OCI Basics

OCI Basics

A practical overview of on-campus interviews, timelines, bidding, screeners, callbacks, and how to stay organized.

8 min readUpdated 2026-05-30

Overview

OCIs are a structured recruiting process where students meet firms through short interviews, callback rounds, and follow-up conversations. The process rewards preparation, judgment, and clear reasons for why a firm, city, and practice platform interest you.

Key Takeaways

Treat OCIs like a project with deadlines, materials, interview prep, and follow-up notes.

  • Build a tracker for firms, offices, interviewers, dates, and follow-ups.
  • Prepare a concise answer for why each firm and why each market.
  • Use firm profiles and practice guides to avoid generic answers.

Main Content

Main Content

Start by mapping your target firms to practice interests, office locations, and student program signals. Then prepare stories that show judgment, teamwork, writing ability, resilience, and curiosity about business or advocacy. After each interview, write down names, topics, and any follow-up items while the details are fresh.

  • Before interviews: know the firm platform, office strengths, and two practice areas you can discuss.
  • During interviews: answer directly, stay conversational, and connect experiences to legal work.
  • After interviews: update your tracker and send thoughtful follow-ups where appropriate.

Related Firms

Blakes

National full-service law firm

Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto

Fasken

National full-service law firm

Calgary, Vancouver, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto

McCarthy Tétrault

National full-service law firm

Calgary, Vancouver, Montréal, Toronto

Dentons

Global full-service law firm

Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto

Related Practice Areas

Corporate / Commercial

Broad business law work supporting companies through contracts, governance, transactions, and day-to-day legal needs.

Litigation

Disputes work involving advocacy, strategy, evidence, negotiation, and court or tribunal processes.