2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI? Forum

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ManaliSan

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2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by ManaliSan » Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:21 am

Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.

runinthefront

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by runinthefront » Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:40 am

ManaliSan wrote:Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.
I don't understand: why can't you (1) take 1L classes at Penn in Fall of 2018; (2) do OCI in summer of 2019 with a full set of 1L grades and LLM grades; (3) and "summer" at whatever firm you land, followed by an immediate start as a full-time associate if they offer you?
Last edited by runinthefront on Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Mullens

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by Mullens » Mon Dec 25, 2017 3:19 am

runinthefront wrote:
ManaliSan wrote:Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.
I don't understand: why can't you (1) take 1L classes at Penn in Fall of 2018; (2) do OCI in summer of 2019 with a full set of 1L grades and LLM grades; (3) and "summer" at whatever firm you land, followed by an immediate start as a full-time associate if they offer you?
Because that’s not how it works. Do you know any biglaw firms that would do that? I don’t. I’m also pretty confident the schools don’t allow it.

I went to NU and the two year JD students with LLMs from other T13s seemed to struggle at OCI (compared to their perceived ability) but I know of several that got offers. You will be at a disadvantage at OCI, because of your lack of 1L GPA, your (likely or even perceived) necessity for visa sponsorship, and from implicit bias from your language skills/interview performance. Of the 2 year international JDs I know, several stuck out, a couple ended up at Shearman & Sterling, and a couple got biglaw in Europe (in countries where they were from and had fluent language skills).

The better your grades at Penn, the more it helps, but from my experience with friends/acquaintances is that it’s a struggle to take the path you’re considering.

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Felis

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by Felis » Fri Dec 29, 2017 7:12 am

ManaliSan wrote:Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.

Hello ManaliSan, I am new here. I only know about the 2 yr JD for Intl Lawyers but you mentioned Chicago, Columbia, Penn & Cornell 1 year credit as well for foreign law degrees. Is this information on their respective websites or is this something one comes to know when they actually apply?

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Felis

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by Felis » Fri Dec 29, 2017 7:34 am

Mullens wrote:
I went to NU and the two year JD students with LLMs from other T13s seemed to struggle at OCI (compared to their perceived ability) but I know of several that got offers. You will be at a disadvantage at OCI, because of your lack of 1L GPA, your (likely or even perceived) necessity for visa sponsorship, and from implicit bias from your language skills/interview performance. Of the 2 year international JDs I know, several stuck out, a couple ended up at Shearman & Sterling, and a couple got biglaw in Europe (in countries where they were from and had fluent language skills).

The better your grades at Penn, the more it helps, but from my experience with friends/acquaintances is that it’s a struggle to take the path you’re considering.
Hello Mullens, I am thinking about the Two-Year JD for International Lawyers at Northwestern and intend to pursue a career in IP litigation in the US until I hit the ceiling before returning to Singapore. There is simply no place on earth like the US to practice life science law. I am currently pursuing a ranked double degree in law and life science in Singapore. The question I have is regarding your comment "because of your lack of 1L GPA". During the OCI, in my case, despite the lack of 1L GPA from NU, I would have instead GPA from Singapore to show. Will I still be disadvantaged in any way, you think?

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ManaliSan

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by ManaliSan » Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:43 am

Felis wrote:
ManaliSan wrote:Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.

Hello ManaliSan, I am new here. I only know about the 2 yr JD for Intl Lawyers but you mentioned Chicago, Columbia, Penn & Cornell 1 year credit as well for foreign law degrees. Is this information on their respective websites or is this something one comes to know when they actually apply?
Some schools had the information in their FAQ section and some responded to my email raising the query.

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Felis

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Re: 2 year JD-disadvantaged at OCI?

Post by Felis » Mon Jan 01, 2018 9:32 pm

ManaliSan wrote:
Felis wrote:
ManaliSan wrote:Hi,

I am a 2014 LLB graduate from India and a 2017 Penn Law LLM graduate. I want to work in the United States and have been considering the JD. Quite a few T14 schools (Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Northwestern) give a 1 year credit for foreign law degrees and allow you to complete the JD in 2 years. However, I do not know whether the 2 year JD will be a disadvantage at OCI. I wont have my 1L grades- only Penn Law LLM grades (for upper level classes) at the time of interviewing. Since the whole point of doing the JD is to secure a job- I am concerned about my chances at OCI. I would appreciate any feedback from folks who have gone through the OCI process.

Hello ManaliSan, I am new here. I only know about the 2 yr JD for Intl Lawyers but you mentioned Chicago, Columbia, Penn & Cornell 1 year credit as well for foreign law degrees. Is this information on their respective websites or is this something one comes to know when they actually apply?
Some schools had the information in their FAQ section and some responded to my email raising the query.

Many Thanks, ManaliSan. Have a great year ahead.

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