CB ethics/etiquette Forum

[Anonymous User]

What to answer if the interviewer asks who else you're interviewing with and that is your only CB. Don't want to seem unqualified, but also don't want to lie.

[paulinaporizkova]

I'd seriously be honest. At least then the firm knows if they offered you you would accept immediately. If you want, preface it with something about the job market being insanely brutal, because it is.

[NotMyRealName09]

The truth is usually a good answer. Usually.......

It's not a secret the legal employment market is difficult. Unless you are top of your class, you probably won't get that question at all.

[paulinaporizkova]

The truth is usually a good answer. Usually.......

It's not a secret the legal employment market is difficult. Unless you are top of your class, you probably won't get that question at all.

Definitely not true. It's commonplace to get that question.

[09042014]

Maybe I'm just a solid dood, but if someone said "this is my only one bro," I'd recommend him for an offer. You don't fuck with a persons career.

[anon168]

What to answer if the interviewer asks who else you're interviewing with and that is your only CB. Don't want to seem unqualified, but also don't want to lie.

Lie. Tell them you are "looking at" firms X, Y and Z.

Firms, just like law students, are very insecure. No one wants to be interviewing someone every other firm in town passed on.

[Anonymous User]

OP here - maybe I should have made this a poll. There doesn't seem to be a credited answer.

[r6_philly]

What to answer if the interviewer asks who else you're interviewing with and that is your only CB. Don't want to seem unqualified, but also don't want to lie.

Lie. Tell them you are "looking at" firms X, Y and Z.

Firms, just like law students, are very insecure. No one wants to be interviewing someone every other firm in town passed on.

So does it make a candidate more attractive if he/she is interviewing with multiple comparable firms? I get some variation of this question on most callbacks.

[anon168]

What to answer if the interviewer asks who else you're interviewing with and that is your only CB. Don't want to seem unqualified, but also don't want to lie.

Lie. Tell them you are "looking at" firms X, Y and Z.

Firms, just like law students, are very insecure. No one wants to be interviewing someone every other firm in town passed on.

So does it make a candidate more attractive if he/she is interviewing with multiple comparable firms? I get some variation of this question on most callbacks.

I don't know about "more attractive" but firms definitely do get insecure when they know (from self-reporting by the candidate) that this particular interviewee has only one CB, and it's with them.

The invariable feeling and question the firm will have is, "What did everyone else pick up on that we did not?" or "Is it really possible we were the only ones to discover this gem? Lucky us, or stupid us?"

Now, there may be extenuating circumstances that may explain why an otherwise qualified candidate would only have one CB -- for example, if the candidate is interviewing OOM and that particular market has only a limited number of law firms, or if the candidate is targeting a niche area (unlikely for 2Ls). But I don't think either of these situations are what the OP is talking about.

[r6_philly]

Thanks, make sense. I suppose if you are not interviewing with peer firms, it may also make someone suspicious?

[Anonymous User]

What to answer if the interviewer asks who else you're interviewing with and that is your only CB. Don't want to seem unqualified, but also don't want to lie.

Lie. Tell them you are "looking at" firms X, Y and Z.

Firms, just like law students, are very insecure. No one wants to be interviewing someone every other firm in town passed on.

So does it make a candidate more attractive if he/she is interviewing with multiple comparable firms? I get some variation of this question on most callbacks.

I don't know about "more attractive" but firms definitely do get insecure when they know (from self-reporting by the candidate) that this particular interviewee has only one CB, and it's with them.

The invariable feeling and question the firm will have is, "What did everyone else pick up on that we did not?" or "Is it really possible we were the only ones to discover this gem? Lucky us, or stupid us?"

Now, there may be extenuating circumstances that may explain why an otherwise qualified candidate would only have one CB -- for example, if the candidate is interviewing OOM and that particular market has only a limited number of law firms, or if the candidate is targeting a niche area (unlikely for 2Ls). But I don't think either of these situations are what the OP is talking about.

So you're suggesting I lie then? Make up other firms?

[anon168]

Thanks, make sense. I suppose if you are not interviewing with peer firms, it may also make someone suspicious?

Maybe, maybe not.

Let's say you are doing a CB with Skadden, and during the interview the topic of "who else are you interviewing with" comes up and for some reason you tell the truth and say, "Oh, besides your firm, I have a CB with goldberg segalla, Buckley Sandler, and Herrick Feinstein.

