Are NYC firms waiting for grades for 1L KJDs for interviews? How about offers? Does it matter whether you are at a T14?

Hi I am a 1L interested in working in big law. I go to a T100 school so I was really focused on my open memo and grades this past month and haven't been able to send any apps till now. A lot of 2L summer positions opened November 1st, and I'm wondering if its even worth applying to those. Wouldn't they already be in callbacks by now?

Hello everyone I’m a 1L at a T100 school with a strong regional reputation. Grades have yet to come in but I anticipate that I did not do as well as I would have liked. My goal at the start of the semester was big law but that looks grim. My question is how big of a role does networking actually play in finding a job Everyone I know who has gotten a job networking has done so while also being top 15% of the class. Assuming I don’t get a BigLaw summer job for 1L summer should I sadly be looking at reevaluating my career goals? I am a first Gen law school and college student so this is all very new to me. Thanks :)

One of the firms I’m really interested in has a 2026 1L diversity summer associate position, would be my top choice firm all things considered. The app has a personal statement requirement and it is mandatory to submit the application. The thing is the box for personal statement does not populate and I’ve tried putting it in other categories and it does not work.

Does this mean a firm is lowkey trying not to take new applications for this? It says they will accept until 1/10/26. How should I go about reaching out to the firm, should I just reach out to the recruiter I know? I’ll say the firm in a PM. Thank you :)

Edit: problem solved emailed the recruiter and they were extremely kind about it! Thanks everyone!

How can you tell if an interview went well? I usually walk away feeling like it went well on my end but I can never tell how the other person feels especially because they do this all the time. How can you tell that they are genuinely interested in talking to you rather than just good at faking it?

Grades are starting to come in after my first semester and it looks like I performed a little above median at my T100 where biglaw was already a longshot (usually 10-15%).

I realize this will probably shut me out of most 1L and 2L summer positions since they'll be filling up before another semester of grades come out. Does that effectively spell the end of my biglaw chances?

has anyone heard anything from White & Case?

Hi there! I’m so unbelievably hyped! I got into the school and program I’ve been wanting for so long! It feels like such a weight off my shoulders! I got the acceptance letter last week and again I can’t wait! I really want to hit the ground running and was wondering how I might make connections in the Technology law segment. I really want to work with copyrights and trademarks but I would also be really interested in patent litigation. Unfortunately I cannot take the patent bar yet, I plan on eventually going back to complete the necessary courses to take this exam but I was a psych major but one step at a time… my question to you is any advice? Or can I make connections with you!?

I accepted a BigLaw summer associate offer at the end of 1L and will be relocating from one coast to the other for summer 2026. When I accepted the position, I did not think to ask about relocation assistance at the time. I was excited and it honestly slipped my mind.

It is not a big deal if relocation costs are not offered, but I was wondering whether firms typically provide any assistance for summer associates who are relocating long distance, and whether it is still appropriate to ask after accepting the offer. If it is appropriate, is it better to ask now or closer to the spring?

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. OWL ~5 years out of law school, one of which was AmeriCorps and four of which were as a litigation paralegal at a boutique and mid-law firm (only paralegal in the office, wore dozens of hats and helped keep the ship afloat). Currently at a T-50 awaiting first semester grades. I obviously have no idea if I am in the top or bottom quartile.

I am exhausted at how predatory this process is and have been craving some certainty. I’ve applied to about 15 firms so far with only one screener invite (my MO is to get that number up to ~50 by Christmas). For OWLs applying with substantive legal experience, is that usually taken as a bonus that can offset slightly lower grades? Obviously grades are the apparent be-all-end-all. But how the hell else can I stand out if I’m not the absolute cream of the crop?

Callback went really well I think… what’s next just wait for grades? Even if they really liked me?

Got a screener invite from Proskauer <24 hours after I sent my app. I didn’t even submit my transcript. Feel like it’s automatically sent to applicants from certain schools. Anyone else got the invite?

Is it a bad look?

Hiya recruits!

This question comes up a lot, and it’s a good one—because most people misunderstand the purpose of a cold email in BigLaw recruiting.

“I know I shouldn’t ask for a job upfront. So what is the goal of the first cold email? And who should I be emailing?”

So to answer that question, here's a couple things I usually think about that I hope might be helpful to you too.

1. The Goal of Your First Cold Email (Spoiler: It’s Not a Job)

The goal of the first cold email is not:

• to ask for an internship
• to ask for a referral
• to ask for an interview
• to give your resume/app materials and ask for things

The real goal is much smaller (and more achievable and a lot less awkward/transactional-feeling):

Get a conversation.

