Lawyer

This question can generate a useful dialog about what an associate is actually doing--not what the firm says lawyers do early in their career, or a recital of the firm's high-profile cases.

Every firm will tell you its cases are staffed "leanly." Hearing about how particular matters are staffed will help you understand whether this is true, and learn how much direct partner contact you are likely to get.

All firms have evaluation procedures of one kind or another. But you will want to know how often young lawyers are reviewed, how the evaluation is delivered, how active a role the associate has in the process, how it affects compensation, whether reviews are anonymous, etc. Pay attention to cues about how the process seems actually to be working for the associate.

Lots of useful feedback is a standard claim; try to get specifics about how the firm gets busy attorneys to provide constructive criticism to summer associates.

All firms tout their professional development opportunities. Specific questions about how this interviewer experiences them will help you find out what the firm's priorities are, and how organized the firm's approach to development is. Ask about mentoring, adviser systems, writing programs, in -firm and outside CLE programs. Ask about how much time associates are expected to devote to professional development. Does the firm have benchmarks for attainments of specific skills by associates at different levels? How does the firm support associates' realization of those goals?

It's not always easy for lawyers to find projects of the right scope for summers. Some firms even create exercises for summer associates to be sure that everyone gets a chance to do different types of projects.

What does the firm do to ensure that each summer gets a good mix of assignments? How much say do summers have in choosing assignments? How many of the partners/associates/staff attorneys is a summer likely to work with? Is there a centralized source of assignments, or will my work be assigned from a department head, or from one partner?

Does the firm have a "free market" assignment system?

Does work come through a committee or do you just hear from partners who need help?

Do associates ever go to partners and ask for work?

How do the work assignment systems for summer associates and permanent ones compare?

Every partner must think of the firm's future, and this is more urgent now than ever. Firms try to anticipate clients' needs, and ensure the capability to serve them. Questions could pertain both to practice areas (which ones the partner sees as being in demand in coming years) and to ways of serving clients (new technologies, billing schemes, etc.).

Is the ability to market important to hiring or promotion decisions? What does the firm do to train younger lawyers to develop business? This is new and important territory for everyone in the profession. Showing that you are aware that young lawyers can't just do great legal work, that they need to be involved in bringing in and keeping clients, will be gratifying to many partners.

This is where a bit of preparation can go a long way: mention a particular case or matter s/he worked on and ask questions about it. Follow up with questions about staffing, and try to zero in on the type of work that is entrusted to younger lawyers.

This can launch a dialog about several important subjects. Follow up in the following areas:

additional cities or offices

new practice areas types of cases and transactions that will be handled

changes in partner to associate ratios changes in the economics of practice---e.g., will rates or billing systems change, will competitive pressures increase, etc.

☛ How would you decide on your objectives?

☛ How do you manage your day?

☛ What motivates you?

☛ How do you cope without motivation?

☛ How long were you at your last job?

☛ Why did you leave your last job?

☛ How have you changed in the last five years?

☛ What contribution do you make to a team?

☛ How do you react if you find that someone you work with does not like you?

☛ Have you ever experienced such a problem during your working life?

☛ Can you provide a recent example of when you were under stress, and how you coped?

☛ What support training would you require to be able to do this job? If not, why not? Explain.

☛ What would you look forward to most in this job?

☛ In your view, what are the major problems/opportunities facing the legal industry?

☛ What will be your key target in this job if we appoint you?

☛ What makes you think you can be successful with us?

☛ How does the job sound to you?

☛ Which subjects did you enjoy during your qualifying degree?

☛ Why do you want to be a solicitor?

☛ Have you always wanted to be a solicitor?

☛ What sort of activities are you interested in outside of work?

☛ Are you a socializing person? What is your work/life balance?

☛ Would your social life infringe on your work commitment?

☛ If so, how? Explain.

☛ What sort of management skills do you have?

☛ Do you think you require training in management skills? Why?

☛ Do you prefer to manage yourself or let someone else do the managing?

☛ Are you a leader or a follower?

☛ Are you computer literate?

☛ Would you be able to do time-recording? Do you keep good time?

☛ Is your work concentrated with a small group of clients?

☛ What is the biggest change you have seen since you were an associate at the firm?

☛ How would you describe the firm culture?

☛ If the partner has lateraled from another firm, why did s/he make the change?

☛ What do you like most about the firm?

☛ What would you change about it if you could?

☛ How is the firm governed?

☛ Would you describe management as very centralized, or more dispersed?

☛ How are associates involved in the decision-making process?

☛ Is your work concentrated with a small group of partners or clients?

☛ At what point are junior attorneys expected to specialize?

☛ How accessible are partners to associates?

☛ How accessible are associates expected to be after hours?

☛ How important would you say "face time" is at the firm?

☛ What constitutes a billable hour?

☛ How much client contact do you have?

☛ How much control do you have over your schedule?

☛ How often do you have to change personal plans at the last minute?

☛ What kinds of pro bono work does the firm do?

☛ Do you feel as if the firm values pro bono work?

☛ How would you describe the firm culture?

☛ How much say do associates have in firm governance?

☛ What do you like most about the firm?

☛ What would you change about it if you could?

☛ Why did you choose this firm over other options you had?

☛ Why do you want to work for us?

☛ Why should we hire you?

☛ What do you know about our organization?

☛ How have you spent your summers?