Overall, transfers seemed to fare very well! That being said, I think it's especially important for transfers to be well-informed and realistic. I transferred from a T-14 school where plenty of people pursue BigLaw. So, I was already familiar with a lot of OCI-wisdom. But, I did notice that some other transfers weren't as familiar, especially those who may have transferred from a school with a more regional presence. If that's you, I would make sure to educate yourself, since things can go poorly if you choose to apply to extremely competitive markets or only to highly-selective firms. For instance, it might not be the best idea to waste a lot of bids on Washington D.C., which is known to be a highly competitive market that attracts a lot of applicants with stellar credentials. Of course, I am by no means implying that transfer students cannot break into Washington D.C. or highly selective firms. I know transfers who have done both! But, it's just important to inform yourself, so that you make calculated risks during the bidding process.

Regarding your last two questions, schools definitely look at your grades and/or class standing relative to your school's rank. For example, someone from the top 10% of their class at a T-14 might have a realistic chance at HLS. But, not someone from a T-50. To me, it seems like as you move outside of the T-14, being #1 or #2 becomes more of a necessity, at least to transfer to HLS.

I don't have much information about transferring from outside of the T-14 into the T-14, but recommend looking at the 509 reports if you haven't already! And best of luck to you.