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I just finished my 1L year at IU-Indianapolis. Open for questions.

Any idea on how last year's 3L class fared in the job market?

Any advice on study habits/etc. to get to the top of your class?

I don't have much info/data on last year's 3L class. I probably personally met 5-10 3Ls last year that were set up in one of Indy's big three. I think it is looking even better for the classes of '12 and '13.

As far study habits, I told my friends who did not do as well two things after the first semester-read Getting to Maybe, and start read the TLS articles on how to do well. You will be way ahead of the game just by doing these things.

Besides that I'd say keep up with the reading, don't waste time briefing, use supplements, make your own outlines, take at least one timed practice test, and above all else learn how to write an exam (I recommend using bullets, headings, subheadings, etc.).

Since you're ranked so high, are you going to stay at IU-Indy?

Yeah I am staying. I obviously considered transferring, but when I weighed everything I decided that staying would be best for me.

boilers10 wrote:Yeah I am staying. I obviously considered transferring, but when I weighed everything I decided that staying would be best for me.

Are you shooting for Indy "biglaw". How much does it pay and how high in your class do you think a student has to be in order to be competitive for Indy "biglaw".

What is the curve? Do you know if they "section stack" people with scholarships? Profs to avoid/good ones?

mikeditkaisgod wrote:

boilers10 wrote:Yeah I am staying. I obviously considered transferring, but when I weighed everything I decided that staying would be best for me.

Are you shooting for Indy "biglaw". How much does it pay and how high in your class do you think a student has to be in order to be competitive for Indy "biglaw".

Yes I am shooting for one of the top three in Indy. Summer associates make 1900/week; first year associates make 100k/year. They say they look at anyone top 1/3 of the class. I think probably only the top 15% have a good shot at getting interviews.

Michaela wrote:What is the curve? Do you know if they "section stack" people with scholarships? Profs to avoid/good ones?

The curve is 2.9/3.0. Though I am sure there were some outliers, it was evident just from the people I talked to/became friends with from each section that they definitely section stack. Talking with the 2Ls/3Ls above me they all said the same thing about previous years.

As far as profs, you won't be able to choose your whole first year as 1L schedules are set by the school. My favorites were Antony Page (contracts) John Hill (conlaw) and Jeff Cooper (civpro).

The only one I would say to avoid is no longer at the school.

How do you think IU-Indy compares to IUB in terms of BigLaw placement in Indianapolis? Besides IU-Indy and IUB, what other schools do you think have the best shot of obtaining Indy BigLaw?

What is considered Indy big law? I assume Ice Miller, who else?

Have you heard of many graduates seeking employment outside of Indiana?

Michaela wrote:What is considered Indy big law? I assume Ice Miller, who else?

The "Big Three" in Indy are Barnes and Thornburg, Ice Miller, and Baker & Daniels. There are others a bit smaller that regularly hire IU-Indy grads. (Krieg, Taft, Bingham, Benesch, FBT)

boilermaker11 wrote:Have you heard of many graduates seeking employment outside of Indiana?

Sure, grads seek employment outside of Indiana. They just have a hard time finding it (at least in a firm). I have been speaking with a few Chicago firms, and will be interviewing with a few in the fall. I will update this after I hear back.

mikeditkaisgod wrote:How do you think IU-Indy compares to IUB in terms of BigLaw placement in Indianapolis? Besides IU-Indy and IUB, what other schools do you think have the best shot of obtaining Indy BigLaw?

I think the top students at IU-Indy and IUB have similar odds at landing a Biglaw job. Firms will just lower the grade cut-off when looking at IUB students. The big advantage IU-Indy has over IUB is location. Because we are right downtown we have a much easier/better opportunity to network. I was able to have lunch/coffee with over a dozen Biglaw associates my 1L year.

As far as other schools getting Indy Biglaw, I am not sure it is a very sought-after market. I have seen some Valpo and ND students/grads, and a few T14 students. Really it is mostly IUB and IU-Indy people (IP departments typically have a more diverse group in terms of school.)

I know it's been debated to death, but did you do summer prep?

