Curiosity Beats Credentials When Advancing Law Firm Interviews

Most lawyers think interviews are about proving they’re qualified. They talk about their credentials, goals, and reasons for moving. But partners already know about these qualifications, and their resume got them the interview. What partners really want to see is how a lawyer would work with them.

Associates reach peak marketability between their third and fifth years. They’ve received valuable training and can contribute immediately, yet they’re early enough to develop into partners. Their rates allow them to be staffed on various matters, making them particularly attractive hires.

This is when highly credentialed lawyers land interviews at multiple firms. Some convert these opportunities into offers. Others stall after early rounds. The difference isn’t talent or experience; it’s how they interview.

Collaborative Approach

Trial lawyer Kalpana Srinivasan, co-chair of Susman Godfrey, explains the disconnect on the podcast Khurram’s Quorum. When discussing lateral moves, she describes how reputation and credentials aren’t enough: “It’s not enough to say I’m a great lawyer at a [top] firm.”

Instead, she recommends that associates demonstrate concrete outcomes while interviewing: “Saying that you’re a lawyer at a [top] firm is not really as impactful as saying, ‘I got to do these things in my career. I had the opportunity to handle this big argument.’”

This reveals why collaboration matters: Partners aren’t just hiring credentials, they’re hiring someone they can picture working alongside them. When lawyers ask detailed questions about team structure, staffing needs, and workflow, they demonstrate the strategic thinking they’ll bring to client matters. This strategic approach is what converts interviews into offers.

Strategies

Associates who turn interviews into multiple offers do a couple of things differently.

Lead With Curiosity. They ask specific, open-ended questions about how they can help. They are curious about how they can help. They ask about:

• How teams are staffed on live matters
• How the practice is changing in mix of work, team structures, and types of matters
• What qualities partners see in associates who advance quickly
• What types of arguments associates actually make
• Whether associates take depositions and interact with clients

These questions show genuine interest in the firm’s needs, demonstrate strategic thinking about how legal work happens, and create opportunities to show how the lawyers’ unique experience adds value to the practice.

After a partner describes a complex transaction or matter, a strong lawyer might ask: “That sounds like it requires coordination across practice groups. How did you structure the team to manage those handoffs?”

Tell Collaborative Stories. More successful associates also highlight teamwork: leading diligence while keeping partners informed, coordinating across offices to meet deadlines, or adapting when a partner’s strategy shifts.

Rather than “I managed the due diligence process,” try: “Three weeks from closing, we discovered a regulatory issue. I coordinated with partners in our regulatory group, kept the client updated on our revised timeline, and restructured our diligence team. We closed on schedule.”

This shows how a lawyer works under pressure, communicates with senior lawyers and clients, and adapts to changing circumstances. And these are signals of how they’d function on a partner’s team.

Two Lawyers, Two Outcomes

One fifth-year associate entered the market with everything working in their favor: top credentials, an entire career at one firm, and perfect timing for their market. This lawyer knew exactly what they wanted, which was a specific type of work that didn’t exist at their current firm.

Strong credentials got this lawyer interviews at eight firms, but they only advanced past the first round at one firm. This lawyer focused on what firms could do for them, showing little curiosity about the practices’ needs.

Another fifth-year with similar credentials took a different approach. They began their search targeting a specific boutique but stayed open-minded. Within the first week, they scheduled five interviews.

In each conversation, this lawyer focused on being useful: asking about staffing, bandwidth gaps, and how they could add value. Within two weeks, they had two offers with more pending.

One offer came from their target boutique; the other from a general practice firm they hadn’t initially considered. They chose the general practice firm—a better platform for their long-term goals. With multiple competing offers, they secured a guaranteed, non-prorated bonus. Most importantly, having options gave them leverage and confidence.

Both were talented lawyers. Only one had leverage and confidence in their choice. Credentials and strategic timing open doors. But curiosity and collaboration convert interviews into offers, and create leverage and career control.

Lawyers who choose their next step do it by asking thoughtful questions and demonstrating teamwork. Lawyers who master curiosity and collaboration don’t just get offers; they evaluate multiple opportunities, negotiate from strength, and take ownership over how they build their careers.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law, Bloomberg Tax, and Bloomberg Government, or its owners.

Author Information

Emma Larson is partner at Freshwater Counsel, a boutique legal recruiting agency specializing in elite law firm placements.

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