u/Tall-Environment-641

How common are interviews/screeners before fall grades are released, and what metrics are firms looking at when they decide who to offer pre-grades first-round interviews/screeners?

Would it be problematic or otherwise ill-advised to mention an associate in a cover letter (eg. "I spoke to X at Y firm, and our conversation made me interested in Z part of the firm.") that is being sent to an office of the firm different from the office at which the associate works?

Edit: Specifically wondering about cases where the associate is in a different office from the office to which I'm sending the cover letter!

How important is networking for Biglaw SA recruiting? There's so much info on this online, but I ask because the answers range from "you should start networking your 0L summer" to "networking is unimportant your fall grades are everything." To be sure, people seem to have had success stories which align with both ends of the range (and in-between too), and it seems likely that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Still, I would appreciate any input from people who have gone through the process in the past.

For context, I'm an incoming 1L at a T6. I include this because I've seen suggestions that school ranking might matter too.

Title says it all. Just finished Lonesome Dove and it is hands down the best novel (maybe even book) I've ever read, and it seems like I'm not alone in thinking this. Looking for suggestions on novels which people think can compete with Lonesome Dove with regard to sheer amazing-ness. Genre and page-count don't matter!