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Can anyone explain how OCI's actually work? Do they begin during the Spring of your 1L year? If you do not get a job through them as a freshman, are you at a serious disadvantage for getting a BigLaw job? I assume you continue them throughout your 3 years until you actually find a job? Also, are the OCI's mainly for BigLaw or do all things including government, small firms, clerkships, etc. have them?

sternc wrote:Do they begin during the Spring of your 1L year?

For jobs after your 1L year (i.e., the "1L summer"), yes.

sternc wrote:If you do not get a job through them as a freshman, are you at a serious disadvantage for getting a BigLaw job?

Not a big deal if you don't get a 1L job through OCI.

If you don't get a job through 2L OCI, you are unlikely to get biglaw unless you go to a national school are are looking to work at a large firm "back home" (far away from the location of your school). Well, technically, you're still "unlikely" to get biglaw in that situation, but you have a better chance than most if you go to a national school.

sternc wrote:I assume you continue them throughout your 3 years until you actually find a job?

Some employers will interview on campus to hire 3Ls. But it's not a very reliable way of finding a job. If you don't get a biglaw gig from 2L OCI, you need to focus on non-OCI options (well, you should be focusing on non-OCI options right from the beginning, as well).

sternc wrote:Also, are the OCI's mainly for BigLaw or do all things including government, small firms, clerkships, etc. have them?

Mainly for biglaw. Also some mid-sized and smaller firms. Sometimes government, but not non-local government. Almost never clerkships--but I've known of at least one judge who did OCI.