The Dos and Don'ts of Schmoozing in the Law Interview

Your years in the law library should have taught you that preparation is essential to legal success. That's true for the law interview as well. Here are a few tips to help you schmooze your way through even the most arduous legal interview process.

DO make sure you walk into the interview with a firm grasp of the firm's history and its recent engagements - knowledge that will help you target your questions. ("How many associates work on these wonderful pro bono projects your firm is known for?" won't impress your interviewer if you can't name any pro bono work the firm does!)

DO turn the focus toward your interviewer. Always keep in mind that lawyers are not professional interviewers. "In fact,"confides one Simpson Thacher lawyer, "some of them are kind of uncomfortable." However, "if interviewers talk through most of the interview, they'll think it went well."

How do you keep your interviewer chatting? Keep your ears open and ask personal questions. One first-year associate suggests asking interviewers "how they got interested in their firm. And when you hear something you can extend a bridge to, take advantage of the opportunity. Perhaps your interviewer went to Dartmouth - hey, so did your brother- it might be an excellent way to get the conversation rolling."

DO ask what practice area your interviewer works in, and what attracted them to the practice. Ask about deals they're working on.

DON'T brag about your mastery of the law. Our recruiting contacts advise interviewees to "avoid legal issues unless the interviewer brings them up."

DO ask about training, both formal and informal, as well as mentorships. It shows that you are interested in learning.

DON'T bring up your LSAT score - it's tacky. Maybe you got a perfect score - but what if your interviewer didn't?

~DO bring extra copies of your resume, and be prepared to discuss the most arcane parts of your resume. Have a story or some other kind of conversational springboard for every entry. If you wrote in your resume that you did extensive research in WWI literature, be prepared to chat about the poetry of the trenches.

DON'T talk about your weaknesses. "Give them a strength wrapped in words of weakness," but don't be too obvious. The right way: "I'm kind of anal about checking things over." The wrong way: "I work too hard, sometimes I'll work all night and I still don't feel satisfied." Tone it down a bit, or you'll come across as manipulative.

DO try your hardest to remember everyone's name. "At the end of the interview, you should be able to say 'you know, X, it was great to meet you," says a lawyer at Latham Watkins. Name recall is especially impressive when you're out to lunch with a large group; your dining companions will notice that you remembered all of their names.

If you're taken to a meal during the interview, DON'T order a hamburger, spaghetti or anything else that could get sloppy. And, of course, avoid drinking alcohol.

DON'T seem tired. "Be fresh faced and interested, even if it's your seventh interview of the day. Never admit that you're exhausted. If you can't make it through a day of interviews, they'll wonder how you'll make it through a week at work," advises one lawyer.

DO know the culture of the firm. If you are interviewing at a high-powered firm, you should project a high-powered image. For example, we hear that Sullivan & Cromwell administers a "weekend test." Confides a veteran of the S&C interview process: "They will ask you if you would work all weekend if they handed you a project on Friday. If you are serious about working there, the answer is yes."

DON'T concentrate your questions on perks like bonuses, cocktail hours, and theater tickets. Your interviewer will immediately type you as someone with other things on your mind besides working toward the best interests of the firm.

Afterwards, DO make notes for yourself about how the interview went. This will help you keep track of who you met with and prepare yourself for potential employment.