V15 Partner/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions... Forum

[Anonymous User]

Partner calls you to extend a callback and leaves his number in your voicemail if you have any questions. Should you call him back to thank him or does an email suffice?

[itbdvorm]

I am hoping to avoid the entire OCI ordeal. I am an SA at a firm with a traditionally high offer rate and traditionally they tend to make their announcement in mid-August. Why do some firms wait to tender their decision.... what is the rationale?

I am 100% sure that the answer is no....is there an acceptable protocol to inquiring my offer status prior to OCI.

if you are 100% sure, you don't need to ask.......

Please permit me to rephrase.... is there an acceptable protocol to inquiring my offer status prior to OCI? (Has anyone ever asked you about their status prior to the official announcement).

Also, what is the rationale regarding firms delaying to say one way or the other regarding offer/no offer? Thx.

no, not really / really depends on the firm, some need more time to gather information on micro and/or macro level

[itbdvorm]

Partner calls you to extend a callback and leaves his number in your voicemail if you have any questions. Should you call him back to thank him or does an email suffice?

email is fine

[olive16]

Can you describe what makes for a 'good' interview and what makes for a 'bad' one?

[Anonymous User]

I had lunch with a partner at a V10 in my local secondary yesterday and afterwards he emailed me saying if my grades were good after first semester (starting 1L in a month) he would get me an "office interview without going through OCI". Does this sound like he's offering me a grade-contingent CB right now, or just a screener?

[Danger Zone]

Does it feel as painfully uncomfortable being on the other side of the interview desk?

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if this has been asked already but...

As you can see, TLS is pretty neurotic about clothing. In fact, there are several threads devoted just to what to wear, esp as it pertains to OCI. People are fretting over about, imho, small things (like whether dark brown shoes or black shoes).

As a recruiter, how much do looks and clothing factor into it? Meaning do you actually make a small mental check if the person is wearing brown shoes instead of black, button down collars, or something that's not a cap toe shoe?

[Anonymous User]

Do more prestigious firms do more interesting work?

[itbdvorm]

Does it feel as painfully uncomfortable being on the other side of the interview desk?

all depends on the candidate

[itbdvorm]

Not sure if this has been asked already but...

As you can see, TLS is pretty neurotic about clothing. In fact, there are several threads devoted just to what to wear, esp as it pertains to OCI. People are fretting over about, imho, small things (like whether dark brown shoes or black shoes).

As a recruiter, how much do looks and clothing factor into it? Meaning do you actually make a small mental check if the person is wearing brown shoes instead of black, button down collars, or something that's not a cap toe shoe?

i am a heterosexual male lawyer. what do you think? just don't be ridiculous with your dress

[itbdvorm]

Do more prestigious firms do more interesting work?

yes

[Anonymous User]

Do more prestigious firms do more interesting work?

yes

Follow ups:

1) What is the best ranking of firm prestige most useful to ranking how interesting a firm's work is. Vault 100? Am Law 100 Profits Per Partner?

2) Supposing it's Am Law 100 Profits Per Partner, could you give some concrete examples to demonstrate how the average work of the average Am Law PPP 5-15 firm differs in how interesting it is from the average work of the average Am Law PPP 85-100 firm?

[Anonymous User]

What are some of the best answers you've heard to the question "why should we hire you?'

[Anonymous User]

While I know you cannot say for certain, but what are my chance of an offer in this situation? I had a CB (for permanent employment, not SA) that was originally scheduled to be with 3 attorneys. I ended up meeting formally with 7 attorneys throughout the morning, some of whom had just been added that morning and hadn't received a copy of my resume until in the room with me.

[Anonymous User]

I do not come from a law background, am not doing corporate type work in my 1l summer job, and I am not familiar with the things Big law firms do (besides general things - like working in IP law, working in Mergers and Acquisitions)

I feel like if I'm asked why I would want to work for X firm, I really don't know why I would want to besides the prestige/money. I do however enjoy researching, enjoy writing (which I've worked SO hard to improve), and really do enjoy working hard and long hours. I'm usually passionate about whatever I do. These things would make me a good fit for any firm though, working in any practice, but I somehow can't make it specific less general than that. Any tips?

[Anonymous User]

I've done a bit of networking in preparation for OCI. Should I get permission from the attorneys I've spoken with before mentioning my conversations with them in interviews. I don't plan on randomly bringing these convos up but I would like to mention them in response to the "Why Us" question.

[Anonymous User]

I've done a bit of networking in preparation for OCI. Should I get permission from the attorneys I've spoken with before mentioning my conversations with them in interviews. I don't plan on randomly bringing these convos up but I would like to mention them in response to the "Why Us" question.

I networked heavily before OCI too, did not ask permission to bring up the attorneys I met with, and almost always tried to find a way to work them into the interview. As you suggested, the "why us" question leaves the door wide open to saying that you spoke with a specific person about the firm and you really liked X that they told you (I would sometimes even just say that I really like the person as long as I genuinely did and they weren't a miserable bastard).

