Willkie callback --> offer 2014 Forum

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Do you know if Willkie sends out dings via email or snail mail? I'm nervous that for those of us waiting 1+ weeks, the letter is in the mail...

Willkie CB Ding came via snail mail. I knew it was coming though; final interview with the hiring partner just did not go well.

[Anonymous User]

Got a willkie callback scheduled for mid September. Is it even worth going? Feels like a lot of these NYC firms might be full by then.

[Anonymous User]

Do you know if Willkie sends out dings via email or snail mail? I'm nervous that for those of us waiting 1+ weeks, the letter is in the mail...

Willkie CB Ding came via snail mail. I knew it was coming though; final interview with the hiring partner just did not go well.

How soon after the cb did you get the ding mail?

[Anonymous User]

Got a willkie callback scheduled for mid September. Is it even worth going? Feels like a lot of these NYC firms might be full by then.

+1

[Anonymous User]

Is this all for NYC? Anyone doing a CB in DC?

Any DC offers? Timeline?

[Anonymous User]

Got a willkie callback scheduled for mid September. Is it even worth going? Feels like a lot of these NYC firms might be full by then.

+1

Same concern...it was the earliest I could schedule it.

[Anonymous User]

Same thing happened to me with a different firm. If you really want Willkie, I recommend calling in every couple days to see if anyone has canceled their CB. As people start receiving offers, they start canceling some of their callbacks. I was able to move my interview date from mid September to late August.

[Anonymous User]

CB last week. No snail mail ding.

Anyone else in the same boat?

[Anonymous User]

Same thing happened to me with a different firm. If you really want Willkie, I recommend calling in every couple days to see if anyone has canceled their CB. As people start receiving offers, they start canceling some of their callbacks. I was able to move my interview date from mid September to late August.

+1

[Anonymous User]

CB last week. No snail mail ding.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Yeah, same here. Going on two weeks this Monday.

[Anonymous User]

Got a willkie callback scheduled for mid September. Is it even worth going? Feels like a lot of these NYC firms might be full by then.

+1

I'm a 3L who just finished the SA and got the permanent offer. Yes, definitely go. (you can call Recruting to move-up your cb, but unlikly). Here's why: The way Willkie schedules its OCI tour, CB's for Harvard, Yale, Columbia, & NYU are all scheduled first, some as early as 8/14. In fact, each year, the second/third week of August is referred to as "Super Tuesday" by CLS/NYU b/c on that week, it's non-stop hectic CB's of these 2 schools, with offers flying left & right on the spot. Harvard/CLS/NYU make up the largest contingent (this year, half of the 48 SA's).
As with most firms, the yield rate for offers is about 1 in 4 (for every 4 offers, 1 is accepted). That means only about a quarter of those offers handed out to H/CLS/NYU will accept, leaving plenty of un-accepted offers for the non-T7's.

So yeah, go to the CB. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous User]

Had a CB today and I reaaaally enjoyed my visit. Really nice people and liked the idea of being a generalist for a couple of years. I've another offer from a v5 but I'm seriously considering accepting an offer from Willkie tbh... I don't think "prestige" is really that important.. anyone else in a similar situation?

In this exact situation but find myself leaning towards the v5 bc tbh, and i hate to admit it, i'm a preftige whore and also bc the exit options to my hometown in a secondary market i feel like would be better if I end up not liking the biglawl nyc life.

But I also LOVED my Willkie CB and the people I met. Not to mention those views!


What else is going into your reasoning?

Quoted anon here. No idea. Can someone comment on exit opportunities at Willkie?

Willkie's rep for culture & work environment is clear. check out Chambers: http://www.chambers-associate.com/Law/FirmFeature/3674
Otherwise, lots of threads on Willkie in TLS.

[Anonymous User]

CB last week. No snail mail ding.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Yeah, same here. Going on two weeks this Monday.

It took almost a month for me last year, so don't worry about it until you know for sure.

