Top Law Schools

Chicago lady here going for the $35k bonus.

Advice on what to wear to the interview?

A suit?

Anonymous User wrote:Chicago lady here going for the $35k bonus.

Advice on what to wear to the interview?

Assuming the question stems from Quinn's reputation for being a shorts-and-flip-flops kinda firm. I think it's still suit though. Good luck.

Suit. You can wear whatever else you want after you get hired but you wear a suit to every single interview.

1styearlateral wrote:A suit?

Too obvious

unlicensedpotato wrote:

1styearlateral wrote:A suit?

Too obvious

My interview, I wore a sportcoat and nice slacks, no tie (I'm a guy). Felt overdressed; my first interview was with a guy in a mettalica t-shirt and shorts.

My friend at Quinn SF says 2/3 of interviewees come in with full suit, most of the remainder wear business casual. But he said that sometimes they will have a "refreshing" candidate that takes them on their word and wears jeans and polo/blouse.
(Of course that is SF, so take it how you will)

I disagree with the above posters - I wouldn't wear a suit. I might wear jeans and an untucked button down.

Most of the time when an interview says "business casual" attire or something like that, you're still safe wearing a suit (because who knows how well the attorneys and recruiters interact). With Quinn, though, I think their culture is so well known, and they're so outwardly proud of it, you'll do better being the person wearing casual, or at most business casual, as opposed to wearing a suit.

Though the fact that you're a woman probably makes things more difficult since casual wear may be considered office inappropriate for reasons that guys won't run into, and the fact that business formal / business casual / casual lines don't break down quite as neatly.

4for44 wrote:

unlicensedpotato wrote:

1styearlateral wrote:A suit?

Too obvious

My interview, I wore a sportcoat and nice slacks, no tie (I'm a guy). Felt overdressed; my first interview was with a guy in a mettalica t-shirt and shorts.

My friend at Quinn SF says 2/3 of interviewees come in with full suit, most of the remainder wear business casual. But he said that sometimes they will have a "refreshing" candidate that takes them on their word and wears jeans and polo/blouse.
(Of course that is SF, so take it how you will)

I wouldn't go anywhere in NYC without a suit (assuming OP's interview is in the NYC office). Even when I went for an informal meeting with a partner at a large Wall St. firm I wore a suit (no tie).

Not everyone starts their careers at QE and those people will have certain viewpoints molded by century-old customs.

1styearlateral wrote:

4for44 wrote:

unlicensedpotato wrote:

1styearlateral wrote:A suit?

Too obvious

My interview, I wore a sportcoat and nice slacks, no tie (I'm a guy). Felt overdressed; my first interview was with a guy in a mettalica t-shirt and shorts.

My friend at Quinn SF says 2/3 of interviewees come in with full suit, most of the remainder wear business casual. But he said that sometimes they will have a "refreshing" candidate that takes them on their word and wears jeans and polo/blouse.
(Of course that is SF, so take it how you will)

I wouldn't go anywhere in NYC without a suit (assuming OP's interview is in the NYC office). Even when I went for an informal meeting with a partner at a large Wall St. firm I wore a suit (no tie).

Not everyone starts their careers at QE and those people will have certain viewpoints molded by century-old customs.

Sounds like you are generalizing from NYC overall. QE is pretty unique in that dress code (and proud of it), so I don't know if the century-old customs apply (even in NYC). But like a said, take the Quinn SF comment with a grain of salt.

I work at a firm where business formal is practically ingrained in the DNA, and when I got to Quinn for meetings or depos, I feel like a goddamn penguin.

Also Quinn's offices are admittedly and objectively shitty, FWIW.

Don't wear a suit. I wouldn't say wearing a suit will hurt you, but not wearing a suit will definitely help you, even in NYC. Quinn is super serious about the casual clothes culture, and everyone I know at Quinn speaks positively about "bold" interview candidates who take them at their word and wear casual clothes. You could go in in overalls, and it would be a positive.

Don't wear a suit. I wouldn't say wearing a suit will hurt you, but not wearing a suit will definitely help you, even in NYC. Quinn is super serious about the casual clothes culture, and everyone I know at Quinn speaks positively about "bold" interview candidates who take them at their word and wear casual clothes. You could go in in overalls, and it would be a positive.

Wore khakis and a pink polo and got an offer on the spot.

Do not wear a suit for your Quinn interview. You will feel/look out of place, even in the interview.

I went naked and got an offer... to bone

Wink

I wore jeans and a nice collared shirt. I wouldn't wear a suit; it makes you look like you don't know about the firm. I wish I had been brave enough to just stroll in in a t-shirt and jeans, but I think that might be pushing it for an interviewee.

Call the legal recruit, I'm sure they would be happy to tell you.

Lincoln wrote:Also Quinn's offices are admittedly and objectively shitty, FWIW.

Not Chicago. Their new office is really nice.