On Tour Interview Program (OTIP) 2015 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Starting this thread so we can compare preselects, interview experiences, and callbacks/offers. Good luck everyone!

"Interviews are 100% pre-select and students travel to on their own expense, thereby displaying their interest, ties and commitment to working for law firms in these locations."

July 14 Student "Preselect" scheduling begins at 12:00pm EDT - students selected for interviews may schedule their interviews on a first-come, first-served basis.
July 16 Preselect scheduling closes at 6:00pm EDT. Deadline to cancel/decline interview offers.
July 17 Student "Alternate" scheduling begins at 12:00pm EDT - students selected as alternate candidates may schedule for any open interview times on a first-come, first-served basis (with the exception of Chicago and Miami).
July 19 Alternate scheduling closes at 6:00pm EDT.
July 20 Open Sign-Ups Open at 12:00pm EDT (if any interview slots available).
July 22 Open Sign-Ups Close at 6:00pm EDT (if any interview slots available).
July 24 Final Schedule Confirmation and Logistics Email.

Aug 3 San Francisco and Chicago On Tour Interview Program
Aug 4 Los Angeles On Tour Interview Program
Aug 5 Dallas On Tour Interview Program
Aug 6 Houston and Miami On Tour Interview Program

When posting preselect results:
GPA: Top __%
City:
# of preselects:
# of alternates:

[Anonymous User]

Just got offered a TA position. Mulling sending a updated resume to all the recruiters. Thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

Just got offered a TA position. Mulling sending a updated resume to all the recruiters. Thoughts?

ETA: Congrats on getting a TA position!

Good question. Also wondering if we should send updated resumes when journal results come out. Or just inform the interviewer during the screener?

[Anonymous User]

Just got offered a TA position. Mulling sending a updated resume to all the recruiters. Thoughts?

ETA: Congrats on getting a TA position!

Good question. Also wondering if we should send updated resumes when journal results come out. Or just inform the interviewer during the screener?

Thanks, I went ahead and sent it and about 1/3 of the firms responded saying thank you. I only submitted an updated resume because I thought potentially some of the firms might not have made decisions (pre-select doesn't come out for another few days / i concede that most have probably already made decisions). I'll bring updated resumes to the screener based on journal--etc.

[Anonymous User]

Looks like last year some preselects came out around midnight EST, followed by more during the day. We could see some preselects tonight people!

[Foghornleghorn]

I have my fingers crossed, good luck to anon OP and everyone else!

[Anonymous User]

As a person who lived on the East Coast her whole life, but wants to move out west badly (IP focused, some family in the Bay and LA, mostly just really sick of New York--and trust me, it happens), does anyone know if OTIP is skewed more for people who are regional, or if someone like me has a shot through it as well? I know SF and LA are both hard markets to crack if you aren't local, but does anyone have any success stories?

[Anonymous User]

interviewers will likely look for some kind of familial/strong ties for most of these markets

[jimmywho]

As a person who lived on the East Coast her whole life, but wants to move out west badly (IP focused, some family in the Bay and LA, mostly just really sick of New York--and trust me, it happens), does anyone know if OTIP is skewed more for people who are regional, or if someone like me has a shot through it as well? I know SF and LA are both hard markets to crack if you aren't local, but does anyone have any success stories?

I received 5 screeners from the San Fran OTIP last year with zero ties and just IP interest with patent bar eligible degree (Physics). I think if you have an engineering background or any other desireable technical background, they overlook the ties. In your case you actually have some.

[Anonymous User]

Preselects are out!

GPA: ~median

SF: 3 preselects, 2 alts
LA: 3 preselects, 1 alts

[Anonymous User]

GPA: exactly median

Houston: 10 for 12

[Anonymous User]

Is that it or could preselects trickle in over the next few days? Also, how do we schedule the interviews?

[Anonymous User]

Is that it or could preselects trickle in over the next few days? Also, how do we schedule the interviews?

If the "Invitations" column still says "pending" then the result could trickle out. But if it says "not invited" then I am pretty sure the decision is final.

It looks like we can start accepting preselects tomorrow at 12pm EST according to the OTIP website.