[alclaw10]

for those you with success at Willkie, any insight into the callback? I and am worried since they don't give you a list of interviewers ahead of time, when do you find out who you are meeting with? do they tell you what practice area they're from? how did you tailor your questions without knowing ahead of time? thanks a lot

[Anonymous User]

shot in the dark, but anyone do a pre-OCI screener and still haven't heard back? it will be a month tomorrow. they told me when i called at the 2.5 week mark id find out the end of that week, but silence. im planning on calling on tuesday and prob getting told im dinged.

[Anonymous User]

for those you with success at Willkie, any insight into the callback? i have one coming up Tuesday and am worried since they don't give you a list of interviewers ahead of time, when do you find out who you are meeting with? do they tell you what practice area they're from? how did you tailor your questions without knowing ahead of time? thanks a lot

it's actually better not knowing who you're interviewing with going in, because then you don't have to (and are not expected to) ask them tailored questions and can be more general with a good excuse. i got my schedule going in, but one of the interviewers changed last minute anyway, so it seems like nothing is very set in stone. the interviewers know this, though, and they'll take time to tell you about themselves.

the most important thing, it seemed to me, was to be likable and easygoing, since they're very much about fit. be willing and able to make small talk, ask followup questions to a narrative, laugh at their jokes, etc.

[Anonymous User]

for those you with success at Willkie, any insight into the callback? I and am worried since they don't give you a list of interviewers ahead of time, when do you find out who you are meeting with? do they tell you what practice area they're from? how did you tailor your questions without knowing ahead of time? thanks a lot

[Anonymous User]

3L here who just completed the Willkie SA===>Permanent Offer.
I'm a prestige whore as wel, but didn't have a V10 competing offer like you guys, but I chose Willkie over 2 V20's. Willkie's fantastic rep for work environment and firm culture is well-deserved, this not only from personal experience, but from feedback by quite a few senior associates who had joined the firm after initially spending 4-7 years at V10 firms. From what they say, the culture is very different from their previous sweatshop firms, no screamers, etc. Their recruiting focuses very much on personality (If you were offerred a CB, it's probably because of your laid-back personality or demeanor during your screening). I was surprised to learn that most of their associates had been there for 6+ years, and had no intention of leaving. Lastly, no billable hourly requiremetn plus 100% SA offer rate sealed the deal for me.
Exit options: I'm not worried.....being in a 400-attorney Manhattan office gives Willkie its NYC panache.

In the end, I chose Willkie b/c of culture and environment. Working at a higher Vault rank firm, while nice, would not have helped if I ended up hating the office environment.

Since we have a 3L SA in our midst, I'm hoping you can answer a few more questions. Does the relaxed environment translate into more humane/flexible hours at Willkie? Or is it just a better atmosphere while you're working 12 hour days (which is still a major plus)? Does there seem to be a face-time requirement? Did you get a sense of how the 6+ year associates feel about their partner chances? Also, is there really a hummus platter every afternoon? These are the important questions.

[Anonymous User]

declined their offer for a v20. hope this helps some of you waiting for an offer.

[Anonymous User]

Since we have a 3L SA in our midst, I'm hoping you can answer a few more questions. Does the relaxed environment translate into more humane/flexible hours at Willkie? Or is it just a better atmosphere while you're working 12 hour days (which is still a major plus)? Does there seem to be a face-time requirement? Did you get a sense of how the 6+ year associates feel about their partner chances? Also, is there really a hummus platter every afternoon? These are the important questions.

Lots of threads on Willkie culture here in TLS. Also check out Chambers: http://www.chambers-associate.com/Law/FirmFeature/3674
Last, do a re-visit of the firm. they'll be happy to accommodate..

[Anonymous User]

For those who had cb this year, which hotel did Willkie put you in? Would love to know this information - contacted their travel agency and they have no idea - and recruiting is off til Tuesday due to labor day weekend

[Anonymous User]

I'm staying in the paramount hotel west 46th

[Anonymous User]

I'm staying in the paramount hotel west 46th

is that the hotel assigned by willkie?

[Anonymous User]

I'm staying in the paramount hotel west 46th

+1