The market is going to be extraordinarily brutal this year.  Hang in there, reach out to any/all contacts and push a little harder to make inroads from non-traditional angles.  Many firms have cancelled summe rprograms but with your grades it will be worth mailing recruiters at the firms directly and pointing out your success. 

People will see your outstanding work and I truly believe something will fall into place. Just don't rely solely on the OCI process to get into the firm setting.

Best,

Kris
Edited to remove spam- nealric

Here are a few examples:

Interview with partner:

1) What are the firm's plans for growth?

2) How has the recent acquisition of x firm or x practice group impacted y office? (the office to which you are applying)

3) What is the strongest aspect of x practice group and what areas are you looking to improve?

4) I see the firm is now in x location.  How is that working out?

Interview with associate

1) Does the firm have a structured training program?

2) Are first year associates placed into a practice group or do they float between groups (even between litigaiton and transactional) as one sees at Jones Day.

3) How is work assigned to summer associates?  Is there a workflow coordinator?

Hope these help somewhat.

Best,

Kris
www.alchemyprep.com

This year is going to be the toughest in a while.  Bad grades, as mentioned above, will make it even harder.  However, there are a few things to do if you are in the bottom half/thord of your class.

1) Make yourself stand out.  If you want a firm job, make sure you have done your specific rsearch on the firm with which you are interviewing.  Most students don't spend the time.

2) Ask insightful quesitons.  For example, make sure you remember who you are speaking with. If interviwing with a partner, don't ask about work flow, associate relations, associate/partner relations or anythign like that.  Ask about pland for growth in the future.  Ask about how a recent partner/group acquisition will affect the firm moving forward.  Asking insightful questions will make you stand out.

3) Take a risk.  Like I tell people at lower ranked schools, only a small percentage of screening interviews will turn into call-backs.  And for the most part, the call-backs will go to those with higher grades unless you take a chance and grab the interview by the horns.  Direct it, show initiative and a presence, and ultimately, make sure the interviewer remembers you for something you say.

Best,

Kris
www.alchemyprep.com

I agree in-part and disagree in-part with what has been written above. 

Generally speaking, if you finish in the top half of your class at Hastings, your chances for obtaining a decent job will be substantially greater than coming from Santa Clara.

That said, in this market, jobs will be scarce regardless.  If you are able to trim the debt load as much as posisble by choosing one school over the other, take that into slightly greater consideraiton than you might ordinarily.

Best,

Kris
www.alchemyprep.com

To follow-up on my earlier point (and it's amazing how much push-back law school folks have to my NALP suggestion every time I make it) in essence the point of going to NALP is to be able to get a bigger picture view than the US News rankings. 

I don't think we can argue that a school that has, just by way of loose example, 60 or so firms (firms, not offfices of firms) coming to campus will provide a much great job market (in or out or OCI) than a school with 20 like McGeorge.  My point was that looking at the US News rankings, where these two schools are not drastically far apart, you should not slip into the mistake of believing the job markets for graduates from each school are anywhere close to one another.

Use the NALP directory as a helpful additional tool.

Best,

Kris
www.alchemyprep.com