UVA Law OGI 2017 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I'm about to strike out. Anyone else in the same boat?

Ditto. Career services said to just mass mail, but that seems pretty ineffective at this point. Any idea how screwed we are?

Can't believe I turned down full rides at other schools to come here at sticker now...

I'm sure that it's hard to stay positive, but what else are you going to be doing right now that you haven't already been doing? If you still have an untapped network to lean on, go do that instead of mass mailing, but right now there's not a whole lot you can do other than send out tons of applications and hope someone bites. Keep in mind that hope is on the horizon with people declining offers in the next couple weeks. I know multiple people sitting on 4-5 offers, and they can only keep one. The first deadline for people to release offers (for people who had offers coming into OGI) is Monday. I imagine, much like with the law school admissions waitlist game, there will be movement after that as firms realize they don't have as many accepted offers as they'd like. By mid september, most people with offers will have accepted or declined them, and firms will really know what they're working with. So...stay positive and keep doing the only thing you can do right now.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Looks like I'm about to strike out. Anyone else in the same boat?

Ditto. Career services said to just mass mail, but that seems pretty ineffective at this point. Any idea how screwed we are?

Can't believe I turned down full rides at other schools to come here at sticker now...

I feel the same way, man. My friend at a T30ish school who scored 163 in the LSATs is on law review at his school and made it to a V10 firm. Can't believe I'm here at sticker and no offer from biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I'm about to strike out. Anyone else in the same boat?

Ditto. Career services said to just mass mail, but that seems pretty ineffective at this point. Any idea how screwed we are?

Can't believe I turned down full rides at other schools to come here at sticker now...

I feel the same way, man. My friend at a T30ish school who scored 163 in the LSATs is on law review at his school and made it to a V10 firm. Can't believe I'm here at sticker and no offer from biglaw.

I know it's hard to see it right now but things will definitely work out. I decided to come to UVA because of it's strong CSO and its consistently strong employment record. I believe that there's a reason for such consistency here.

On a more immediately useful note, I am sitting on a couple DC offers. I will almost definitely be sending out my decision tonight. So - if anyone is on DC waitlists, there will be spots opening up soon which is likely true of every market right now. Everyone keep your heads up, we're all going to be just fine.

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I'm about to strike out. Anyone else in the same boat?

Ditto. Career services said to just mass mail, but that seems pretty ineffective at this point. Any idea how screwed we are?

Can't believe I turned down full rides at other schools to come here at sticker now...

I feel the same way, man. My friend at a T30ish school who scored 163 in the LSATs is on law review at his school and made it to a V10 firm. Can't believe I'm here at sticker and no offer from biglaw.

I know it's hard to see it right now but things will definitely work out. I decided to come to UVA because of it's strong CSO and its consistently strong employment record. I believe that there's a reason for such consistency here.

On a more immediately useful note, I am sitting on a couple DC offers. I will almost definitely be sending out my decision tonight. So - if anyone is on DC waitlists, there will be spots opening up soon which is likely true of every market right now. Everyone keep your heads up, we're all going to be just fine.

For that to happen, I would have had to have gone on a callback with one of those DC firms and then not heard back yet. Which has not happened. While this may help someone, it doesn't change my situation and I feel incredibly discouraged. It's really been shit.

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I'm about to strike out. Anyone else in the same boat?

Ditto. Career services said to just mass mail, but that seems pretty ineffective at this point. Any idea how screwed we are?

Can't believe I turned down full rides at other schools to come here at sticker now...

I feel the same way, man. My friend at a T30ish school who scored 163 in the LSATs is on law review at his school and made it to a V10 firm. Can't believe I'm here at sticker and no offer from biglaw.

I know it's hard to see it right now but things will definitely work out. I decided to come to UVA because of it's strong CSO and its consistently strong employment record. I believe that there's a reason for such consistency here.

On a more immediately useful note, I am sitting on a couple DC offers. I will almost definitely be sending out my decision tonight. So - if anyone is on DC waitlists, there will be spots opening up soon which is likely true of every market right now. Everyone keep your heads up, we're all going to be just fine.

