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However, this isn't a place I see myself working for the foreseeable future. I would like to eventually shift elsewhere. Therefore, in instances of
1. Lateral hiring
2. LLMs
How much do college grades matter. Wanted to know specifically about LLMs, because an I'm keen on specialising in my specific field.
Can work experience of 2-3 years at a top firm make up for terrible grades in law school?
Thanks cuties
They are far more better
2. LLM's - maybe a little more (especially if you are looking at options abroad). Two or three years' worth of PQE isn't enough to make up for less than fantastic grades (at least for UK unis). You'll need at least five years' PQE, but even that is no golden ticket, because you will need references (recommendation letters) from people who know your work, and LLM admission committees tend to prefer references from academic referees (law school professors), as opposed to professional ones (supervisors at work, law firm partners etc.). Depending on your circumstances, they may allow one or perhaps two professional referees (depending how many years' PQE you have), but they would prefer two academic references over two professional ones. Obviously, you are unlikely to be given a reference by any credible legal academic (even at an average law school) unless you have good grades, because giving references to potentially shaky candidates could further undermine an already shaky reputation of an average institution.
However once you get a job, grades do not matter at all. All that matters is your last job and in some cases your college. No one cares how much you scored or ranked in class.
But grades matter a lot for the first job, especially if you want to get it on Day Zero.