2018 Pre-OCI Interviews Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know if it’s worth bidding a firm that’s invited you for an early interview? If you don’t get an early offer would OCI be a legitimate second chance or will they just ding you?

I am also going through this process, so by no means an expert, but I have a hard time imaging a firm hiring you after they decided not to hire you after you already did a callback.

That's what I was thinking but I figured I would ask

If you interview and don't get an offer, waste of time to try to re-interview. But if they just never respond to your pre-OCI application, I'd 100% still bid em. Also can take a shot at a different office; like say you interview pre-OCI for Gibson DC and flame out, no reason not to bid Gibson NY.

Also -- heard back from Simpson. Like Paul, Weiss, no screener, just the multi-interview thing at their offices.

when did you submit the application for Simpson and Paul Weiss?

Like mid last week, so pretty quick turnaround

[Anonymous User]

This might be too TTT for some of you, but I thought it was pertinent to the topic.

you're getting the same interviews and same paycheck as everyone else. This just comes off weird. Congrats on the interviews! and you're providing some helpful info here: know your resume backwards and forwards.

Original anon. Sorry man, wasn't trying to make it weird. I have (not infrequently) experienced some TLS users jumping down my throat because I'm not T-13 > V5. But yeah, I 100% rely on what I have done in the professional environment to convince firms I will be a successful lawyer. AS someone else said, that is generally how interviews go, but I think here is a unique situation. Obviously, K-JD are going to have to rely more heavily on law school success as indicators or future success, but if you have the right work experience you can work around that. In my case, I have spent most of my time developing pre-organized talking points about why my own work history is a 1 to 1 match for legal employment (it isn't, but I've learned to sell it well enough that no one questions me lol).

ETA: In my experience (working for 10 years), the key to any interview is to control where it goes. Make your strong points as interesting as possible and tell it in such a way that it commands very specific followup questions. If you know what youre going to be asked and what your answer will be and you have practiced delivery to where you come off as confident and genuine it will go a long way to getting you a job.

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

Applied to a bunch of Bay Area firms last week. Got a few responses asking either to apply online or to give them time to revert. Anyone has screeners/CBs?

[Anonymous User]

Received an invite to interview with V50 this afternoon. Unclear about whether it is a screener or callback (all e-mail says is interview). My resume was passed on to recruiting by a partner. I need to decide ASAP whether or not to remove this firm from my OCI bid list. I get the logic of it being a wasted bid, and I agree. I don't want my contact to feel slighted that I didn't bid on them though. Anyone have thoughts on this? Firm does NOT have a one interview policy.

Edit:
T1
top 20%
Secondary journal
5 years WE

[Anonymous User]

any STB offers go out yet?

[Anonymous User]

Received an invite to interview with V50 this afternoon. Unclear about whether it is a screener or callback (all e-mail says is interview). My resume was passed on to recruiting by a partner. I need to decide ASAP whether or not to remove this firm from my OCI bid list. I get the logic of it being a wasted bid, and I agree. I don't want my contact to feel slighted that I didn't bid on them though. Anyone have thoughts on this? Firm does NOT have a one interview policy.

Edit:
T1
top 20%
Secondary journal
5 years WE

Don't think slighting is an issue in this situation. Anway, bid them but so low that you don't get them.

[Anonymous User]

Received an invite to interview with V50 this afternoon. Unclear about whether it is a screener or callback (all e-mail says is interview). My resume was passed on to recruiting by a partner. I need to decide ASAP whether or not to remove this firm from my OCI bid list. I get the logic of it being a wasted bid, and I agree. I don't want my contact to feel slighted that I didn't bid on them though. Anyone have thoughts on this? Firm does NOT have a one interview policy.

Edit:
T1
top 20%
Secondary journal
5 years WE

Don't think slighting is an issue in this situation. Anway, bid them but so low that you don't get them.

correct me if I'm mistaken but a "one interview policy" refers to different offices, right. ie you can take a shot at LA and NYC. but interviewing at the same office twice in the span of a month seems like a waste of your time as well as the firm's. doubt your contact would be offended; she/he probably assumes you're not going to bid them now that you've secured an interview. or at least I would?

anyway I wouldn't even bid em low; just take em off the list

[Anonymous User]

I think this was mentioned but I can confirm Weil (NY) has extended offers. A buddy of mine that I’m working with this summer just secured a spot -not sure of his stats but I know he’s up there at a T-25 ranked school.

Kirkland Ellis Boston is already doing pre-oci screeners as well. Just had one late last week.

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

Callback

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

Callback

thats what im confused about. I haven't done a screening interview with the firm, just met a partner for coffee. the email also said "early screening interview".

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

Callback

thats what im confused about. I haven't done a screening interview with the firm, just met a partner for coffee. the email also said "early screening interview".

It doesn't matter what they call it. It's a callback...and it doesn't matter that you haven't had a screener. I have three callbacks next week...haven't had a screener with any of them. Pre-oci, things are little more fluid, a little looser, and the terminology isn't as clear as it is during OCI. It's possible the firm doesn't want to indicate that they're doing pre-oci callbacks. But, if you're meeting with multiple attorneys, that's much more akin to a callback than a screener.

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

Callback

thats what im confused about. I haven't done a screening interview with the firm, just met a partner for coffee. the email also said "early screening interview".

It doesn't matter what they call it. It's a callback...and it doesn't matter that you haven't had a screener. I have three callbacks next week...haven't had a screener with any of them. Pre-oci, things are little more fluid, a little looser, and the terminology isn't as clear as it is during OCI. It's possible the firm doesn't want to indicate that they're doing pre-oci callbacks. But, if you're meeting with multiple attorneys, that's much more akin to a callback than a screener.

got it, thanks! so if its aced, its the last interview before an offer?

[Anonymous User]

Got an interview at a V50 firm in DC and was told that I would be meeting with several attorneys. Given that OCI hasn't started, is that a screener or more of a callback?

Callback

thats what im confused about. I haven't done a screening interview with the firm, just met a partner for coffee. the email also said "early screening interview".

It doesn't matter what they call it. It's a callback...and it doesn't matter that you haven't had a screener. I have three callbacks next week...haven't had a screener with any of them. Pre-oci, things are little more fluid, a little looser, and the terminology isn't as clear as it is during OCI. It's possible the firm doesn't want to indicate that they're doing pre-oci callbacks. But, if you're meeting with multiple attorneys, that's much more akin to a callback than a screener.

got it, thanks! so if its aced, its the last interview before an offer?

Assuming "aced" means doing well, it doesn't matter--this is your last interview no matter what happens. They will either offer you or they won't. I have never heard of a CB going okay and a firm asking for another interview.

[Anonymous User]

Two V50 CBs in Houston next week. Both firms will be at my school's OCI in a month.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone who's done a pre-OCI callback with Debevoise NY hear anything yet?