1L SA Thread - C/O 2020 Forum

[TEIAM]

Any idea if Davis Polk's CB->offer rate is the same for 1Ls? Maybe even lower?

Heard it was extremely low for 1Ls and basically used as a recruiting tool to establish background/history with students before OCI.

At the risk of sounding bitter and whiny, I'm getting the impression that this is, roughly, the purpose of most 1L programs. Furthermore, it allows the firms to pre-screen candidates who they invite to interview for 2L summer ahead of OCI, sort of circumventing the whole process. I can't help but feel like this is sort of manipulative and one sided.

It’s always been one sided... They have what you want. Although you may match their hiring profile, you’re fungible. You have no leverage. There are hundreds of other students that have resumes just like yours.

Just keep your head up and keep grinding. Lining up a 1L SA is very very very rare. If you strike out, use it as motivation to crush finals this semester and get multiple offers during OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Any idea if Davis Polk's CB->offer rate is the same for 1Ls? Maybe even lower?

Heard it was extremely low for 1Ls and basically used as a recruiting tool to establish background/history with students before OCI.

At the risk of sounding bitter and whiny, I'm getting the impression that this is, roughly, the purpose of most 1L programs. Furthermore, it allows the firms to pre-screen candidates who they invite to interview for 2L summer ahead of OCI, sort of circumventing the whole process. I can't help but feel like this is sort of manipulative and one sided.

It’s always been one sided... They have what you want. Although you may match their hiring profile, you’re fungible. You have no leverage. There are hundreds of other students that have resumes just like yours.

Just keep your head up and keep grinding. Lining up a 1L SA is very very very rare. If you strike out, use it as motivation to crush finals this semester and get multiple offers during OCI.

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

[TEIAM]

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

This is approach to take. Yes, it sucks. But OCI is long and grueling. You already have a leg up on those that have never been in front of big firm attorneys. You’re going to know what to expect and can start fixing your errors now. Others have to try and tune on the fly during OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Any idea if Davis Polk's CB->offer rate is the same for 1Ls? Maybe even lower?

Heard it was extremely low for 1Ls and basically used as a recruiting tool to establish background/history with students before OCI.

At the risk of sounding bitter and whiny, I'm getting the impression that this is, roughly, the purpose of most 1L programs. Furthermore, it allows the firms to pre-screen candidates who they invite to interview for 2L summer ahead of OCI, sort of circumventing the whole process. I can't help but feel like this is sort of manipulative and one sided.

It’s always been one sided... They have what you want. Although you may match their hiring profile, you’re fungible. You have no leverage. There are hundreds of other students that have resumes just like yours.

Just keep your head up and keep grinding. Lining up a 1L SA is very very very rare. If you strike out, use it as motivation to crush finals this semester and get multiple offers during OCI.

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

Yeah, I'm very much feeling this way too after missing most of the week of school to do this too.

[Anonymous User]

Missing a week feels like going abroad for a month in terms of all the catch up work I have to do

[Anonymous User]

Skadden NY still making offers.

[TAD]

Skadden NY still making offers.

If you don't mind me asking: did you notify them of a competing offer? And around when was your CB?

[lawstudent2814977025]

Accepted- Kirkland & Ellis 1L Diversity Scholar

[Anonymous User]

In at SEC regional NY office. Found out last week

[Anonymous User]

Accepted one of the TX offices of Jones Day.

[Anonymous User]

@ the 1L Kirkland diversity scholar acceptance above - was this for the conference only or SA + conference?

[Anonymous User]

Accepted- Kirkland & Ellis 1L Diversity Scholar

What is this?

[Anonymous User]

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

This is approach to take. Yes, it sucks. But OCI is long and grueling. You already have a leg up on those that have never been in front of big firm attorneys. You’re going to know what to expect and can start fixing your errors now. Others have to try and tune on the fly during OCI.

OP whiner here. This is, indeed, the silver lining. However--not to state the obvious, but--getting experience talking to these folks is one thing. Fine. As for fixing errors, this is what I have a problem with. With zero feedback besides "sorry, good luck next time" there is really nothing to learn from this. And, if anything, given the extreme low likelihood of getting one of these, isn't extrapolating anything from the rejection, arguably, a bad idea?

[TEIAM]

OP whiner here. This is, indeed, the silver lining. However--not to state the obvious, but--getting experience talking to these folks is one thing. Fine. As for fixing errors, this is what I have a problem with. With zero feedback besides "sorry, good luck next time" there is really nothing to learn from this. And, if anything, given the extreme low likelihood of getting one of these, isn't extrapolating anything from the rejection, arguably, a bad idea?

I wouldn’t take anything from the failure of landing a 1L biglaw gig as whole. There are so many factors that go into such hiring that it’s unfair to blame yourself. What you can do is look at each interview at a granular level.

When I said fix errors, I meant doing a self-evaluation of your interviews. You should be taking notes, even if small ones, to keep track of what’s working. Are you running out of questions? Then prepare a longer list. Do you find yourself unaware of what the attorney does? Do more research beforehand. Are you stumbling on certain questions? Practice. Vault and a number of other resources have typical interview questions.

At the end of the day, even the biggest weirdos get a 2L SA if they have the grades. Do what you can now to not seem like a weirdo and you will be in an exponentially better spot.

[Anonymous User]

Dude quit whining. You should be able to recognize what works and doesn’t during the interviews. If you can’t, god bless you.

