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I've received invitations for SA call back interviews with several big firms in a large secondary market to which I have ties, but no plans to visit in the next month or two. Firms have made ambiguous "let us know if you will be in town during XYZ period and we will set up interviews with additional lawyers" type statements. The firms do not have explicit policies for interview travel online and I'm unclear whether I would be responsible for my travel arrangements and costs or whether the firms would be willing to pick this up. Furthermore, I have no idea how to non-awkwardly broach this topic and I don't want the firms to discount my ties to the area because I don't have plans to visit over my break. Would love any insights. Thanks!

Hate to burst your bubble, but what you're describing doesn't really sound like actual callbacks, more like informational interviews (i.e., come talk to some of our attorneys to learn about the firm). If they were actual callbacks (where like 95% of firms do pay for travel expenses), at least one of the firms would have already told you to reach out to their travel agency for accommodations.

I've never heard of firms paying for travel expenses (other than local stuff like parking) for informational interviews, and I never bothered to ask when I went on them.

May I ask which secondary market you are talking about?

BmoreOrLess wrote:Hate to burst your bubble, but what you're describing doesn't really sound like actual callbacks, more like informational interviews (i.e., come talk to some of our attorneys to learn about the firm). If they were actual callbacks (where like 95% of firms do pay for travel expenses), at least one of the firms would have already told you to reach out to their travel agency for accommodations.

I've never heard of firms paying for travel expenses (other than local stuff like parking) for informational interviews, and I never bothered to ask when I went on them.

No, they referred to these as interviews and the invitations are coming after phone or Skype conversations (which one firm even referred to as a screener) that arose after applying to job postings for 1L SA positions. While there is a chance that this is one huge cruel informational interview joke, I highly doubt that. I know hat there is an expectation that firms pay for callbacks for 2L positions, but I didn't know if that was consistent in secondary markets for 1L positions.

Anonymous User wrote:May I ask which secondary market you are talking about?

Big TX market!

These sound like screeners at best if they're saying "Let is know if you'll be in town."

Idk, didn't do any 1L SA callbacks, but during 2L callbacks it was the norm for the firm to be very upfront about travel expenses (actually directing me to the agency to book travel through). I'm not sure if what you're referring to is a callback, but even if it were an informal callback, I'd wager that you're on the hook for your own expenses unless they've given you reason to believe otherwise.

May just be a litmus test - their logic is if you're connected to the area then you'll be there over Christmas break. It is probably worth it to eat the cost if you're still looking. If you assume your odds of turning it to an offer are anywhere near 10% then it's a no brainer.

Anonymous User wrote:May just be a litmus test - their logic is if you're connected to the area then you'll be there over Christmas break. It is probably worth it to eat the cost if you're still looking. If you assume your odds of turning it to an offer are anywhere near 10% then it's a no brainer.

I think this is right. If it were a "callback" (in the firm pays and you're one step from being hired sense of the word) you would likely get a hard date or a selection of a few dates.

Might be worth it to still go though, to show interest/ties, if you can afford it.

Anonymous User wrote:I've received invitations for SA call back interviews with several big firms in a large secondary market to which I have ties, but no plans to visit in the next month or two. Firms have made ambiguous "let us know if you will be in town during XYZ period and we will set up interviews with additional lawyers" type statements. The firms do not have explicit policies for interview travel online and I'm unclear whether I would be responsible for my travel arrangements and costs or whether the firms would be willing to pick this up. Furthermore, I have no idea how to non-awkwardly broach this topic and I don't want the firms to discount my ties to the area because I don't have plans to visit over my break. Would love any insights. Thanks!

Also be very careful of relating NYC biglaw callback to expense to secondary market CB expenses. I've heard NYC reimbursing taxis, meals, etc... It might not be the same interviewing in your home market.

Case in point - two large firms (biglaw) in a certain Great Lakes City did NOT offer me cb expenses (although one did offer a hotel) seemingly because I was from the area and went to school ~X hours away.

I did a 1L SA in Seattle and all of the firms I interviewed at (SF and Seattle) were very explicit about setting a date and having me reach out to the travel agencies to book flight/hotel

But I wasn't from either of those regions, so firms might operate differently if they assume you will already be in town over break.

I did 5 1L SA interviews spread among all the big TX markets over this past week. Of the 5 only 1 specifically offered to reimburse travel expenses. Caveat: I mentioned that I would be in the area in my cover letter, so that may have played a role in their considerations of travel reimbursement

My 1L interviews in a bigTX market all offered to reimburse expenses even though they were in my hometown