Law firm recruiter answering questions for a bit Forum

[timbs4339]

Besides the usual GPA/law school that people talk about, what else are you looking for in the resume? I have a lot of entry level type work experience while in law school (three or four part-time positions each semester, worked probably around 50-60 hour weeks, mostly doing research and writing, doc review and other basic tasks) would a recruiter pick up on that?

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if you read it, so will try once again. Does your job have good pay and benefits? Did you apply for this job straight out of law school? How does one get a job like yours after law school? thank you so much for answering questions.

[Anonymous User]

Lawfirmrecruiter, how do you know when a student is top 1/3rd if they come from a school that does not release rankings?

[Renzo]

Not sure if you read it, so will try once again. Does your job have good pay and benefits? Did you apply for this job straight out of law school? How does one get a job like yours after law school? thank you so much for answering questions.

He/she dodged my questions about how cool his/her job is, too. Don't feel bad.

[Anonymous User]

To the OP:

I know you said that you really like to see work experience. As a Bio major/Chem minor, I don't really have much work experience, but I have TONS of research experience (along with a winter semester research trip to the Bahamas to study local fauna) since it was the logical thing to do during my undergrad experience. How would this factor in to the hiring process? Would it be looked at as favorable and around the same as work experience? All research was usually done either under a professor or in a team of other students (lending a bit to teamwork and such). Would it be wise to mention the actual research I was doing or just mention it as being a researcher for such an amount of time? Or does it just not matter at all?

Thanks!

[Danteshek]

Will your law firm consider using JD Match?

[beach_terror]

derp, already asked

[gingersnaps]

can you give some examples of good things to say/do during an interview (i.e., how to answer questions)? For example, say a firm asks, why this firm? My natural response is to say because it pays 160 k to start (which is the truth). Obviously, that probably wouldn't be good thing to say during the interview--how would you answer?

[billbrasky]

Have you ever no-offered someone based on a drop in their 2l grades? If so, how big of a drop before someone is at risk of losing a full-time offer?

[Danteshek]

derp, already asked

Already asked about JD Match? I could not find.

[beach_terror]

derp, already asked

Already asked about JD Match? I could not find.

Edited my own post because it was asked already.

[eightmarky]

ITE, have you noticed an increase in non-traditional graduates and what is your general opinion of the ones you have interviewed?

[lawfirmrecruiter]

Besides the usual GPA/law school that people talk about, what else are you looking for in the resume? I have a lot of entry level type work experience while in law school (three or four part-time positions each semester, worked probably around 50-60 hour weeks, mostly doing research and writing, doc review and other basic tasks) would a recruiter pick up on that?

I certainly would pick up on that. You are able to balance several different things beyond school work at the same time. Shows initiative and determination.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

Not sure if you read it, so will try once again. Does your job have good pay and benefits? Did you apply for this job straight out of law school? How does one get a job like yours after law school? thank you so much for answering questions.

I am pleased with my compensation, yes. I did not apply for this right after law school but went into law firm admin in a different department. Don't want to go into details because I would prefer to remain anonymous.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

Lawfirmrecruiter, how do you know when a student is top 1/3rd if they come from a school that does not release rankings?

I talk to my counterparts in career services to determine generally where class cutoffs are.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

To the OP:

I know you said that you really like to see work experience. As a Bio major/Chem minor, I don't really have much work experience, but I have TONS of research experience (along with a winter semester research trip to the Bahamas to study local fauna) since it was the logical thing to do during my undergrad experience. How would this factor in to the hiring process? Would it be looked at as favorable and around the same as work experience? All research was usually done either under a professor or in a team of other students (lending a bit to teamwork and such). Would it be wise to mention the actual research I was doing or just mention it as being a researcher for such an amount of time? Or does it just not matter at all?

Thanks!

I would include details about the research experience, especially the teamwork aspect. It is okay to be detailed in your resume, even if it bumps you to 2 pages. As long as it is substantive, I'd like to see it.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

Will your law firm consider using JD Match?

