6 Tips To Crush It At OCI

When I was a law student, I bombed more than a couple OCI interviews.

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Neil Aggarwal is a former biglaw litigator who recently launched NavForward.  The company aims to utilize the power of data to help law students and lawyers make better career choices. 

  1. Don’t Rely on Law Firm Websites!

When I was a law student, I bombed more than a couple OCI interviews.  Before my interview, I had read the firm’s website, and saw that the office I was interviewing for practiced Securities Litigation.  I walked into the interview, and when asked proclaimed that I wanted to be a securities litigator.  The partner responded “but our office doesn’t do securities litigation.”  When I explained that the website said they did, he simply said “yeah, but our website says a lot of things.”  Bottom line – don’t walk into your interviews unprepared. Know what the office you are interviewing for actually does, and have a good reason why those practice areas interest you.  There are research tools that are more powerful than I could have imagined when I was going through this process 7 years ago, use them!

  1. Explain your Connection to the City

A lot of people say that firms care about this question because they don’t want to hire someone who will leave in a few years.  That may be true, but I’m not buying it.  The partner or associate you are interviewing with likely doesn’t give a damn whether you leave in three years.  I know I didn’t when I was conducting interviews.  Instead, they are looking for fit.  Are you going to be happy in this city?  Will you be able to perform good work?  Answers like, “my family lives in New York,” or “all my friends from college live in San Francisco,” are pretty solid reasons for moving to a city, and indicate that you would probably be happy there.  Not so great answers – “I love the beach,” “I have always wanted to live in Seattle.”

  1. Have Great Questions

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I always struggled with this one in law school.  What is a great question?  The questions you ask in an OCI interview aren’t really questions.  You don’t really care about the answers.  Remember, you are trying to sell yourself; the firm isn’t trying to sell you.  Your questions should exemplify your interest in the firm and office where you are interviewing.  Let’s take an example of a good question, and analyze why it’s good: “I saw that most of the lawyers in your office either specialize in Mergers and Acquisitions, or Intellectual Property.  I like both those areas, but lean more heavily towards Intellectual Property.  Do the two groups work together on matters very often?”   The question tells your interviewer that you have done your research, and it also tells her what you are interested in.  The interviewer will then spend about one minute providing an answer filled with little details that you can follow up on.  Examples: What is the nature of the work that IP lawyers do for the M&A team?  How long do those assignments usually take?  Under what circumstances do the M&A team consult the IP team?  Does the M&A team work with any other groups?  See, that was pretty easy!

  1. Prove that You are a Self-Starter

Junior associates are largely judged by whether they make the lives of their senior associates and partners easier.  People refer to this trait as being a self-starter.  A lot of junior associates have trouble with this concept.  When a problem arises, are you the type of person who calls the boss and asks for a solution?  Or, are you the type of person who rises to the occasion and offers three or four potential solutions to the problem?  The second quality will get you a job, and might even get you promoted.  Tell your interviewer about a crisis you handled and highlight that you are a self-starter when you tell that story.

  1. Prove that You are Detail Oriented

Attention to detail is the most difficult skill that junior associates must develop to be successful at any large law firm.  So, show your interviewer that you are already on your way.  Have you ever had a position where sending emails with grammar mistakes was a big “no-no”?  Tell your interviewer about it.  Also, make sure your resume and cover letter are flawless.  Your interviewer probably won’t read your cover letter – but better safe than sorry.

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  1. Don’t Sweat the Issues that Won’t Close the Deal

When I was going into OCI, everyone told me that I should research my interviewer in depth.  That advice might be great for a callback, but of all the things you could do to prepare for an OCI interview, this is probably the least important.  I have yet to meet an attorney who complained of an associate who knew nothing about the cases he was working on.  Don’t get me wrong, you should probably know the basics about your interviewer (title, office, practice areas), but not much more.  Instead, focus your efforts on the more important things: know what the office you are interviewing for does and have a good reason why you want to practice that sort of law; practice your delivery; find clever ways to highlight your personal strengths during the interview; and have a list of questions that exemplify your interest in the office you are interviewing for.

You can contact Neil with questions or feedback at neil@navforward.com