Now that list would be odd. Skadden (a V5), and a handful of midlaw firms. It might make Skadden think, "Hmm, where did we fuck up on the screener process?"

But if this issue did come up and your list was disclosed simply spin it this way: "I would prefer to work in a more tight-knit environment where I have a chance of getting more early responsibility and that's why I mainly targeted more mid-sized firms. But Skadden was the one exception, because I know what kind of premium Skadden puts on utilizing and maximizing the talents of their young associates."

Now, all of that may make cowshit smell like roses, but you get the idea.

[anon168]

So you're suggesting I lie then? Make up other firms?

Do you want a job or contribute to this other thread over there --> http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=192116

[NotMyRealName09]

Figures The TLS Collective advises lying. A storehouse of ethics and morality this place is. I guess lying is ok if it's for money, says everyone.

[Anonymous User]

Figures The TLS Collective advises lying. A storehouse of ethics and morality this place is. I guess lying is ok if it's for money, says everyone.

Oh come on, get off yer high horse---this is a BS question that deserves a BS answer. What business is it of theirs where else you are interviewing? I'm not advocating a lie, but I'm sure as hell advocating a lawyerly "depends on what the meaning of is is" answer that ducks this one and makes it sound like you are positively lusted-after by peer firms.

[IAFG]

So you're suggesting I lie then? Make up other firms?

Did you interview (screen) at other firms in the same market? Then it's not a lie. Calling it a lie is absurd. I have to imagine the question is at least in part to see if you'll cop to bidding on other markets. Another reason is to try to talk you out of going to other firms (that part is more annoying; watching one firm trash another is pretty gross).

[Anonymous User]

So you're suggesting I lie then? Make up other firms?

Did you interview (screen) at other firms in the same market? Then it's not a lie. Calling it a lie is absurd. I have to imagine the question is at least in part to see if you'll cop to bidding on other markets. Another reason is to try to talk you out of going to other firms (that part is more annoying; watching one firm trash another is pretty gross).

That's pretty much the reason I got asked about it on my lone CB, which is why I was honest and said I hadn't heard back from any other firm yet. Secondary markets man...

[Anonymous User]

Simple response:

"I prefer not to answer that question, but I will certainly base my choice of firm on the right fit particularly with respect to [practice/environment/etc]. That's why I am particularly pleased to be interviewing with you at X firm."

[Anonymous User]

Simple response:

"I prefer not to answer that question, but I will certainly base my choice of firm on the right fit particularly with respect to [practice/environment/etc]. That's why I am particularly pleased to be interviewing with you at X firm."

Um, nice try. Did you get that out of The Golden Book of Really Shitty Answers that will get you (rightfully) Auto-Dinged?

[Anonymous User]

How bout "I am still waiting to hear from some firms but I am really interested in your because......

[Anonymous User]

I gave a generic answer while interviewing w an IP boutique ("other IP boutiques with a strong life sciences practice and a few GP firms with a strong IP lit group"). That got a good response from the interviewers I think bc they said that's great you know what you're looking for. I did have one partner push me for actual firm names and I felt a little awk. I figured they were going to see the firms names on my NALP form anyway though. Ultimately got the offer. The GP firms on the other hand..not so sure. One associate at a V20 asked me for firm names and when I named an IP boutique he was like ah no! Don't go to a boutique! He spent a couple mins explaining how he made his decision to go to a GP, which was helpful. However I'm not sure if it's bad that I gave the name bc he wrote it down on the top of my resume and I still haven't heard from them...

[Anonymous User]

I was asked this at the lunch with two younger associates. I answered honestly on my # of other CBs (three), but straight up pretended I didn't hear the question of "which ones," which was safe because the other associate happened to be looking right at me and talking about something else at that moment. Lucky for me, I don't know how I would have handled it otherwise. I think # of CBs is marginally inappropriate, but naming firms is completely out-of-bounds imho.

[Anonymous User]

I would just use the names of peer firms with which you had screeners. You should also say generically bland nice things about them (I interviewed with blah blah blah--really nice people), at least in the South. (And definitely nothing mean or disparaging.)

They are not going to ask you if it was a callback or a screener ever, but if they do, just go ahead and give them the blowjob. No use fighting it at that point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYJCHoEDNgs

[071816]

They are not going to ask you if it was a callback or a screener ever, but if they do, just go ahead and give them the blowjob.

precisely

[Anonymous User]

This is relevant to my interests, any serious answer?

I only have 1 CB, and another in a secondary. I don't want to mention the secondary so I only have 1...