Pre-OCI 2019 Forum

[Anonymous User]

General discussion and updates related to 2019 pre-OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Does Milbank partake in Pre-OCI?

[Anonymous User]

My firm doesn't do pre-OCI but trying to help a friend: which firms are definitively doing interviews right now?

[yyyuppp]

new york is always quick. Cleary, paul weiss, weil, simpson thacher, dave polk are a few off the top of my head that usually are strong in the pre-oci season.

[Anonymous User]

new york is always quick. Cleary, paul weiss, weil, simpson thacher, dave polk are a few off the top of my head that usually are strong in the pre-oci season.

Any ideas regarding what the best way to get a pre-OCI interview is? Should we just email the recruiter our material/apply online? Or is it better to contact random alums at the firms, ask some questions, and hope that they offer to recommend you to recruiting?

Also, is it better to contact the firms now or just wait for OCI if they're coming?

[yyyuppp]

new york is always quick. Cleary, paul weiss, weil, simpson thacher, dave polk are a few off the top of my head that usually are strong in the pre-oci season.

Any ideas regarding what the best way to get a pre-OCI interview is? Should we just email the recruiter our material/apply online? Or is it better to contact random alums at the firms, ask some questions, and hope that they offer to recommend you to recruiting?

Also, is it better to contact the firms now or just wait for OCI if they're coming?

I just emailed to the recruiter email on the firm website (make sure its for the appropriate office). if you have contacts with a firm, i suppose you could use those, and if your grades aren't great that's probably your better shot.

[icansortofmath]

A 3L just told me to email all the firms I was interested in to save on bid slots. I had a 1L SA position and finished 1L between 10 and 20% at a lower T14 and I ended up with pre OCI screeners with a lot of firms I emailed. A lot of other firms said they’ll squeeze me in somewhere if I didn’t get on OCI schedule and I did end up with some off schedule interviews during OCI.

Basically bottom line is there is no point trying to figure out which firms are most active pre-OCI. Just email them all.

Based on what I heard during my own 1L summer, I think people with high grades did well pre-OCI and medianish students didn’t get a lot of responses. But who cares about that. Even one free interview out of 100 emails would be worth it.

Don’t listen to career services trying to discourage you from contacting firms pre-OCI. They have a vested interest in keeping OCI relevant.

[Anonymous User]

While the advice in thread is sound, keep in mind many firms are trying to put the pre-OCI interviewing back in the box, so don’t be surprised or worried if you get few bites. OCI is still by far the way most folks land the offer they accept.

[Anonymous User]

DC firms actively soliciting pre-oci applications, most notably Simpson Thacher which put a "apply now" business card in our swag bag.

[Anonymous User]

Are any New York firms doing pre-oci right now?

[icansortofmath]

I am sure he answer is yes.

[Anonymous User]

Former (just recently left) v60 associate on the recruiting committee for the DC office. My former firm has gotten rid of OCI completely. The firm doesn’t attend any OCIs anymore for any office. The only way in is through networking with attorneys who then recommend people and the committee makes callback decisions based on that.

So to the people saying pre-oci is overblown- you will completely miss out on at least one of the v60 if you don’t. I know at least 3-4 other dc offices of v50 firms that are now using this exact model.

[Anonymous User]

A 3L just told me to email all the firms I was interested in to save on bid slots. I had a 1L SA position and finished 1L between 10 and 20% at a lower T14 and I ended up with pre OCI screeners with a lot of firms I emailed. A lot of other firms said they’ll squeeze me in somewhere if I didn’t get on OCI schedule and I did end up with some off schedule interviews during OCI.

Basically bottom line is there is no point trying to figure out which firms are most active pre-OCI. Just email them all.

Based on what I heard during my own 1L summer, I think people with high grades did well pre-OCI and medianish students didn’t get a lot of responses. But who cares about that. Even one free interview out of 100 emails would be worth it.

Don’t listen to career services trying to discourage you from contacting firms pre-OCI. They have a vested interest in keeping OCI relevant.

I'm between a rock and a hard place between this and the post above mine.

I have a 3.2x from a lower T13 and want to target NY corporate. Career services, whom I don't trust, is highly discouraging pre-OCI by saying you're better off at least getting a bite at the apple in the form of an OCI interview rather than being preemptively rejected. I also know firms have been encouraging everyone possible to apply pre OCI and saying they're committed to using it more because OCI is a logistical nightmare. I also know slight above medians getting pre OCI interviews at top firms.

