Interested in Lit but Interviewing w/ Transactional Partner Forum

[Anonymous User]

At OCI, I have been sputtering out badly on these interviews, even at firms with huge litigation practices

Should I feign an interest in corporate? Or pull the general, IDK what I want to do spiel?

FTR, I spent my 1L summer doing only biglaw litigation, but have poor t14 grades so am far from a top candidate

I have very detailed and high level questions when interviewing with people that work in a similar area to what I did my 1L summer, but no fcking clue what to talk about with an M&A partner that isn't just canned BS..and I don't particularly care to try transactional practice (but would obviously say whatever they want me to in an interview if it would help)

opinions?

[Chrstgtr]

Most of OCI is really just shooting the breeze with attorneys and being likable. If you can manage that and have decent enough grades (assuming this isn't UVA pre-select) you should get a CB. Not trying to be insulting but if you are super concerned about what substantive issues to talk about you might just be coming off overly stiff and thereby unlikeable.

Also if your grades are so bad how did you manage to get a 1L SA?

[Anonymous User]

Most of OCI is really just shooting the breeze with attorneys and being likable. If you can manage that and have decent enough grades (assuming this isn't UVA pre-select) you should get a CB. Not trying to be insulting but if you are super concerned about what substantive issues to talk about you might just be coming off overly stiff and thereby unlikeable.

Also if your grades are so bad how did you manage to get a 1L SA?

I mean, so far, I have a few CBs with places where I interviewed particularly pitching my 1L practice area.

But then, I get in an interview with some transactional dude from random NYC corporate firm (think e.g. SRZ, Cahill, wtv...) and 8 minutes in he asks for my questions. I've tried asking the same lit-centric Qs I ask lit people, and he's like "Uhhh... idk, but since we're awesome we probably do that." Typically I spend my time asking about general firm questions, growth, practice area development... but I feel like these questions suck since they really don't highlight anything about me.

I am solidly below median, but I figure with my solid 1L summer exp I should have a decent shot at a less selective firm. I just think I am not making much a connection with the interviewers from such firms.

And I got my 1L SA the same way anyone else does... sent app, interviewed... Generally receive feedback that I am a strong interviewer and I probably have a pretty decent pre-LS resume for litigation, but completely irrelevant to whatever business/transactional practices..

[Anonymous User]

My resume screams lit and I have zero interest in transactional. I got through an interview with an NYC corporate partner by asking what deals he was working on at the moment. I understood maybe 30% of what he said, but asked a couple follow-up questions on what little I did understand, acted interested. Besides, when transactional stuff goes awry, litigation happens, so a corporate partner's work is at least tangentially related to lit. Got a callback.

And I'm pretty awkward, so if you're a strong interviewer you should be fine.

[AreJay711]

If you don't know much about M&A, why don't you ask about it? And there is no need to pretend to be more knowledgeable than you are -- keep them general and follow up if you don't understand something. The general questions would be good for you, but no need to stretch them out after you asked what you want to know. Acting interested in other people's interests when you don't give a fuck is an important skill for life.

[Nelson]

Asking questions about their career is TCR. "How did you choose that practice area?" "What do you like about corporate work?" Etc.

[Anonymous User]

Above poster is correct - make it about them. Pick up on some things they say and ask questions if you don't fully understand it. The interview should just be conversational and obviously, if your resume screams litigation, then just being engaging, confident and easy to talk to should be enough regardless of whether you have M&A knowledge or not.

I went hard for corporate and even then, I don't know half the shit people are talking about, but I just asked decent questions and followed up on what we were talking about if it sounded interesting or complex.

Questions to ask:

1. How did you get to where you are today?
2. What do you like about M&A practice area?
3. How often do you work with litigators? (i.e. do you work together if the deal is held up due to shareholder concerns with the agreement?)

Then you can just ask some general practice area questions.

Don't stress about it, you will likely interview across the spectrum of practice areas. I interviewed with ERISA lawyers, Tax laywers, L&E lawyers. All you have to do is be engaging and seem genuinely interested in what they do, and you are good to do.