The "I made a huge blunder at OCI" Thread Forum

[Anonymous User]

Accidentally told a racist joke during my interview. Was just quoting my professor, but it didn't reflect well on me at all. But anyways, anytime you hear a partner talking about that kid who said something so enormously stupid like a racist joke, that partner is probably referring to me.

[1ferret!]

Accidentally told a racist joke during my interview. Was just quoting my professor, but it didn't reflect well on me at all. But anyways, anytime you hear a partner talking about that kid who said something so enormously stupid like a racist joke, that partner is probably referring to me.

You are a horrible human being.

[Matthies]

My point it there are some epic a-holes online and in the legal profesion, its attracks people with power issues, I could tell you stroies about some of the epic duchbags partners i've worked for who are in all likleyhood sadits. i'm in no way saying what the interviewer did was not uncalled for, just saying the cross section of assholes i=on TLS is pretty respresntaive of the some people you will meet in the profesion. Not all or most lawyers are dickheads, but the few that are seem to be so epcilly good at it that they tend to outnumber the nice ones in your memroy.

The problem with powerful, talented people is that they're able to get away with stuff other people wouldn't. Some of them don't take advantage of it, but some of them do.

True, there is also a strong "precedent" mindset the in law. The I got shat on as an associate now that I am partner I shall shit on you.

This reminds me of an e-mail I got back from a law professor when I sent him some questions about his article we were working on for publication in our journal. He left out 20 pages of citations in a 40 page article, I mean not just missing parts of a citation, or some non bluebook version like Book X p6. but footnotes and no citations whatsoever.

So I asked him in the e-mail if he had a copy with those citations in it so we could look them up and check them as we do with all articles. His response was yes I do, but I'm not sending it to you. When I was on LR I had to hunt down missing citations all the time, that's your job, you can figure out from context what sources I was referring to, read it, and insert the citation for me.

There are three things law gradates, professors and lawyers will all agree with: there is no reason for law school to be three years, what they teach you in law school does little to prepare you for the actual profession, and that the bar exam is just a hoop there to keep people OUT of the profession (not to actually check their competence) by requiring to sit for the bar you must have graduated from an ABA school (not just have read the law and understudied the law and actually practiced the law before your final review of the law over several days by several judges asking you pointed questuinsto determine you comiatance, on any subject they wanted).

It went from personalized, mentored and clinical education for several years under a judge or lawyer to a more theory based, standardized teaching meothed tat did away with most the clcinal aspects of learning the law and we got Landel's casebook methedas the stadard.
.
The same people who will agree with you on all those points will give you that same answer for each of them, we do it this way, not the best way, because we have done it that way for 100 years. I went through this so you must as well. Its precedent and lawyers are loath to challenge precedent, even when that precinct is wrong or not working as efecrtvilty as it should for the good of the future sets of lawyers. lawyers don't like change.

[Black-Blue]

So I asked him in the e-mail if he had a copy with those citations in it so we could look them up and check them as we do with all articles. His response was yes I do, but I'm not sending it to you. When I was on LR I had to hunt down missing citations all the time, that's your job, you can figure out from context what sources I was referring to, read it, and insert the citation for me.

If I were a professor and am publishing in one of the 4 LRs that publishes the Bluebook, I think I'd purposely leave out citations or leave them incorrect.

[Anonymous User]

At OCI last year:

Told firm A I had an interview with firm B immediately after the interview with firm A. After time had expired with A, I tried to get the interviewers to realize it was time. They didn't get the hint. Proceeded to continue on for ~17 more minutes. Told me sorry, etc.

Went to interview with firm B, said sorry, etc. Ended up getting to spend ~5 minutes with them. Felt terrible.

Result: CBs at both. Makes you wonder how pointless screeners are.

[1ferret!]

Um, yeah. Sounds like a huge blunder.

[Jarndyce]

Okay, so I haven't heard the kind of epic stories that I expected out of this thread, so I am going to pass along some hearsay stories that are not mine, but that I have gotten from reliable sources, to get the ball rolling.

Story 1: At my school, sometimes OCIs are held at the law school in professors' offices. This guy is interviewing with this firm in a professor's office, and the interview is just going horrible, so he starts trying to make small talk. He looks at a picture of several children, which is sitting on the desk (keep in mind, this is a professor's office- not the interviewer's), and says "So are those your children?" The interviewer responds "No... this isn't my office." Interviewee responds "Alright, thanks for your time," stands up, and walks out.

Story 2: A buddy of mine is interviewing with a firm, and they are kind of asking tricky questions. One of the questions is "If you could pick one word to describe you, what would it be?" Of course, they are looking for hard-working or dedicated or something like that. But my buddy decides to be creative and says "character." The interviewer looks at him for a few seconds and then says "Okay... and how will that help us at our firm?" Dead silence... apparently character does not translate well into big law.