Is it foolish to worry about getting a "thanks but no thanks and don't apply again" letter from firms once they see my GPA which, in my mind, I could compensate for with interview skills at OCI?

[Anonymous User]

A 3L just told me to email all the firms I was interested in to save on bid slots. I had a 1L SA position and finished 1L between 10 and 20% at a lower T14 and I ended up with pre OCI screeners with a lot of firms I emailed. A lot of other firms said they’ll squeeze me in somewhere if I didn’t get on OCI schedule and I did end up with some off schedule interviews during OCI.

Basically bottom line is there is no point trying to figure out which firms are most active pre-OCI. Just email them all.

Based on what I heard during my own 1L summer, I think people with high grades did well pre-OCI and medianish students didn’t get a lot of responses. But who cares about that. Even one free interview out of 100 emails would be worth it.

Don’t listen to career services trying to discourage you from contacting firms pre-OCI. They have a vested interest in keeping OCI relevant.

I'm between a rock and a hard place between this and the post above mine.

I have a 3.2x from a lower T13 and want to target NY corporate. Career services, whom I don't trust, is highly discouraging pre-OCI by saying you're better off at least getting a bite at the apple in the form of an OCI interview rather than being preemptively rejected. I also know firms have been encouraging everyone possible to apply pre OCI and saying they're committed to using it more because OCI is a logistical nightmare. I also know slight above medians getting pre OCI interviews at top firms.

Is it foolish to worry about getting a "thanks but no thanks and don't apply again" letter from firms once they see my GPA which, in my mind, I could compensate for with interview skills at OCI?

What firms are giving out pre-oci interviews in NY?

[Anonymous User]

A 3L just told me to email all the firms I was interested in to save on bid slots. I had a 1L SA position and finished 1L between 10 and 20% at a lower T14 and I ended up with pre OCI screeners with a lot of firms I emailed. A lot of other firms said they’ll squeeze me in somewhere if I didn’t get on OCI schedule and I did end up with some off schedule interviews during OCI.

Basically bottom line is there is no point trying to figure out which firms are most active pre-OCI. Just email them all.

Based on what I heard during my own 1L summer, I think people with high grades did well pre-OCI and medianish students didn’t get a lot of responses. But who cares about that. Even one free interview out of 100 emails would be worth it.

Don’t listen to career services trying to discourage you from contacting firms pre-OCI. They have a vested interest in keeping OCI relevant.

I'm between a rock and a hard place between this and the post above mine.

I have a 3.2x from a lower T13 and want to target NY corporate. Career services, whom I don't trust, is highly discouraging pre-OCI by saying you're better off at least getting a bite at the apple in the form of an OCI interview rather than being preemptively rejected. I also know firms have been encouraging everyone possible to apply pre OCI and saying they're committed to using it more because OCI is a logistical nightmare. I also know slight above medians getting pre OCI interviews at top firms.

Is it foolish to worry about getting a "thanks but no thanks and don't apply again" letter from firms once they see my GPA which, in my mind, I could compensate for with interview skills at OCI?

What firms are giving out pre-oci interviews in NY?

Skadden and Simpsons for sure as a classmate already did both.

[biglaw_advice]

new york is always quick. Cleary, paul weiss, weil, simpson thacher, dave polk are a few off the top of my head that usually are strong in the pre-oci season.

Any ideas regarding what the best way to get a pre-OCI interview is? Should we just email the recruiter our material/apply online? Or is it better to contact random alums at the firms, ask some questions, and hope that they offer to recommend you to recruiting?

Also, is it better to contact the firms now or just wait for OCI if they're coming?

I'm a midlevel associate in biglaw. I'm a big believer in reaching out to alums at the firms to try to set up coffees/calls/lunches, etc. The best case scenario is that they help you with recruiting or go to bat for you somehow in the OCI selection process. In my experience, that's what helped me land my interview and then my offer. I learned later on that having a few different perspectives going to bat for me significantly helped my prospects at the firm. In other words, the interviewers helped recommend me, but the legwork I did before OCI was critical, too.

To your second point, I think it's better to contact the firms now. Some will say "we're coming to OCI so if we select you, then you'll have the interview..." but some will want to help (this is why I think alums are a great resource). That said, I received so many "no's" and "I'm busy but let's talk in August/September (aka after OCI season)..." but the ones who helped, really helped.

