SEC Interviews Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:39 pm

Has anyone been through the interview process at the SEC as a lateral?

What about salary negotiations as biglaw lateral? The pay bands are huge, do they top out the pay band for a lateral that makes more than the max for the grade or do they try to lowball?

grand inquisitor · Post by **grand inquisitor** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:48 pm

i would just go in expecting to downsize a bit, and then be pleasantly surprised

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:02 pm

^^

Agree on the above, just wondering if anyone had interview tips or insight on how the salary determination works for laterals.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:57 pm

I've been through the process. Salary is set according to a specific but highly complex formula and there is little room for negotiation (but there is a little room). However, the reason for the wide range in the pay scale is because it accomodates a variety of professions. Attorneys will be paid in the upper half of each grade in the pay scale. I think a typical fourth year will get around 140-160k depending on geographic location, and that will go up by 5-10k every year until it hits around 210k or you get promoted. From my experience they don't try to lowball at all.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:03 pm

^^
How were you interviews structured? Did you have more than one round?

Upper half would be great! I mean the lifestyle is great too, so I have heard so worth the tradeoff.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:09 pm

I had three rounds. First was with one person, second was with a panel, and third was very long with multiple panels. Questions varied between typical stuff you would get in biglaw interviews to very specific questions about my past experience and legal hypos. Btw, I think the interview process is very different for each division or regional office. Lifestyle at the SEC is fantastic (at least in my group) and the benefits are probably the best in government.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:54 pm

How long did the whole process take (i.e., how long did you have to wait to hear back after each round of interviews)?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:09 pm

It took about three months after I applied to get the first interview, but after that it was very fast. About 3 days to hear back after the first interview, and same day (5 hours or so after the interview) to hear back after the second. Soft offer was about 2 weeks after the third interview. I bet this varies a lot by division and region though.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:35 pm

bumping for any more stories

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 7:49 pm

bump for any other SEC insights

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