I am currently a third-year law student at a teir 1 NLU, with a strong focus on Corporate Law, specifically M&A and TMT. My batch rank and CGPA are unfortunately on the lower side. However, I have consistently focused on building my practical skills and my cv. I have successfully secured internships for my 4th year in NDA and JSA and have actively engaged in academic writing, including authoring blogs/articles in reputed journals and website like IRCCL,Nliu law review.
My question is: How heavily do partners and recruitment teams at top law firms weigh batch rank when considering an intern for a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) or a job? Can an exceptional work product, commercial awareness, and a strong publication record offset a low academic rank? Furthermore, what specific, actionable steps should I take during my upcoming firm internships to ensure my practical skills outshine my grades?
While no one can discount the worth of a great CV, unfortunately a lot of Partners do remove a person from consideration solely because of their batch rank.
This happens owing to the fact that Law Firms get multiple applicants a day and there is no viable method of separating the eligible candidates. Therefore, batch rank becomes a substitute.
Regardless of how brilliant your work is, please do focus on getting your batch rank up to the maximum extent possible before placements.
Separately, in terms of actionable steps (not to outshine your grades but to help you overall):
1. impressive work during internships at JSA and NDA can also go a long way. Make sure to work with all Associates in whatever team/Partner you get assigned and take weekly feedback.
2. Focus on boutique law firms also who may not focus on rankings; Getting into a tier 1 law firm becomes easier once you have any deal experience
3. Try to participate in as many corporate law paper presentations/conferences as possible; these places are great to showcase your skills