Top Law Schools

Have a callback soonish and I'm trying to hash this out. Is the callback a better chance to ask associates about life at the firm, their work/practice area, etc.? Can I expect to have to ask far more questions? Is there a type of question (eg "how do you summer associates get work assignments?") that will feel either rehashed or just too basic for a callback?

I'm also curious about whether the types of questions I get will differ from screeners Qs.

Alternate thread title would probably be "holy shit what do I do at a callback???" so any advice would be so, so appreciated.

When in doubt, check with the Gospel According to thesealocust:

You'll usually see a mix of attorneys, all of whom will evaluate you so don't let your guard down infront of junior associates. Each interview will likely be slightly longer but otherwise the exact same format as your screening interviews. Shoot the shit! Ask cutting edge questions about how associates get work, what that particular attorney's experience with the firm/practice area has been, etc. Feel free to get more specific in callback interviews: Asking about housing, life at the firm, very specific practices or notable firm issues, etc. is more appropriate at this stage.

Anonymous User wrote:Have a callback soonish and I'm trying to hash this out. Is the callback a better chance to ask associates about life at the firm, their work/practice area, etc.? Can I expect to have to ask far more questions? Is there a type of question (eg "how do you summer associates get work assignments?") that will feel either rehashed or just too basic for a callback?

I'm also curious about whether the types of questions I get will differ from screeners Qs.

Alternate thread title would probably be "holy shit what do I do at a callback???" so any advice would be so, so appreciated.

Its just like a bunch of screeners in a row. Yes you get more questions because you get a few per interview. For talking to partners, I have felt that more firm business-y type questions seem to play well. For associates, I think that talking about the summer work, associate life etc. is fine. Just try to read the interviewer and talk about stuff that they would like to talk about.

JusticeHarlan wrote:When in doubt, check with the Gospel According to thesealocust:

You'll usually see a mix of attorneys, all of whom will evaluate you so don't let your guard down infront of junior associates. Each interview will likely be slightly longer but otherwise the exact same format as your screening interviews. Shoot the shit! Ask cutting edge questions about how associates get work, what that particular attorney's experience with the firm/practice area has been, etc. Feel free to get more specific in callback interviews: Asking about housing, life at the firm, very specific practices or notable firm issues, etc. is more appropriate at this stage.

This is the first time I've opened a new thread only to see somebody else quoting me to answer the question.

I... may spend too much time on this website.

Law Sauce wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Have a callback soonish and I'm trying to hash this out. Is the callback a better chance to ask associates about life at the firm, their work/practice area, etc.? Can I expect to have to ask far more questions? Is there a type of question (eg "how do you summer associates get work assignments?") that will feel either rehashed or just too basic for a callback?

I'm also curious about whether the types of questions I get will differ from screeners Qs.

Alternate thread title would probably be "holy shit what do I do at a callback???" so any advice would be so, so appreciated.

Its just like a bunch of screeners in a row. Yes you get more questions because you get a few per interview. For talking to partners, I have felt that more firm business-y type questions seem to play well. For associates, I think that talking about the summer work, associate life etc. is fine. Just try to read the interviewer and talk about stuff that they would like to talk about.

Can you give an example of a businessy type question? Sorry, I'm a nervous noob. I'm my screens I asked a lot about assigning work and when/how people choose or are placed into their practice areas, so I'm trying really hard to think of more questions to ask at the next stage.

Personal questions are always great. Much more likely to turn into a genuine back and forth conversation, and people love talking about themselves.

Random Example: You see that you're speaking with an associate in the tax practice. You can ask: "Everybody seems to be talking about corporate vs. litigation - what made you choose a smaller practice area like tax?"

It's not really a problem to ask the same questions to different people, FYI. Even the same questions at the screener and the CB, as long as they're not crappy questions (i.e. a direct question that could be answered by checking the firm's website or the vault guide).

thesealocust wrote:Personal questions are always great. Much more likely to turn into a genuine back and forth conversation, and people love talking about themselves.

Random Example: You see that you're speaking with an associate in the tax practice. You can ask: "Everybody seems to be talking about corporate vs. litigation - what made you choose a smaller practice area like tax?"

It's not really a problem to ask the same questions to different people, FYI. Even the same questions at the screener and the CB, as long as they're not crappy questions (i.e. a direct question that could be answered by checking the firm's website or the vault guide).

interesting. thanks for the insight.

tag.

ilovesf wrote:

Law Sauce wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Have a callback soonish and I'm trying to hash this out. Is the callback a better chance to ask associates about life at the firm, their work/practice area, etc.? Can I expect to have to ask far more questions? Is there a type of question (eg "how do you summer associates get work assignments?") that will feel either rehashed or just too basic for a callback?

I'm also curious about whether the types of questions I get will differ from screeners Qs.

Alternate thread title would probably be "holy shit what do I do at a callback???" so any advice would be so, so appreciated.

Its just like a bunch of screeners in a row. Yes you get more questions because you get a few per interview. For talking to partners, I have felt that more firm business-y type questions seem to play well. For associates, I think that talking about the summer work, associate life etc. is fine. Just try to read the interviewer and talk about stuff that they would like to talk about.

Can you give an example of a businessy type question? Sorry, I'm a nervous noob. I'm my screens I asked a lot about assigning work and when/how people choose or are placed into their practice areas, so I'm trying really hard to think of more questions to ask at the next stage.

I'm also a rising 2L so Im no expert (but I have done 4 CBs so far). What I was talking about is anything from: Can you describe a recent transaction that you have done? (average size of deal, is their an average type of client that generate these deals, how many deals are you working on at a time) or, more for a partner, what are some of the challenges that firm x has overcome in the last few years, what is the future of firm x look like. The big thing seems more to be just to have a good conversation, largely this just involves talking about what they want to talk about at a level of detail that they seem to encourage or respond to.