Latham & Watkins · Live Interview
Latham & Watkins's first-round live interview is where strong written applications become offer pipelines or go nowhere. Below: the real questions Latham & Watkins asks, what they're testing for, and how to practise live until it feels routine.
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The format
The live first-round screening interview is the primary gateway to a callback. Pass it and you reach the multi-hour callback; fail it and your candidacy ends for the cycle.
A live, conversational, fit-driven 20-minute interview. Fundamentally behavioral, with no technical drills (no DCF, no LBO math, no whiteboard bylaws).
Practicing attorneys, not HR: a mid-to-senior associate (4th-8th year), counsel, or partner. Latham deliberately involves high-billing partners.
Overwhelmingly single-interviewer; occasionally a partner paired with a junior associate observing.
Duration. Precisely 20 minutes (rarely extended to 30 in pre-OCI direct scenarios).
Rounds at this stage. One screener, then the callback (4-5 rounds).
Format breakdown
Phone, video, and in-person each have distinct mechanics. The interviewer scoring rubric is the same, but the operational preparation is different.
Rare, used mainly as an emergency fallback or for off-cycle/lateral hiring; compensate with vocal energy, speak ~10% slower and avoid verbal tics.
The default: FloRecruit or Zoom. Be in the lobby 5 minutes early, webcam at eye level, look into the lens (not the on-screen face), neutral well-lit background, full business attire.
On-campus OCI in 20-minute hotel/booth slots, or an office screener if you are local. Bring three physical copies of your resume, transcript and writing sample; treat every staff member with respect.
Question categories
Question types cycled through the interview. For each, a real example, what the firm is screening for, plus weak and strong answer signals.
“Why Latham & Watkins?”
What they test. Genuine, specific interest in the firm, not a generic BigLaw answer
Weak answer. Latham is a top-tier global firm with great exit opportunities and a Vault 10 ranking.
Strong answer. I am drawn to your Unassigned Program to gain M&A and restructuring exposure before committing, and your New York leveraged finance work for lead arrangers on recent high-yield issuances aligns with my corporate finance background.
“Why this specific geographic office?”
What they test. Ties to the city; firms see high attrition when associates move home
Weak answer. I have always wanted to try living on the West Coast and LA seems fantastic.
Strong answer. I am focused on DC because my goal is antitrust litigation; the office sits at the intersection of regulatory enforcement and complex litigation, and my family is establishing our permanent home in northern Virginia.
“Why do you want to practice corporate law versus litigation (or vice versa)?”
What they test. Career intentionality and understanding of the day-to-day
“Why did you decide to go to law school?”
What they test. Professional maturity and a logical trajectory
“Tell me about a time you managed a heavy workload with competing deadlines. How did you prioritize?”
What they test. Time management, stress tolerance, systematic execution
Weak answer. I had three finals and a journal note due at once, so I stayed up late, drank coffee and got it done.
Strong answer. I used a centralized tracking matrix with self-imposed micro-deadlines, and when a moot court rewrite collided with a journal deadline I communicated 48 hours ahead and negotiated a 12-hour extension, delivering edits early and winning an oral advocacy award.
“Describe working closely with someone whose style conflicted with yours.”
What they test. Interpersonal skills and EQ
“Tell me about a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?”
What they test. Ownership, accountability and resilience
Strong answer. I missed an amended statutory subsection in an index before a filing, immediately told the supervising associate, presented the corrected text and an updated table of contents, and built a double-check protocol for future tasks.
“Walk me through your resume.”
What they test. Communication efficiency, narrative cohesion, self-awareness
Weak answer. A 5-minute monotone chronological reading with irrelevant detail and no transitions.
Strong answer. A focused 2-3 minute story with clear transitions, connecting undergraduate studies and pre-law work to an interest in complex corporate commercial work, with specifics on 1L summer.
“What major commercial or regulatory trend is impacting our clients, and how does it affect Latham?”
What they test. Broad commercial curiosity tied to client business drivers
Weak answer. AI is a big deal and will change how law firms draft documents.
Strong answer. Heightened FTC/DOJ scrutiny of "killer acquisitions" and vertical integration is shifting how Latham structures deals, with more reverse break-up fees, ticking fees and extended drop-dead dates, requiring corporate and antitrust teams to integrate from day one.
“Tell me about a recent Latham transaction or case you found compelling.”
What they test. Actual diligence on the firm
“Describe a complex legal issue from your 1L summer or legal writing course and how you resolved it.”
What they test. Analytical rigor and synthesis under pressure
Strong answer. Analyzing a Rule 10b-5 motion to dismiss, I argued the plaintiff met the PSLRA "strong inference" of scienter standard by showing the defendants' insider stock sales during the class period established motive and opportunity.
“Your first-semester Contracts grade is a B. What happened there?”
What they test. Poise and maturity under challenge
Weak answer. The curve is harsh and that professor writes unfair, ambiguous exams.
Strong answer. It was a disappointment that became a turning point: I had summarized facts rather than applying doctrine to counter-arguments, met the professor to review the exam, changed my outlining to prioritize issue-spotting, and earned As the following semester.
“If a partner gave you an assignment you strongly disagreed with on strategy, what would you do?”
