How many people apply to the Vancouver summer recruit from Osgoode?

[Cabbages]

I applied to almost all of the law schools and was only accepted off the Osgoode waitlist. I’m so grateful for this opportunity but I want to practice in Vancouver in the future. I noticed that only 4 people landed in OCIs for the Vancouver recruit for Osgoode which makes me nervous. But I have no idea how many people from Osgoode actually choose to apply to Vancouver so the numbers might be skewed.

 

Should I take a year off and apply again or accept the Osgoode offer and hope for the best? 

 

[LMP]

I don't know if there are official stats on it, but I don't know too many people who applied. And of the folks I know working there this summer, none has indicated that going to Osgoode was a significant barrier to employment. In fact I've been told by a few people that the Vancouver firm saw it in a positive light. But I don't really have any hard evidence, just those personal antecdotes.

[LawNewbie]

Man... I wish I could trade my Vancouver offer for your Osgoode 😂😂

Edited July 23, 2023 by LawNewbie
typo

[GoBigOrGoHome]

On 7/20/2023 at 4:03 PM, Cabbages said:

I applied to almost all of the law schools and was only accepted off the Osgoode waitlist. I’m so grateful for this opportunity but I want to practice in Vancouver in the future. I noticed that only 4 people landed in OCIs for the Vancouver recruit for Osgoode which makes me nervous. But I have no idea how many people from Osgoode actually choose to apply to Vancouver so the numbers might be skewed.

 

Should I take a year off and apply again or accept the Osgoode offer and hope for the best? 

 

Networking will be really really important and fortunately you can do that virtually. 

Instead of events with Ontario firms, start networking with Vancouver firms. You can find a list of firms and their hiring intentions in this document on this page.  
 

Before you do this, start researching networking in law. You are in a different position that you don’t have the opportunity to attend generic events. It will be a lot easier. If you have something to talk about with someone specific. Example you might have worked in construction and are interested in real property or real estate law. 

It’s OK to say to people that you’re not sure of what area of law that you want to practice but based on your previous experience in whatever it might be, you were curious about what the practice of law in that area is like. Often the operational side of things is different from the legal issues that arise. Well they might be related but while I enjoy the operational side, I would hate my life if I dealt with the legal issues of that all day. 

Top grades will get you noticed by a lot of national firms, but I’ve been told by some at the regionals (who pay just as well) that if they are choosing between you and another candidate, you will want somebody who can vouch for you, and say something along the lines that you seemed like a decent person to potentially work with. 

[Ohshmagoda]

Congratulations on being accepted to Osgoode!

Osgoode is a good school. If you want to work in Vancouver and are a competitive candidate you will do well in the Vancouver recruit. The same general advice applies - get good grades, etc.

If you look at the websites of Vancouver OCI firms you will see that there are Osgoode grads working virtually everywhere downtown. To the extent Osgoode is less represented than other schools of its calibre, it’s simply a geographic thing - less Osgoode / Ontario law students apply for the Vancouver recruit.

I wouldn’t stress too much about networking in 1L. If you have a genuine interest in returning to Vancouver and can communicate that during the OCI process you will be fine. Most students hired in the recruit have had no meaningful prior contacts with the firm before the OCI recruit. Take advantage of the firm tours in the summer after 1L if you want to.