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39 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Why are you interested in this firm
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I am very interested in working in Jefferson City. This firm has an excellent reputation for sucessful results in a wide variety of practice areas
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Why are you interested in this place?
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My wife grew up in Tipton, about 45 minutes away. Her family still lives there. We jst had our first daughter and we would like her to grow up knowing her grandparents
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What can I tell you about the firm
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I know that you employ about 20 attorneys and have about 10 different practice areas, I was wondering how that is spread out: how many areas does each attorney specialize in and how many attorneys typically work in each practice area?
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Tell me something about yourself
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I have ability and I am a good worker.
Ability: I'm a fast learner. I am teachable. And I am a good analytical writer. good worker: I am attentive I try to anticipate the next step and get started before being asked. I learned that as a waiter. The better you can anticipate people's needs, the more people will ask for you as a waiter. |
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Why did you go to law school?
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I felt very naturally suited for a career in law. As an undergraduate english major I honed my analytical thinking and precision in writing. I genuinely enjoyed defending unique textual interpretations and I felt like that's a lot like what lawyers do.
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Why did you go to Cornell?
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I wanted to go to a school with a good national reputation and a place that would be safe and comfortable for my wife and daughter.
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Tell me about a time when you exercised judgment
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Every day as a waiter. If a customer complained, I would have to decide how to handle it. Whether that meant a simple apology or comping a dessert or even a whole meal. But typically, that was my call.
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in Law school, how do you approach a problem for which there appears to be no definitive answer?
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I do the best I can. I think most questions in law school don't have difinitive answers, but by applying myself to thinking thouroughly and analytically I can usually come up with a reasonable solution--one that I can justify.
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As a first year associate, how would you handle a situation in which the partner is unavailable and the client needs an immediate answer to a question?
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I would do the best I can. I would make sure the client knows that a partner would be better qualified to answer, but I would give it my best shot.
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Assume you are asked by two different partners to complete two different assignments, but you only have time to do one. What do you do?
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If doing both is really impossible, then I would explain the dillema to the partners and hopefully they could prioritize and decide between them what would be most important for me to work on.
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Tell me about your last big mistake, how did you handle it?
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Civil Procedure Final
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what is your biggest weakness?
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Lack of professional experience
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What do you like least about law school.
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I don't like never seeing the big picture. I am a big picture person. I am attentive to details--but only after I understand the big picture.
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What do you like most about law school
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The discussion. The constant paradigm shifts. listening to and adjusting to different viewpoints.
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How do you balance your obligations (work, school, life, etc.)
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Prioritize. Just decide what's important. Family, work, and me--in that order.
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Have you ever been asked to complete an assignment with insufficient guidance?
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Sure, lots of times. I taught ESL to a linguistically diverse class of 8th graders for a whole school year. Nobody ever gave me a word of direction in that job. At first I wondered if there was a certain way I was supposed to go about it. But soon I just started focusing on the students. determining what my goals were with each student and teaching accordingly. I knew as much about teaching ESL as anybody, so I did what I thought worked best and the school was happy with me.
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Describe a time when you felt unmotivated, or that a task was insurmountable, how did you proceed?
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The big example here is sharing my religious views in Argentina day in / day out for two years. The best thing to do during unfruitful stretches was focus on maintaing basic structure. stick to a routine. Get up. Get out of bed. get ready. Put a tie on. study. working keeps me busy when I am unmotivated and, inevitably, work yields results that motivate me again.
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what attributes do you have that would instill client confidence?
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First of all, personal confidence. Second, I am a good communicator--I adjust well for audience, whether it's an 8th grade class, a comedy club, or a senator. I can communicate with them at a comfortable level. Finally, I am honest with people, and I think people can sense that.
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describe a situation in which you acted as a leader that was particularly satisfuing to you
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I was the pre-law socitey president during my last year as an undergrad. I think I was particularly good at finding out what students wanted to get out of their PLS experience and tailoring the meetings accordingly. I helped students with personal statements and applications and LSAT prep. It was very rewarding to see their scores go up, their applications get better, and subsequently to hear that they were accepted at good schools.
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Tell me about your role with the J reuben Clark society
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The JRC society is a national organization with branches at most every law school. I am the treasurer of the Cornell branch. I have just recently been elected to that postion and actually haven't begun my duties. But they are typical treasurer duties: budgeting, managing funds.
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What is your favorite part about teamwork?
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I am an extrovert. I would chose to work with people over working alone any day of the week. When I am in a good team, I see it as an opportunity to be a part of something that is much better than anything I could do alone.
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What is your least favorite part about teamwork?
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people with bad attitudes. selfish people.
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Tell me about a personal mentor.
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Outside of my parents, Rob Eaton has had a more direct affect on me than most anyone else. He showed me that even a big-shot lawyer isn't successful unless he has humility and priorities.
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What skills make you a good team player?
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I am naturally an optimist--I have a positive attitude. I am not afraid of taking chances, or even looking stupid. I am from a family of 10 kids. I have been working for something bigger than myself for my whole life. Some people can't say they have ever done that.
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Why do people like working with you? Why might people not want to work with you?
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I think people like working with me because I am quick and enthusiastic. Some people might not like working with me because I talk a lot, and I joke sometimes.
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Tell me about a pressure situation. Why do you think it arose? What do you wish you would have done differently?
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Civil Procedure Final
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How do you deal with the stress of law school?
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Prioritize. always do the most important thing.
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What do you do when you fail or are dissapointed?
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Try to decide what I should have done differently. But I also keep a healthy perspective. Minimize the damage, apologize, accept responsibility. Move on.
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describe an event that has had a major impact on you
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Civil Procedure final
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how do you help others that are in crisis or under stress?
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Try to determine what they want from me and be there to give it when they want it. If they want a listener, I can do that. If they want me to solve the problem. I try to do that.
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what is your favorite non-law activity?
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being with my family. We like to spend time with friends playing games. When we have time to spare we like to read fiction and poetry.
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if you had an extra hour in the day what would you do with it?
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Spend it with my family
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Have you even undertaken something just to prove to yourself or others that you could do it?
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Sure. When I was in Argentina, it was enough to become functional with spanish. Learn how to speak, Learn the words. I wanted to have the best accent I could. I worked on it the whole two years. I was doing it for myself. I always want to be the best. I want to write the best paper in the class, etc.
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what non-law goals do you have for the next few years?
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find a nice place to live and raise a family where my wife is happy. pay off my loans. Find a house.
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which law school courses have you enjoyed the most? The least? why?
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I liked torts, contracts, and legal writing the most--I think because they came the most easily to me. I was less immediately skilled with constitutional law and civil procedure and legal research--I am still getting used to them.
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What part of law school is most challenging for you?
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Being pitted against my peers. The curve. I don't like competing, although I think I hold my own. I prefer cooperating.
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Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
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My mission, My marriage and daughter, graduating top of my undergraduate class. Because these things were all very difficult and many people would have given up on any of them.
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If you don't get this job, what will you do?
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I am interested in working in this area. I will probably apply to another firm or to a prosecutors office in Missouri.
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do you have any other questions for me?
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How many practice areas does an intern typically get to explore?
Do you need any additional information or references to make a decision? |
