Small Firm OCI Forum

[Anonymous User]

I a have an interview with a small firm (under 20 attorneys) in a large market this afternoon. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any insight? This is an odd interview with one of the founding members of the firm and I can't find any really helpful information about the firm anywhere beyond the bare basics and a few cases they've handled.

Any thoughts? Is it OK to ask them why they are participating in OCI given that every other firm at my schools OCI is Biglaw? I don't even know if they hire SAs regularly or not so I'm flying blind

[bk1]

Is it OK to ask them why they are participating in OCI given that every other firm at my schools OCI is Biglaw?

That is a weird question to ask because the answer is obvious: they, like every other employer, are at your OCI to hire someone to work for them for the summer. While it is rarer for small firms to attend OCI, it is not unheard of and many schools have smaller firms at OCI every year.

[Anonymous User]

A bit late for the OP, but I tend to focus my questions for small firms at OCI on what their expansion plans are, and then steer followups to divine if they're planning to offer most/all of their SAs. The fact is, in a 18 attorney firm, if they're taking 2 or 3 SAs and expect to offer them all, they're expanding.

My followup after that is often something about their independence and plans for the future (vis a vis mergers/takeovers). I don't necessarily have an angle I'm trying to get at, but I'm genuinely interested in the business of law and the firm where I hope to be later considering an offer.

Because I've narrowly focused my search geographically in a highly competitive market, I interviewed with a number of small (<25 attorney) firms. Some are seeking to capture more of the business that they're currently having to pass up due to capacity and are actively expanding and are offering every SA they have that doesn't screw something up majorly; and others are taking 2 SAs a year but only adding a new associate ever few years.

[reasonable_man]

I a have an interview with a small firm (under 20 attorneys) in a large market this afternoon. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any insight? This is an odd interview with one of the founding members of the firm and I can't find any really helpful information about the firm anywhere beyond the bare basics and a few cases they've handled.

Any thoughts? Is it OK to ask them why they are participating in OCI given that every other firm at my schools OCI is Biglaw? I don't even know if they hire SAs regularly or not so I'm flying blind

I spent several years at a small firm and ran our law clerk/associate hiring before going back to a larger firm. If you had asked me a question like this - I would be pretty turned off.

[20160810]

I a have an interview with a small firm (under 20 attorneys) in a large market this afternoon. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any insight? This is an odd interview with one of the founding members of the firm and I can't find any really helpful information about the firm anywhere beyond the bare basics and a few cases they've handled.

Any thoughts? Is it OK to ask them why they are participating in OCI given that every other firm at my schools OCI is Biglaw? I don't even know if they hire SAs regularly or not so I'm flying blind

I spent several years at a small firm and ran our law clerk/associate hiring before going back to a larger firm. If you had asked me a question like this - I would be pretty turned off.

Yeah thats a stupid question. Also probably half of the firms who did OCI at my school were under 50 attorneys. It just depends on the market where your school is located.