The OCI

The people with the real insight on how to handle a Cassels Brock OCI are the people who did it the best: our students. We asked our 2011/12 articling students to share their insights with you. Here are some tips from our students on how to handle the OCIs.

Sara Berger: Make sure to speak to current summer or articling students at the firms you are interviewing with. They are able to tell you things about the firm culture, the summer program and the interview process that you will not find online.

Gillian Carter: If your school allows it, try to schedule interviews with your top choice firms in the mid-morning. This way you have a chance to get a few interviews under your belt and get comfortable with the process, but you are still alert and energetic.

Jonathan Ho: Always be armed with two weapons: caffeine and breath mints.

Chris Horkins: OCIs are a gong show (literally, there is a gong) so just push through the day, smile a lot, laugh at jokes, and tell the same stories about yourself over and over again.

Stephen Hutchison: If you have done law-related work in the past, don't get hung up trying to explain the legal issues to the interviewers. Instead, talk about the more personal aspects of the experience, such as what it was like to deal with clients, work with lawyers, or appear at a hearing.

Brie Lastman: Remember to breathe. Be yourself. Focus on the good interviews not the ones that you feel did not go very well. It is all about compatibility and a great fit.

Brandon Luft: Don't judge yourself against your peers in terms of number of interviews or "status" of firms that gave you an interview; take each interview as an opportunity in and of itself and stay focused on your own goals.

Jeremy Martin: Don't "package" yourself. I have friends that are smart, charming and fun, but they missed out on great jobs because they tried to make themselves the 'IP prodigy' or the 'political animal'. It might make for a good sales pitch, but people know when they're being pitched to --- and you have no idea whether the firm actually wants to buy what you're selling. What if their IP group isn't hiring? What if five IP groups aren't hiring?

Carolyn Stroz: Participate in mock interviews through your law school or with friends. You would be surprised how difficult it is to answer a simple resume question.

Vanessa Quattrociocchi: Prepare early and speak to students that have gone through the process. Being proactive will ease your nerves during interviews.

Sean Williamson: Have an anecdote about everything on your resume. Know what you want to say when talking about your experiences, and practice saying it out loud with a friend or mock-interviewer. Thinking something through in your head and saying it out loud, clearly and confidently, are two entirely different things. You only have 17 minutes; winging it will not serve you well.

Jonathan Wansbrough: Remember to drink lots of water and eat something, it can be a very long day.