For that to happen, I would have had to have gone on a callback with one of those DC firms and then not heard back yet. Which has not happened. While this may help someone, it doesn't change my situation and I feel incredibly discouraged. It's really been shit.

Well, it helps if you mass mail and take advantage of other avenues career services is providing to get in the door with those firms (and other markets) now while people are making decisions.

[Anonymous User]

Do most people have offers now? I dont have one and just want to find out what percentage of people have already accepted/have offers.

[Anonymous User]

Do most people have offers now? I dont have one and just want to find out what percentage of people have already accepted/have offers.

Probably, but why does it matter?

For what it's worth, I'm still looking, as are several of my friends. You're not alone.

[Anonymous User]

Do most people have offers now? I dont have one and just want to find out what percentage of people have already accepted/have offers.

Probably, but why does it matter?

For what it's worth, I'm still looking, as are several of my friends. You're not alone.

Just trying to see how screwed i am

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had any success applying post-OGI?

[Anonymous User]

I know it is shitty and that nothing will cure the shittyness unless it is a biglaw offer, but perhaps it is time to start thinking the long game. If you really want a biglaw job and don't yet have an offer, certainly keep trying to get one in the meantime, but also consider the fact that you have until Fall 2019 to get one. I worked my ass off 2L and 3L and got a biglaw job during 3L. They paid for my bar course and everything. The only thing I missed out on was the summer associate position, but oh well. It's just the nature of the business, some spots will definitely open up in the next couple of years.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had any success applying post-OGI?

No. so far all rejections

[Anonymous User]

For those who are feeling that OGI did not get them anywhere, try reaching out directly (and I mean by phone) to partners at small or mid-sized law firms in your market. I got zero offers out of OGI, and two offers in the last 10 days through calling people and asking to interview (please note that you may not be able to get your travel expenses paid, but it is worth it to have a job). Remember that you can pay off your student loans on an income based plan which will effectively forgive most of your debt if you are at a small firm that pays less than biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

For those who are feeling that OGI did not get them anywhere, try reaching out directly (and I mean by phone) to partners at small or mid-sized law firms in your market. I got zero offers out of OGI, and two offers in the last 10 days through calling people and asking to interview (please note that you may not be able to get your travel expenses paid, but it is worth it to have a job). Remember that you can pay off your student loans on an income based plan which will effectively forgive most of your debt if you are at a small firm that pays less than biglaw.

Thank you for the tip! Did you call only those firms that have summer programs or just all firms asking whether they do?

[Anonymous User]

Below median, struck out of OGI. Just got an interview with a market-paying firm in a major market that I mass mailed earlier this week (DC/NYC).

Obviously it's not an offer, but it's a start. If you don't have anything lined up yet, keep applying everywhere and regularly check in with career services. They know who is still hiring and who has recently reached out for more applicants. Good luck, guys.

[Anonymous User]

Below median, struck out of OGI. Just got an interview with a market-paying firm in a major market that I mass mailed earlier this week (DC/NYC).

Obviously it's not an offer, but it's a start. If you don't have anything lined up yet, keep applying everywhere and regularly check in with career services. They know who is still hiring and who has recently reached out for more applicants. Good luck, guys.

Congrats! Anecdotally, I I know someone here who just accepted a NY 180k job he got by mass-mailing after striking out at OGI. The game's not over yet.

[Anonymous User]

Two firms listed on Symplicity within the past week or so just reached out today for screeners. Keep on applying

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone had any success applying post-OGI?

Yes. I applied to the largest office of just about every firm I had ever heard of. For places that I interviewed with, I applied to other offices, for places that did not grant me an interview during OGI I bid on my target office. After endless rejections, finally got an offer with a great firm. Keep hustling, emailing, using double-take, using symplicity, go to career services, and be opened minded outside of your target market.

[Anonymous User]

Two firms listed on Symplicity within the past week or so just reached out today for screeners. Keep on applying

Which ones?

