By Lori Atherton
U-M Law
After 12 years of being hosted at the Ann Arbor Holiday Inn, Early Interview Week (EIW)—a four-day event during which employers interview rising 2Ls and 3Ls—will return to the Law Quad, more specifically the Lawyers Club, in August. The last time law firm employers actually recruited on site at the Law School was in 2001; back then it was known as “OCI” (on-campus interviewing).
During OCI, a steady stream of employers came in daily during September and October, with the result of much disruption to class attendance. Consolidating the process from eight weeks during the semester down to four days prior to the start of class meant efficiencies — but necessitated a large venue for accommodating around 500 offices of top law firms and agencies conducting more than 5,000 interviews. Until now, only the Holiday Inn on Plymouth Road, more than four miles away from the Law School, had the capacity, so OCI became off-campus EIW. But thanks to the recently completed extensive renovation , the Lawyers Club boasts new amenities — including air conditioning, high-speed wireless Internet access, and corridor lounges — that make it the perfect home for this event, said Kim LeClair, recruitment manager for the Office of Career Planning.
“We expect the change in venue will increase excitement about EIW, especially among alumni, who make up almost 50 percent of interviewers,” she said, also noting that some 575 offices are registered to take part in EIW this year. “We’ve heard lots of feedback over the years about how alumni miss seeing their old haunts, and I think they’ll be pleased to have the chance to see professors and be immersed in the Quad.”
One alumnus who is looking forward to returning to the Law School is Ethan Dettmer, ‘97, hiring partner for the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. “As an alumnus and as an enthusiastic recruiter of Michigan Law School students, I was thrilled to hear that on-campus interviewing at Michigan is actually going to be ‘on campus’ once again,” he said. “I am looking forward to spending a few days at Michigan Law — seeing the beautifully renovated campus, visiting with friends on the peerless faculty and staff, and meeting the next generation of great lawyers from Michigan Law School.”
The location change for EIW — set for Aug. 7-8 and Aug. 11-12 — also will be beneficial for students, LeClair noted. While most students are unfamiliar with the Holiday Inn, the familiar surroundings of the Law Quadrangle should result in their feeling more at ease and less stressed during the interview process.
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