NYC, for example.