Author: Blair Gloria Edwards

As you saw in Module 4, significant increases in GPA from fall to spring semester can be indicated parenthetically on your resume. However, be mindful that employers will see your transcript, so there is no need to highlight relatively small GPA increases. Use your best judgment, and feel free to ask your CDO advisor if you have questions about whether or not to separate out your spring semester GPA.

Absolutely. Journal membership is only one factor that firms may assess in a holistic view of your candidacy. Think about ways that you can gain additional research and writing experience - as a research assistant, through Moot Court, advanced legal research or writing courses, etc. - and communicate your intent to do so in conversations with firms.

Please note that the proper listing for the Lawyering Lab instructor is "Volk, et. al." (not "staff," "N/A," etc.) Please be sure to revise or prepare your grade sheet accordingly!

Please complete the 3 categories of OCI preparation as indicated below:

• OCI OnRamp Modules 1-4, prior to July 2 at noon. (If you are only bidding for government employers, you only need to complete Module 1. Please notify your CDO advisor if you are applying exclusively to government employers.)
• Resume review: obtain a score of 70+ on VMock, and then have your resume reviewed (remotely or in-person) by a CDO advisor prior to July 2 at noon.
• Mock interview (with an attorney or CDO advisor) prior to your first screening interview. Please email Chloe Morse, cgmorse@bu.edu, if you did not originally sign up for a mock interview but would like to be considered if additional slots with attorneys arise. Those who do not register for a mock interview with a practicing attorney are required to schedule a mock interview with their CDO Advisor via Symplicity.

Please note that failure to complete these requirements means your participation in OCI may be restricted. Feel free to contact your CDO advisor with any questions.

No, there is no benefit to bidding early - employers will not see your bids until the deadline has passed. Therefore, it makes sense to wait until class rank and journal results become available, so you can include as much information as possible on your resume.

That said, to avoid potential system overload issues, please don't wait until the morning of July 2 to bid!

• Q: What does the "no multiple interviews" icon on Symplicity mean?
  • A: This means that you may only interview with one of a firm's offices - for example, if a firm's NY and Boston office are interviewing separately at OCI, you should only accept an interview with one office. (It is fine to bid for both offices.)
  • Please note that some employers apply “no multiple interviews” to OCI and all other Off-Campus Recruitment Programs (ex: the BLG job fair.) If you receive multiple interview offers from the same employer through different recruitment opportunities (i.e., OCI and the BLG job fair), the employer will generally ask that you accept only one of the interviews.

• Q: Is there a limit on how many employers I can bid for?
  • A: No, you may bid for as many employers as you are interested in potentially interviewing with. Please note, however, that there will be practical limitations on how many interviews you can feasibly conduct on a given day - both from a scheduling perspective and to avoid burnout so you are putting your best foot forward in each screener.

Please remember that purchasing a new suit for OCI is not required. Candidates may, for example, borrow suits from friends, family, or upper-level students. If you do choose to purchase a suit, review the latest OCI OnRamp module for information on student discounts and tips on interview attire.

Additionally, as you may have seen in today's (6.10.19) Monday email, the Dean has generously made funding available to provide limited financial assistance to students with demonstrated financial need, who need to purchase interview attire. Specifically, up to 25 awards of $400 will be provided to members of the Class of 2021, as follows:

• Applications must be submitted via Symplicity by June 17^th, at 5pm
  • Application materials include a personal statement of no more than 250 words, outlining the student’s need for interview attire.
  • Students’ financial need will be assessed based on information currently on file with the Financial Aid Office. Contact the Financial Aid Office (bulawaid@bu.edu) with questions or to provide any relevant updates.
• Students selected to receive the interview attire awards will be notified by email by June 24th. All confirmed award recipients will receive additional information following the initial notification.
• Students who have already received financial assistance from the Law School for interview attire may not receive these additional funds, and receipt of these funds will preclude receiving any additional financial assistance on this front for AY 2019-20.

CDO advisor Victoria Behr met with ten firms in their New York offices last week to learn more about the firms, their practice areas and their recruiting methods. If you are interested in learning more about any of the following firms, please reach out to her at vbehr@bu.edu with your inquiry.

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP (Chicago headquarters) (175 NY attorneys)

Otterbourg P.C. (~50 NY attorneys)

Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP (180 NY attorneys)

Crowell & Moring (DC headquarters) (68 NY attorneys)

Epstein Becker Green (107 NY attorneys)

White & Case (446 NY attorneys)

Lowenstein Sandler (155 NY attorneys)

Kramer Levin (331 NY attorneys)

Hunton Andrews Kurth (Richmond headquarters) (133 NY attorneys)

Herrick Feinstein LLP (118 NY attorneys)

To help you in deciding where to bid, please review the average and median 1L GPAs for participating firms' initial screening interview selections for the Classes of 2019 and 2020 here. Keep in mind that GPA is one of many factors that will be used in evaluating your application. Prior work experience, diversity, demonstrated interest in the firm, and undergraduate/other graduate performance (among other aspects of your application) can all impact interview selections.

 

 

As you begin planning for the many law firm networking receptions this summer, please take a moment to review the CDO's Networking Basics page for information on why networking is an important part of the process.  Remember to practice your elevator pitch in advance, dress appropriately (err on the formal side of business casual, unless otherwise specified), and focus on making a few solid connections that you can follow up on. (Do not bring your resume to the event.)  Reach out to your CDO advisor with any questions.