[Anonymous User]

I know someone who told a kiddie porn joke. He did it at work too. Good stuff.

[wiseowl]

re: the fax story

i have heard horror stories about a variety of public interest interviewers. you'd better love that job, because the twerps that they attract will haunt you in your sleep.

[d34d9823]

Aloof interviewer turns to the other and says "Did he really just tell me that he knows how to use a fax machine?"
Utter failure...

That interviewer actually sounds like a real prick. He could have kept the snarky remark for when you were outside the ear shot, seriously.

I was thinking back and realized that I can be a prick when I interview people. I don't know if it's me trying to get people to show their true colors or what.

I was interviewing on an undergrad campus one time and a senior came in without any WE/internship on his resume. I said "I noticed that you don't have any relevant experience. This puts you at a disadvantage compared to the other candidates we're interviewing. Tell me why we should keep you in consideration for this position." The guy turned red, got up, and walked out of the interview. I felt like such an asshole.

[12262010]

^

The problem with powerful, talented people is that they're able to get away with stuff other people wouldn't. Some of them don't take advantage of it, but some of them do.

[1ferret!]

Aloof interviewer turns to the other and says "Did he really just tell me that he knows how to use a fax machine?"
Utter failure...

That interviewer actually sounds like a real prick. He could have kept the snarky remark for when you were outside the ear shot, seriously.

I was thinking back and realized that I can be a prick when I interview people. I don't know if it's me trying to get people to show their true colors or what.

I was interviewing on an undergrad campus one time and a senior came in without any WE/internship on his resume. I said "I noticed that you don't have any relevant experience. This puts you at a disadvantage compared to the other candidates we're interviewing. Tell me why we should keep you in consideration for this position." The guy turned red, got up, and walked out of the interview. I felt like such an asshole.

Actually, that doesn't sound that bad, gives a guy the opportunity to sell himself.

[let/them/eat/cake]

Okay, so I haven't heard the kind of epic stories that I expected out of this thread, so I am going to pass along some hearsay stories that are not mine, but that I have gotten from reliable sources, to get the ball rolling.

Story 1: At my school, sometimes OCIs are held at the law school in professors' offices. This guy is interviewing with this firm in a professor's office, and the interview is just going horrible, so he starts trying to make small talk. He looks at a picture of several children, which is sitting on the desk (keep in mind, this is a professor's office- not the interviewer's), and says "So are those your children?" The interviewer responds "No... this isn't my office." Interviewee responds "Alright, thanks for your time," stands up, and walks out.

...

i walked out of my Simpson Thatcher interview early. first of all, i bid them 12th, having no intention of interviewing with them, and somehow got it. anyway, i walk in, and this guy, just looks at me. No "tell me about urself", no "what can i tell you about the firm" or any of the other BS things you ask when both people in the room know nothing is coming of this interview. anyway, so i basically start the interview, and i'm basically the one leading. which is fine i guess. but at a certain point we are just bullshitting about basically the terrain on campus. and this is right before a lunch break, and i'm starving, so, 5 minutes early: "Well ya know what, I'm just famished. Thanks for your time!" handshake, and out. he was, i must say, a bit surprised.

[let/them/eat/cake]

Accidentally told a racist joke during my interview. Was just quoting my professor, but it didn't reflect well on me at all. But anyways, anytime you hear a partner talking about that kid who said something so enormously stupid like a racist joke, that partner is probably referring to me.

transcribes the joke or it didn't happen.

[Anonymous User]

Accidentally told a racist joke during my interview. Was just quoting my professor, but it didn't reflect well on me at all. But anyways, anytime you hear a partner talking about that kid who said something so enormously stupid like a racist joke, that partner is probably referring to me.

transcribes the joke or it didn't happen.

it would probably out me.

[Anonymous User]

Screener today: What interests you about working in [Crappy City]?
Me: Phooooooo..... good question.

[Anonymous User]

spelled "attorneys" "attornies" in a thank you letter to the interviewer

[let/them/eat/cake]

spelled "attorneys" "attornies" in a thank you letter to the interviewer

180. Brevity is the soul of wit.

[seespotrun]

Screener today: What interests you about working in [Crappy City]?
Me: Phooooooo..... good question.

Was it a brain fart or did you not prepare for that question?

[Anonymous User]

Screener today: What interests you about working in [Crappy City]?
Me: Phooooooo..... good question.

Was it a brain fart or did you not prepare for that question?

b-fartizzle

[seespotrun]

Screener today: What interests you about working in [Crappy City]?
Me: Phooooooo..... good question.

Was it a brain fart or did you not prepare for that question?

b-fartizzle

Ahh, yea that's a tough pill to swallow.

[Anonymous User]

on second thought, i don't even want anonymous people to anonymously know about this.