Firm Visit Forum

[moandersen]

I was invited and will be visiting the firm I will be working at this summer to take a tour of the office and meet a handful of attorneys. I know I need to not act like an ass during the visit, but should I do research on these attorneys as if this was an interview, or will this be a more casual setting? Anyone with experience visiting a firm and meeting attorneys before starting in the summer, please feel free to chime in. Random semi-on-point responses are welcomed as well. Thanks.

[patrickd139]

ITE, your entire summer experience is one long interview. Act accordingly.

[BarbellDreams]

ITE, your entire summer experience is one long interview. Act accordingly.

To simply say TCR to this would be a understatement. Its 100% on point.

I met a partner at the firm I will be interning for this summer entirely randomly a couple of weeks back. I was punshaven and had a sweatshirt on . Either way I think the best you can do is be excited and charismatic. Don't just walk around and stay quiet but also don't relax and speak like you would to classmates. As my friend who is a partner at a V100 put it: "Your SA position isn't simply testing your legal skills, its also testing your personality and how you'd fit in the office long term. A partner asking you out to lunch may seem innocent but more times than not they want to see you relaxed and see how you'd act in a not-so-professional environment."

[Moxie]

I was invited and will be visiting the firm I will be working at this summer to take a tour of the office and meet a handful of attorneys. I know I need to not act like an ass during the visit, but should I do research on these attorneys as if this was an interview, or will this be a more casual setting? Anyone with experience visiting a firm and meeting attorneys before starting in the summer, please feel free to chime in. Random semi-on-point responses are welcomed as well. Thanks.

I did something similar with my summer firm, meeting with associates and partners to get a feel for the place. I did research beforehand, and it was helpful. You won't be grilled by these guys since you got the offer, but summer associate programs are an extended interview, so don't go in uninformed or unprofessional.

[moandersen]

Thanks for the replies. Sucks that the pressure will always be on, but thats just how it is i guess. Ill have to do my hw on these attorneys the night before and memorize it.

[patrickd139]

Thanks for the replies. Sucks that the pressure will always be on, but thats just how it is i guess. Ill have to do my hw on these attorneys the night before and memorize it.

Protip: during the meet 'n greet, don't actually reference anything you dig up. That's creepy and stalker-esque. (i.e. "I noticed you spent a summer abroad in Spain in college. I did too!" or "How do you like volunteering at the local [insert volunteer location here]?")

Better plan would be to use said info to avoid certain topics (i.e. talking basketball with a Texas fan, or proclaiming your support for Bruce Pearl to a Tennessee fan) or approach broad subjects that you know are probably safe (i.e. lawyer serves on board of directors for local symphony, and you happen to be a huge Vivaldi fan).

[moandersen]

Thanks for the replies. Sucks that the pressure will always be on, but thats just how it is i guess. Ill have to do my hw on these attorneys the night before and memorize it.

Protip: during the meet 'n greet, don't actually reference anything you dig up. That's creepy and stalker-esque. (i.e. "I noticed you spent a summer abroad in Spain in college. I did too!" or "How do you like volunteering at the local [insert volunteer location here]?")

Better plan would be to use said info to avoid certain topics (i.e. talking basketball with a Texas fan, or proclaiming your support for Bruce Pearl to a Tennessee fan) or approach broad subjects that you know are probably safe (i.e. lawyer serves on board of directors for local symphony, and you happen to be a huge Vivaldi fan).

haha, I know man. But thanks for the tip anyways.

Im in ACC country, so college basketball is the correct topic of choice year round and especially now, given their success in the tournament.