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[TheDudeMan]

Stole Your Nose! has some good advice, especially about sending out adequate applications.  As a 1L, I sent out over 100 letters and got about 10 interviews.

It all depends on your school. I had 15 interviews and sent about half as many applications and ended up with several Biglaw offers.  It's all going to depend.

If you are at a T2, T3, etc.... it will obviously take more.  However, in today's economy, and with the ease of e-mail, why not send out as many as possible and maximize your chances?

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

I sent out three and landed two interviews.  It definitely depends on school, and, perhaps as importantly, market.

Honestly, I think you guys are being over-optimistic about this guy's chances of landing a big firm through NALP and such, at a T2, in this economy.  I would go for personal connections.  These firms get literally hundreds of resumes.  What special reason to they have to hire him?

What about targeting soft IP places?  You have a good copyright background, I'm sure.

[vap]

You are seriously going to Tulane in this economy with your numbers?  You could likely get a full-ride to some T14 schools.....

Is this a "where should I go" thread?

I had a question, I asked it.  Go F&#* yourself vap.

It was a good question, too, IMO.

It was a pointless and rude question.  OP is a 1L at Tulane.  OP wasn't looking for people to criticize his/her school choice.  This is a thread about searching for 1L employment.  If you want to try and convince someone to go to one school over another, try here: http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/board,2.0.html

[vap]

Honestly, I think you guys are being over-optimistic about this guy's chances of landing a big firm through NALP and such, at a T2, in this economy.  I would go for personal connections.  These firms get literally hundreds of resumes.  What special reason to they have to hire him?

This is very true, IMO.  OP should not waste time on biglaw or NALP firms unless he/she gets stellar grades or a personal connection. 

I go to a T2, and only a few people (in the top 5% of the class) landed biglaw for 1L summer.

Another "pitfall" = wasting time on biglaw applications.  I spent many precious hours in November/December researching firms, visiting websites, and writing personalized cover letters to about 50 NALP firms.  Waste of time because I was not at T14.

[TheDudeMan]

i have my doubts as to whether there will be much BIGLAW! 1L hiring at even the top schools this year.

Agreed.

I know at my firm they are done hiring.

[TheDudeMan]

We'll see how happy you are with Tulane when your "hometown" lands you no jobs if you aren't in the top of your class.

That's the reality of the legal profession, whether you choose to see it or remain delusional is up to you.

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

I am fairly worried about grades and getting invited back.  The firm that interviewed me, thus far, is a boutique, and everyone there was LR/top school.  I'm working my ass off to get as high up as possible.  In fact, I'm outlining right now, and I don't plan to go home for the break -- that's how desperate I am to do well IN THIS ECONOMY.

If the firm doesn't offer me, I'll probably be an RA and stay in Hyde Park this summer.  We'll see.

Again, my interviews were from firms in a very small, very niche secondary market.  I didn't even bother with the Kirklands and Skaddens of the world.

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

We'll see how happy you are with Tulane when your "hometown" lands you no jobs if you aren't in the top of your class.

That's the reality of the legal profession, whether you choose to see it or remain delusional is up to you.

This is pretty harsh, but I don't know what you're responding to.  It seems like a d-dub.

To be fair,

The OP does have a lot of prior work experience and academia/publishing that might make him attractive despite his lower-ranked school.

[TheDudeMan]

It won't matter much to a firm if his grades are average when he goes to a mid-level school.  I didn't say it was fair, it's just the way it is. 

[TheDudeMan]

Considering civil-law is pretty useless outside Louisiana and the reality that most large cases end up in federal court, you can't really justify Tulane over a top school no matter where you want to practice.

Regardless, enjoy that unpaid internship this summer.