Not sure yet. We are focusing solely on 3L hiring and I don't know how that will really line up for us. Sounds like a great program for 2L OCI though. I am checking with other firms in our market to see if they are going to use it . . .

[lawfirmrecruiter]

can you give some examples of good things to say/do during an interview (i.e., how to answer questions)? For example, say a firm asks, why this firm? My natural response is to say because it pays 160 k to start (which is the truth). Obviously, that probably wouldn't be good thing to say during the interview--how would you answer?

Right. Please don't say that or "because I just need a job" . . . .

You could say something about how impressed you are with a particular practice you are interested in or the firm's overall market reputation or the firm's impressive client base or a particular recent win . . . just read the firm's website and mention a few things that stand out to you.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

Have you ever no-offered someone based on a drop in their 2l grades? If so, how big of a drop before someone is at risk of losing a full-time offer?

This has not been a problem for us. If there was a big drop, we would probably just talk to the student and find out what happened. There is most likely a good reason for the drop and we would try to work with them.

[Anonymous User]

To the OP:

I know you said that you really like to see work experience. As a Bio major/Chem minor, I don't really have much work experience, but I have TONS of research experience (along with a winter semester research trip to the Bahamas to study local fauna) since it was the logical thing to do during my undergrad experience. How would this factor in to the hiring process? Would it be looked at as favorable and around the same as work experience? All research was usually done either under a professor or in a team of other students (lending a bit to teamwork and such). Would it be wise to mention the actual research I was doing or just mention it as being a researcher for such an amount of time? Or does it just not matter at all?

Thanks!

I would include details about the research experience, especially the teamwork aspect. It is okay to be detailed in your resume, even if it bumps you to 2 pages. As long as it is substantive, I'd like to see it.

Thank you very much! I really sacrificed work experience to focus on research (I really never thought of moving to law until I decided against med school and going the PhD route), so it's nice to see it might not be all for naught. The experience in and of itself was highly rewarding, as well.

[lawfirmrecruiter]

ITE, have you noticed an increase in non-traditional graduates and what is your general opinion of the ones you have interviewed?

We have seen a few more than usual but not too many to call it a trend. We have been pleased with the ones we have interviewed.

[Anonymous User]

If one is an evening student who works 40-50hrs/week and is in the top 10% of his/her class, would it act to his or her detriment to not participate in law review, a journal, or any other extracurricular activity? In other words, does substantive work experience in a field relevant to a firm's legal work, in conjunction with high grades, suffice to establish credibility in one's work ethic, or is one's lack of participation in journals and the like despite the requisite grades perceived as laziness?

Thanks in advance

[beach_terror]

Does an upward in trend grades help at all in the initial interviewing process? Would it be a good talking point/something to highlight if possible?

[romothesavior]

This is the most helpful thread I have seen in a long time, and it is really firing me up for OCI. If you're from the Midwest, I hope to see you at OCI this fall.

If you are located in an insular market (and I imagine you are, since most mid-sized cities are to some degree), what are some ways besides the obvious answers (spouse, family, etc.) to sell your commitment to an area? For example, I'm in a highly insular market and I often get skeptical looks when I say I came to my school to stay in this market. I'm only from a few hours away, but people still assume I want another city. How do I sell my commitment to being here in he long term?

[lawfirmrecruiter]

If one is an evening student who works 40-50hrs/week and is in the top 10% of his/her class, would it act to his or her detriment to not participate in law review, a journal, or any other extracurricular activity? In other words, does substantive work experience in a field relevant to a firm's legal work, in conjunction with high grades, suffice to establish credibility in one's work ethic, or is one's lack of participation in journals and the like despite the requisite grades perceived as laziness?

Thanks in advance

If you can participate, great. If it will hurt your grades because you are working full time, don't worry about extra-curriculars. You are obviously NOT lazy!