V15 Partner/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions... Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts regarding firms that one should attempt to avoid next year? (Financial health, other reasons, etc)

What market do you work in?

[Anonymous User]

I will be working at a V25 in DC as a 1L. Would that create any awkwardness during OCI? I mean, if I had a really great experience, why am I not going back? Or if I might be going back, why would they waste their time with me? And if I do want a different firm, how would I explain that in a way that doesn't make me sound like I couldn't fit in at a great firm?

[itbdvorm]

Any thoughts regarding firms that one should attempt to avoid next year? (Financial health, other reasons, etc)

What market do you work in?

Wish I knew. Dewey caught me pretty off guard. I'm in NY

[itbdvorm]

I will be working at a V25 in DC as a 1L. Would that create any awkwardness during OCI? I mean, if I had a really great experience, why am I not going back? Or if I might be going back, why would they waste their time with me? And if I do want a different firm, how would I explain that in a way that doesn't make me sound like I couldn't fit in at a great firm?

Nah. Tell interviewers you had a great experience, that you've been invited back (if true) and intend to spend a few weeks at end of summer there (again, if true). Everyone expects that you'll go someplace different for 2L year for all the obvious reasons (but spend a couple of weeks at the 1L firm to preserve the offer). Then you can choose w/2 firm experiences instead of just one.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on Gibson NY from your experience?


What's the hardest part about adjusting to the job as a 1st year associate? Hardest part now that you're more senior?

Taking pay out of the equation, what's the best part about the job?

[Anonymous User]

Do you enjoy/not mind when summers get in touch with you out of the blue during their summer program to learn more about what you do over lunch? I feel like the most important aspect of the summer, aside from doing good work, is meeting many people, forming good connections, and making sure they remember me as someone who was interested and curious to learn more about the firm and the various areas. So I've been first getting back in touch with the people who helped me throughout the recruiting process, let them know I'd love to catch up, etc. But of course I would like to meet people in other areas and learn more about what they do.

So would just unsolicited emails introducing myself, inviting them out to a lunch, etc. be something that most attorneys would be open and receptive to? Was just wondering how you would feel/react if some summer in your office whom you have never met sent you an email one day, saying he is really interested in learning more about your practice area, and asking if you can chat with him sometime about it.

[itbdvorm]

Thoughts on Gibson NY from your experience?


What's the hardest part about adjusting to the job as a 1st year associate? Hardest part now that you're more senior?

Taking pay out of the equation, what's the best part about the job?

Gibson NY - not a bad place. People seem to like it. Probably comparable to Covington in terms of the non-NY native firms, a notch behind Latham and K&E, but certainly a solid shop.

Hardest part about adjusting to the job as a junior is the unpredictability. Probably the same as a senior, though it's better (and the demands that spring up out of nowhere are also, generally, better).

Other than pay, probably best thing is running deals. It's pretty interesting at the bigger picture/negotiation level.

[itbdvorm]

Do you enjoy/not mind when summers get in touch with you out of the blue during their summer program to learn more about what you do over lunch? I feel like the most important aspect of the summer, aside from doing good work, is meeting many people, forming good connections, and making sure they remember me as someone who was interested and curious to learn more about the firm and the various areas. So I've been first getting back in touch with the people who helped me throughout the recruiting process, let them know I'd love to catch up, etc. But of course I would like to meet people in other areas and learn more about what they do.

So would just unsolicited emails introducing myself, inviting them out to a lunch, etc. be something that most attorneys would be open and receptive to? Was just wondering how you would feel/react if some summer in your office whom you have never met sent you an email one day, saying he is really interested in learning more about your practice area, and asking if you can chat with him sometime about it.

As long as you're not too annoying about it, and I've got the time to do it, sure. I like taking out the summers and juniors when I can.

[Anonymous User]

How does your firm view people who have previously worked at the firm as a paralegal?

Bump

[itbdvorm]

How does your firm view people who have previously worked at the firm as a paralegal?

Bump

Sorry, missed that. Not bad, especially if they were good at their job then.

[itbdvorm]

bumping for all of the panicked summers about to start (and in answer to your question - work diligently and hard, ask questions about things that seem overly complicated but think about the issue for a few minutes before you ask, and you'll do fine).

[Anonymous User]

I know a lot of firms like to see a "dedication to the city" so there's less of a chance that you will leave after a few years.

If my hometown is a small legal market (ie, Kansas City), will I run into problems if I intern there 1L summer and then shoot for biglaw in bigger markets (Chicago, NYC) 2L?

[Anonymous User]

Ty so much for your time! Two Qs:

1) You said grade cut offs at your firm for CCN were ~top1/3. Once a student hits that GPA floor, how much would you say 2 years WE as a Business/Marketing Analyst at a Fortune 100 would help if you're interested in doing deal work? I know finance and technical WE can give boosts, but I'm wondering how much 2 years of more "vanilla" business WE helps (if at all).

2) Is M&A usually a competitive group to be placed into--provided you do good work over the summer and are enthusiastic about being in it?

[itbdvorm]

I know a lot of firms like to see a "dedication to the city" so there's less of a chance that you will leave after a few years.

If my hometown is a small legal market (ie, Kansas City), will I run into problems if I intern there 1L summer and then shoot for biglaw in bigger markets (Chicago, NYC) 2L?

nah. other-way-around is a bigger issue.

