Clerkship Competitiveness for Lit Boutiques Forum

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

This is overstating it. Hiring is not an exact science. Some people get hired at top boutiques with resumes like the one described. And different offices/firms have different preferences that matter beyond just grades. E.g. many lit boutiques really like people with hard science degrees, national-level athletics, mock trial, or debate backgrounds, or military experience.

Also incidentally I think the "middling grades plus liberal COA" resume is becoming a lot more common than it used to be with the new Biden judges, many of whom hire for background and demonstrated commitment to the cause just like Fed Soc judges have historically.

I've noticed this too. Seeing an increasing trend for some of the newer Biden and Trump appointees (although certainly not all) where they place a lot less emphasis on grades. Wonder if it will have any downstream consequences in the near future. I know the prestige of journals has lessened given less meritocratic or more randomized selection methods. Wonder if we will start to see that with clerkships. I have no opinion either way besides the vague hope that we won't reach a situation where clerkship hiring is based on political signaling above all else because I think that would be quite a loss (I think we're far away from that being the present situation, though).

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

If you browse KH's associates from Harvard and Chicago, you will find a bunch of people who grad cum laude/no honors with no LR and clerked for judges that very much hire ideologically haha

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

If you browse KH's associates from Harvard and Chicago, you will find a bunch of people who grad cum laude/no honors with no LR and clerked for judges that very much hire ideologically haha

Kellogg is looking for more than just grades. As for the associates with grades in the range you describe, gender is doing more work than ideology. Like many firms where billing 2500+ is common, Kellogg has difficulty retaining female associates and is working had to correct that imbalance.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

If you browse KH's associates from Harvard and Chicago, you will find a bunch of people who grad cum laude/no honors with no LR and clerked for judges that very much hire ideologically haha

Kellogg is looking for more than just grades. As for the associates with grades in the range you describe, gender is doing more work than ideology. Like many firms where billing 2500+ is common, Kellogg has difficulty retaining female associates and is working had to correct that imbalance.

Not to be annoying, but I just looked at their website and 6/8 of the associates that fit into that box are men

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

If you browse KH's associates from Harvard and Chicago, you will find a bunch of people who grad cum laude/no honors with no LR and clerked for judges that very much hire ideologically haha

Kellogg is looking for more than just grades. As for the associates with grades in the range you describe, gender is doing more work than ideology. Like many firms where billing 2500+ is common, Kellogg has difficulty retaining female associates and is working had to correct that imbalance.

Not to be annoying, but I just looked at their website and 6/8 of the associates that fit into that box are men

But in fairness, graduating cum laude from HLS with an appellate clerkship makes you competitive most anywhere

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

If you browse KH's associates from Harvard and Chicago, you will find a bunch of people who grad cum laude/no honors with no LR and clerked for judges that very much hire ideologically haha

Kellogg is looking for more than just grades. As for the associates with grades in the range you describe, gender is doing more work than ideology. Like many firms where billing 2500+ is common, Kellogg has difficulty retaining female associates and is working had to correct that imbalance.

Not to be annoying, but I just looked at their website and 6/8 of the associates that fit into that box are men

The box is gerrymandered. Other associates went to lower-ranked schools than Harvard and Chicago, got similar grades, and clerked for liberal judges. No would think they aren't qualified. It's not believable that elite boutiques like Susman or Kellogg give affirmative action to mediocre FedSoc applicants when they have their pick of the appellate clerk litter.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

Cum laude from where? Harvard probably, Cornell probably not absent other extraordinary circumstances.

I think the previous poster was right when they said the prototypical mold for a top boutique hire is something like T14 magna + COA and/or district clerkship + LR + good personality. Note that T14 magna isn't HLS magna; it's probably closer to HLS cum laude.

Cum laude from a T14 with a COA is enough to put you in play anywhere, but it's not compelling for the top boutiques absent other extraordinary information. That candidate might get an interview here and there but needs to make a significant good impression to stand out and get an offer. Compelling these days is like HLS magna + feeder COA + a second great clerkship + some other plus factors like Rhodes/military background + influential publications.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

Cum laude from where? Harvard probably, Cornell probably not absent other extraordinary circumstances.

I think the previous poster was right when they said the prototypical mold for a top boutique hire is something like T14 magna + COA and/or district clerkship + LR + good personality. Note that T14 magna isn't HLS magna; it's probably closer to HLS cum laude.

Cum laude from a T14 with a COA is enough to put you in play anywhere, but it's not compelling for the top boutiques absent other extraordinary information. That candidate might get an interview here and there but needs to make a significant good impression to stand out and get an offer. Compelling these days is like HLS magna + feeder COA + a second great clerkship + some other plus factors like Rhodes/military background + influential publications.

