Paging LucyandRoger

[suchende]

Hey! I know that no one really knows for sure, but I was curious how you thought the new grading system works out in terms of class rank. My SO is pretty worried about his bid list, and even though I''m in full cheerleader mode, I''m starting to worry too. If you have any thoughts on the subject, I would definitely be interested to hear them!

 

[suchende]

*bump* in hopes Miss L&R stops in for a visit soon!

 

[lucyandroger]

Hey Suchende!

Just seeing this now...was on a little vacation.

I know it must be terrifying getting ready to interview in this market but your BF is lucky to have a GF like you who is so supportive!

**This is VERY specific to the school that your BF and I attend/attended as a warning to whoever else may be reading**

Grades actually have nothing to do with the bid list. The firms don''t get to pick and choose who they interview. It''s more of a lottery system run by the school based on student preferences. He should rank the firms he wants the most first but tell him not to worry if he doesn''t get an interview. He can always contact the firm and let them know how interested he is in talking to them. Usually they''ll find a way to fit him in or do a telephone first round.

Also, we don''t do ranks. I was the last class to go through with grades so I have no idea how this new system will affect getting jobs once the firms actually get to review the transcripts. You''ll have to let me know!

Let me know if you have any other questions. I''ll actually be doing a few recruiting dinners up there soon...it feels weird to be on the other side of things.

 

[suchende]

Thank you so much for replying!

I know the interviews he gets won't have anything to do with his grades, but we're both worried about him choosing his firms well. He is getting conflicting information from headhunters, OCS, lawyers, etc, so he doesn't really know where he stands in terms of being competitive at certain firms.

I would be happy to come back and post about how things play out with the new grades, but unfortunately I don't think the data from this year will reflect much in terms of the new grading policy. It's going to be an anomaly year, even if law schools grade with gold stars and smiley faces.

Do you anticipate your firm cutting back on SA positions?

P.S. Those kittens are beyond adorable. Are they yours? Bigger now?

 

[lucyandroger]

I totally get your concerns about choosing a firm. My advice is to get as much info from as many different sources as possible and DO.NOT. believe a word that the recruiters/ interviewing attorneys tell him. We''re out to get the best law students and of course, every firm acts like it''s going to be a bunch of fun people hanging out together during reasonable business hours doing extremely interesting work.

Does he check www.abovethelaw.com? The comments are completely useless but the stories let you know what''s going on in firms that isn''t being publicized. Every law firm has laid attorneys off - some of them were open about it and some of them did stealth lay offs so don''t believe any firm that says no one was let go.

My best advice would be to talk to people on campus that have summered at the firms he''s considering and see if they have any info about what''s going on from their contacts. He might want to contact alumni that are junior associates at the firms he''s considering but they might not be 100% honest.

In this economy, things really are unpredictable. Some firms are cutting their 2010 summer class all together. I might ask questions about whether they postponed start dates, how/when the new associates were informed of the decision, and what assistance was offered to the associates. That might at least tell you how the firm deals with difficult situations.

If I were interviewing now, I would definitely ask about how work is distributed. Since work can be scarce now, it''s important that your BF know how he can get work and if the system works. For example, is there a work coordinator that monitors how assignments are spread among associates or is everyone on their own?

I''ll think about other good things to ask about and let you know what I come up with.

 

[lucyandroger]

Without getting too specific, just about every firm has cut SA positions and like I mentioned, some firms have cut the SA program all together for 2010. The problem is that firms have been postponing start dates and have a 2009 summer class to deal with but the economy hasn''t gotten better so they can''t just keep pushing back.

Those are my kitties! They were just around 9 weeks in that photo and now they''re 2 years old. The orange one is HUGE now and makes his sister look tiny. The BF and I adopted them 3L year and they''ve helped keep us sane ever since.


About grades or the new non-grades, firms look at sooooo much more than that. Just tell your BF to be confident and most importantly INTERESTING. When you''re doing 20 interviews a day, people start to look the same and you couldn''t care less what grade they got in civ pro. Firms know that pretty much everyone coming from our law school is going to be an excellent associate, so they just want to make sure the law students aren''t completely socially awkward and they love interesting resumes.

The reality is that we are in a tough economy, but going to school where he does, your BF is in the best position out there.

 

[suchende]

Thanks again, L&R. We both read ATL, and he reads xoxohth even though I beg him not to (because they''re disgusting, obviously, but even more because I think they''re miserable fearmongerers).

Asking about work distribution is smart, I''ll mention that to him.

He''s used simplicity or whatever it''s called to see what past SAs said about their firms, but you do have to wonder how relevant past years are, you know?

Of course, I should let him worry about his own bidding and focus on my LSAT re-take next month, but he''s been so worried, I can''t help but worry too.

 

[Indylady]

Good luck on your LSAT's next month Suchende! I'm taking them too...I've been fluctuating between

and

and

and

and

and

and back to

and

. I can't wait to take it, but I'm nervous at the same time!

 

[suchende]

Date: 8/8/2009 11:30:39 PM
Author: szh07
Good luck on your LSAT''s next month Suchende! I''m taking them too...I''ve been fluctuating between

and

and

and

and

and

and back to

and

. I can''t wait to take it, but I''m nervous at the same time!

Thank you! This is take two for me. Please please please let my score match my practice tests better this time!! Ahhh!!