OCI Is Around The Corner; How Can Law Students Ace The 20-Minute Interview?
Biglaw hiring partners offer their tips for the interview process.
“Yeah I got on sneaks but I need a new pair / Cause basketball courts in the summer got girls there.” — Will Smith
This week, the Wall Street Journal’s Sara Randazzo wrote an article titled “For Summer Law Interns, the Livin’ is Easy.” In her article, she explored the various benefits, perks, and trips that summer associates throughout the nation have experienced so far. While this all sounds fantastic, she also reminded her readers how competitive these summer placements are:
Summer programs in 2014 employed less than 4,500 students, according to a survey of 388 law firm offices by the National Association for Law Placement, an organization that tracks legal employment. That class came from the roughly 45,500 students who enrolled in nationally accredited law schools in 2012. Of course, many students have no interest in working at large law firms, opting instead for jobs in the public sector, at not-for-profits, or at smaller firms.
Finding legal work—often while carrying six-figure debt loads—is still a challenge for many new lawyers. Among 2014 law school graduates, 9.8% were still looking for work in March of this year, according to the American Bar Association. For those interested in big-firm life, summer associate jobs continue to be the primary way to get a job.
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Vivia Chen, The Careerist’s chief blogger, has been covering the business and culture of law firms for over a decade. Several years ago, she conducted a great series of hiring partner Q&As to reveal what firms are looking for in summer associates. With the bidding season well underway and the on-campus interviewing (OCI) season right around the corner, I thought this was a perfect time to highlight some of the best advice hiring partners around the nation have shared regarding how law students can succeed in those 20-minute interviews.
What happens during the actual interview?
The interview is tied to our associate attributes model. We expect people to be well-spoken, tactful, and able to communicate with different audiences. We tend to do a conversational style of interviewing, but we ask for examples when [candidates] faced a challenging situation, made decisions, or took on a leadership role. — Cristina Rodriguez, Baker Botts
What impresses you in an interview?
Some of the most memorable interviews have been with people who’ve worked with the Peace Corps or Teach for America or went to graduate school. We’ve had great successes with people for whom law is a second career. — Tom Leatherbury, Vinson & Elkins
What’s your ideal candidate?
I like someone who’s iconoclastic–smart, sassy, and a bit edgy. Law is a contact sport. You have to be intellectually nimble and confident. I like interviewees who can pitch as well as catch. — Peter Kalis, K&L Gates
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Can we talk about memorable interview moments–good and bad?
I’d rather focus on the positive. The positive ones are those who know a lot about our firm and show drive and interest. Anyone who realizes this is a service business gets a lot of points. — Leigh Ryan, Paul Hastings
Ever had a candidate who was great on paper but who blew the interview?
Yes. The ones who were totally unprepared and knew nothing about Skadden. Someone asked us about our T&E practice, which we don’t have. — Steven Glaser, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
What turns you off about a candidate during an interview?
If I sense entitlement; if they think they’re better than their colleagues or if they are too focused on themselves. — Gregory Shumaker, Jones Day
How do you figure out [the qualities in a potential new hire] in a 20-minute interview?
We engage in substantive conversations. We ask them about their law review notes or their judicial clerkships. You can gauge a lot from how someone explains what they’ve worked on. — Karen Popp, Sidley & Austin
Whether you plan on interviewing with large law firms, in the public sector, at not-for-profits, or at smaller firms, I hope these hiring partners’ bits of advice help you to secure an offer.
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Good luck to all the 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls interviewing this summer!
For Summer Law Interns, the Livin’ Is Easy [Wall Street Journal]
Earlier: 11 Tips For The Biglaw Interview Day
Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at projectrenwei@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn.
