Interviewing at Old Firm Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am interviewing at a law firm I used to work at. Just wondering if there's any sort of protocol about visiting some of the attorneys I worked with -- one of them got me the interview. I'm just wondering if I could/should drop by at her office (or at anyone else's office) to say hi.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

I am interviewing at a law firm I used to work at. Just wondering if there's any sort of protocol about visiting some of the attorneys I worked with -- one of them got me the interview. I'm just wondering if I could/should drop by at her office (or at anyone else's office) to say hi.

Thanks!

You should - it's polite and it helps keep up contact.

That said, I would give him/her advance warning. Write an email to the effect of "I will be in the office September 27th for my interview. If you're around and free, I would love to stop by and say hi on my way out."

[Anonymous User]

I showed up 2 hours earlier than my callback and just walked around, randomly barging into people's offices and saying hello (including 2 people who were on my callback schedule). I got my offer about 30 seconds into the first official interview: the interviewer started to ask a mundane question, paused, and then said, "This is stupid. I'm not supposed to tell you but you already have an offer."

Wishing the same for you.

[Anonymous User]

I showed up 2 hours earlier than my callback and just walked around, randomly barging into people's offices and saying hello (including 2 people who were on my callback schedule). I got my offer about 30 seconds into the first official interview: the interviewer started to ask a mundane question, paused, and then said, "This is stupid. I'm not supposed to tell you but you already have an offer."

Wishing the same for you.

Congratulations on the offer - that's great. On the other hand, I was going to suggest the complete opposite approach. It's great that you worked there, but if I were a partner I would want my firm conducted like a business. Going two hours early to just kinda hang out and kick it with people who are working to show off to everyone how "in" you are with my firm would probably kill your chances instantly. There's nothing wrong with politely saying hi to friends, but if I had some former paralegal coming in pretending like it was a NBA championship parade and causing a scene by just barging into offices - well, it wouldn't exactly show strong professionalism.

I'm glad your strategy worked, but I would suggest being slightly more reserved than this poster's rather fortunate example.

[bwv812]

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[Anonymous User]

I arrived half an hour early at my old firm and asked if I could go visit my old boss, who came down to say hello. They also said, without me asking, that after my last interview, I could go say hello to people. Nobody offered to escort me, they told me to wander off. So I did. I still acted like I would be extremely lucky for my old firm to grace me with an offer--because it was true. No amount of grades and work history there entitles a person to be disruptive or to an auto-offer. But if you politely explain to the recruiters that you worked there and you'd like a chance to say hello to people on your way out, I don't see why they'd say no. I wound up with an offer.

[Anonymous User]

I showed up 2 hours earlier than my callback and just walked around, randomly barging into people's offices and saying hello (including 2 people who were on my callback schedule). I got my offer about 30 seconds into the first official interview: the interviewer started to ask a mundane question, paused, and then said, "This is stupid. I'm not supposed to tell you but you already have an offer."

Wishing the same for you.

What kind of firm lets people wander around and barge into offices? Sounds like a great way to get security called on you.

Or, I'm calling sabotage.

I worked in biglaw and did the same thing. I went by after my official interviews because some of my former coworkers were on my callback schedule and it seemed weird to say hi to them twice. Finished my official schedule then went to talk to some of the younger associates I worked with, all of the partners, and some old friends from the mail room. Did get an offer.


::edit::

And to give you an idea of the formality or lack thereof of biglaw, every time I've been in the city and felt like it, I've been able to go up and shoot the shit with the people I used to work with. Being at a firm doesn't turn people into robots or monsters.

[Anonymous User]

Congratulations on the offer - that's great. On the other hand, I was going to suggest the complete opposite approach. It's great that you worked there, but if I were a partner I would want my firm conducted like a business. Going two hours early to just kinda hang out and kick it with people who are working to show off to everyone how "in" you are with my firm would probably kill your chances instantly. There's nothing wrong with politely saying hi to friends, but if I had some former paralegal coming in pretending like it was a NBA championship parade and causing a scene by just barging into offices - well, it wouldn't exactly show strong professionalism.

I'm glad your strategy worked, but I would suggest being slightly more reserved than this poster's rather fortunate example.

It's a rather informal place and a relatively small office. Obviously I did not literally barge into offices - I knocked, and only after asking the secretary when the door was closed. I guess a prerequisite to this strategy is having developed the kinds of relationships that would allow one to do this. That's the whole point of paralegaling, is it not? Besides, the visit wasn't even about enhancing my chances or showing off. I was genuinely glad to see them, and they were genuinely glad to see me.

It's a judgment call after all. I wouldn't have risked it without being 100% certain. I cleared everything with the recruiter (another good friend), FWIW.

What kind of firm lets people wander around and barge into offices? Sounds like a great way to get security called on you.

Or, I'm calling sabotage.

I guess the kind that issues guest passes.

[Anonymous User]

I'd definitely say that having that in is a huge plus that doesn't go noted here and tips the scales in favor of taking a year or two off to work at a firm. I got dinged from many many shops including midlaw and 'shitlaw' at the screening stage yet was able to get that one biglaw callback and offer through that connection.

[bwv812]

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[Anonymous User]

What kind of firm lets people wander around and barge into offices? Sounds like a great way to get security called on you.

Or, I'm calling sabotage.

I guess the kind that issues guest passes.

Sorry, it wasn't clear to me that you had worked there and knew the people (I don't think use the word "barge" to describe dropping in on friends to say hi).

Naw, it's my bad. My initial post makes it sound so much more obnoxious than it really was.

[IzziesGal]

I did the same thing. I was already friendly with the recruiter, knew a lot of attorneys, and walked around my old firm chatting with people who were surprised/happy to see me back. In fact, they set me up in an empty office and let me decompress and coached me a bit through the process.

[Anonymous User]

I did the same thing. I was already friendly with the recruiter, knew a lot of attorneys, and walked around my old firm chatting with people who were surprised/happy to see me back. In fact, they set me up in an empty office and let me decompress and coached me a bit through the process.

Not accepting the offer would be beyond awkward eh?