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JD Match, LLC is an independent company dedicated to improving the process of recruiting law students into law firms through an online suite of services. We have developed and implemented new processes, such as a centralized matching algorithm and other services to help drive a more rational, efficient and effective recruiting process. This provides schools and students a more orderly overlay that integrates with current practices.

JD Match is presented by Adam Smith, Esq., an acknowledged thought leader in the legal sector, although the two firms are legally unaffiliated.

How does JD Match change the historical way on-campus interviewing is conducted?

JD Match complements current recruiting practices and does not change them.

What JD Match adds to the mix is that we provide you with additional services to track the progress of your students and focus your career services resources in more targeted ways.

First of all, JD Match works within and along side the current on-campus interviewing season. Nothing about that changes. Schools and students conduct on-campus interviews, and do all their other research, the same as always.

What JD Match introduces to the mix that’s new are real-time reports to help your career services office track the progress of students at your school.

In short, JD Match fully integrates with current hiring practices; we provide additional resources and services to optimize more effective hiring.

Our school does not permit firms to see students’ transcripts or GPAs before interviews. Does JD Match change that?

No.

Before students can enter their law school GPA or provide a transcript, they are warned that they must abide by their school's OCI guidelines including "embargo dates." Violating those guidelines is grounds for expulsion from JD Match.

Does JD Match help our students garner more offers?

While JD Match is not part of the offer/acceptance process - which we leave entirely to firms and students just as occurs today - JD Match provides several features enabling law firms to discover students they might be interested in – whether or not they’ve met those students or even visited those law schools.

One core offering of JD Match is a sophisticated and proprietary algorithm which matches students with firms based on which firms students say they want to work for most and which students firms say they most want to hire.

This is a preference-based algorithm. Its premise is that students and firms are each in the best position to determine what’s in their own self interest.

The algorithm examines students’ ranked preferences for firms and firms’ ranked preferences for students and pairs students with the firm they ranked highest that also expressed a preference for that student, and which has an available slot.

We believe one key benefit of this centralized, unitary algorithm is that there is a greater likelihood that students at your school can be introduced to firms who might not otherwise have found them.

Does JD Match expose our students to more, or to fewer, firms?

More. Here’s why:

As we all know, one of the realities of the recruiting process today is that firms can’t visit all law schools and can’t interview all students. That’s just reality. But what if it didn’t have to be?

JD Match offers two new and efficient ways for firms to discover candidates they don’t know – whether or not they’ve interviewed them or even visited their law school – but who closely resemble students those firms have expressed interest in.

First, during OCI, firms can specify certain criteria they find interesting (undergraduate college or university, language fluency, work experience, etc.) We can identify students within JD Match with those or similar characteristics and provide this list to firms. This service is called JD Reach.

Second, at the end of OCI we run an entirely separate algorithm we call JD Recommends. This automatically analyzes the profiles of students a firm has identified as preferred and draws up a composite profile. It then searches the student membership of JD Match to find other students closely resembling students that firm expressed interest in and presents them to that firm: Similar to Amazon’s “we have recommendations for you.”

There are no analogues to JD Reach or JD Recommends in traditional recruiting practices and we believe they can only increase, and never decrease, the potential number of job offers your students receive.

What does JD Match offer outside recruiting season and OCI?

Using the data generated by our system, we are able to provide new types of reports to schools that help them refine their career services advice. Using aggregated, data, we can tell schools how your students fared; which firms do well at your school; and other performance metrics. Over time, we’ll be able to identify trends as our historical databases develop.

These new offerings, called JD Reports are available after OCI.

JD Match also provides insights into recruiting issues and trends from credentialed 3rd parties as well as sharing our knowledge and insights on legal recruiting.

Other elements that appeal to schools, students, and firms will be continually added and updated. We will continue to be in conversations with these three constituencies as to what they would find valuable.

How does the match algorithm work?

This is a preference-based algorithm. Its premise is that students and firms are each in the best position to determine what’s in their own self interest.

• The pairings require mutual interest. A firm won’t match with a student that didn’t put that firm on their list and students the firm didn’t put on its list won’t be paired with that firm.

• The students a firm is matched with are those students who: (a) expressed a preference for that firm and (b) were not matched with a firm the student ranked more highly, either because that firm had no interest in the student or because that firm filled all its available slots with students it ranked more highly.

Match Day will occur several times during the fall 2011 on-campus interview season starting in August and running through October. Multiple Match Days will serve two purposes. First, to give firms and students regularly updated, real-time market feedback as they learn more about each other and refine their rankings. Second, to accommodate different law school schedules.