[Anonymous User]

I started with the ones that said they did. Then just moved to ones that had 10+ attorneys. Many have programs but don't list on website because they are so small.

As an additional bit of wisdom, success or failure up to now is part luck. Grades, interviewing skills etc. are very important but not conclusive. I was a high band 2 GPA, with almost 30 preselects in OGI, and was told at one of my two CBs that I had interviewed very strongly at my screener. I have no offers from any OGI firms.

The point is that there are people with big law offers whose apparent "qualifications" are high, low and in-between, and people with no offers in all the same categories. What matters NOW is that you work harder than you have ever worked, as much as possible while staying physically and mentally healthy.

Finally, but crucially, suck up your pride. It seems like everyone at UVA is supposed to waltz into Big Law but the truth is the school's statistics don't actually say that. They DO say that most students who want to work at a law firm get a job at a law firm, and the average salary for students at law firms who answer the survey and report their earnings make an amount that is high but less than the 180k big law market average. It also shows data for 1st year associates, not 2L summers, who may yet get a better offer before graduation.

You should be in law school because you like law. You're not going to be penniless. Not even at a pocket sized personal injury firm. You won't be living luxury in a gold plated condo on the beach but there are lawschool graduates at many law schools around the country taking jobs as PARALEGALS at pocket sized personal injury firms. Work your way up the ladder, get some offers under your belt and when your desire to be done with interviewing reaches a point where you are willing to take the best offer you have at that point you do it.

For those who are feeling that OGI did not get them anywhere, try reaching out directly (and I mean by phone) to partners at small or mid-sized law firms in your market. I got zero offers out of OGI, and two offers in the last 10 days through calling people and asking to interview (please note that you may not be able to get your travel expenses paid, but it is worth it to have a job). Remember that you can pay off your student loans on an income based plan which will effectively forgive most of your debt if you are at a small firm that pays less than biglaw.

Thank you for the tip! Did you call only those firms that have summer programs or just all firms asking whether they do?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone with no offer? Should we have already started looking at public service jobs? I'm so frustrated rn

[Anonymous User]

Anyone with no offer? Should we have already started looking at public service jobs? I'm so frustrated rn

I know several, and that's just within the group of people who'd be comfortable offering that information. They're normal, friendly people with above-median grades, so I have no idea what went wrong.

Go talk to career services. And make sure you're meeting with the right counselors (you know who they are). I got an offer fairly late in the cycle, and even then career services suggested reaching out to the public service center to get on their radar for BigLaw-friendly summer jobs like SEC, FTC, CFPB, etc., in case it does come down to 3L OGI. That said, I know for a fact that prestigious firms in major markets are still hiring so it's definitely not too late to get a 2L SA lined up.

Good luck.

[Anonymous User]

Following what other schools have done, can people share their OGI outcomes for the benefit of future UVA students?

GPA
Work Experience
Softs (URM/IP/Etc.)

# of Preselects/Alternates
# of Screeners
# of Callbacks
# of Offers

[Anonymous User]

Following what other schools have done, can people share their OGI outcomes for the benefit of future UVA students?

GPA
Work Experience
Softs (URM/IP/Etc.)

# of Preselects/Alternates
# of Screeners
# of Callbacks
# of Offers

I'm not sure this is as helpful as some might think it is. There are so many dynamics at play in hiring that every time someone says (not me, but for instance):

~3.4
2 years TFA
N/A

14 preselects/4 alternates
23 screeners
8 Callbacks
2 Offers

there are important metrics being left off, because context is important. Maybe this person bid exclusively NYC, bid a mix of NYC and Chicago, bid for LA and TX, or spanned the nation hoping to have as many options as possible. Maybe they exclusively wanted to be in the Southeast, but had to add other markets to fill their bid list.

I guess what I'm saying is really that this is premature because enough students are still in the thick of finding a job, so seeing how well others did will only be discouraging or make it worse that they are still hunting.

[Anonymous User]

~3.15
Solid work 3 year work experience
N/A

8 Preselects/Alternates
21 Screeners
2 Callbacks
1 Offers