Law Students

The First Decent Argument I've Heard for Why (1L) Grades Should Matter As Much As They Do

By jessie

I've always been skeptical of the emphasis placed on first year grades. And essentially I still am, but I've now heard the first argument that convinced me they might actually be a proxy for future success in the profession. Here's what happened:

I was having lunch with a judge and we were talking about how short a window new associates get in which to prove themselves at law firms. And the judge said, "That's why grades, especially 1L grades matter so much in hiring." This is the point in the conversation where I made the Scooby-Do "huh?" face. 

She explained: law firm partners are quick to judge their new associates, not because they don't think all their new hires can eventually become competent successful attorneys, but because they're interested in the ones that adapt to new surroundings and assignments the fastest. Same goes for judges. Clerks generally only serve one-year terms. Of course there's a learning curve, but you hope for a clerk who starts out relatively able to produce their work without major revision and/or tutorial. 

1L grades serve as a proxy, not for hard work or writing skills, but for an ability to accurately assess a particular set of demands and meet them.

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Full post as published by Ms. JD on August 19, 2009 (boomark / email).