In case it helps, I wrote some more tips on reaching out to alums here: https://biglawadvice.com/2018/10/09/sam ... for-alums/

And also some suggestions on what to say when you call them: https://biglawadvice.com/2019/04/29/how ... ate-offer/

[Anonymous User]

A 3L just told me to email all the firms I was interested in to save on bid slots. I had a 1L SA position and finished 1L between 10 and 20% at a lower T14 and I ended up with pre OCI screeners with a lot of firms I emailed. A lot of other firms said they’ll squeeze me in somewhere if I didn’t get on OCI schedule and I did end up with some off schedule interviews during OCI.

Basically bottom line is there is no point trying to figure out which firms are most active pre-OCI. Just email them all.

Based on what I heard during my own 1L summer, I think people with high grades did well pre-OCI and medianish students didn’t get a lot of responses. But who cares about that. Even one free interview out of 100 emails would be worth it.

Don’t listen to career services trying to discourage you from contacting firms pre-OCI. They have a vested interest in keeping OCI relevant.

I'm between a rock and a hard place between this and the post above mine.

I have a 3.2x from a lower T13 and want to target NY corporate. Career services, whom I don't trust, is highly discouraging pre-OCI by saying you're better off at least getting a bite at the apple in the form of an OCI interview rather than being preemptively rejected. I also know firms have been encouraging everyone possible to apply pre OCI and saying they're committed to using it more because OCI is a logistical nightmare. I also know slight above medians getting pre OCI interviews at top firms.

Is it foolish to worry about getting a "thanks but no thanks and don't apply again" letter from firms once they see my GPA which, in my mind, I could compensate for with interview skills at OCI?

What firms are giving out pre-oci interviews in NY?

Can confirm that Davis Polk is doing pre-OCI interviews and offers.

Can also confirm that Davis Polk extends OCI offers to pre-OCI applicants who don't get pre-OCI interviews.

[Anonymous User]

Any advice on how to handle a late afternoon interview and leaving work for it? Currently a 1L SA with a Pre-OCI interview next week at a different firm...don’t know whether to tell current firm or say doctor appt or something?

[Anonymous User]

so provided someone gets an interview from emailing a recruiter, how long would it normally take to get a response?

[Anonymous User]

Any advice on how to handle a late afternoon interview and leaving work for it? Currently a 1L SA with a Pre-OCI interview next week at a different firm...don’t know whether to tell current firm or say doctor appt or something?

What firm?

Not doing an SA this summer but my Government job was completely cool with me taking a whole day for a callback.

[JHP]

Any advice on how to handle a late afternoon interview and leaving work for it? Currently a 1L SA with a Pre-OCI interview next week at a different firm...don’t know whether to tell current firm or say doctor appt or something?

I mean, is your firm really going to be weird about their 1L intern going to an interview for a job for the next summer? Presumably this firm knows how the legal recruiting game is played, and that you will and should be interviewing for all the opportunities you can get? If they are weird about it, then just let your supervisor know that you have a personal commitment that afternoon and you'll have to step out for a bit. Otherwise, especially if your supervisor is an attorney, just have a side conversation to them and be like, "so remember OCI? I have an interview and I have to be out that afternoon, if that is okay thanks"

[bana79]

Should I be applying directly to firms that are still coming to OCI? There are a couple firms in the city I'm working in this summer (different market than my school) that are some of the best coming to OCI and I'd love to get in an interview before I go back. Tried reaching out to attorneys but it hasn't resulted in much so far. Their sites say apply now but also list my school as one of their OCI stops.

V20, V~50, V~75 I think if it makes any difference.

[Anonymous User]

V20, V~50, V~75 I think if it makes any difference.

It doesn't

[icansortofmath]

Yes. Some interviewed me pre OCI some told me they’d slot me in and some just told me to come after last interview or during lunch hour for off schedule.

If you’re in their strike zone and they have a need, they are just as happy to interview you (bypassing the lottery) as you are to get another interview.

[bana79]

Yes. Some interviewed me pre OCI some told me they’d slot me in and some just told me to come after last interview or during lunch hour for off schedule.

If you’re in their strike zone and they have a need, they are just as happy to interview you (bypassing the lottery) as you are to get another interview.

Thanks! My school is I think 3/4 preselect but I figure it can't hurt to apply early as well.

V20, V~50, V~75 I think if it makes any difference.

It doesn't

I'm sorry anon, I just wanted to feel like one of you cool T14ers with your cool casual vault rank drops.