UC Hastings Class of 2014 Forum

[reasonable troll]

I know journal results aren't supposed to be posted until tomorrow but I can't stop myself from checking the website every few hours or so. Anyone else?

[ilovesf]

I know journal results aren't supposed to be posted until tomorrow but I can't stop myself from checking the website every few hours or so. Anyone else?

Me too not feeling optimistic at all though.

[reasonable troll]

but you had killer grades! that should be at least some reason for optimism

[ilovesf]

but you had killer grades! that should be at least some reason for optimism

Haha you had even better grades. They only take 47 people and soooooo many applied.

[reasonable troll]

buttttttt most of them aren't trolling TLS during the work day, which is obviously the key to success. for everything.

[Lasers]

buttttttt most of them aren't trolling TLS during the work day, which is obviously the key to success. for everything.

i'm trolling tls during a work day, on my phone no less, and i'm not successful.

your theory has thusly been disproved.

[ilovesf]

buttttttt most of them aren't trolling TLS during the work day, which is obviously the key to success. for everything.

i'm trolling tls during a work day, on my phone no less, and i'm not successful.

your theory has thusly been disproved.

I am also on my phone. I'm sooo paranoid about using my computer.

[kapital98]

I cannot express how much I hate writing cover letters. I know they're terrible and there is nothing I can do (well, except review them with career services -- but that would be too obvious). My entire package is going to come off as half-baked. That + grades = serious problems. I'll see soon enough.

If the people at my work are monitoring my internet use I'm going to be in considerable trouble. After 2 straight hours of research or writing I need a break. TLS, CNN, Gmail, etc... There is only one office administrator here and I'm guessing she has better things to do than monitor intern internet use. I hope.

Edit: I'm lucky enough to have a very understanding boss. She has let me take 4-5 days off to just do OCI stuff. I show up at the office and then do what I want. I'm not sure all of the senior staff here is as understanding as her.

[lucield]

i'm kind of banking on that, seeing as how my summer internship roughly consists of meebo/imo.im open the entire time, surfing the web, and one hour of work a day.

[weaselology]

Hastings 3L here. I can take some questions regarding OCI, journals, 2L classes or anything else school-related. For reference, I have an SA at a V15, ranked top 10%, and I'm on the executive board on journal.

[ilovesf]

Hastings 3L here. I can take some questions regarding OCI, journals, 2L classes or anything else school-related. For reference, I have an SA at a V15, ranked top 10%, and I'm on the executive board on journal.

Thanks! Are there any firms we should aboslolutely not waste bids on because everyone strikes out? How specifically did you tailor your cover letters to the individual firms?

[weaselology]

Hastings 3L here. I can take some questions regarding OCI, journals, 2L classes or anything else school-related. For reference, I have an SA at a V15, ranked top 10%, and I'm on the executive board on journal.

Thanks! Are there any firms we should aboslolutely not waste bids on because everyone strikes out? How specifically did you tailor your cover letters to the individual firms?

Avoid Drinker Biddle, Pillsbury, and Schiff Hardin. Maybe avoid White & Case and Arnold & Porter - not sure if they hired anyone although they were pretty nice.

Didn't tailor much - just changed firm name and maybe a line or two for each one. It doesn't seem like the firms care very much.

[reasonable troll]

Hastings 3L here. I can take some questions regarding OCI, journals, 2L classes or anything else school-related. For reference, I have an SA at a V15, ranked top 10%, and I'm on the executive board on journal.

HOW DID YOU DO IT?!?

Also, what do you know about office location prospects. I've read that anything outside of CA without significant ties is basically not going to happen. What about LA?

Did you bid on/express interest in both the SF and SV offices of the same firm?

How did you handle the transactional vs. litigation question?

TIA!

[weaselology]

Hastings 3L here. I can take some questions regarding OCI, journals, 2L classes or anything else school-related. For reference, I have an SA at a V15, ranked top 10%, and I'm on the executive board on journal.

HOW DID YOU DO IT?!?

I wasn’t actually ranked this highly going into OCI (I was ~25%). My first semester has dragged everything else down. The huge difference for me was in learning how to take a law school exam. I had read TLS, LEEWS, GTM etc. but none of them prepared me for it – I’m more of a hands on learner. Once I figured that out, school became MUCH easier.

