OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw Forum

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OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 12, 2017 4:42 pm

Above median K-JD at a lower T14 interested in litigation.

What are the best non-SA 2L Summer Jobs to maximize my chances of getting BigLaw after 3L?

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:09 pm

Hiring isn't over. Keep mass mailing and target midlaw too.

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Hiring isn't over. Keep mass mailing and target midlaw too.
I am, but as the government deadlines approach I want to know what other options I should focus on.

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:36 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Hiring isn't over. Keep mass mailing and target midlaw too.
I am, but as the government deadlines approach I want to know what other options I should focus on.
Not sure what other options you're expecting. If you strike-out, you're screwed. There isn't a magic convention where recruiters go and hire 3Ls.

Mass-mailing is your best bet. You can try reaching out to alumni from your school who are at biglaw, but for 3Ls that won't be particularly helpful. Most 3L hiring is reserved for people looking to "trade up".

Sorry to say, but you should apply to gov positions or maybe midlaw then look into lateraling a few years down the road.

RaceJudicata

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by RaceJudicata » Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:42 pm

Clerkships.
Big fed
Lose your lit interest and go Corp or bk (still a crapshoot for 3l hiring, but prob better than lit).

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sparkytrainer

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by sparkytrainer » Thu Oct 12, 2017 6:16 pm

Yeah there isn't a job during 2l summer that will help you pull biglaw. You need to hustle your face off to get a SA now, because if you don't, 99% chance the biglaw ship has sailed for you.

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 14, 2017 9:59 pm

According to the career services office at my T10, your outlook isn't nearly as bad as some of the other posters here are suggesting.

My interest was corporate, but they strongly recommended looking at BigFed financial regulators (SEC, CFPB, CFTC, etc.). I imagine you could get similarly prestigious and relevant experience at a wider range of agencies if you're interested in general litigation. When you apply during 3L you can just say that you ultimately decided against working in the public sector.

ghostoftraynor

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by ghostoftraynor » Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:42 am

Big Fed summer job could land you a 3L spot. Obviously not easy, but I know people who did it.

Otherwise, I'd spend a lot of time trying to clerk. Firms like hiring clerks.

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:53 pm

I was hired into biglaw during Dec/Jan of my 2L year! Don't give up hope, keep mass mailing, check Simplicity ALL THE TIME. (I never would have checked because it was during finals, but the head of my school's OCI tipped me off to a perfect job for my background.) Don't give up hope.

Side note--randomly, a lot of my friends who are partners in biglaw now worked in midlaw for a few years, lateralled to biglaw where their skillsets were well beyond the biglaw kids, because they got more experience, and they profited. Like I said, don't give up hope.

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 19, 2017 12:13 am

Anonymous User wrote:I was hired into biglaw during Dec/Jan of my 2L year! Don't give up hope, keep mass mailing, check Simplicity ALL THE TIME. (I never would have checked because it was during finals, but the head of my school's OCI tipped me off to a perfect job for my background.) Don't give up hope.

Side note--randomly, a lot of my friends who are partners in biglaw now worked in midlaw for a few years, lateralled to biglaw where their skillsets were well beyond the biglaw kids, because they got more experience, and they profited. Like I said, don't give up hope.
just curious - biglaw in which market?

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glitched

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Re: OCI strikeout question. Maximizing chances at getting biglaw

Post by glitched » Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:34 am

Anonymous User wrote:interested in litigation.
Have you expressed this in interviews? This may be your issue. My general feeling from my peers is that litigation is slow right now. If you're able to get callbacks, then I'd say for now express that you're interested in litigation AND corporate. Once you get your SA, then you can change your mind. If you don't anticipate that the firm will place you in litigation after you graduate, you'll still have a huge advantage in lateraling to a firm if you've done an SA.

Edit: maybe the game has changed a lot in the last few years, but it's definitely not too late to snag a 2L SA right now. Just have no shame and mass mail literally every firm (sometimes even ones that you already had a screener with).

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