United States · Law · Official-source research

Which elite US law firms explicitly wait for grades or transcripts?

In the current governed subset, Sullivan & Cromwell, Wachtell, Gibson Dunn, Susman Godfrey and Quinn Emanuel each publish an explicit grade or transcript timing condition. The stage differs by firm.

What the official sources say

• Sullivan & Cromwell: New York summer candidates applying before OCI are told to apply after receiving 1L spring grades. Official source · SIG-205.
• Wachtell: final review of 2L summer applications may wait until a completed first-semester transcript is submitted. Official source · SIG-209.
• Gibson Dunn New York: the firm says it reviews 2027 2L applications primarily after first-semester grades are released. Applicants may apply earlier, but the firm also says it does not plan to extend offers until complete first-semester transcripts are added. Official source · SIG-225 and SIG-226.
• Susman Godfrey: the 2L summer application is treated as complete only once the first full-year transcript is received. Official source · SIG-249.
• Quinn Emanuel: the firm says it will not begin interviewing the relevant 2027 Summer Program cohort until first-semester grades are released. Official source · SIG-260.

What this does not prove

This does not establish that grades carry the same weight at all five firms, or that these practices are representative of US BigLaw. It records explicit programme-level timing gates in the reviewed official sources.

Denominator: five named law-firm programme routes with canonical evidence reviewed on 14 September 2026.

Earlier canonical signals · Supplement 17 · Source provenance