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Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:32 pm
by miss_scalia
- delete -

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:46 pm
by PeanutsNJam
Not sure about your gender, but being black top 25% at UNC is a pretty good place; you'll get interviews.

If you're a woman, you'll get even more interviews.

Practice interviewing.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:55 pm
by cheaptilts
miss_scalia wrote:So my first semester grades are posted:

Torts - A-
Contracts - A-
CivPro - B+
RRWA - A-

For a GPA of 3.59 and about 20-25% of my class at a T1 in North Carolina and am URM. I really really want biglaw. Is there any hope for me getting an SA this summer as a 1L...hoping being black/latin helps with the diversity positions but even those are hard to get.

Please help! Is there any program y'all suggest?

Thanks 8)
Apply to every midlaw/biglaw position in North Carolina, South Carolina, NYC, DC, LA (had friend who copped an in-house gig there w/ no ties from T2 on the east coast). Go to the LCLD website and look up even more in-house/big law positions willing to hire diverse candidates. Apply, apply, apply.

I completely disagree with the "you'll get interviews" message above. Maybe in NC/SC you will, but your odds of getting a 1L summer gig from UNC (or interviews in the big cities), even as a black male/female, will still be pretty slim at your current school and rank.

I would also focus on really getting your grades up. Top 10-20% would really put you in a decent spot to compete for a biglaw job outta UNC, particularly as a URM candidate.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:11 pm
by miss_scalia
How do I sell that I am a "diverse" applicant. Typically all the diversity positions ask for diversity statements and I am not sure if they're the same as the ones sent to law school admissions.

What are my chances for biglaw 2L OCI's?

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:19 pm
by 052220152
transfer dude. as a black person with top %25 you'll be able to get into a t14 and have better odds at biglaw

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:48 pm
by miss_scalia
Jim Jones wrote:transfer dude. as a black person with top %25 you'll be able to get into a t14 and have better odds at biglaw
I'm not black. I'm latino. Didn't want to completely out myself.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:16 pm
by miss_scalia
So what do the odds look like as a hispanic?

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:07 pm
by twenty
Agree on transferring if you really want biglaw, plus you should get access to both school's OCIs.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:03 am
by Nebby
Jim Jones wrote:transfer dude. as a black person with top %25 you'll be able to get into a t14 and have better odds at biglaw
There's not really a URM bumb in transferring. I don't think there was a single POC in my transfer class. OP if you can move your GPA up to top 15%, then your odds of transferring out greatly improve.
twenty wrote:Agree on transferring if you really want biglaw, plus you should get access to both school's OCIs.
No you don't

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:23 am
by OhBoyOhBortles
miss_scalia wrote:So my first semester grades are posted:

Torts - A-
Contracts - A-
CivPro - B+
RRWA - A-

For a GPA of 3.59 and about 20-25% of my class at a T1 in North Carolina and am URM. I really really want biglaw. Is there any hope for me getting an SA this summer as a 1L...hoping being black/latin helps with the diversity positions but even those are hard to get.

Please help! Is there any program y'all suggest?

Thanks 8)
OP, where are you looking to find a 1L SA position? The odds are very good if you're at UNC and want NC/SC big or midlaw. I'd hit all the major firms with apps. UNC has a strong reputation in the state, your grades are great, and there are a ton of programs aroung for 1Ls that are only looking for diverse candidates. Just keep grinding out apps.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 10:30 am
by miss_scalia
OP, where are you looking to find a 1L SA position? The odds are very good if you're at UNC and want NC/SC big or midlaw. I'd hit all the major firms with apps. UNC has a strong reputation in the state, your grades are great, and there are a ton of programs aroung for 1Ls that are only looking for diverse candidates. Just keep grinding out apps.[/quote]

Thanks for the help Turtles. I am actually looking for an SA in NC as that is where I want to gain residency and where I'd like to practice after law school. I have an interview for the Charlotte Diversity Program so hopefully that works out and its not as competitive at that point.

Re: Any help for a T1 student who wants BigLaw?

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:54 pm
by OhBoyOhBortles
miss_scalia wrote:
OhBoyOhBortles wrote:
miss_scalia wrote:So my first semester grades are posted:

Torts - A-
Contracts - A-
CivPro - B+
RRWA - A-

For a GPA of 3.59 and about 20-25% of my class at a T1 in North Carolina and am URM. I really really want biglaw. Is there any hope for me getting an SA this summer as a 1L...hoping being black/latin helps with the diversity positions but even those are hard to get.

Please help! Is there any program y'all suggest?

Thanks 8)
OP, where are you looking to find a 1L SA position? The odds are very good if you're at UNC and want NC/SC big or midlaw. I'd hit all the major firms with apps. UNC has a strong reputation in the state, your grades are great, and there are a ton of programs aroung for 1Ls that are only looking for diverse candidates. Just keep grinding out apps.
Thanks for the help Turtles. I am actually looking for an SA in NC as that is where I want to gain residency and where I'd like to practice after law school. I have an interview for the Charlotte Diversity Program so hopefully that works out and its not as competitive at that point.
No prob. Definitely try Raleigh, Winston, and Greensboro as well to increase the odds. I'm pretty confident you'll find something!