We have a great deal of flexibility on how frequently we schedule Match Days. For example, they could run as frequently as once a week, certainly at the outset of OCI in August and early September.

What is JD Reach?

The reality is that firms can’t visit every law school or meet every law student. What if they’re missing potentially valuable candidates? Until now, that’s just reality. But maybe it doesn’t have to be.

JD Reach, a unique offering from JD Match, allows firms to efficiently extend their reach to a wider audience of potentially desirable candidates. It is simple for firms to take advantage of this.

During recruiting season, they can specify the characteristics of law students they find attractive and we can identify all students within JD Match who fit those criteria.

What is JD Recommends?

After the OCI season ends, JD Recommends automatically identifies unmatched students who have similar characteristics to the students each ranked as desirable. Firms have the option of reaching out to these candidates.

JD Recommends help firms fill slots that remain unfilled after the OCI process is complete, with candidates with similar characteristics to those each firm ranked.

Even if a firm has filled all its available slots, that firm might be interested in seeing the profiles of students who closely resemble those they identified as desirable for their firm.

Students may be matched with more than one firm via JD Recommends.

So, if students come out of OCI with no attractive offers, they don’t have to go back to “Square 1” to fill them; JD Recommends can help.

How does JD Match change the dynamics of the recruiting process?

JD Match is integrated with current firm recruiting practices and all guidelines in place by NALP and those at individual schools. Schools and students proceed through the recruiting process as they always have. Firms and students should continue to find out as much as they can about each other. Where firms choose to interview is unaffected. School practices regarding on-campus interviewing are unaffected and remain entirely in each school’s purview. All NALP guidelines in effect for any hiring cycle are unaffected. There are no mandatories in our system; firms and students are free to act on any matches they may receive via JD Match as they choose.

We have a great deal of flexibility on how frequently we schedule Match Days. For example, they could run as frequently as once a week, certainly at the outset of OCI in August and early September.

What JD Match does improve is the likelihood of securing offers for students. Both JD Reach and JD Recommends may introduce additional desirable candidates to firms who would not have found them through conventional methods.

What are the administrative demands for participating schools?

Minimal, which we have done on purpose. This is based on the extensive research we conducted with recruiting officers at schools; we know you are already incredibly time-crunched.

What does membership in JD Match cost schools?

JD Match membership is free to schools.

Isn’t this like the medical student matching system?

Superficially, yes, but actually they are extremely different. Basically the similarity begins and ends with students picking where they’d most like to work, on one side, and employers picking students they’d most like to hire, on the other.

But the differences are far more important, including:

• The medical system is mandatory: Students have to go to work at hospitals they’re paired with and those hospitals have to give them jobs as residents. In the JD Match system, nothing is mandatory.

• The medical system runs only once, after all interviews have been completed and all due diligence finished. By contrast, JD Match provides several Match Days during the course of OCI, starting in August and running through October.

• The medical system is run under the auspices of (among other organizations), the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Hospital Association, and the AAMC Organization of Student Representatives. In other words, it is managed by the stakeholders in the medical student/hospital residency world.

By contrast, JD Match is independent of and unaffiliated with any law firm, law school or law student organization. We do not require anyone to take any action based on the matches and information we provide.

How does JD Match affect the number of students law firms get to know?

We believe it can only expose more students to more firms, for a few important reasons.

We know that one of the challenges of recruiting is the reality that firms can’t know every law student or visit every law school and may, therefore, be missing out on potentially desirable candidates.

JD Match addresses this in two important ways. First, during recruiting season, firms can specify the general characteristics of law students the firm finds attractive and we can identify all students within JD Match who closely fit those criteria. This service is called JD Reach because it expands firms’ reach.

Second, an entirely distinct algorithm runs at the end of OCI to help fill any unfilled openings. This algorithm automatically analyzes the profiles of students each firm identified as desirable and finds other students that firm did not rank and may not be aware of, who have closely matching profiles. This service is called JD Recommends.

Does JD Match provide advice on the best firms for our students?

In a word, no.

JD Match is entirely agnostic regarding the choices firms and students make. We encourage students to aggressively pursue their due diligence process in identifying firms they’re interested in. We also strongly encourage students to be realistic in assessing which firms are most likely to extend an offer.

Does JD Match address diversity?

JD Match offers students the option to provide - voluntarily - basic diversity information including gender, race/ethnicity, and disability, and we permit firms to search on these criteria.

Does JD Match also provide these services for the 1L Spring OCI season?

