V15 Partner/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions... Forum

[Myself]

.

[Anonymous User]

Hi, I made a separate post about this but I also would love your opinion. I want to work at a firm that is notorious for calling up all your references. The problem is that my current (1L) summer job is public-interest oriented, and my boss really, really hates BigLaw. I mean he is outright hostile when he finds out one of his interns plans to do OCI. I would not feel great putting him down as a reference, even though I have done good work for him and he is enthusiastic about my work product. However, would it look really bad if I don't list my current employer as a reference? Do you think it is terribly likely that he would screw me over if I did list him just by being unpleasant to whoever calls him from the firm?

[fatduck]

Hi, I made a separate post about this but I also would love your opinion. I want to work at a firm that is notorious for calling up all your references. The problem is that my current (1L) summer job is public-interest oriented, and my boss really, really hates BigLaw. I mean he is outright hostile when he finds out one of his interns plans to do OCI. I would not feel great putting him down as a reference, even though I have done good work for him and he is enthusiastic about my work product. However, would it look really bad if I don't list my current employer as a reference? Do you think it is terribly likely that he would screw me over if I did list him just by being unpleasant to whoever calls him from the firm?

is he the only guy there? you can't ask someone else at the job for a reference?

[Anonymous User]

Hi, I made a separate post about this but I also would love your opinion. I want to work at a firm that is notorious for calling up all your references. The problem is that my current (1L) summer job is public-interest oriented, and my boss really, really hates BigLaw. I mean he is outright hostile when he finds out one of his interns plans to do OCI. I would not feel great putting him down as a reference, even though I have done good work for him and he is enthusiastic about my work product. However, would it look really bad if I don't list my current employer as a reference? Do you think it is terribly likely that he would screw me over if I did list him just by being unpleasant to whoever calls him from the firm?

is he the only guy there? you can't ask someone else at the job for a reference?

OP here. We are extremely leanly staffed, and this guy is the only supervising attorney on any of my cases. Does OCI take recommendations from 3L supervising students? Somehow I doubt it...

[Anonymous User]

Does your firm call or require references?

[Anonymous User]

I'll flip that back at you. Does your life experience mean you think you know more than your supervisor, who may be your age or younger?

100% no. They've been working in the actual job longer than me. My point is all things being equal in terms of law students (grades, school, etc.), I'd be more concerned about someone who has never worked than someone who had had a few years of knowing what the grind is all about. Especially someone who is even younger. I think if the originally poster chose to work for a year after graduating early, that would show a lot more than just running through school without time to stop and small the roses (so to speak).

[anon168]

Hi, I made a separate post about this but I also would love your opinion. I want to work at a firm that is notorious for calling up all your references. The problem is that my current (1L) summer job is public-interest oriented, and my boss really, really hates BigLaw. I mean he is outright hostile when he finds out one of his interns plans to do OCI. I would not feel great putting him down as a reference, even though I have done good work for him and he is enthusiastic about my work product. However, would it look really bad if I don't list my current employer as a reference? Do you think it is terribly likely that he would screw me over if I did list him just by being unpleasant to whoever calls him from the firm?

is he the only guy there? you can't ask someone else at the job for a reference?

OP here. We are extremely leanly staffed, and this guy is the only supervising attorney on any of my cases. Does OCI take recommendations from 3L supervising students? Somehow I doubt it...

Omit your 1L public interest supervisor. Use a professor or some other employer-reference (even one that predates law school).

If someone asks why the public interest supervisor isn't listed, just explain it like you did here.

It's no big deal.

[itbdvorm]

When you look at grades or a transcript, do you put more value in 1L grades than in 2L ones?

yes. much.

[goodolgil]

When you look at grades or a transcript, do you put more value in 1L grades than in 2L ones?

yes. much.[/quote

Even if 2L grades are bad and 1L grades are great? (Assume mostly doctrinal 2L classes).

[itbdvorm]

When you look at grades or a transcript, do you put more value in 1L grades than in 2L ones?

yes. much.[/quote

Even if 2L grades are bad and 1L grades are great? (Assume mostly doctrinal 2L classes).

if you're not a transfer, so long as you don't bomb too badly probably ok. but firm/firm matters. and if you're in 3L hiring this is obviously bad.

[itbdvorm]

Does your firm call or require references?

not sure, i don't think so

[Reprisal]

(little ones during 9-5, big ones that require steadier concentration during 5-12).

am indeed working this weekend

Are these the types of hours that an associate simply must put in to do well at a V15? And are these 5-12 sessions wine-bottle-open-streaming-tv-in-a-second-window hours or candle-burning-nietzche-coke-induction hours?

