How Does OCI Bidding Work?

How Bidding Works

Your law school gives you a fixed number of bids, typically 10 to 20, to allocate among the firms participating in OCI. Some schools use a lottery, others use a preference-ranking system, and a few use a hybrid.

The basic idea: you signal which firms you want to interview with, and the system matches you based on your preferences, the firm's preferences, and (sometimes) pure luck.

Not every bid results in an interview. That's the game.

Under the current cycle, bidding windows close earlier than they used to. At most top schools, the system opens in late fall and closes in December or early January, with screening interviews running in January and February of 1L year. Plan accordingly.

Types of Bids

Most schools split bids into two categories:

Lottery bids. These go into a random draw. Everyone has an equal shot regardless of grades. Use these on reach firms where your GPA might not get you in the door through a resume screen.

Pre-select bids. With these, the firm reviews your resume first and decides whether to interview you. Use pre-selects on firms where your credentials are a strong match.

The exact terminology varies by school, but the concept is the same everywhere.

Building Your Bid List

Here's where most students mess up: they bid emotionally, not strategically.

Tier your firms. Before bidding, sort your target firms into three buckets:

1. Reaches, firms where your GPA or school rank makes it a stretch. Use lottery bids here.
2. Targets, firms where you're competitive. Mix of lottery and pre-select.
3. Likelies, firms where your numbers are strong for their hiring patterns. Pre-selects are smart here.

Don't waste bids. Every bid on a firm you wouldn't actually accept an offer from is a bid you didn't spend on a firm you care about. Be honest with yourself.

Research the firms. Check out the firm directory to compare practice areas, office locations, and culture. Use Gold Stars to flag your top choices as you research.

Common Bidding Mistakes

• Bidding only on V10 firms. If your GPA doesn't scream top-of-class, spreading all your bids across the most selective firms is a fast path to zero interviews.
• Ignoring geographic preferences. Firms notice when your resume says "Chicago" but you're bidding on every New York office.
• Not using all your bids. Every unused bid is a wasted opportunity.
• Herd mentality. Just because everyone else is bidding on a firm doesn't mean you should. Find firms that align with what you actually want.

The Numbers Game

Be realistic. If you have 15 bids, a reasonable spread might look like: 3-4 reaches, 6-8 targets, 3-4 likelies. Adjust based on your school and credentials.

The goal is to walk out of bidding with 8-15 screener interviews at firms you'd genuinely consider working at.

Start your research now. Browse the firm directory, compare your options, and go into bidding with a plan, not a prayer.