Anonymous User wrote:Hey, just starting the OCI research process and want some advice. Top 10% - top 5% GPA, not sure about journal, Moot Court/Trial Team, limited WE. "All-in" on litigation, interested in appellate (who isn't) but this isn't mandatory. Strong ties to Denver, NW is my only ties to Chicago (though my wife has job opportunities here, so that's a +), have a lot of friends in DC (& wife has job opportunities here as well), no connection to NYC but I'm holding it as an option. Working with a State SG/AG's office this summer (not any of the areas discussed above).
I would appreciate feedback on (1) what I should be doing to network this summer, especially since I won't be in DC, NYC, Chi, or Denver. (2) What I should be doing for mass-mailing, and (3) what my general bidding strategy should be (and anything else you think would be pertinent).
Thanks!
(1) There's two people on the OCI firm contact list you got emailed that are/were in Denver for their 2L SA. You should reach out to both of them. It's a small market and they will know more than CSC.
(2) You should probably mass mail Denver firms since not many will come to OCI, but ask the people working there. I also think you should mass mail NY firms so you can try to get pre-OCI callbacks in and not have to bid NY at OCI. I would suggest limiting yourself to two markets at OCI, unless you're just going to apply to the top-end firms in each city and truly don't care where you want to work.
(3) See above. Also would be helpful to know your actual GPA to give bidding advice. To be honest, none of us know what a GPA in the top 5-10% is and the margins matter at this level for top top firms. It's an anonymous forum.
(4) Never say the words "appellate litigation" in any of your interviews. You want to do litigation. The issue is that at most firms the appellate groups very small and are solely staffed with people who have done appellate clerkships. You're in the ballpark to get an appellate clerkship (and you should contact Kadens/Emily Brown about clerkship applications), but you won't have the credential until after you clerk. Even if you mention that you want to do litigation but have an aspiration to do appellate or simply that you are "interested" in it (unless someone asks you directly then it's okay), many interviewers will only hear "I want to do appellate litigation" and it will hurt you. It's honestly one of the easier ways to strike out at OCI with good grades. The goal at OCI is simply to get a job. Do everything you can to get that job and then worry about doing appellate litigation.