7 dos and don’ts of virtual interviews for Big Law summer associate programs, according to hiring decision-makers at Skadden and Latham & Watkins and a top industry recruiter

Summary List Placement

After a semester-long delay, many law schools’ on-campus interviews for summer associate programs are kicking into gear at last.

OCIs are typically held just before a law student’s second year, and are the first formal stage in the talent pipeline for many law firms. This year, due to the pandemic, many schools pushed their OCI programs to January, and have also moved them from in-person to online.

These shifts have left many students feeling uncertain about various aspects of recruiting, from hiring needs to what law firms are looking for.

Fortunately, the legal market has weathered the storm of the pandemic fairly well. “I’d say it’s pretty healthy and almost back to where we were, right when the pandemic began,” said Ru Bhatt, partner at the recruiting firm Major Lindsey & Africa, in a digital event hosted by Insider.

WATCH: How to land a Big Law summer associate job panel

In fact, hiring decision-makers at two Big Law firms, Latham & Watkins and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, said that their hiring needs haven’t changed as a result of the pandemic: Latham is looking to hit last year’s class size — around 213 summer associates — this year, while Skadden is looking to hire around 160 students.

Here are some of the takeaways from our insider panelists on the dos and don’ts of virtual recruiting.

Do be aware of the interview process at each firm

While first-round screening interviews are typically arranged by the school, callback interviews are more firm-specific. At Latham, callbacks are usually with six to eight attorneys, though students can also request to talk to others in specific practice areas they may be interested in, said Julie Crisp, partner and vice chair of the firm’s recruiting committee.

Skadden’s callback interviews are with four to six attorneys: two partners, two associates, and two junior associates doing more informal coffee chats. According to Carol Sprague, Skadden’s director of talent acquisition, the firm is piloting an additional component to their callbacks. Students will be asked to complete a performance analytics assessment using Suited, a recruiting platform that uses artificial intelligence, to determine more intangible traits like a candidate’s values and whether those align with the firm’s. Sprague noted that Suited will not be determinative this year, but instead serve as an additional resource for Skadden when evaluating a candidate.

Read more: Kirkland & Ellis recruiting chairs and industry insiders lay out how to get hired at the top-ranking law firm

Don’t fret over pass/fail grades

Many law schools implemented a pass/fail grading system in the spring semester due to the pandemic, causing students to worry about how firms will consider these grades. But hiring experts agree: fret not. 

While grades aren’t totally out of the picture, law firms examine candidates more holistically.

“Ultimately, we’re looking for self-starters that have a high degree of responsibility, judgment, maturity, and have excelled in rigorous academic and professional environments,” said Crisp.

Skadden’s Sprague added that legal experience is not a must-have, so long as a candidate is able to demonstrate the characteristics that …read more

Source:: Business Insider