I ask because I'm on the other side of the v (and am thus clueless) and have a younger sibling who is interested in your side of the v.

[dingbat]

How strict are your grade cutoffs?
A) if someone is barely below the mark
B) if someone has a very good resume/track record/softs
C) if someone has connections at the firm (e.g. you were forwarded their resume by another senior associate or a partner)

Thank you again for doing this

[itbdvorm]

(little ones during 9-5, big ones that require steadier concentration during 5-12).

am indeed working this weekend

Are these the types of hours that an associate simply must put in to do well at a V15? And are these 5-12 sessions wine-bottle-open-streaming-tv-in-a-second-window hours or candle-burning-nietzche-coke-induction hours?

I ask because I'm on the other side of the v (and am thus clueless) and have a younger sibling who is interested in your side of the v.

answer is sometimes. not always, but certainly sometimes. 12hr+ days are not uncommon.

[itbdvorm]

How strict are your grade cutoffs?
A) if someone is barely below the mark
B) if someone has a very good resume/track record/softs
C) if someone has connections at the firm (e.g. you were forwarded their resume by another senior associate or a partner)

Thank you again for doing this

really depends. but given that our grade cuts are "minimums" it's hard to move much below there. i've asked for, and obtained, grade cuts for very special candidates, but it's certainly not the norm.

[CanadianWolf]

I haven't read the entire thread, so this may be a question that has already been asked.

What is your firm's view of law review membership in the hiring process?
Does your firm only hire from top 14 law schools ?
Does law review only come into play when deciding between two otherwise similiar candidates ?

Does your firm interview 3Ls ? If yes, then how does your firm view law review editor positions ?

Thank you in advance for your response.

[Anonymous User]

Any idea how much weight a recommendation from a former partner holds in hiring? Its a non-nyc firm in the V-25 range and the partner left the firm on good terms fairly recently (within the last 7 years).

[boosk]

i've asked for, and obtained, grade cuts for very special candidates

What are some of the defining characteristics of "very special candidates"?

Thanks

[itbdvorm]

Any idea how much weight a recommendation from a former partner holds in hiring? Its a non-nyc firm in the V-25 range and the partner left the firm on good terms fairly recently (within the last 7 years).

it'll obviously help. how much will depend in large part on the nature of the recommendation.

[itbdvorm]

i've asked for, and obtained, grade cuts for very special candidates

What are some of the defining characteristics of "very special candidates"?

Thanks

it's "know it when you see it". charisma, poise, intelligence in an interview. URM. law review. impressive prior WE.

[Anonymous User]

Any idea how much weight a recommendation from a former partner holds in hiring? Its a non-nyc firm in the V-25 range and the partner left the firm on good terms fairly recently (within the last 7 years).

it'll obviously help. how much will depend in large part on the nature of the recommendation.

What if he left the firm on good terms 10-15 years ago? Still helpful or not worth anything anymore?

[itbdvorm]

Any idea how much weight a recommendation from a former partner holds in hiring? Its a non-nyc firm in the V-25 range and the partner left the firm on good terms fairly recently (within the last 7 years).

it'll obviously help. how much will depend in large part on the nature of the recommendation.

What if he left the firm on good terms 10-15 years ago? Still helpful or not worth anything anymore?

Again, depends on the nature of recommendation. And also whom he's calling. A random call into recruiting probably isn't that useful but I doubt that's who he'd call. A call into a colleague of his who's still there, potentially very helpful indeed

[Anonymous User]

Let's say that a friend/former coworker calls/emails in a recommendation to a managing partner of a satellite office. Once the managing partner forwards this on to recruiting, how much weight does this have on whether the applicant gets a callback? Assuming you already preselected the applicant.

[itbdvorm]

Let's say that a friend/former coworker calls/emails in a recommendation to a managing partner of a satellite office. Once the managing partner forwards this on to recruiting, how much weight does this have on whether the applicant gets a callback? Assuming you already preselected the applicant.

Again, all depends on what it says, relationship, etc.

[20130312]

Let's say that a friend/former coworker calls/emails in a recommendation to a managing partner of a satellite office. Once the managing partner forwards this on to recruiting, how much weight does this have on whether the applicant gets a callback? Assuming you already preselected the applicant.

Again, all depends on what it says, relationship, etc.

Anon, now that itbdvorm has answered this question three times, can you please accept that the answer is MAYBE?