In-House Counsel

A striking recommendation regarding who interviews attorneys for a position in the department

By Rees Morrison

Not that much hiring is going on, but for the straggling few departments that have an opportunity to add someone, consider this recommendation about interviews: ?It?s more important to choose the right assessors than to focus on the assessment technique.? The Harv. Bus. Rev., Vol. 86, May 2009 at 81 stresses this point: ?Getting the wrong people involved in your hiring process increases the risk not only of hiring an unsuitable candidate but also of rejecting a good candidate. The worst interviewers actually have a slightly negative effect ? that is, following their recommendations will lead to a worse decision than simply hiring a candidate from the pool at random.?

So, choose who interviews attorneys very carefully (See my post of Jan. 1, 2006 on past behavioral interviewing; April 23, 2008: video interviews; April 7, 2006: distractions of the interviewee?s looks or height; Sept. 3, 2008: six suggestions for effective interviews; Oct. 1, 2006: shorten the interview process; and Jan. 1, 2006: competency interviews compared to IQ tests.). At the other end, by the way, try to talk with everyone who leaves (See my post of Aug. 24, 2005: exit interviews.).

Full post as published by Law Department Management on May 22, 2009 (boomark / email).