What OCI Means Now

OCI means on-campus interviewing. It often does not happen on campus anymore.

The name survived even as the process moved into Zoom rooms, hotels, employer offices, and school recruiting platforms. What matters is not the physical location. OCI is a law-school-coordinated interview program that connects students with employers, including large law firms.

Some schools use different names, such as EIP or EIW. The labels and mechanics vary. The basic idea is the same: the school organizes a recruiting channel, students express interest or submit materials, and employers conduct first-round interviews.

Where OCI fits now

OCI used to feel like the single event that determined BigLaw hiring. It is still important, but modern recruiting has more lanes:

• school-run OCI or early interview programs;
• direct applications through firm websites;
• employer-sponsored interview programs;
• diversity, affinity, or practice-specific fellowships;
• job fairs and consortium programs; and
• networking that leads to a formal application.

Harvard's 2026 materials, for example, listed separate resume-collection and virtual-interview programs. NYU listed multiple spring and fall OCI programs. That variation is exactly why you should learn your own school's system rather than assuming a Reddit post describes it.

The terms you need to know

Bid

A bid is an expression of interest in interviewing with a particular employer. At some schools, students rank firms. At others, employers preselect students after reviewing materials. Some systems combine student preferences, employer preferences, and a lottery.

Do not assume a bid means you are guaranteed an interview.

Screener

A screener is the short first-round interview. It may be virtual or in person and often involves one or two lawyers. The firm is deciding whether to invest more time in a callback. You are deciding whether the people and work deserve more of your time too.

Callback

A callback is the longer final-round interview. You usually meet several attorneys in separate conversations. It may last a few hours and can include a meal, office tour, or additional conversation with recruiting staff.

Summer associate

A summer associate is a paid law student working at a firm, usually during the summer between 2L and 3L. Firms use the program to evaluate future associates, and many full-time entry-level offers come from the summer class.