What they test. Hierarchy judgment and diplomatic communication
Strong answer. Verify the analysis exhaustively, then raise it as an inquiry rather than a critique: flag a recent appellate decision that might expose a defense and ask how best to account for it, respecting the partner's oversight.
Technical depth
Crucially, there are no technical drills like banking or consulting. You are tested on judgment, communication clarity, maturity and the ability to talk intelligently about legal issues on your resume. "Practice depth" means showing early practice-area orientation, not modeling.
Articulate why deals over disputes, deconstruct a recent transaction's commercial thesis (vertical integration, geographic expansion), and show extreme organization and flawless execution.
Know syndicated bank debt versus high-yield bonds, why a sponsor uses high leverage in an LBO, how covenants protect lenders, and how Fed rate shifts drive deal volume.
Know your writing sample cold: procedural posture, the controlling test, your core argument and the strongest counterargument; speak in numbered IRAC/CRAC structure.
For DC: FTC/DOJ enforcement philosophy, market concentration, gun-jumping and vertical mergers. For Houston: the energy transition and Inflation Reduction Act tax credits driving infrastructure investment.
The rubric
The interviewer is checking against a scorecard. Knowing the categories is half the battle.
Aggregation. The interviewer completes a digital evaluation form (typically 1-5 per pillar) immediately, with a written narrative recommendation to the local Hiring Committee.
Pass threshold. To secure a callback you generally need a top mark ("Strong Advance" or "Must Advance") across the core competencies; an explicit "Do Not Advance" almost always ends the application regardless of GPA.
Weighting vs other rounds. The screener is a pass/fail filter. Once you reach the callback, the slate is largely wiped clean and your callback rounds plus transcript determine the offer.
How to practise
Conversational mocks that read your Resume, ask Latham & Watkins-specific questions, push back when answers are weak, and produce a scored report.
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Why candidates fail
Specific failure patterns documented across past applicants. Most are avoidable with focused preparation.
Generic "Why Latham"
An answer that could apply to any Vault 10 firm signals no preparation.
Cannot articulate resume specifics
Fumbling the legal issues or business context of a past job creates doubt.
Arrogance and poor fit
Condescension about administrative tasks or boasting about grades ends it.
Poor time management in 20 minutes
Four-minute answers to simple openers eat the interview.
No substantive questions; low energy
Flat delivery or "you covered everything" reads as disinterest.
What works
Concrete moves drilled by candidates who clear the cut, drawn from applicant accounts and recruiter feedback.
Precision targeting of firm drivers
Connect your interests to documented strengths of the specific local office.
Advanced conversational control
Polished, structured answers that leave room for organic dialogue.
The "airport test" excellence
Be the person the interviewer would gladly advocate for on a tight deadline.
Sophisticated legal articulation
Use precise terminology, procedural postures and sharp analytical insight.
Poise under calculated stress
Handle curveballs and grade critiques with calm, transparency and a positive outlook.
From past applicants
Anonymised candidate accounts of how recent Latham & Watkins applicants handled the live round. Each covers prep, the experience, and the outcome.
Pre-OCI virtual screener, New York office (corporate)
Prep. Reviewed notes on a 1L-summer cross-border asset purchase agreement.
Experience. A 20-minute FloRecruit interview with a senior M&A partner that started exactly on the second; he skipped small talk and probed the regulatory clearances and escrow structure, then asked why Latham over white-shoe firms.
Outcome. Callback invitation less than 48 hours later.
On-campus OCI screener, Washington DC office (litigation)
Prep. Knew the First Amendment commercial-speech writing sample cold.
Experience. An in-person 20-minute hotel-suite interview with a White Collar Defense counsel; a 2.5-minute resume walkthrough, then a challenge to defend the core argument against a Supreme Court precedent, which he met by distinguishing the facts on the record.
Outcome. Called that evening to schedule the superday.
What gets you through
FAQ
It is a live, conversational 20-minute first-round interview (occasionally 30 minutes pre-OCI), conducted by a practicing attorney over FloRecruit/Zoom or in person at OCI. It is behavioral and fit-driven: motivation, resume walkthrough, behavioral and commercial-awareness questions. There are no technical drills. The breakdown is roughly 2 minutes of rapport, about 13 minutes of substantive questions, and the final 5 minutes for your questions.
No. Unlike banking or consulting, you will not calculate a DCF, model an LBO or write a bylaw provision. You are tested on judgment, communication clarity, maturity and your ability to talk intelligently about the legal issues you have personally encountered. The closest to "technical" is being able to defend your writing sample or discuss a recent deal, so know your own materials cold.
Re-read every line of your resume and your writing sample, prepare a 90-second resume pitch, and draft a specific why-Latham and why-this-city answer. Build a practice-group thesis even within the unassigned pool, and track one or two recent firm matters. Then rehearse aloud under time. Intervyo runs realistic, firm-specific mock interviews with conversational follow-ups and instant feedback on structure, clarity and composure.
The other rounds
Live interview is one of four rounds. Practise each one free on Intervyo.
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Intervyo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Latham & Watkins. Interview questions are sourced from past applicants and the firm's published guidance; verify on the firm's careers site. Sector: Commercial Law.
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