I am currently a federal COA clerk and I recently applied to several law firms in DC. I’ve had several phone “screening” interviews, and will be going to DC in the next few weeks for several “call back” interviews. I’ve never interviewed in DC before, so if anyone has any general advice on how to prepare, I’d appreciate it.
Interviewing in DC is no different from interviewing in any other market. Be your(best)self.
One of the most important things is to have a good reason for why you want to work in DC. This came up pretty routinely when I interviewed, and it’s one difference from interviewing someplace like New York.
Agreed. Here are some suggestions: it’s a town whose industry is the law, something you find fascinating. you’re interested in administrative law/whatever the firm’s DC office does/firms in DC do. Also, I suppose this goes without saying, but wear a nice suit, probably with a white shirt. Everyone wears white shirts in DC.
.
The “Why DC?” question is important, but differs from the “Why X-City?” question that you would get in a smaller market. Those smaller markets are looking for personal ties to the market, whereas DC cares about your professional reason for wanting to work there.
I think this is really true.
Know the firm’s place in the legal market and the particular office’s place in the market. Dechert and Stradley are Philly firms for example, but their DC offices are top notch in financial services law but Stradley does no antitrust in DC and Dechert’s DC antitrust practice is entirely about supporting the people in Philly. You could easily blow an interview assuming the DC office has to be the center for antitrust litigation. Another example is that Wilson Sonsini’s antitrust practice is HQ’d in DC, but their HSR practice is based in NYC, and both their DC and NY offices are seen as branches of the CA firm HQ. Do you research on the firm and practice group positions.
It sounds like I was in the same position as you: summered in a different, major market but wanted to go to DC for various reasons.
I didn’t think my interviews in DC were that different than my ones in the other market. Questions were usually the standard “Why DC,” “Why this firm,” “Why not your old firm,” etc. The one difference I noticed was that I felt much more okay with being a law-loving nerd in DC than in the other market. I also don’t think the “Why DC” question is as important as it was when I was a 2L. If you’re coming in off a clerkship, it’s unlikely that you’d leave earlier than any other young associate at the firm. There’s more of a risk for summer associates with no ties than judicial clerks with no ties. But like the posters above stated, your professional reason for wanting to work in DC is important, and in fact, professional opportunities were the main reasons I wanted to go to DC.
Feel free to pm me if you want more specifics.
OP here. I generally have a hard time coming up with questions to ask during call back interviews. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d appreciate it.
as a fed coa clerk that completely struck out in dc im jealous
There was a thread like 3 days ago on this. These threads are littered throughout the forum.
I’ve seen a few threads with interview questions suggestions for 1L and 2L call back interviews, but I’m looking for some that might be more appropriate for someone in my position. I’ve already worked for a firm (both as a summer and as an associate).
I don’t think this is necessarily limited to DC either; it’s just easier to notice the pattern in DC because there are only a few other places with distinctive practices. But I think a sincere interest (with a resume to back it up) could help you get, say, a NorCal job doing startup work, a Texas job doing energy work, a Delaware job doing corp litigation, etc.