Again, I think hiring is pretty idiosyncratic. I work at one of the firms listed above and while I have some of the criteria you’re describing (hys top 10ish, feeder level COA, some unicorn extras), I don’t exclusively work with those types of people and I think I have one of the better resumes of my associate cohort. And plenty of my friends / co clerks with those types of profiles didn’t have as much success in recruiting. I generally think that there’s some basic level of academic success / prestige to be considered in the ordinary case; let’s call it something like COA + top 5/10 from a lower t14 or top 20ish from hys. Then beyond that, normal hiring criteria like fit, practice group interest, recommendations, previous work experience etc all matter a great deal. We have turned away double feeder close to Sears prize winners while offering far less “compelling” candidates so let’s not reduce this all to objective academic oriented criteria here.

That being said, sure these firms are the most competitive places in law pretty much and have a much higher academic floor than any larger firm, even in the DC market. And people should be aware of that. Competition among clerks and high achieving students is significant and the firms know it. But more than one way to get hired; if someone is over the academic floor, I’d encourage them to apply to any firm.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

Cum laude from where? Harvard probably, Cornell probably not absent other extraordinary circumstances.

I think the previous poster was right when they said the prototypical mold for a top boutique hire is something like T14 magna + COA and/or district clerkship + LR + good personality. Note that T14 magna isn't HLS magna; it's probably closer to HLS cum laude.

Cum laude from a T14 with a COA is enough to put you in play anywhere, but it's not compelling for the top boutiques absent other extraordinary information. That candidate might get an interview here and there but needs to make a significant good impression to stand out and get an offer. Compelling these days is like HLS magna + feeder COA + a second great clerkship + some other plus factors like Rhodes/military background + influential publications.

I should be clear. Cum laude from HLS.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

Cum laude from where? Harvard probably, Cornell probably not absent other extraordinary circumstances.

I think the previous poster was right when they said the prototypical mold for a top boutique hire is something like T14 magna + COA and/or district clerkship + LR + good personality. Note that T14 magna isn't HLS magna; it's probably closer to HLS cum laude.

Cum laude from a T14 with a COA is enough to put you in play anywhere, but it's not compelling for the top boutiques absent other extraordinary information. That candidate might get an interview here and there but needs to make a significant good impression to stand out and get an offer. Compelling these days is like HLS magna + feeder COA + a second great clerkship + some other plus factors like Rhodes/military background + influential publications.

I should be clear. Cum laude from HLS.

No, cum laude from any T14 (and Texas) plus a COA is objectively competitive for almost all these firms. You can go through the webpages if you feel the need. I know people involved in hiring at a few of these firms and they do not parse grades anywhere near as closely as people on this board seem to think. Latin honors and a respectable clerkship get you a close look. Then, the focus is more on fit and personality. Practicing law is not like law school. And it's obvious after an interview that many top students do not possess the interpersonal skills and common sense that firms desire.

[Anonymous User]

How much can a clerkship "repair" a transcript? Like, for example, if you're merely above-norm at HYS but also lock down a solid COA, does that start to make you more appealing to these shops?

Short answer: no. The top boutiques are looking for something like T14 magna + LR + COA clerkship and/or competitive district clerkship as a baseline. A solid COA clerkship is not going to "repair" a middling transcript.

Think about the signal that a middling Harvard transcript + solid COA clerkship sends, especially if you were on FedSoc board and/or JLPP. The signal it sends is "this person doesn't quite have the academic chops we typically look for but is good at networking with conservative judges or has a family connection." That's not a compelling reason to hire a candidate that falls below a firm's usual hiring guidelines.

Don't disagree but think you're overestimating how selective some of these places are. I know people from my HYS who have gone to Susman, W&C, MTO, etc. (so, admittedly, not necessarily the true boutiques like Bartlit or whatever) with no LR and good grades that are not magna (probably more like ~top 30%).

Cum laude with a COA is competitive at all these places, including Bartlit Beck.

Cum laude from where? Harvard probably, Cornell probably not absent other extraordinary circumstances.

I think the previous poster was right when they said the prototypical mold for a top boutique hire is something like T14 magna + COA and/or district clerkship + LR + good personality. Note that T14 magna isn't HLS magna; it's probably closer to HLS cum laude.

Cum laude from a T14 with a COA is enough to put you in play anywhere, but it's not compelling for the top boutiques absent other extraordinary information. That candidate might get an interview here and there but needs to make a significant good impression to stand out and get an offer. Compelling these days is like HLS magna + feeder COA + a second great clerkship + some other plus factors like Rhodes/military background + influential publications.

