Evil. Next?

I interviewed with two firms, back to back today. These firms were my "backup" firms, although I'm now under the impression that you don't really need "backup" callback firms, because 5-7 callbacks with firms is apparently plenty to guarantee a callback (Note: I took 3 callbacks from firms I never intended to accept an offer from. Fantastic.)

The first firm, abbreviated SA, was filled with people who genuinely seemed to like their lives as lawyers. Aside from a corporate partner, who had the most absurd, caricaturish glasses I have ever seen in my entire life and spoke extraordinarily fast and put me on edge, I just had great, free-flowing conversations with the rest of the group. The office was beautiful, located right in the bustling areas of Times Square, and I had some pleasant conversations.



Then came lunch, where I was taken to the highest rated restaurant in New York, Le Bernardin. The associate who took me to lunch, however, was less than spectacular. It's not that he wasn't friendly. He just seemed to embody multiple negative stereotypes all at once. He was focused completely and utterly on money, he had no interests, he had a definite twitch, he was overly self-assured, he was abrupt and rude, and he just did not feel put together as a human being. He sent back his fish, which had bacon in it (he's Kosher), blaming it on the menu, he said if he wasn't a lawyer he'd be a banker for the money, he doesn't even like what he does, but he likes that he gets to rub shoulders with the richest, and hopes to make connections, and doesn't seem to have any life outside of his work. He wasn't evil or soulless...he just seemed lost. I felt uncomfortable discussing AIDS in India with him, because he was struggling so hard just to ask me questions about it.

Of course he treated me with extreme politeness, but I could see that if I were a paralegal or even conceivably a law student he could have treated as inferior...then he probably would have. In any case, him aside, SA had the nicest people I had met to date. People who were firmly determined to remain people. And that's a good thing.

The second firm, WC, was in a really retro looking building. I believe this is an issue for several of the major NYC firms, which is that their decor reflects an earlier era of decadence, which today looks extraordinarily backwards. I can't quite explain it, but the signage and the decor just seemed oddly 1980's. It doesn't actually matter to me what the offices look like, but it's bizarre to me that people who spend so much time and money on other worthless items don't spend any money on their own surroundings. I distinctly recall walking by an office with an associate sitting alone at his desk...and the room was just four white walls, a desk, and a computer. Maybe it's because I like taking the time and energy to make my living/working spaces more full and ultimately more organic, but man...that is some stark shit. As for the people at W&C, once again, I thought they were fantastic. One woman partner looked COMPLETELY like some normal, completely harmless woman. Another Partner spent 10 minutes talking to me about guitars. A third one left the art world to do Trusts and Estates (?!?!?!). And the fourth was a British Indian woman who was just an intense conversationalist. All said though, something about the office reminded me far too much of "Office Space" so I think I'll have to pass. Plus, upon mentioning the name of this firm to a professor of mine, the immediate response, and I'm talking immediate, was "Evil. Next?"

After I left the office, and spent 30 minute fruitlessly trying to hail a cab near Times Square (Jesus Christ, suck), I received a call and an offer from SASMF (I figure that one should be fairly obvious). So the tally is two. No matter what I'm safe. Now it's a matter of seeing if I can get these last two, STB and DPW...and if I do...then comes another round of annoying decisionmaking.

Turns out I'm getting at interviewing though. I actually think this has made me a better conversationalist. Not that it is anymore interesting to talk to me now, but it's just easier for me to sound natural and genuine when I make transitions like "Wow, you moved ALL the way from structured finance and market securitization to debt restructuring and bankruptcy? That's fascinating?...well that's great. So where did you grow up?"

Tally:
SC - Check
SASMF - Check
WC - Confident.
SA - Not sure. A little too loose tongued.
STB - Hope!
DPW - Hope x 2!
Milbank Tweed Hadley and McCloy: Not so much. The name itself...jesus.



You'd think I'd have better pictures...but it has been what I have looked up in terror at...but it's all I can find. Short of this: