What Is OCI? A Complete Guide

What OCI Actually Is

OCI stands for On-Campus Interviews. The name is a holdover. At most top schools, it is now the formal recruiting process where BigLaw firms run virtual screeners over Zoom (and a smaller subset of in-person sessions) to interview 1L students in their spring semester for the following summer's 2L summer associate positions.

Think of it as speed dating for legal careers. You get about 20 minutes per interview. The firm decides if they want to see you again (a "callback"). You decide if you actually want to work there. Everyone's wearing suits and pretending to be relaxed.

OCI is how the vast majority of BigLaw summer associate hiring happens. If you want to work at a large firm, this is the main path in.

The timing has shifted hard. Five years ago this happened in August of 2L year. The recruiting cycle has compressed roughly 18 months earlier, and most top schools now run screeners in January or February of 1L. If you are reading this in 1L fall, the window is closer than you think.

Why OCI Matters So Much

Here's the blunt truth: most BigLaw firms fill their summer classes almost entirely through OCI and the surrounding pre-OCI programs. If you miss this window, your options narrow significantly.

The numbers tell the story. The top 100 firms hire thousands of summer associates each year, and the bulk of those offers trace back to OCI. Some firms hire 80-90% of their class through this process.

That doesn't mean it's your only shot, you can get BigLaw without OCI, but it's by far the widest door.

How the OCI Process Works

The process has several stages. Here's the sequence:

1. Bidding (Late fall to early winter of 1L year)

Your law school gives you a set number of "bids" to allocate among participating firms. You rank your preferences, the firms rank theirs, and a matching system assigns your interview slots. At most schools the bidding window now closes in December or early January. Strategy matters here, check out our OCI bidding guide for the details.

2. Screener Interviews (January to February of 1L year)

These are the initial 20-minute interviews. The vast majority are now virtual, conducted over Zoom or a firm's preferred video platform. A handful of firms and schools still run in-person screeners on campus or at a nearby hotel, but virtual is the default. One interviewer, usually an associate or junior partner. The goal is simple: don't give them a reason to reject you, and give them at least one reason to remember you.

We break down exactly what to expect in our screener interview guide.

3. Callback Interviews (February to March of 1L year)

If the firm likes what they see, you get a callback. Format varies. Some firms still fly you to the office for a half-day visit where you meet 3-5 attorneys plus a meal. Many firms have moved to fully virtual callbacks, and a growing share use a hybrid model: a virtual first round, an in-person second round for finalists. Either way, callbacks are where real decisions get made, on both sides.

Read more in our callback interview guide.

4. Offers (March to April of 1L year)

After callbacks, firms extend offers for the 2L summer associate program (which happens 14+ months later). At most BigLaw firms, the offer rate from callbacks is somewhere around 50-70%, though it varies wildly by firm and year.

For the full timeline of what happens after you get a callback, see our post-callback breakdown.

Who Participates in OCI?

Nearly every major BigLaw firm. We're talking about firms like Cravath, Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden, Wachtell, Sullivan & Cromwell, and roughly 100 others. You can browse the full firm directory to see which firms recruit at your school and what practice areas they emphasize.

Not every firm participates at every school, though. The biggest firms tend to recruit at T14 schools. As you move down the rankings, the number of participating firms drops. That's just reality.

What Firms Look for at OCI

Firms evaluate a few things during OCI:

• Grades. Your 1L GPA is the single biggest factor in getting screener interviews. Above the median at a T14 school? You'll have plenty of interviews. Below it? You'll need to be more strategic with your bids.
• Resume. Prior work experience, journal membership, moot court, interesting backgrounds, all of this matters.
• Personality. Can this person sit in a conference room with a client for 8 hours? Firms want people who are smart, curious, and not exhausting to be around.
• Interest in the firm. This is where research pays off. Knowing why you want this firm, specifically, is what separates you from the 40 other people they're interviewing that day. Use Big Law Bear's firm profiles to dig into practice strengths, culture, and compensation before you walk in.

For the full breakdown on what firms prioritize, read what firms actually look for when hiring.

How to Prepare for OCI

Preparation comes down to three things:

Know your story. Why law? Why BigLaw? Why this firm? You need clear, concise answers to all three. Practice them out loud until they sound natural, not rehearsed.

Research the firms. Don't just skim the website. Know their biggest recent deals, their standout practice areas, and something specific about why they interest you. Big Law Bear's firm directory has practice area breakdowns and key details for every top firm.

Prepare your questions. The questions you ask reveal more than the answers you give. Have 3-4 thoughtful questions ready for each firm. Our guide to common OCI interview questions covers both sides of the conversation.

Common OCI Mistakes

Students torpedo their chances in predictable ways. Applying too broadly. Not researching firms. Giving generic answers. Showing up in the wrong outfit. Forgetting to send thank-you emails (or sending bad ones).

We put together a list of the 7 biggest OCI mistakes so you can avoid them.

The Bottom Line

OCI is stressful, but it's also incredibly structured. That's actually good news, it means you can prepare for it systematically. Know the timeline, research the firms, practice your answers, and you'll be in strong shape.

If you're just starting to think about BigLaw recruiting, the best first step is to get familiar with the firms. Browse the firm directory, set up your Gold Stars to track your favorites, and start building your target list early.