I should be clear. Cum laude from HLS.

No, cum laude from any T14 (and Texas) plus a COA is objectively competitive for almost all these firms. You can go through the webpages if you feel the need. I know people involved in hiring at a few of these firms and they do not parse grades anywhere near as closely as people on this board seem to think. Latin honors and a respectable clerkship get you a close look. Then, the focus is more on fit and personality. Practicing law is not like law school. And it's obvious after an interview that many top students do not possess the interpersonal skills and common sense that firms desire.

Folks are talking past each other because they mean different things when they say "competitive." Most elite boutiques have an academic floor below which candidates need not apply. Past that threshold, better grades and credentials continue to strengthen an app measurably, but they do not alone guarantee success. Even SCOTUS clerks occasionally get rejected - not often, but it happens. It's somewhat misleading to draw strong inferences from the bios you see on the websites. The nonconventional hires have a lot going for them that may not be visible to the naked eye.

[Anonymous User]

I should be clear. Cum laude from HLS.

What is this in SLS terms, do you know?

[Anonymous User]

I should be clear. Cum laude from HLS.

What is this in SLS terms, do you know?

it's top 40% at HLS. I'd guess top 40% at SLS is ~1/3 H's

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

I don't think either SLS or YLS do graduation honors, but okay Chicago boy. Also lmao "labor law" is now a "soft woke" course.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

I don't think either SLS or YLS do graduation honors, but okay Chicago boy. Also lmao "labor law" is now a "soft woke" course.

Incredibly sick of woke law school courses like labor law. Since when did analyzing caselaw surrounding a statutory, constitutional, and administrative framework become a thing. We don't do petty stuff like that at Chicago.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

I don't think either SLS or YLS do graduation honors, but okay Chicago boy. Also lmao "labor law" is now a "soft woke" course.

Incredibly sick of woke law school courses like labor law. Since when did analyzing caselaw surrounding a statutory, constitutional, and administrative framework become a thing. We don't do petty stuff like that at Chicago.

I love TLS

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

Nothing makes my blood boil more than people who say HYS. Harvard is has declined precipitously over the past 40 years.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

Maybe some judges sure. But I feel like most employers see magna level grades from CCN and some of the mid T14s as very good and better than cum laude harvard. Most of the heavy Harvard weighting seems to be for judges and OCI not necessarily post-graduation. But what do I know, I don't do the hiring, this is just based on instinct.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

Nothing makes my blood boil more than people who say HYS. Harvard is has declined precipitously over the past 40 years.

Maybe you should get some hobbies.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

Maybe some judges sure. But I feel like most employers see magna level grades from CCN and some of the mid T14s as very good and better than cum laude harvard. Most of the heavy Harvard weighting seems to be for judges and OCI not necessarily post-graduation. But what do I know, I don't do the hiring, this is just based on instinct.

You're right, you don't know. For many elite outcomes, employers only take from the T6 (yes boys and girls, the T6 was, is, and will remain a thing). For many of those elite outcomes, cum laude from Harvard is the prerequisite.

[Anonymous User]

Cum laude from HLS is ridiculously easy to get. HLS has tons of soft woke courses (transgender law, CRT, labor law, etc.). Graduate with honors from SLS, Chicago, or Yale and then we'll talk

HLS isn't the only school with massive grade inflation. Cf. NU. But Latin honors are relative, and all students have the same courses available to them, at least in theory.

To your point, though, it is ridiculous that many judges and employers view top 40% at HLS as equivalent to top 10% at a T14. The latter is much, much more difficult.

Maybe some judges sure. But I feel like most employers see magna level grades from CCN and some of the mid T14s as very good and better than cum laude harvard. Most of the heavy Harvard weighting seems to be for judges and OCI not necessarily post-graduation. But what do I know, I don't do the hiring, this is just based on instinct.

You're right, you don't know. For many elite outcomes, employers only take from the T6 (yes boys and girls, the T6 was, is, and will remain a thing). For many of those elite outcomes, cum laude from Harvard is the prerequisite.

Name these "elite outcomes." I can't think of a single position in law that requires a T6 degree over a T14 degree. That said, of course, most employers (especially on the East Coast) will view top T6 graduates more favorably than top T14 graduates.

And there are positions that typically fill with HLS magna candidates where one would need to have graduated at or very close to first-in-class at a Duke/Northwestern/Cornell to compete. Things like Bristow Fellow, etc. But for those positions, a high magna or summa candidate from one of the lower T14 schools will have a better chance (all other things like clerkships equal) than a HLS cum laude graduate.