Originally Posted by Unregistered

are you an idiot? firms look at a candidate holistically

- work experience (especially if it's in the area you're interested in, but general work ethic, tasks you did- whether you did substantive work, and whether you understand the big picture of why the work needs to be done for the client, transferable skills)

- for grades, the important ones like contract, torts, company, maybe some interesting electives, your consistentcy or alternatively your improvement over the years, and overall degree class, they also seriously consider testimonials by your professors on your academic ability even if you didn't get a prize

- your interest in the firm's practice, team, work, whether you talked to anyone at the firm to learn more about them, showing a genuine interest, whether you tried to do things within or outside law to gain perspective about that particular practice (e.g. work inhouse or do a finance/tax course, etc)

- your ability to think on your feet and answer difficult questions and being able to present a reasonable and educated answer, if not on your knowledge based on your common sense and judgment

- your extracurriculars, shows you who you are outside of schoolwork, tells them a little about your goals and ambition, and interests, and who you are as a person

- there's so many more things that I can't list them all


We are not just human GPAs. We are our own people. That's who're they're looking for. Not what grade you are but who you are, and what you're trying to be. If they like that, they will take a chance on you.