No Pre-OCI Interviews Policy Forum

[Anonymous User]

My school has a pre-OCI interview policy "prohibiting" interviews with firms that are coming to our OCI. It hasn't been emphasized that much, but I'm wondering if this is something that should strictly be adhered to or if it can be totally ignored. It seems like a lot of schools make up BS rules like this without the best interest of the students in mind.

[rad lulz]

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[Jacky D.]

Several firms will say "just wait until we're there for OCI", etc. The law school policy is probably just to save the firms the trouble. If you have some extenuating circumstance for interviewing before (already in the city or something), try it anyway, but don't be surprised if the firm says wait.

[Anonymous User]

My school has a pre-OCI interview policy "prohibiting" interviews with firms that are coming to our OCI. It hasn't been emphasized that much, but I'm wondering if this is something that should strictly be adhered to or if it can be totally ignored. It seems like a lot of schools make up BS rules like this without the best interest of the students in mind.

What are the consequences

Will they lock you out of OCI

Haven't seen any listed consequences.

[ResIpsa21]

Very important fact to know going into OCI -- school rules exist for the benefit of the school, not for you. The school doesn't want you interviewing before OCI because, if firms could get top talent from your school without wasting their time coming to campus, that's exactly what they'd do. The rule exists so that schools can say to firms "if you want our talent, you have to come to campus and interview 25 students even though only five of them are qualified to work for you." This makes the school look good and makes students who've got no shot at biglaw feel special when they get a few screener interviews before they're dinged out of the process. It doesn't help you at all.

Moral of the story -- you're the only one looking out for your own career. Nobody else will do it for you. Unless there are concrete consequences to YOU, do whatever is in your own best interest. Now, if there's an argument to be made that the firm will think you're an idiot for asking to interview early when they're already coming to campus, then maybe you don't try to interview in advance. But otherwise, forget the school rules.

[Anonymous User]

Very important fact to know going into OCI -- school rules exist for the benefit of the school, not for you. The school doesn't want you interviewing before OCI because, if firms could get top talent from your school without wasting their time coming to campus, that's exactly what they'd do. The rule exists so that schools can say to firms "if you want our talent, you have to come to campus and interview 25 students even though only five of them are qualified to work for you." This makes the school look good and makes students who've got no shot at biglaw feel special when they get a few screener interviews before they're dinged out of the process. It doesn't help you at all.

Moral of the story -- you're the only one looking out for your own career. Nobody else will do it for you. Unless there are concrete consequences to YOU, do whatever is in your own best interest. Now, if there's an argument to be made that the firm will think you're an idiot for asking to interview early when they're already coming to campus, then maybe you don't try to interview in advance. But otherwise, forget the school rules.

Completely agreed. For what it's worth, none of the firms I have contacted have to me to wait until OCI (however, it should be noted that I am currently working in a different market than my law school).