[Anonymous User]

T10 school. I didn't get an interview at a firm I was really interested in via the bidding lottery. I sent an e-mail to the head of recruiting in my market basically saying "hey I didn't get an interview through the lottery but i'm really interested in the firm is there a way I could possibly still interview" etc etc. I even mentioned I was a native of the particular market and could come in for an interview at any time. no response but a week later i get a form rejection letter in the mail saying "unfortunately we could not offer you a position".

What does this mean? I was only asking for a screener and a lot of other places have just responded with "please drop by our hospitality suite, we'll see what we can do." did this firm really just preemptively reject me or is it likely an error? I just find it weird that they straight up rejected me with no more or less information than they have from people who were lucky enough to get them in the lottery.

[skers]

T10 school. I didn't get an interview at a firm I was really interested in via the bidding lottery. I sent an e-mail to the head of recruiting in my market basically saying "hey I didn't get an interview through the lottery but i'm really interested in the firm is there a way I could possibly still interview" etc etc. I even mentioned I was a native of the particular market and could come in for an interview at any time. no response but a week later i get a form rejection letter in the mail saying "unfortunately we could not offer you a position".

What does this mean? I was only asking for a screener and a lot of other places have just responded with "please drop by our hospitality suite, we'll see what we can do." did this firm really just preemptively reject me or is it likely an error? I just find it weird that they straight up rejected me with no more or less information than they have from people who were lucky enough to get them in the lottery.

It's pretty unlikely they accidentally mailed you a rejection letter.

[CA91]

[splitsplat]

You keep talking about getting an student to "wow" you if their gpa is slightly below the preferred range. Can you go into more detail of what exactly that entails?

it's not "personality fit" - it's wowing me. telling me about how you found X case or deal (that we did) fascinating and you really like Y. wow me. impress me. discuss law at a thoughtful level. show me how you understand an industry.

your lack of research is not wowing him zzzz

[Anonymous User]

T10 school. I didn't get an interview at a firm I was really interested in via the bidding lottery. I sent an e-mail to the head of recruiting in my market basically saying "hey I didn't get an interview through the lottery but i'm really interested in the firm is there a way I could possibly still interview" etc etc. I even mentioned I was a native of the particular market and could come in for an interview at any time. no response but a week later i get a form rejection letter in the mail saying "unfortunately we could not offer you a position".

What does this mean? I was only asking for a screener and a lot of other places have just responded with "please drop by our hospitality suite, we'll see what we can do." did this firm really just preemptively reject me or is it likely an error? I just find it weird that they straight up rejected me with no more or less information than they have from people who were lucky enough to get them in the lottery.

It's pretty unlikely they accidentally mailed you a rejection letter.

But they don't know anything about me other than that I go to X school and didn't get an interview through the lottery. It just seems odd. They still are going to be collecting resumes on campus from people without interviews.

[TooOld4This]

T10 school. I didn't get an interview at a firm I was really interested in via the bidding lottery. I sent an e-mail to the head of recruiting in my market basically saying "hey I didn't get an interview through the lottery but i'm really interested in the firm is there a way I could possibly still interview" etc etc. I even mentioned I was a native of the particular market and could come in for an interview at any time. no response but a week later i get a form rejection letter in the mail saying "unfortunately we could not offer you a position".

What does this mean? I was only asking for a screener and a lot of other places have just responded with "please drop by our hospitality suite, we'll see what we can do." did this firm really just preemptively reject me or is it likely an error? I just find it weird that they straight up rejected me with no more or less information than they have from people who were lucky enough to get them in the lottery.

It's pretty unlikely they accidentally mailed you a rejection letter.

But they don't know anything about me other than that I go to X school and didn't get an interview through the lottery. It just seems odd. They still are going to be collecting resumes on campus from people without interviews.

You didn't send them a resume? That was a mistake.

Most likely, they have no plans to interview other than through OCI and are auto rejecting all inquiries. Go to the hospitality suite and/or give them your resume at OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Two of the firms, one I would love to work out, scheduled me as an "alternate" for an OCI interview. Is this a sign that I should use that interview slot for another firm?

[potted plant]

T10 school. I didn't get an interview at a firm I was really interested in via the bidding lottery. I sent an e-mail to the head of recruiting in my market basically saying "hey I didn't get an interview through the lottery but i'm really interested in the firm is there a way I could possibly still interview" etc etc. I even mentioned I was a native of the particular market and could come in for an interview at any time. no response but a week later i get a form rejection letter in the mail saying "unfortunately we could not offer you a position".

What does this mean? I was only asking for a screener and a lot of other places have just responded with "please drop by our hospitality suite, we'll see what we can do." did this firm really just preemptively reject me or is it likely an error? I just find it weird that they straight up rejected me with no more or less information than they have from people who were lucky enough to get them in the lottery.

It's pretty unlikely they accidentally mailed you a rejection letter.

But they don't know anything about me other than that I go to X school and didn't get an interview through the lottery. It just seems odd. They still are going to be collecting resumes on campus from people without interviews.

How did they know your address to mail you a rejection? Do you include that information in all your emails? Lots of schools send resumes to all the firms you bid on, so it's possible they did have your resume and looked it through and decided you missed the cut. That would also explain why they knew your address. But you know better than us how competitive you are at that firm. It can't hurt to try to talk to them at OCI. If it was a real rejection worst that can happen is they reject you again. If not, you could get an interview.