Regarding the SA job, I had extensive, useful work experience (think banking/accounting/consulting). That was a very big selling point for firms in both OCI and callbacks.

Also, what do you know about office location prospects. I've read that anything outside of CA without significant ties is basically not going to happen. What about LA?

I know a couple people in DC, one in NY, one in TX, one in OR, and one in MA. The Hastings name is pretty well known, though it isn’t going to be as easy to get a job outside CA mostly because OCI is comprised almost exclusively of CA firms or CA offices of national firms. Ties vary by region I think but they are DRAMATICALLY overemphasized on TLS. Unless you want to work in an obscure market like Portland, Denver or Salt Lake City or something weird, no one really cares much.

About 40% of the people I know who got SAs are in Southern California (LA, OC, SD). There are just a lot more jobs down there. I’d say actually if you divide the regions between SF/SV, Sacramento and SoCal, the breakdown is 50%, 10%, 40% for our class.

Did you bid on/express interest in both the SF and SV offices of the same firm?

Yes. Although I researched the lawyers/practices in each respective location and then ranked my bids accordingly.

How did you handle the transactional vs. litigation question?

TIA!

I had a very transactional background and I have absolutely zero interest in litigation (with the possible exceptions of securities and white collar), so it was an easy choice for me. I would caution that if you don’t have: 1) top grades, 2) finance/econ/acct/business degree, and/or 3) work experience in banking/acct/consulting, then transactional will be very difficult to get. The one exception here is Tax. If you want to practice tax, then Hastings has an awesome reputation and places well. However, I’d say that approximately 70% of the SAs I know are doing litigation, 15% tax and 15% transactional.

[ilovesf]

Thanks! I know there is no replacement or bring on HLJ, but if I only make a secondary, would that and moot court be enough for oci? What if I only end up with moot court?

[DildaMan]

On a side note, will the journal results even come out prior to the OCI bidding deadline?

[weaselology]

Thanks! I know there is no replacement or bring on HLJ, but if I only make a secondary, would that and moot court be enough for oci? What if I only end up with moot court?

I should clarify I'm not on HLJ. Most employers didn't care very much about HLJ with a few exceptions (Quinn, Farella, Simpson Thatcher, WSGR, Cooley, Skadden, Latham).

Moot court is fine for OCI. Particularly if you want to do litigation. Moot court + secondary journal is good too (probably better).

[ilovesf]

On a side note, will the journal results even come out prior to the OCI bidding deadline?

The packet says today

[weaselology]

On a side note, will the journal results even come out prior to the OCI bidding deadline?

Last year they weren't out in time for OCI, which was a pretty big negative factor for Hastings' competitiveness in the legal market. I'm not sure when your bidding deadlines are, but my understanding is that enough of us were pissed last year that they changed the timeline this year.

I don't know what day results are supposed to be announced to you guys, but I can tell you that, at least on my journal, we finished scoring submissions.

[lucield]

they didnt have journal results out in time for oci?!?!? that's honestly ridiculous. i cant believe that.

[ilovesf]

Thanks! I know there is no replacement or bring on HLJ, but if I only make a secondary, would that and moot court be enough for oci? What if I only end up with moot court?

I should clarify I'm not on HLJ. Most employers didn't care very much about HLJ with a few exceptions (Quinn, Farella, Simpson Thatcher, WSGR, Cooley, Skadden, Latham).

Moot court is fine for OCI. Particularly if you want to do litigation. Moot court + secondary journal is good too (probably better).

This is a huge relief! I do want lit, so this is great. Thanks!

[weaselology]

they didnt have journal results out in time for oci?!?!? that's honestly ridiculous. i cant believe that.

It was enraging.

[kapital98]

The wait is killing me. The work day is almost over on the East coast and I'm still waiting. WTF?

[ilovesf]

The wait is killing me. The work day is almost over on the East coast and I'm still waiting. WTF?

I have a feeling we won't hear back. Hastings has been very bad about keeping deadlines in other areas too.

[lucield]

my current bet is that if we are going to hear anything today, we'll hear it at 4:59 PST