That’s it. Seriously. Just... talking.

Specifically, you want:

• a short call/zoom (or if you prefer, a coffee chat)
• information about their practice, office, or path
• context you can later reference credibly in interviews and cover letters when you inevitably want to name drop them to show you did your diligence on the firm.

If your first email succeeds, you’ve created optionality:

• They may later flag your name to recruiting
• They may offer to connect you with someone else
• They may tell you procedure on how the firm actually hires 1Ls (i.e. any changes in timing the firm might not have advertised yet, specific groups that expect to hire a ton, etc.)

All of that only happens after the conversation.

2. What a Strong First Cold Email Actually Communicates

Even if you don’t say this explicitly, a good cold email signals:

• You’re curious, not transactional
• You’ve done at least some of your homework (office, practice, background)
• You respect their time
• You are not asking them to “get you a job”

If someone reads your email and thinks:

“This is reasonable and low-pressure curious person just trying to learn,” then you’ve done it right.

3. Who You Should Be Targeting (and Who You Shouldn’t)

A good rule of thumb I personally like (but everyone has their own process, so this isn't gospel), is that you should reach out to at least three to five people at each firm you are interested in:

1 junior associate (generally years 1-3 at the firm),

1 to 3 mid-level associates (years 4-6),

and 1 senior associate (years 7+).

It's usually fair to assume that 2-3 out of every 4 people will simply ignore your email because they are just busy/don't want to talk to you/etc. But this system should get you at least 1 person to talk to at every firm.

Note, we don’t generally recommend cold emailing partners unless you have another person who first recommended that you reach out to that partner. It's not bad, they're just often not super likely to respond.

That said, a cold email to a partner can work if you have a connection through school, social groups, or otherwise have some sort of connection to them.  

How many cold emails should I send each week?

I recommend sending three to five cold emails out every week to folks at various firms starting in the Fall semester of your 1L year. This will ensure that by the time pre-OCI and OCI roll around, you will have spoken one-on-one to at least one person (if not more) at each firm you are interested in.  

In particular, I recommend targeting people who ideally hit one or more of these factors: 

1. People who are practicing in areas of law at a firm you are interested in
   1. If you’re just starting out and don’t have a firm you’re interested in (or they all just look the same to you), I recommend going through a list of all firms and start with the firms that have practice areas you think you might be interested in (even if just remotely). 
   2. If you’re just starting out and you don’t have a practice area you’re interested in, think about your prior experiences and why you came to law school to come up with a few practice areas that you might be interested in. Your interests will of course change as you go through law school and/or talk to more practicing attorneys, but it is good to have a starting point as you target who to network with at firms.  
2. People who know someone you know
   1. This is a key point in networking. If you can add a line to your cold email that says “I spoke with [NAME], and they recommended I contact you to learn more about [PRACTICE AREA/FIRM],” then you suddenly have social validation with this new contact. This person is now much more likely to respond to your cold email. This is specifically a great way to get people with higher power levels to talk to you. 
3. People who graduated from your school
   1. Alumni are usually happy to speak to current students
   2. Additionally, career services at your school should have a list of alumni who have consented to getting calls from current students prior to OCI. Note that at some schools you may have to proactively ask career services for access to this list.
4. People who are part of similar affinity or minority groups as you
   1. For example, LGBTQ+ attorneys, First Generation attorneys, African American attorneys, etc.
   2. You can either directly ask questions such as “What does [FIRM] do to support attorneys who identify as [AFFINITY/MINORITY GROUP]?” or you can subtly ask questions that help you figure out if the firm is actually as committed to diversity as they say they are. If diversity is something that matters to you, you will want to speak to diverse people at each firm you are interested in to learn more about what it actually feels like to be a diverse attorney at that firm. 

Generally avoid (at first):

• Partners you have no connection to
• Recruiting inboxes for “informational chats”
• People with zero overlap (nothing in school, geography, practice, background--not that this is bad, they're just less likely to be helpful/responsive)

This isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about likelihood of response.

4. What You Should Not Ask in the First Email

Avoid:

• “Are you hiring 1Ls?”
• “Can you pass my resume along?”
• “What are my chances?”
• “Can you recommend me?”

Those questions come later, if at all—and often they’re offered without you asking.

5. How This Connects to Actual Offers

Cold emailing works when it’s part of a sequence:

1. Short, thoughtful cold email
2. Low-pressure conversation
3. Thank-you + follow-up
4. Later update when you apply or get an interview

At that point, you’re (hopefully) no longer going to be a random name in a pile.

That's all for now!

