On-Campus Interviews

Open All | Close All

•  

  Sign Up for OCIs

  Please use this form to request OCI support from our Career Services Office with recruitment of students or recent graduates for summer or postgraduate paid legal positions. Employers are also welcome to contact the CSO directly to learn more or schedule OCI.

•  

  How do OCIs work?

  When you sign up, we collect information about your recruitment needs and confirm with you. We recommend signing up at least two weeks in advance of your preferred interview date so that we can best support you. We provide you with applications that meet your requirements, schedule interviews with your selected applicants, and host you on campus in-person or virtually for interviews.

•  

  When do OCIs begin?

  Employer participation is invited all year, as the CSO will accommodate employer recruitment needs. We recommend considering the following timeframes for the strongest applicant pool.

  Employers recruiting 1Ls for summer positions are encouraged to participate in the winter term (January through March).

  Employers recruiting 2Ls for summer positions are encouraged to participate early in the academic year (late July, August, or September).

  Employers recruiting 3Ls for post-graduation positions are encouraged to participate throughout the academic year (September through November or January through March).

  Employers recruiting recent graduates are encouraged to participate after the July or February bar exams (August or March).

•  

  Questions

  cso@udmercy.edu | 313-596-0223
•  

  Nondiscrimination Policy

  Employers agree to observe the principles of nondiscrimination and equality of opportunity on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender including gender identity and gender expression, height, weight, marital status, familial status, disability, religion, creed, military service, veteran status, and political belief in regard to hiring, promotion, retention, and conditions of employment.

•  

  Remuneration Policy

  On-Campus Interviews: Detroit Mercy Law provides on-campus interview services to employers recruiting students or recent graduates for summer or postgraduate paid legal positions.

  Job Postings: Detroit Mercy Law provides job posting services to employers recruiting for paid legal positions. Detroit Mercy Law does not post unpaid opportunities with for-profit entities. Postings for unpaid internships or externships for academic credit are limited to non-profit, government, or public interest agencies.

Open All | Close All

•  

  Overview

  Employers interview students and recent graduates on-campus throughout the year for summer and postgraduate paid legal positions.

  Participating in OCIs in late summer/early fall as a rising 2L is the typical route to get hired as a summer and first-year associate at law firms that do long-term employment projections (most large law firms and some small/mid-size firms). Other legal employers, such as corporations, government, and public interest organizations, may also participate.

  If you do not secure a position through OCIs, connect with your career counselor, as there are many other opportunities made available throughout the year to secure positions. Most law students nationally and at Detroit Mercy Law secure employment outside of the OCI process. Regardless of your outcome, participating in OCIs is a valuable process. You may secure a position, and if not, you will build your network and be that much more prepared to secure the next opportunity.

•  

  How will I learn about OCIs?

  The CSO will inform students and recent graduates of OCI opportunities through the Detroit Mercy Law listservs, so please regularly check your udmercy email.

•  

  What is the process?

  Students should work with their career counselors to polish their application materials. Most employers will require a resume, writing sample, and unofficial law transcript. Cover letters and lists of references or letters of recommendation may also be requested by some employers.

  Students can review participating employers in CareerConnect through the OCI tab and place a bid by submitting the required application materials to each employer of interest to them for which they meet all employer-set requirements. Employers review bids and inform the CSO of the students they select to interview.

  The CSO will notify you if you are selected to interview and provide additional details as needed to help you sign up for a timeslot and prepare for the interview.

  Interviews are typically 20 minutes and take place in person at Detroit Mercy Law. After OCIs, employers extend limited call-back interviews to select students. Call-back interviews are typically conducted at the employer’s office but may be conducted virtually. Following call-backs, employers extend offers or notify call-back candidates with rejections. Law firms typically evaluate a summer associate’s performance at the end of the summer and determine whether to extend them an offer to join the firm as an attorney thereafter.

•  

  Deadlines, Expectations, and Requirements

  Students and recent graduates participating in OCIs should honor the deadlines, expectations, and requirements listed below and as communicated by their career counselor though udmercy emails.

•  

  General OCI Expectations

  Please honor the following expectations for OCI participation. Your actions reflect on the entire Detroit Mercy Law community. Positive relationships with employers ensure our continued support of their recruitment needs.
  
  

  • Be honest and accurate in all information provided to employers, including application materials and verbal representations during interviews.
  • Read and respond to OCI emails within 24 business hours.
  • Be available to interview on the designated OCI dates for the employers you apply to. If you are not available, please discuss this with your career counselor prior to placing a bid, as employers generally expect students to be available when they come to campus.
  • Direct questions and communications for OCI employers to the CSO unless and until an employer contacts you directly. The CSO will provide guidance on thank you letters, as the advice is highly specific to each employer and interviewer.
  • Notify the CSO immediately if you need to withdraw an application due to accepting another offer or other reasons.
  • Prepare for, dress professionally, and attend all interviews you are offered, and notify the CSO of any extreme circumstances that would require you to miss an interview, defined as a positive diagnosis of a communicable disease, your own hospitalization, or death in your immediate family. The CSO will work with the employer to see if they are interested in permitting you to interview virtually, if possible, or rescheduling your interview.
  • Inform the CSO of any callback interview invitations, offers, and acceptances. Students should not hold open more than one offer, as that slows down hiring processes and prevents others from receiving offers. Upon receiving a second offer, students should release the least favorable offer. Students should notify the employer as soon as a decision is made, even if that decision is made in advance of the prevailing response date.
•  

  Applications

  Students and recent graduates should work with their career counselor to polish their application materials for the best chances of success. Students should place a bid by submitting the required application materials to each OCI employer of interest to them. Applications that are error-free, conform to legal industry standards as set forth in the sample materials on CareerConnect, and meet all employer-stated requirements will be provided to employers.

