I think this is great advice. I'm a transfer from a mid-level T1 with a 3.8. I think I am actually a pretty good interview but in the CBs I got there was definitely a noticeably more "friendly" atmosphere by the end of the interview than the beginning. That said, I only bid t20 or better (with two exceptions where I did not, in fact get a CB) so I was pretty into the firms which made me both more anxious and more ready to relax if things got off to a good start, confident I knew enough to speak intelligently on "So... why X?"Anonymous User wrote:I don't have 6 CBs but i have a 3.08 and 5 CBs and don't even consider myself particularly successful with interviews since i have had plenty of duds and dings.Anonymous User wrote:Are the people who got a lot of CBs finding you had mostly talked about things other than law/the law firm during those interviews? Did the interviewer talk more or less than you? This info may be most valuable from someone who got 6+ CBs but doesn't have exceptional grades or law review.
I got fewer CBs than anticipated and want to know what to do differently when I go into offices.
Its very hit or miss and dependent on the interviewer but most of my interviews were just about law/the firm/law school. I think the key is not the content of the convo, but the delivery (obviously content matters to the point that you don't say anything tactless). I try to smile, to laugh, sometimes be sarcastic, frank, and even self depreciating (despite the warning from career services to exude confidence and be fake). Tell little anecdotes about classes or law school experiences in the same way that you would tell your friends. You want to come off as a friendly relatable person who can make a conversation about boring law stuff fun. But thats just my 2 cents and like i said above, i don't consider myself a fantastic interviewer by any means.
I also wanted to point out that grades (and my case, pedigree) cutoffs are both real and apparent. For instance, I interviewed at WLRK and the partner was so impressed with how far I came and liked me enough he broke from custom and, after I answered an esoteric quasi-trick forthrightness black letter law contract question correctly, spoke frankly during the screener. He said that he would love to offer me a CB but it would be basically impossible to sell me to the rest of the team. We traded emails for two days before I got my ding where he implored me to take his class and reapply next year when I have CLS grades and (hopefully) hit honors. Similarly, my Cravath interview went well enough that during the screener I was asked to reapply next year for the same reasons. At first I looked at both of these experiences as being looked down upon. But the reality is my interviews went well to very-well, and it still wasn't enough; except in the instances where it was (all NY: K&E, BSF, Latham).
tl: dr The quality of the connection is important, but you might still get nothing.
