Top Law Schools

For people who have lateralled, are there any questions you wish you had asked in the interview stage? Or questions that you're glad you asked?

Have a final round CB next week, and running out of genuine questions to ask people since I've already met with more than a handful of partners and associates.

I’m curious, what do you usually ask? I’ve been trying to figure out questions to ask at lateral callbacks

How do you integrate laterals quickly?
When did a lateral associate last make partner from your group. What did their path look like?
What steps do you recommend so that I hit the ground running?
Who would I be working with day to day?
What does cross-office and cross-practice work look like here? Any travel?
How are projects assigned?
How are associates staffed on deals/trials?
I know you do a lot of X; I dont have that experience yet. Would I be staffed on X promptly?
What are hours expectations for laterals? Are bonuses tied to hours?
What are your 5-year expectations for the group? How do associates fit into that goal?
Are associates included in RFPs and pitches?
What does Biz Development training look like here?
When are associates expected to start bringing in clients?


Some of these are post-offer questions, but I recently had three rounds where I did 80% of the question asking. Similarly, I started running out of things to ask, so I felt like the job was mine and I started digging deeper.

It depends on why you're leaving. I lateraled last year and had a few rounds last year due to hours, morale, and non-billable expectations at my old firm, so I like to clarify up front.

How much lit/transactional support is available?
What cases are currently active?
How often do associates take week-long holidays? (If they laugh or make a shocked face at you, leave. At mid/ senior level, you have the option of not killing yourself)
How long is maternity/ paternity leave? (If you have children or want to have children.)
What's the facetime requirement?

Anonymous User wrote:It depends on why you're leaving. I lateraled last year and had a few rounds last year due to hours, morale, and non-billable expectations at my old firm, so I like to clarify up front.

How much lit/transactional support is available?
What cases are currently active?
How often do associates take week-long holidays? (If they laugh or make a shocked face at you, leave. At mid/ senior level, you have the option of not killing yourself)
How long is maternity/ paternity leave? (If you have children or want to have children.)
What's the facetime requirement?

Did you end up somewhere that was an improvement? If so, would you consider it luck that it worked out or were you pretty focused on getting certain things before making the move? Do you think you didn’t get offers as a result of some of your questions? Are you in the same geographical area? Biglaw?