Yes. JD Match addresses all three classes of students, 1L, 2L and 3L.

Can 1Ls join JD Match?

Yes, 1Ls benefit from membership in securing summer internships at law firms. We offer the same suite of services for the Spring OCI recruiting season as we do for the Fall season. 1Ls register, including graduation year, which will include them in the Spring OCI process for internships after their first year. As yet, JD Match does not include public sector nor judicial internships.

What are you doing for 3Ls?

JD Match will run two matching cycles per year for firms looking to hire 3Ls. The first coincides with the Spring OCI season; the second with the Fall OCI season. Firms identify how many slots they have for hiring 3Ls. Similarly, member 3Ls rank firms in order of preference. The matching algorithm identifies the best available candidates for each firm.

Can 3Ls join JD Match?

Yes. 3Ls looking for permanent positions can join as members of JD Match for an entire year. Membership in JD Match covers both the Fall and Spring OCI seasons, giving 3Ls the best shot at permanent employment.

How does JD Match help recent grads who are jobless?

Currently, we can't. That said, we are working on this and should have news shortly. Therefore, recent grads without a job can send an email to support@jdmatch.com indicating they are a recent grad and that they'd like to be notified when this service is available. We'll send out emails to that list when we offer that service.

What actually happens on Match Days?

Both firms and students are given ample notice of when Match Days are coming up on the calendar.

Within one business day after the algorithm runs, emails are sent to all member firms and students who received a match alerting them that they have a match and inviting them to sign in and access their page on JD Match where the individual match status of firms and students can be found. Schools are informed whether of not their member students received a match.

Are students obligated to accept offers if they are matched to a firm?

No.

Neither students nor firms are obligated to do anything with JD Match pairings.

How long must offers remain open?

All NALP principles and standards, including the time guidelines of acceptance or rejection of offers, apply to a match or an offer that may result from membership in JD Match. Please refer to their Principles & Standards on their site,

Can firms still accept unsolicited resumés, if that is the policy of the firm?

Of course.

JD Match is an additional overlay to the current recruitment process.

How does JD Match fit into the NALP guidelines?

All NALP guidelines in effect for any given hiring cycle are unaffected.

How does JD Match fit with guidelines at specific law schools?

All recruiting processes or guidelines in place at schools are unaffected by JD Match. Students should be fully cognizant of each school’s guidelines. Students who do not follow their school guidelines may face sanctions including expulsion from membership in JD Match.

How are law school tiers defined?

JD Match bases its definitions of school tiers on rankings made by US News & World Reports. Tier 1 is the top 14 schools; Tier 2 is schools #15– 25; Tier 3 schools #26– 50; Tier 4 schools #51– 100; and Tier 5 all schools over #100 which US News does not rank.

What or who is Adam Smith, Esq.?

Adam Smith, Esq. LLC is a firm that provides strategic management consulting services to the legal sector. It is recognized within the legal community as one of the best sources for information and commentary on issues facing the legal industry today. Adam Smith, Esq. is entirely independent of law firms or schools. To learn more, please visit the site, www.AdamSmithEsq.com

What are Adam Smith’s credentials to run JD Match?

Adam Smith, Esq. is recognized as an innovator and thought leader within the legal industry and is uniquely suited to bring these services to the legal sector. They are highly attuned to the issues facing the legal community, including firms, schools and students. Yet they are entirely independent of any of those constituencies. Further, they augmented their extensive domain expertise with significant primary research among firms, law schools and students on the issues specifically related to recruitment.

To provide the matching benefits of JD Match, they engaged the “best of the best” to develop the matching algorithm and the secure website. Further, due to their quality reputation and high visibility in the legal sector, they are able to partner with the most well-informed and credentialed third-parties to provide the highest-quality added-value content to the JD Match site.

How do we know the system isn’t rigged?

Students and schools may wonder if others may obtain better matches by somehow gaming the system by strategically misrepresenting their preferences.

The short answer is that any participant who misrepresents their true preferences will typically end up worse off. Why? First of all, the system is designed to give all participants optimal responses based on their stated preferences. If you misrepresent your preferences, you will get responses based on inaccurate information, which will not provide helpful guidance to you in achieving your real goals.

Second, because of the nature of the algorithm, to game the system effectively requires nothing short of knowledge of the stated preferences of all the students and all the firms. Not just some of them; all of them. Due to the high degree of security with which JD Match protects all the data in its system, this is unlikely in the extreme.

Does JD Match guarantee that a student will be matched with a firm he or she ranked most highly?