[Anonymous User]

according to the OP, scheduling should begin tomorrow at 12pm EDT

[Anonymous User]

Is there limitation on # of pre-selects you can accept?

[Anonymous User]

Top 15%
LA: 5 Preselects
(didn't bid anywhere else)

5 for 8 on LA firms and a few "pending". Dings on K&E/Morgan Lewis/Proskauer. Not sure what to do since I might be xferring to a non-OTIP school.

[Anonymous User]

Assuming that there are eight hours of slots (9-5 / one hour break for lunch from 12-1), that means a potential of 24 interview slots. Ideally if you could get an odd position (Slot 1, 3, 5 / 2, 4,6) you could do 10-11 and have a 20 minute break between each. Odds are that it's difficult to pull that off. My guess would be that anymore than 7-8 would require doing interviews consecutively with no break, which might be counterproductive late in the day.

[Anonymous User]

GPA: Top 1/3

SF: 2-3

LA: 10-13

Whats the word on Crowell and Allen Matkin?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how the interviewing works? Is it all in one central location i.e. can we schedule back to back interviews?

[Anonymous User]

It is all in one location (the one listed on the OTIP website for your city), and the system will not let you do back to back interviews.

[Anonymous User]

I validated today. You can potentially schedule eleven (I had a late invite from Sidley)-- but everything has to line up perfectly. Through some acrobatics I was able to schedule 10. It's going to be a marathon of a day.

[Anonymous User]

I have some questions regarding OTIP. How does one quantify the pre-selects? Do firms utilize similar criteria in making the selections as they would at OCI? In order words, do the pre-selects provide some insight into a candidate's competitive ability come OCI? After all, many of these firms will be conducting similar interviews at the very same schools just a week later.

Secondly, and related to my original question, are firms just as committed to calling back candidates as they are at OCI? On one hand, I would not think there would be as much pressure to call back a certain amount due to wanting to continue to do OCI at the school in the future (is this even a tenable hypothesis?). But on the other hand, we are essentially coming to the firms right? So they theoretically don't have as much incentives to shoot for a certain amount of callbacks etc. In fact, I'm surprised that the TLS fora have not conducted a study that would provide hard numbers as to the effects of OTIP!

Anyways, I am trying to get a feel for what to expect and would welcome any feedback.

[Anonymous User]

Any ideas how we figure out the names of the individuals conducting the interviews?

[Anonymous User]

With respect to interviews, some firms have listed the interviewers in symplicity. The final schedules come out on July 24. I imagine we will get more info then and possible emails from firm recruiters as well.

Food for thought:

1) OTIP happens first. You have an early chance to swing a callback before too many are scheduled (same idea as early LS applications)

2) While many of the firms recruit at your school, they often group multiple cities together (ex: you attend OTIP Miami but everyone at OCI is bidding unusually high to interview for their LA/SF/DC offices). If well strategized, you can move other firms up your OCI bidlist

3) When you interview at OTIP, you're getting facetime with the actual lawyers from the satellite (i.e. the LA firm might conduct all OCI interviews and straight up might not be interested/ less likely to "fight" to make sure you get a callback)

4) OTIP is invite only--they've seen your grades (for those of you whose OCI is pure lottery--looking at you NU) and chosen to interview you

5) It's great practice for OCI.

6) Because you paid for airfare and hotel, have friends/family willing to host you / finagled some sort of other arrangement, the satellite firm will likely be less suspicious of your interest in the city / region

Trying to divine / distinguish is a fool's errand. The OTIP city, the regional market, the firm, and the partners interviewing (who might have been called in at the last minute) will vary from firm to firm

Focus on the things you can control. Research and prepare thoroughly and keep applying / mass mailing until you get an offer. OTIP interviews are pure upside: at best, they lead to callbacks; at worst, they are an excellent trial run for OCI.

p.s. From what I've heard anecdotally, some (KEY WORD: some) firms get back to you quickly with callbacks from the program ( same day / less than a week. Having a callback scheduled going into OCI would be a wonderful confidence boost.

[Anonymous User]

I couldn't find the 2014 OTIP thread, was there ever one?