•  

  Mock Interviews

  Students and recent graduates should complete a mock interview prior to participating in OCIs for the best chances of success.

  (Stay tuned for more interview resources to come.)

•  

  Law Firm Receptions

  OCI candidates are often invited to attend receptions which usually take place in June or July. These can be highly-rewarding networking events that help you learn more about the employer. Participating students should dress professionally as they would for an interview, unless otherwise specifically stated, and conduct themselves professionally, as impressions at networking events often impact future employment opportunities. Additional details will be emailed to participating students before each reception.

•  

  2023-2024 Timeline & Deadlines for Rising 2Ls

  Students should adhere to the following timeline and deadlines for the best chances of securing employment through OCI.

  ACTION REQUIRED: April 20-21

  Attend an OCI information session with Director Orchanian.

  May 19, rolling

  Participating employers will be added to CareerConnect (OCI > Fall 2023) on a rolling basis as registrations are received beginning May 19. Details such as OCI dates, required and preferred qualifications, and required application materials will be included. Information is subject to change, should employers request adjustments.

  ACTION REQUIRED: May 31

  Submit draft application materials. Students should submit a resume and writing sample (with cover page) to cso@udmercy.edu for review. Students are also encouraged to submit draft cover letters by this date, if required by employers of interest to them.

  Students should respond to feedback in a timely fashion, update their materials accordingly, and work with their career counselor to finalize all application materials. Law transcripts can be uploaded directly to CareerConnect when first-year grades become available.
  
  ACTION REQUIRED: July 1-9
  
  Upload final application materials to Career Connect for final CSO review and approval. The CSO will review and approve final application materials that are error-free and conform to legal industry standards as set forth in the sample materials on CareerConnect within approximately 2 business days.
  

  ACTION REQUIRED: July, Rolling

  Upload final application materials to Career Connect for final CSO review and approval at least one week before the bidding window closes for any employer(s) you would like to apply to. The CSO will review and approve final application materials that are error-free and conform to legal industry standards as set forth in the sample materials on CareerConnect.
  
  Mid-July, Rolling
  
  Using approved documents, place bids by submitting the required application materials to each employer of interest to you during the employer’s bidding window, on or before the deadline listed for each employer. The exact deadlines for each employer will be listed in their OCI posting on Career Connect and cannot be extended. A separate bid must be submitted for each employer. There is no limit on the number of bids a student may submit. Applications that are error-free, conform to legal industry standards as set forth in the sample materials on Career Connect, and meet all employer-stated requirements will be provided to employers.
  
  ACTION REQUIRED
  
  Participate in the summer mock interview program. Details to come (tentatively July 18-21).
  
  Late-July, Rolling
  
  The CSO will inform you via your udmercy email if you are selected to interview or if additional employers register for OCI.

•  

  Research Employers

  The following research steps can help you learn more about OCI employers.
  

  • Review the employer’s website, especially the “summer associate/employment” information page, if they have one.
  • Review the employer’s NALP profile (available for most large law firms). Pay particular attention to the recruitment and hiring tab.
  • Search the employer and interviewer(s) on Google and look for recent news articles.
  • Search the employer and interviewer(s) on LexisNexis and Westlaw and review recent results.
•  

  Dress for Success

  For the best chances of success, present as someone an employer would feel comfortable introducing to clients. You are encouraged to wear your interview attire for all interviews and networking events, including mock and virtual interviews.
  
  Below are recommendations to help you present as mature, polished, and professional.
  
  

  • Attire should fit properly and be wrinkle free. You may want to visit a tailor.
  • Wear a conservative suit. Solid black, gray, or navy blue are good choices. Jackets and pants/skirts should match. Pants should be ankle length; skirts should be knee length and nylons are recommended.
  • Wear a neutral-colored shirt or shell under your suit. White, cream or light blue are good choices. Ties should not be distracting.
  • Clean and natural/neutral-colored nails are recommended.
  • Cover tattoos and remove facial piercings.
  • Keep any makeup natural/neutral-colored.
  • Limit jewelry.
  • Shoes should be polished/clean and conservative (neutral colors, low/no heel).
  • Do not use cologne/perfume/strong-smelling lotion for the day, as OCI rooms are small.
  • Do not chew gum or smell like smoke.
  • Limit the number of items you take with you. Take a padfolio, a non-plastic pen, a breath mint, a legal pad, and multiple copies of your resume printed on resume paper.

  For virtual interviews, backgrounds should not be distracting. Blur your background if you are unsure.