No, we do not. Firms and students alike need to be realistic when making their choices.

Does JD Match favor top-tier firms?

No; in fact, the algorithm doesn’t even “know” which firms are which or, which students are which. Each firm and each student is represented by a randomly generated number, not a real name.

The result is that all are treated equally by the match. JD Match takes firms’ and students’ rankings at face value and runs the algorithm based on those rankings. Firms and students should be realistic in assessing where they fit in the recruiting marketplace.

Does JD Match favor students at top-tier schools?

No; in fact, the algorithm doesn’t even “know” which firms are which or, which students are which. Each firm and each student is represented by a randomly generated number, not a real name.

How does JD Match increase transparency in the recruiting process?

The matching algorithm provides information not previously available. With this we can help drive further efficiencies and transparency in law student recruiting. We can tell firms which students ranked them highly. This is another factor you and your students can incorporate into your strategies. This service is called JD Guide as it provides guidance.

How does JD Match intersect with on-campus interviews?

JD Match fully integrates with all current recruiting practices. Further, at JD Match, we are keen proponents that students and firms learn as much as they can about each other. On-campus interviews are a critical element in deciding which firms students include in their rankings and where they place individual firms on that list.

Further, one of our services, JD Reach gives firms the opportunity to evaluate qualified candidates from schools they may not have been able to visit. During recruiting season, firms can specify the general characteristics of law students they find attractive and we can identify for them all students within JD Match who closely fit those criteria.

How does this process affect call back interviews?

JD Match has no impact on call backs.

Is a firm obligated to make all its openings available to JD Match?

No. JD Match takes the openings a firm makes available to JD Match and optimizes the matches for those openings.

Nor do the matches we provide obligate firms or students to do anything. Members may act this information as they wish.

How many firms can a student include in their rankings?

A student can include as many or as few firms as they like in their rankings.

What if a firm a student is interested in is not a member of JD Match?

JD Match does not replace traditional recruiting practices; it provides an additional overlay of services. Students can and should include non-member firms they like on their rankings. Once those firms join JD Match, students need do nothing else as that firm is already in their rankings.

What can we include on Our School page?

You can upload a logo or other image and a file of any type (Word, Adobe PDF, etc.) that provides information to your students about your career services offerings. A simple link to your career services site would also work.

Your School page can be viewed by all members of JD Match.

How do I sign into JD Match?

On the home page (www.JDMatch.com), the sign-in button appears at the top right. Clicking on it unfolds a new screen area where you can enter your username (the email address you used to sign up with) and your password.

How do I access Our School page?

Once you sign in you should be automatically redirected to your Our School page.

How do we revise Our School page?

Revising is as easy as deleting old material and uploading new. On that page, you can upload an image, presumably the logo of your school, as well as a file of any type that you would like visitors to see.

When we say a file “of any type,” we mean exactly that: It can be a Word document, an Adobe pdf file, a QuickTime movie, a PowerPoint presentation, simply a link to your school’s site or the career services area, etc. JD Match does not limit the selection of what material you want people to see when they come to your school’s page.

What if we’ve forgotten our password?

We have a few ways to help.

First, if you supplied a “secret question” when you registered and you can answer it correctly we will display your password in a popup window.

If you did not supply a secret question, or cannot answer it correctly, we can email your password to an email address you supply – which must be the primary email address you used to register.

If you can’t access the primary email you used to register, you will have to contact support@jdmatch.com.

What security precautions has JD Match taken to protect information?

Security has been and remains a top priority at JD Match:

• Site construction, protocols and safeguards are identical to precautions taken by online financial institutions

• Students can only see firms' pages; they cannot see other students’ pages

• Similarly, firms can only see student pages; they cannot see other firms’ pages

• No member can see another member’s rankings

• The algorithm “knows” members only as randomly generated numbers

• All industry reports use aggregated data. Specific analyses about a firm or school will be shared with that firm or school, only

• JD Match does not include matches or any other sensitive information in emails; members can only see their match status on their own page on the JD Match site.

Are students mandated to accept matches they receive from JD Match?

No. There are no mandatories in the JD Match system. The matches and other features of JD Match are overlays to current recruiting practices, intended to bring greater efficiency, order and transparency to the recruiting process. How students use this information is entirely at the discretion of each student.

HOW TO JOIN JD MATCH

It's easy to become a JD Match member school. At Signup, here is what you do:

Provide a profile of your school – as detailed as you like
Begin following your students' progress in real time
Change your profile and/or your preferences at any time