Every year we hear from law students entering the on-campus interviewing process (OCI)at least from the students that are being candidthat they do not know where to start in differentiating one law firm from another. While those who are new to the law profession may have difficulty zeroing in on what makes certain practices and certain firms unique (those law firm websites all seem to say the same thing!), there are real differences. The key challenge for law students is to find the right fit for themselves.
What Are Your Goals?
An important first step, before signing up to interview with a long list of random firms, is to spend some time thinking about yourself. Why did you go to law school in the first place, and how have your academic experiences so far confirmed or changed your objectives? What kind of lawyer do you want to be? What kinds of clients and kinds of issues will you find it rewarding to work with? Where would you like to see your career go, not only over the next few years, but over the next few decades? These are weighty questions, but once you narrow some of these issues down, you will be in a much better position to develop a game plan for where you want to explore starting your career.