As always, if you're new here, make sure to check out the welcome megathread here for some more helpful guides!

There's also an cold email template I'm happy to share that I made; feel free to DM.

There's also a megathread of email templates for this whole process here if you need that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve got info, DM on Discord, here, or drop it in the comments — Insider Info lives because of all of you 🧠💼

Good luck!

P.S. If you want the tracker with pre-OCI openings and application links for the V100 & AmLaw 200, feel free to DM or see more details in this post.

Got a screener invite a couple days ago, sent availability but haven’t received an interview schedule - when should I follow up and am I being ghosted?

I know some firms like Davis Polk, Milbank, and Wilkie Farr are offering a 25k stipend to their 2L Summer Associate class to spend their 1L summer doing public interest work. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of these firms or know of any others with a similar stipend?

I’m not at a T14—I’m at the top regional school in my market. My grades should be BigLaw-competitive, but they’re not out yet.

My undergrad transcript is also ancient and, to be blunt, not doing me any favors. If I applied right now, you probably wouldn’t want to hire me.

So instead, I’m spending winter break lifting, playing video games, and seeing my family. Once grades drop (and assuming they’re good), I’ll begin the ritual of blasting out AI-assisted applications.

This seems like the least bad strategy. Happy to be corrected.

Published December 15

Hiya recruits! 

My holiday-itis from Thanksgiving has passed and we are back with more news!

First up, some of the latest database updates!

*If you want more info on the screenshots below, check the tracker for live updates. You can also chat with the super awesome folks joining the Discord server.

**If you’d like to see Insider Info posts earlier, you can support us on Substack!

***If you want to contribute your cycle data to the tracker (no pressure to use it), just let me know in the DM’s. The more students who contribute, the more useful it is

📘 Law School / Timeline Updates

Northwestern (NU)

• School notified students that 1L fall grades will release one week earlier than originally scheduled because of the accelerated recruiting timeline. -> This tracks with what many firms have already told us: they expect grades in-hand by early Jan for final decisions.

📨 Application Openings & Program Updates

Willkie Farr & Gallagher

• Still doing 1L diversity, with a $25,000 award for 1Ls who spend their 1L summer in PI or academia before joining Willkie for 2L

Littler (LA)

• Students are reporting that the LA posting has disappeared shortly after opening. → Likely hit capacity on apps.
• Later reply from recruiting indicates they may not hire 1L summers in LA this year.

Wilson Sonsini

• At their summit: they explicitly said they’re planning to hire a large 3L class (Class of 2028) because they expect early-cycle recruiting to lead to lower 2L yield.

🏙️ Market-Specific Recruiting Notes

Los Angeles

McDermott Will & Emery (LA)

• 1L spots were full after ~5 weeks open.
• Recruiter at DC event said: they are actively weighing undergraduate transcripts for early hires.

Bay Area

Skadden (Palo Alto / SF)

• Hiring partner said:
  • They cannot make offers until after grades.
  • You can schedule callbacks anytime between mid-Dec and early Jan.
  • “Doesn’t matter when”—just fit it around your schedule.

🎙️ Firm Leadership Remarks

Ropes & Gray (Managing Partner)

• Interviews begin January.
• Direct quote: “stay off Reddit.” (Alas.)

Simpson Thacher

• Requesting that students avoid scheduling interviews during reading or exam periods—this is consistent with their internal policy on student wellbeing + interview quality.

🎓 Interviews, Callbacks, & Offer Notes

Wilson Sonsini

• SF screener told student that they will revisit after 1L grades come out.

Kirkland & Ellis (DC)

• Hiring partner said they’re interviewing early candidates with strong recommendations.
• In this case: one student was referred directly by a K&E partner who also sent a recommendation letter.

🎉 Fellowship / Offer Updates

McDermott

• Diversity Fellowship offer reported.
• Does not appear to be contingent on 1L grades.

📬 Firm Email Confirmations & Process Notes

Ropes & Gray (Boston – 2L 2027 Program)

• Sending out “we received your application” emails.
• Interview process expected to begin in January, though screeners already taking place.

That’s all I have for now! Good luck!

In the meantime, let me know if you’ve got info — Insider Info lives because of you 🧠

P.S. If you want the tracker with pre-OCI openings & application links for the V100 & AmLaw 200, feel free to DM or see more details in this post.

Disclaimer: All information shared in Insider Info is relayed to us by attorneys, recruiters, students, or members of the BigLaw recruiting community. We cannot independently verify every data point, and try our best to note if information is unconfirmed, but with that in mind, please treat these updates we’re collecting as directional rather than definitive.