NYC Law wrote:I know it's been debated to death, but did you do summer prep?

Nope. Not a bit. I read the TLS articles on how to do well at the beginning of the semester, but nothing over the summer. I am not sure it would help much (except maybe to learn the vocab/legalise).

boilers10 wrote:

NYC Law wrote:I know it's been debated to death, but did you do summer prep?

Nope. Not a bit. I read the TLS articles on how to do well at the beginning of the semester, but nothing over the summer. I am not sure it would help much (except maybe to learn the vocab/legalise).

Is IUI going to increase your scholarship based on your 1l year? If so, how did you go about securing this?

tag

Chants wrote:

boilers10 wrote:

NYC Law wrote:I know it's been debated to death, but did you do summer prep?

Nope. Not a bit. I read the TLS articles on how to do well at the beginning of the semester, but nothing over the summer. I am not sure it would help much (except maybe to learn the vocab/legalise).

Is IUI going to increase your scholarship based on your 1l year? If so, how did you go about securing this?

I was already on a full-ride. But they threw in a little more $ through a fellowship after I filled out a one page scholarship application in the spring.

Just wanted to say congrats! I sure don't want to compete against you for a job in Indy. Ice Miller doesn't even come to our OCI for some reason.

ndirish2010 wrote:Just wanted to say congrats! I sure don't want to compete against you for a job in Indy. Ice Miller doesn't even come to our OCI for some reason.

Thanks ND! And that is odd Ice doesn't come up there...even for their Chicago office?

boilers10 wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:Just wanted to say congrats! I sure don't want to compete against you for a job in Indy. Ice Miller doesn't even come to our OCI for some reason.

Thanks ND! And that is odd Ice doesn't come up there...even for their Chicago office?

Nope. I mailed their Indy office hoping to get an interview. The Indy firms that come are Baker & Daniels, Barnes & Thornberg, Taft, FBT, krieg devault and Wooden & McLaughlin. I missed FBT but have the other ones.

How important do you think specific Indy ties are to the firms? I have plenty of reasons to want to stay in Indiana, so I've been thinking it's obvious that I would want Indy because it's really the only legal market in the state, should that be enough?

ndirish2010 wrote:

boilers10 wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:Just wanted to say congrats! I sure don't want to compete against you for a job in Indy. Ice Miller doesn't even come to our OCI for some reason.

Thanks ND! And that is odd Ice doesn't come up there...even for their Chicago office?

Nope. I mailed their Indy office hoping to get an interview. The Indy firms that come are Baker & Daniels, Barnes & Thornberg, Taft, FBT, Krieg DeVault and Wooden & McLaughlin. I missed FBT but have the other ones.

How important do you think specific Indy ties are to the firms? I have plenty of reasons to want to stay in Indiana, so I've been thinking it's obvious that I would want Indy because it's really the only legal market in the state, should that be enough?

Yeah I'd think so. If you are from Indiana and go to ND I'm sure it won't be an issue. If you aren't from Indiana it may be important to sell them on the fact you really want Indy and aren't just settling until you can GTFO.

boilers10 wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:

boilers10 wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:Just wanted to say congrats! I sure don't want to compete against you for a job in Indy. Ice Miller doesn't even come to our OCI for some reason.

Thanks ND! And that is odd Ice doesn't come up there...even for their Chicago office?

Nope. I mailed their Indy office hoping to get an interview. The Indy firms that come are Baker & Daniels, Barnes & Thornberg, Taft, FBT, Krieg DeVault and Wooden & McLaughlin. I missed FBT but have the other ones.

How important do you think specific Indy ties are to the firms? I have plenty of reasons to want to stay in Indiana, so I've been thinking it's obvious that I would want Indy because it's really the only legal market in the state, should that be enough?

Yeah I'd think so. If you are from Indiana and go to ND I'm sure it won't be an issue. If you aren't from Indiana it may be important to sell them on the fact you really want Indy and aren't just settling until you can GTFO.

Yeah I'm legitimately interested. Not from Indiana originally, but ND undergrad and law school + Indiana ties besides that. Really like the city. Do you have screeners with pretty much every Indy firm?