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Context:
I am at a lower T14 with median grades, pretty awkward, no law review, Asian male (don't know if that counts for URM), and KJD. Nothing spectacular. Also, mass-applied pre-OCI got 1 screener and a ding. If you're naturally outgoing and good at interviews, this probably is not going to be particularly helpful.

Out of 17 screeners, I got 8 CBs, 5 Offers, 2 dings, and 1 canceled.
I don't think I did spectacular but I definitely think I overperformed my GPA. 2 of my offers were from v20s which I was not expecting at all, especially considering the onslaught of pre-OCI this year.

For incoming 1Ls, my takeaway is this:
Yes. Your grades are very important, but once those are set in stone, there are a thousand things you SHOULD be doing. Especially during pre-OCI, it may be stressful watching your peers get offers while you get radio silence. That being said, I think this worked really well for me:

1. Bid conservatively
2. Mass mail and set up networking calls, and do it early. No, these won't necessarily give you an "in," but they'll give you a really good idea of things that distinguish the firms which you can use for your interviews. It's a plus if you get a recommendation but don't bank on it.
3. Practice Interviewing. I cannot overstate how important this is. Use OCS. Use your peers. Use your non-law school friends. Use law school alumni at firms. Even though a lot of interviews tend to be conversational, there are always questions you should be ready for. Moreover, practicing behavioral questions helps create a template for any question that they can ask; you can always find a way to spin a hobby, experience, or commonality into showing why you'd be a great fit for the firm and position. I found that the STAR method helped with even non-behavioral questions because it allows you to create an interesting story around a topic, even if the interviewer is just asking about a hobby.

I spent every moment of alone time in my office during my 1L summer job practicing responses to these questions (I would talk to myself even while commuting to and from work):
Tell me about yourself.
How was 1L year?
Why did you do law school?
Why this firm?
What was your favorite class?
Explain something substantive that you've done.
Why NY/Biglaw?
Where do you see yourself long-term?

One tip when crafting responses, leave in "buzzwords" or something interesting with your response so that you can anticipate that the interviewer will ask about it in their next question.
I.e.,:
Q: Why law school?
A: In undergrad I took a law class... I've always wanted to be a lawyer... and then I did an honors thesis which made me want to learn more about the legal system.
Q: What was this honors thesis about?
A: (Now you've got another prepped response and something interesting to talk about)

Moreover, as a pretty awkward person, I did find that people tend to overlook rigidity and nerves if you display the right attitude/mindset. Practice smiling/laughing. Like literally look in the mirror and practice it so it looks genuine. And smile a lot. I know this sounds psychotic but I've been told that I have a resting bitch face so this was something I was really mindful of. Try to be nice and optimistic. Regardless of how you actually felt about law school or a prior position always tailor your response with a positive takeaway or something that you learned. Even if you're awkward, you may appear much more personable this way.

Two caveats:
1) Be yourself. But be the best version of yourself. Brutal honesty is not helpful if you're going to portray a bad side of yourself. I know lawyers love complaining and I personally love complaining. That being said, an interview is never the time to complain about a prior experience (it can be alienating if the interviewer had any remotely similar experience that they enjoyed). It's better to seem positive about a negative experience that someone else had than to seem negative about a positive experience that the interviewer had. If an experience was boring because it was repetitive, say that you learned to be efficient through a lot of practice. If something was unduly stressful, say that it made you more resilient and made you realize you can take on more challenges. Don't lie, but be optimistic.

2) Don't sound overrehearsed. Get your mock interviewers to listen to you and make sure it sounds like a real, authentic response. Ironically for me, the more I rehearsed, the more I memorized and was able to be natural with it.

Hopefully, this helps anyone down the road. I am pretty much certain that without polishing my interview responses, I don't think I would have been as satisfied with my OCI results (trying not to humblebrag but I am proud of the effort I've invested in practicing). Good luck!

Nice post, thanks for your contribution to the community!

I enjoyed reading this, as a senior government lawyer who has interviewed and hired many interns and recent law grads. Personally speaking, I'm an extrovert today but was an introvert in my college days and pretty awkward and insecure then. As a result, whenever I come across an interviewee who is very obviously shy, nervous, or feeling awkward, I immediately relate to them. And, I kind of cheer for them inside my head, which I think is very human for a lot of your interviewers.

Except for interviewers who are psychopaths and jerks, we want you to not feel awkward, not feel like you're making a bad impression, and not feel abnormal. And, I am perfectly aware of the biases and prejudices that occur in favor of extroverts, which might shut out some good candidates. In this day and age when very few litigators actually need to be jury trial lawyers, I think it is a bad idea to rule out a student applicant for a litigation position just because the student seems a little reserved, or overly nervous during the interview. Do overcome the nerves to the best of your abilities. The strategies named above are great. But still, remember to view your interviewers as human too. We might not be as mean as we seem, behind the scenes.

You're not awkward. I was median at T6 and ultimately got only one offer. That is awkward.

5 offers is very impressive and you knew exactly what buttons to push.

Your advice to practice and, ideally, to practice with someone you trust, who will give you honest feedback on your answers to common questions, is helpful.