[Anonymous User]

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

This is approach to take. Yes, it sucks. But OCI is long and grueling. You already have a leg up on those that have never been in front of big firm attorneys. You’re going to know what to expect and can start fixing your errors now. Others have to try and tune on the fly during OCI.

OP whiner here. This is, indeed, the silver lining. However--not to state the obvious, but--getting experience talking to these folks is one thing. Fine. As for fixing errors, this is what I have a problem with. With zero feedback besides "sorry, good luck next time" there is really nothing to learn from this. And, if anything, given the extreme low likelihood of getting one of these, isn't extrapolating anything from the rejection, arguably, a bad idea?

From going through the process, you should get a feel for where you had strong answers that people liked and where you had weak answers that they maybe didn't like so much. If you aren't so great at reading people and have no idea which answers they liked and didn't, this is definitely a skill to work on! It will help you not only in interviews, but also you're entire career.

In the short-term though, go through answers you gave and think to yourself what you would have thought if you received that answer. Think about what the firm is actually looking for and whether your answers fit with that. You can also go to your careers office and ask them to do a mock interview with you. Now would be a great time since you can give similar answers to what you just gave all these firms and see what they say about how strong/weak your answers are.

After all that, it's really just practice! I have found that through the interviews, my answers have become much more concise and clear. And I don't even really have to think anymore. They ask question X and I give question X, tailored slightly to the needs of THAT particular firm. Another thing I have benefited from is listening to the responses that the interviewers give. And also the answers to the questions I have asked. This insight has allowed me to improve many of my responses for other interviewers.

[Anonymous User]

Turned down MoFo -- sad but hope this means good news for another deserving person!

MoFo where? 1L diverse?

[Anonymous User]

I'm more mad about having to go through 4 back to back interviews for absolutely nothing.
Although it's definitely good practice before shit really hits the fan in August.

This is approach to take. Yes, it sucks. But OCI is long and grueling. You already have a leg up on those that have never been in front of big firm attorneys. You’re going to know what to expect and can start fixing your errors now. Others have to try and tune on the fly during OCI.

OP whiner here. This is, indeed, the silver lining. However--not to state the obvious, but--getting experience talking to these folks is one thing. Fine. As for fixing errors, this is what I have a problem with. With zero feedback besides "sorry, good luck next time" there is really nothing to learn from this. And, if anything, given the extreme low likelihood of getting one of these, isn't extrapolating anything from the rejection, arguably, a bad idea?

From going through the process, you should get a feel for where you had strong answers that people liked and where you had weak answers that they maybe didn't like so much. If you aren't so great at reading people and have no idea which answers they liked and didn't, this is definitely a skill to work on! It will help you not only in interviews, but also you're entire career.

In the short-term though, go through answers you gave and think to yourself what you would have thought if you received that answer. Think about what the firm is actually looking for and whether your answers fit with that. You can also go to your careers office and ask them to do a mock interview with you. Now would be a great time since you can give similar answers to what you just gave all these firms and see what they say about how strong/weak your answers are.

After all that, it's really just practice! I have found that through the interviews, my answers have become much more concise and clear. And I don't even really have to think anymore. They ask question X and I give question X, tailored slightly to the needs of THAT particular firm. Another thing I have benefited from is listening to the responses that the interviewers give. And also the answers to the questions I have asked. This insight has allowed me to improve many of my responses for other interviewers.

Good thoughts, thanks.

[Anonymous User]

Dude quit whining. You should be able to recognize what works and doesn’t during the interviews. If you can’t, god bless you.

lol thanks for the kind input--you're in the right profession

[Anonymous User]

I have an exploding offer but one of my top-choice firms hasn't sent out interview requests yet. Should I reach out?

[Anonymous User]

I have an exploding offer but one of my top-choice firms hasn't sent out interview requests yet. Should I reach out?

No downside but you're unlikely to get a favorable response.

[Anonymous User]

I have an exploding offer but one of my top-choice firms hasn't sent out interview requests yet. Should I reach out?

No downside but you're unlikely to get a favorable response.

Can you explain? Why is this encouraged for people you already interviewed with then?

[Anonymous User]

I have an exploding offer but one of my top-choice firms hasn't sent out interview requests yet. Should I reach out?

No downside but you're unlikely to get a favorable response.

Can you explain? Why is this encouraged for people you already interviewed with then?

Because if you've already interviewed with them, the firm has all the information they need to make an educated guess at whether you would be their best candidate or not (even if they still have a few interviews to go). But if you haven't heard from them, odds are, there is a reason that you haven't heard from them. And that reason is either because they are not interested in you, or because they simply have yet to decide who to interview. And if they haven't decided yet, they are not simply going to grant you an interview (and an early one at that) just because they don't want to risk that you would have been good enough for an interview anyway and would have been a perfect fit. Remember that the people that have to interview you are lawyers and are very busy people. It costs a lot of money to interview someone for a SA position. The only way that reaching out to them has a favorable result would be if they basically already decided to interview you and don't have a strict "interview day."

These are positions where they have maybe 1 or 2 slots, and hundreds of applicants. Any one of these applicants would arguably be just as competent as the next (on paper anyway). So at the end of the day, it makes more sense for the firm to just ignore your application than to rush ahead with it.

[Anonymous User]

I have an exploding offer but one of my top-choice firms hasn't sent out interview requests yet. Should I reach out?

No downside but you're unlikely to get a favorable response.

Can you explain? Why is this encouraged for people you already interviewed with then?

They're probably not going to speed up their entire interview process for you, they have plenty of other candidates.

[Anonymous User]

Have y'all been sending thank you emails to interviewers?