No ties to Seattle - Fly out for screener? Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I mass mailed everywhere, just got a response from Lane Powell in Seattle. They would like me to fly out for a screener that I pay for. I have not received an official offer anywhere yet. However Lane Powell only hiring 1 SA and I have absolutely zero connection to the west coast.

What should I do? How should i do it?

[filibuster]

why don't you request skype? I had several successful screeners pre-OCI that were done via Skype. I live in Washington, DC and interviewed with CA firms.

[Anonymous User]

If they were explicit that it is just a screener, I'd politely ask if they can accommodate a video conference interview instead - students have financial constraints. It's ridiculous to ask you to fly on your own dime for a SCREENER and the firm is in poor form for asking.

[Anonymous User]

Seconding ask for Skype.

Seattle has ridiculous ideas of ties- I lived there for 9 years (college summers, then fulltime starting right after graduation) and then left for a few years because of my husband's job. I got a phone call from a recruiter at a firm I'd applied to the other day, and we were chatting away about downtown Seattle, and she was saying how much they liked that I'd spent years working at a tech company in Seattle (one of the big ones founded there). We talk about various neighborhoods, and I tell her that my best friend owns a house near Green Lake and we would live in that area as well, but we also liked living in West Seattle. She asks my availability for a skype screener interview, and we come up with a few times; she's going to check with the attorneys to finalize and email me back. Then she asks me what Seattle high school I went to. I tell her that I grew up on the East Coast. She says nothing for a long pause and then, "Oh, that's nice."

Never did hear back about when that skype interview was supposed to happen.

[filibuster]

No doubt Seattle is pretty damn insular, but who gives a fuck? They want to speak with you. Probably apparent from your resume that Seattle ties are lacking

[Anonymous User]

got the same email. but how did you know if that's CB invitation or just a screener? though I suspected if it's the firm mass mailing every applicants now...

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother interviewing with Lane Powell unless you've got ties to the Pacific Northwest or attend a T14 school.
Take a look at their "Recent Additions" tab. They hired about 15 attorneys (some lateral) out of which only ONE was not from a local school or from a T14 law school.
This is pretty consistent with what I've seen from other firms based in the PNW.

If you do decide to fly out, make sure you have a convincing story for why you want to practice here.

[tonidee]

You should ask for clarification about whether it is a screener or a callback. You could also ask them if they can make it a callback format. If you do decide to fly out, you should contact other Seattle firms to let them know you are in the area and would like to interview while you are in town.

I am from Seattle and was also a 1L summer at a firm at a large Seattle firm. I ended up doing a few piggy-backs using the method described above.
If the firm is willing to consider you, then there is something about your resume that they like and you should explore the opportunity. If you don't have any offers, you should go for it.


Note: I received 2L offers from a couple of Seattle firms, but I ended in DC.

[Br3v]

I consider mass mail interviews CBs, but maybe I am wrong. I'd fly out personally, but I guess it depends how tight your budget is. Flying out will show your seriously considering the market I would think.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother interviewing with Lane Powell unless you've got ties to the Pacific Northwest or attend a T14 school.
Take a look at their "Recent Additions" tab. They hired about 15 attorneys (some lateral) out of which only ONE was not from a local school or from a T14 law school.
This is pretty consistent with what I've seen from other firms based in the PNW.

If you do decide to fly out, make sure you have a convincing story for why you want to practice here.

top third at lower T14 but has no tie to Seattle at all. (except a relative and few friends whom I seldom visit). should I give it a try?

[DELG]

holy shit

yes you fly yourself out

then you tell every other firm in town that you have an interview at Lane Powell and would love to make time to meet them too

[Pokemon]

holy shit

yes you fly yourself out

then you tell every other firm in town that you have an interview at Lane Powell and would love to make time to meet them too

This. Also pretty easy to turn one interview into a few by informing the other firms of your presence.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother. I regret even flying out to Seattle for a CB when I had no ties. And yours is just a screener.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother. I regret even flying out to Seattle for a CB when I had no ties. And yours is just a screener.

If I had taken this advice I wouldn't have a job at all. Flying myself out to meet with 1 firm got me 3 interviews and 2 offers.

[legalese_retard]

I agree that you should fly out and contact other firms in Seattle letting them know you are in town. It might be worth asking your school's CSO or dean of students for a possible travel stipend. If your school is far from Seattle, the admins might be more willing to assist so the school can improve its national placement of law grads. They may say no or only give a little, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Also, if you do go on the interview, tell them how flying for the interview was a great excuse to visit your relative and friends in the Seattle area. It will make you seem already established in the city, even if your "ties" aren't as strong as the firm may perceive it. Since you are at a T14 school, you probably have the stats to have gotten into UWash with scholarship money. Be prepared to answer why you went to your current school and not a local school when they ask you if your interest in Seattle is genuine.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother. I regret even flying out to Seattle for a CB when I had no ties. And yours is just a screener.

If I had taken this advice I wouldn't have a job at all. Flying myself out to meet with 1 firm got me 3 interviews and 2 offers.

Did you miss the no ties to Seattle part?

[Marshallian]

OP - message me. I have an idea.

[Anonymous User]

OP here,

I do not have any friends or family in Seattle --> The other anon that posted that is different than me.

What should I do in my situation?

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't bother. I regret even flying out to Seattle for a CB when I had no ties. And yours is just a screener.

If I had taken this advice I wouldn't have a job at all. Flying myself out to meet with 1 firm got me 3 interviews and 2 offers.

Did you miss the no ties to Seattle part?

It was to a small, insular market with no ties. I'd never even been there before.

[Marshallian]

OP here,

I do not have any friends or family in Seattle --> The other anon that posted that is different than me.

What should I do in my situation?

I think you should still go, but again, PM me regarding this particular interview.

[Pokemon]

OP here,

I do not have any friends or family in Seattle --> The other anon that posted that is different than me.

What should I do in my situation?

If you have no other offers, go!

[Anonymous User]

If you do manage to parlay more interviews, you can then ask the firms to split the costs of your flight/travel (Seattle firm recruiters have a policy for this).

[Anonymous User]

it turns out to be a callback. Would it be rude if I call the recruiters of other firms to inform them of my presence in Seattle? emails seem to be too slow since I have to book the flight as soon as possible.

[Anonymous User]

it turns out to be a callback. Would it be rude if I call the recruiters of other firms to inform them of my presence in Seattle? emails seem to be too slow since I have to book the flight as soon as possible.

Are you the above anon that also received this email?

If so, you have contacted Lane Powell, and they indeed told you that it was a CB interview? Are they paying for the travel expenses too?

[Anonymous User]

I received news that it would be a 2-3 hour screener interview. How to approach this? What makes this different than a callback other than the fact I am paying to travel and stay out there myself without the increased chance of receiving an offer?