luthersloan wrote:generally their work, or stuff about the firm.
Agreed, and do your homework. Read their bios and (maybe) google them (but don't sound stalker-ish). I'll give some specifics that worked for me:
If you find something particularly interesting about their background (clerkship(s), cases, articles, press releases), ask about it. Nod your head a few times as they answer. Follow up from that if they say something that you find interesting (e.g., interviewer clerked at DC then COA, ask about the differences or the judges; interviewer has listed as a practice group something that you worked on 1L year or over the summer). Ask about recent cases or challenging problem that the interviewer has worked on. Ask about the forecast for their area of law, is it bright, complicated, or facing challenges or upheaval?
Ask about something the firm repeatedly espouses or highlights on their website like a unique program or training, but don't say immediately you think it's wonderful. Question it: "What are the drawbacks of having X? Does it foster Y? Have you gone through it/what is your experiences with it? Does it deliver as promised?" Then, once they answer, say you think it's great because of Z reason or some connection you had in undergrad/professional experience/law school.
If you attend the same law school as the interviewer did, ask about recommendations for professors or classes. Ask about local food or pubs. This has always worked well for me. If they went to undergrad or law school in an area with which you are familiar: ask them if they are originally from there. This could backfire, but you can usually talk about the city or town for a minute or two. If you interviewer is a male and seems open to the question, ask him about sports.
The one question that I asked in each of my interviews is: What do you tell young (or summer) associates who come to you and ask for advice about getting to a certain place or improving? This question is gold for a few different reasons: (1) It's so general a caveman could answer it; (2) The interviewee can, to some extent, peak behind the curtains of the more direct question of "firm culture"; (3) The interviewer has the chance to talk about what a great mentor he or she is; (4) It shows ambition and coachability. Once they give an answer, you can use a story from your resume that you weren't able to sneak in because they didn't ask about it.
Finally, and most important, use judgment in asking questions. In some interviews, you can fire questions (and turn it into a conversation) much earlier than the strict "10 mins I ask you, 10 mins you ask me" format. And in others, not so much. Play it by ear. If something comes up at minute 7 that piques your interest, ask it or save it for later. Also, I've found that anything that gets them talking about non-law related topics (TV shows, sports, regions, cities, favorite restaurants, activities, committees) is fantastic so long as you get your law-related questions in at some point. For example, I talked about
Curb Your Enthusiasm for the majority of one of my interviews and it worked out well.