[itbdvorm]

Ty so much for your time! Two Qs:

1) You said grade cut offs at your firm for CCN were ~top1/3. Once a student hits that GPA floor, how much would you say 2 years WE as a Business/Marketing Analyst at a Fortune 100 would help if you're interested in doing deal work? I know finance and technical WE can give boosts, but I'm wondering how much 2 years of more "vanilla" business WE helps (if at all).

2) Is M&A usually a competitive group to be placed into--provided you do good work over the summer and are enthusiastic about being in it?

1) helps - not amazingly, but good WE is always nice

2) medium competitive, not insane.

[Mce252]

-What groups would you say are the most competitive? Where does bankruptcy/restructuring rank?

-How does the placement process work if you have a SA who performs well and is hired as an associate but still can't pinpoint the area they're interested in?

[roranoa]

Do you care about where someone worked before law school?

I mean, I've heard that people who went to prestigious consulting/investment firms are seen favorably but what about the rest who just had simple office jobs at some place you never heard about. Let's say, a department store at some place or some type of trading company, or maybe a paper company like Dunder Milflin(not real)? Does name value of the company matter to you?

[Virgil777]

deleted

[Geist13]

maybe this doesn't apply to V15. But in general can you try to explain why median (and even below median) students at Columbia or NYU are more attractive to large east coast firms than top 20% Law Review students at the midwestern top 30 schools? Is it just a matter of convenience? I've always been really curious about this.

[Anonymous User]

maybe this doesn't apply to V15. But in general can you try to explain why median (and even below median) students at Columbia or NYU are more attractive to large east coast firms than top 20% Law Review students at the midwestern top 30 schools? Is it just a matter of convenience? I've always been really curious about this.

I once heard a partner say, in answering why firms prefer the t10 median students over the LR t30 kids, "Is hitting 70 Home Runs in AAA really that impressive?"

[Geist13]

maybe this doesn't apply to V15. But in general can you try to explain why median (and even below median) students at Columbia or NYU are more attractive to large east coast firms than top 20% Law Review students at the midwestern top 30 schools? Is it just a matter of convenience? I've always been really curious about this.

I once heard a partner say, in answering why firms prefer the t10 median students over the LR t30 kids, "Is hitting 70 Home Runs in AAA really that impressive?"

Oh I definitely don't think top 20% kids at T1 schools are "impressive" by any means. I certainly wasn't expecting biglaw with my numbers. What I'm saying is why in the world are below median kids at Columbia any more impressive? After all, while rocking out in the minors may not be impressive, neither is batting .220 in the big leagues.

[itbdvorm]

-What groups would you say are the most competitive? Where does bankruptcy/restructuring rank?

-How does the placement process work if you have a SA who performs well and is hired as an associate but still can't pinpoint the area they're interested in?

Really depends firm to firm (on both questions). I don't think that one group is generally more difficult than another (other than with specific exceptions, like Sports law at Proskauer, or with small specialty areas). Placement is super-specific firm to firm.

[itbdvorm]

Do you care about where someone worked before law school?

I mean, I've heard that people who went to prestigious consulting/investment firms are seen favorably but what about the rest who just had simple office jobs at some place you never heard about. Let's say, a department store at some place or some type of trading company, or maybe a paper company like Dunder Milflin(not real)? Does name value of the company matter to you?

+ 1. Also, what about people who are at the top of their class but have no work experience whatsoever?

I think top of the class is always more meaningful than work experience (with nudges for relatively equivalent).

If I had to rank amongst options, it's probably top-tier WE (investment bank, top consulting firm, etc.), reasonably-good sounding work experience (company I'm reasonably familiar with, etc.), no work experience, "bad" work experience.

But nothing in the foreoging is something a good or bad interview can't swing.

[itbdvorm]

maybe this doesn't apply to V15. But in general can you try to explain why median (and even below median) students at Columbia or NYU are more attractive to large east coast firms than top 20% Law Review students at the midwestern top 30 schools? Is it just a matter of convenience? I've always been really curious about this.

I once heard a partner say, in answering why firms prefer the t10 median students over the LR t30 kids, "Is hitting 70 Home Runs in AAA really that impressive?"

Oh I definitely don't think top 20% kids at T1 schools are "impressive" by any means. I certainly wasn't expecting biglaw with my numbers. What I'm saying is why in the world are below median kids at Columbia any more impressive? After all, while rocking out in the minors may not be impressive, neither is batting .220 in the big leagues.

I think below median kids at top schools are struggling lately. But undoubtedly a big piece relates to "brand name" and the vagaries of law school. Presumably the person at the top school has a long track record of performance prior to law school that got them there. For firms that can't necessarily get the top kids from the top school, a prospect with mediocre grades but a great school can look better to almost everyone (clients, internal at the firm, etc.) than from a school they don't know as well.

There's also a piece of measurement against quality...I think the example above is fair.

[TyrionLannister]

Do you care about where someone worked before law school?

I mean, I've heard that people who went to prestigious consulting/investment firms are seen favorably but what about the rest who just had simple office jobs at some place you never heard about. Let's say, a department store at some place or some type of trading company, or maybe a paper company like Dunder Milflin(not real)? Does name value of the company matter to you?

+ 1. Also, what about people who are at the top of their class but have no work experience whatsoever?

I think top of the class is always more meaningful than work experience (with nudges for relatively equivalent).

If I had to rank amongst options, it's probably top-tier WE (investment bank, top consulting firm, etc.), reasonably-good sounding work experience (company I'm reasonably familiar with, etc.), no work experience, "bad" work experience.

But nothing in the foreoging is something a good or bad interview can't swing.

Any examples of "bad" work experience? Apologies if you already addressed this earlier.