V10 offer with median grades, here to help however I can Forum

[beattheodds]

3.2X, MVP K-JD. 28 Screeners total, 7 callbacks offered, 5 callbacks accepted, 4 offers (1 V40, 1 V50, 2 V100).

Hustled throughout the summer with alumni from various firms, great interviewer. Speaking to alumni helped to answer why this firm, I think that a good answer to that can go a long way. +1 If the alumni you speak to says they will contact the recruiter to say good things about you.

Sometimes, you also have to take charge of the interview. If you are an okay interviewer, take charge and sell yourself. These are the skills I have, this is how it would be valuable to a firm like yours.

Try to show that you have an idea of what you're doing in your life. When I say that, I mean hey I'm interested in transactional work. I took X courses last semester and I really liked that, i'm taking this next semester. Take an interest in that persons work. My best interviews were the ones were we talked about complex areas of law that I had researched or taken a class on. (Make sure that what you're advocating is something the firm does obviously...).

^This. Also (and this is something I didn't realize going into OCI) but remember what interviewers say about their firm/practice area/legal market. THIS IS HOW YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!!!! If you regurgitate this info at a later interview, the attorney's going to look at you and go "wow, this kid actually knows what's up." Makes a huge difference, and is a good way to separate yourself from the pack.

[Anonymous User]

Also (and this is something I didn't realize going into OCI) but remember what interviewers say about their firm/practice area/legal market. THIS IS HOW YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!!!! If you regurgitate this info at a later interview, the attorney's going to look at you and go "wow, this kid actually knows what's up." Makes a huge difference, and is a good way to separate yourself from the pack.

Truth.

Pro tip: at a callback, try to ask questions about the firm during the first interview of the day, and then regurgitate what you learned about the firm in your later interviews to justify why you want to be there. Explain why you want to be at the firm using the same exact words that people at the firm use to sell you on it. Try to sprinkle in details that make it look like you have the inside scoop (your X group mostly does deals of Y volume representing Z). This is way better than trying to repeat the generic things you read on the firm's website, which most of the attorneys you're interviewing with have never read or don't remember reading. The firm's website is mostly the firm's attempt to sell itself to clients, not to employees.

[Anonymous User]

Also (and this is something I didn't realize going into OCI) but remember what interviewers say about their firm/practice area/legal market. THIS IS HOW YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!!!! If you regurgitate this info at a later interview, the attorney's going to look at you and go "wow, this kid actually knows what's up." Makes a huge difference, and is a good way to separate yourself from the pack.

Truth.

Pro tip: at a callback, try to ask questions about the firm during the first interview of the day, and then regurgitate what you learned about the firm in your later interviews to justify why you want to be there. Explain why you want to be at the firm using the same exact words that people at the firm use to sell you on it. Try to sprinkle in details that make it look like you have the inside scoop (your X group mostly does deals of Y volume representing Z). This is way better than trying to repeat the generic things you read on the firm's website, which most of the attorneys you're interviewing with have never read or don't remember reading. The firm's website is mostly the firm's attempt to sell itself to clients, not to employees.

How deep did you have to know a firm?

[beattheodds]

Also (and this is something I didn't realize going into OCI) but remember what interviewers say about their firm/practice area/legal market. THIS IS HOW YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON!!!! If you regurgitate this info at a later interview, the attorney's going to look at you and go "wow, this kid actually knows what's up." Makes a huge difference, and is a good way to separate yourself from the pack.

Truth.

Pro tip: at a callback, try to ask questions about the firm during the first interview of the day, and then regurgitate what you learned about the firm in your later interviews to justify why you want to be there. Explain why you want to be at the firm using the same exact words that people at the firm use to sell you on it. Try to sprinkle in details that make it look like you have the inside scoop (your X group mostly does deals of Y volume representing Z). This is way better than trying to repeat the generic things you read on the firm's website, which most of the attorneys you're interviewing with have never read or don't remember reading. The firm's website is mostly the firm's attempt to sell itself to clients, not to employees.

How deep did you have to know a firm?

It's not really how deep you actually know the firm, but more about what's going on in the legal market, either for the practice area (corporate, litigation, etc.) or for the city (ex. how's the energy industry in Houston, or the shipping industry in Miami). You can probably look up the firm's major deals on the website, but the info that the attorneys give you is usually more in-depth, and provides insight from an attorney's point of view.

If there is something unique about a firm (maybe the way they staff assignments, or how their summer program works, etc.) make sure you remember that. However, they are all more or less the same (work-work balance, collegially cut-throat)