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I know this topic has been beaten to death, but what are some good stock questions to ask your interviewer?

"what's your favorite seemless order?"

Is your refrigerator running?

Do you have Prince Albert in a can?

What is your spaghetti policy here?

Serious answer: ask them about their practice. Callback interviews are 30 minutes long, which in my view is about 10 minutes longer than the interviewer needs to evaluate the candidate. The last thing either of you wants is awkward silence, so I always appreciate the opportunity to run out the clock a little yapping about my work - plus, you might learn something.

Find out how long they've been at the firm before the interview ... Then based on answer, play the same question two ways:

1. If the person lateraled to the firm - ask why they chose to come to the firm and why have they stayed w/ the firm.

2. If person has been at firm the entire career, ask what factors have made them continue to work at the firm.

Their answer is really not that important. But you usually generate a few anecdotes and long winded answers. And it shows that you did your homework about the interviewer.

RaceJudicata wrote:Find out how long they've been at the firm before the interview ... Then based on answer, play the same question two ways:

1. If the person lateraled to the firm - ask why they chose to come to the firm and why have they stayed w/ the firm.

2. If person has been at firm the entire career, ask what factors have made them continue to work at the firm.

Their answer is really not that important. But you usually generate a few anecdotes and long winded answers. And it shows that you did your homework about the interviewer.

More questions that seemed to get good/long responses off these. For situation 1., ask about differences between the firms (e.g., how associates are trained staffed) and what they think of the differences. For situation 2. (and this was always a great one) how has the firm changed over the years, particularly in response to the challenges of the 2008 recession.

BmoreOrLess wrote:

RaceJudicata wrote:Find out how long they've been at the firm before the interview ... Then based on answer, play the same question two ways:

1. If the person lateraled to the firm - ask why they chose to come to the firm and why have they stayed w/ the firm.

2. If person has been at firm the entire career, ask what factors have made them continue to work at the firm.

Their answer is really not that important. But you usually generate a few anecdotes and long winded answers. And it shows that you did your homework about the interviewer.

More questions that seemed to get good/long responses off these. For situation 1., ask about differences between the firms (e.g., how associates are trained staffed) and what they think of the differences. For situation 2. (and this was always a great one) how has the firm changed over the years, particularly in response to the challenges of the 2008 recession.

On a similar note - and this is particularly a good question for partners - When asking how the firm has changed over the years (and after listening to the partners answer) ask "and what are some things the firm/office is looking to do/can do better in the future?

The "can do better" part of the question may sound a bit risky, but if you ask it in a professional manner i think it makes you seem like a serious candidate/confident, IMO

RaceJudicata wrote:

BmoreOrLess wrote:

RaceJudicata wrote:Find out how long they've been at the firm before the interview ... Then based on answer, play the same question two ways:

1. If the person lateraled to the firm - ask why they chose to come to the firm and why have they stayed w/ the firm.

2. If person has been at firm the entire career, ask what factors have made them continue to work at the firm.

Their answer is really not that important. But you usually generate a few anecdotes and long winded answers. And it shows that you did your homework about the interviewer.

More questions that seemed to get good/long responses off these. For situation 1., ask about differences between the firms (e.g., how associates are trained staffed) and what they think of the differences. For situation 2. (and this was always a great one) how has the firm changed over the years, particularly in response to the challenges of the 2008 recession.

On a similar note - and this is particularly a good question for partners - When asking how the firm has changed over the years (and after listening to the partners answer) ask "and what are some things the firm/office is looking to do/can do better in the future?

The "can do better" part of the question may sound a bit risky, but if you ask it in a professional manner i think it makes you seem like a serious candidate/confident, IMO

My Weil screener wasn't going great, and at the end the partner said he likes to give students a chance to ask him questions assuming he has taken a "truth serum," so I asked him if they could have handled the layoffs in response to the recession better. He was not thrilled. Ding.

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JusticeJackson wrote:

BmoreOrLess wrote: My Weil screener wasn't going great, and at the end the partner said he likes to give students a chance to ask him questions assuming he has taken a "truth serum," so I asked him if they could have handled the layoffs in response to the recession better. He was not thrilled. Ding.

I love it. What was his response?

That the layoffs weren't a result of any of their business drying up, they were because they didn't have their normal attrition because everyone was hanging on to their jobs for dear life, and that they'll have smaller classes going forward to prevent the same issue.

Reasonable response, but it seemed pretty obvious he was annoyed.