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We appreciate feedback, even when it’s not a glowing review, because it gives us the opportunity to assess our methods. If there is room to improve, we welcome the chance to try. Since this particular review is not from an employee, but an applicant, we will limit our response to the concerns raised about how we conduct interviews.
We are very interested in the academic background of all of our applicants. In fact, we generally ask for the person’s transcript as part of the process. But that is only the starting point; we are seeking a more complete picture than can be provided by one’s GPA alone.
It appears that the real concern being raised in this review is why we ask such a variety of questions, some of which seem to be unrelated to the practice of law. It’s a fair point. Here is the reason: the practice of commercial law involves judges, adversary attorneys and even clients asking us questions that we cannot always anticipate. There is a level of flexibility and creativity that is integral to being a good lawyer or paralegal. You have to be comfortable with the unexpected.
While it is true that sometimes there might be a written portion to the interview, we do take into account that the person may not have a great deal of law firm experience. However, part of what we are looking for has nothing to do with law as such; we also want to see if there are typos, grammatical issues, spelling errors and whether the person follows basic directions. That is something that is vital to success as an attorney or a paralegal.
The writer of this review also notes that the coordinator who interviewed them was struck by a terrible coughing fit. The interviewer promptly apologized. It happens.
Our ultimate goal is to serve our clients. That means having the right team. Our interview process is a way for us not only to find the right people for the job, but also to endeavor to provide an opportunity for candidates to focus on what they want out of their professional lives, and where they think they will truly fit in (whether in our law firm or another).
We hope we were able to help this particular reviewer with that process at least, and we wish them the very best going forward. Be well.
