Paul, Weiss 2028 screening and callback guide

For
2028 summer associates
Sources
13 cited

Got a Paul, Weiss screener or callback for the 2028 summer associate program? Here is the format, who you meet, the questions to expect and what happens around an offer.

A law student in a navy suit walking beside a junior associate along a glass-walled law firm corridor between callback interviews, empty conference rooms on one side and soft morning light.
A Paul, Weiss callback is typically four interviews, two with partners and two with associates, and can include office tours and meals with its lawyers.

Key facts

  • First interview: A screening interview at a law school program or after your direct application. Law firm screeners usually run 10 to 30 minutes.1,5,6,7
  • Callback: Typically four interviews: two with partners and two with associates.1
  • What they ask: Questions focus on your interest in Paul, Weiss and its practices, and on your goals and experiences.1
  • Around the interviews: Meals with the firm's lawyers, office tours and follow-up meetings with lawyers in the practices that interest you.1
  • Practice area: You indicate a practice area preference during the interview process, then can work in one department or across several in the summer.4,1
  • What they look for: Ambitious, well-rounded candidates with a strong academic record who value teamwork, are driven and want to deliver exceptional client service.1
  • Callback to offer: Across firms, 47% of callback interviews led to offers in the 2025 cycle (summer 2026).8
  • After the summer: All 148 Paul, Weiss 2L summer associates received full-time offers in 2025, each to a particular department.9,1

Paul, Weiss values early applications as a sign of strong interest, and asks applicants to keep their applications updated with grades as they come in, so your file is current when interviewers read it.1

What the Paul, Weiss interview looks like

  1. How you get the first interview

    Paul, Weiss takes part in on-campus interview programs and resume collections at some law schools, and invites everyone else to apply directly through its portal. It recommends applying early and directly, and it asks you to add grades to your application as they arrive.5,1

  2. The screener

    The first meeting is a short screening interview, usually 10 to 30 minutes, often on video. Expect why Paul, Weiss, which practice interests you and a quick walk through your resume, so have a clear story of where you have been and where you want to go. School programs for summer 2028 jobs, such as Harvard's, run virtually in January 2027.6,7,10,1

  3. The callback

    A callback is typically four interviews, two with partners and two with associates. The firm also gives you meals with its lawyers, office tours and follow-up meetings with lawyers in the practices that interest you. Treat every part of the day as part of the interview.1,6

  4. What interviewers listen for

    The questions center on your interest in Paul, Weiss and its practices, and on your goals and experiences. Paul, Weiss looks for ambitious, well-rounded candidates with a strong academic record who value teamwork, are driven and want to work on complex, high-stakes matters.1

  5. After the callback

    If you get an offer, partners can meet with you to help you decide between firms. Firm response times vary more by firm than by candidate, so if two weeks pass with no word and no timeline, send a short follow-up email.1,6

From application to offer, step by step

Application From about Nov 1
Resume, cover letter with departmental interests, undergraduate and unofficial law transcripts.
Screening interview About 10 to 30 min
At a law school program or after a direct application, often on video.
Callback interviews Four, about 20 to 30 min each
Two with partners and two with associates.
Meals and tours Around the interviews
Meals with the firm's lawyers and an office tour. Still part of how the firm gets to know you.
Offer and follow-up After the callback
Partners and lawyers from your practices of interest can meet with you to help you decide.

The steps come from Paul, Weiss's pages and Chambers Associate. The screener and interview lengths are Intervyo's reading of law school guidance.1,2,5,6,7

Before your Paul, Weiss interviews

  • Know which department you named in your cover letter and why, in two sentences.
  • Know one recent Paul, Weiss matter in that practice and what made it hard.
  • Know every line of your resume and what you learned from it.
  • For a virtual screener: camera at eye level, light in front, a plain background.
  • Read your callback interviewers' firm bios and prepare a question for each.
  • Bring spare copies of your resume, transcript and a writing sample.
  • Treat meals and office tours as part of the day.
  • Send a separate thank-you email to each interviewer within 24 hours.

The questions

Expect conversation, not technical tests. The questions fall into a few groups: why Paul, Weiss and its practices, your goals, the experiences on your resume, and how you work on a team.1,6,7

  • Motivation: Why Paul, Weiss, why the office, and why the practices you named.
  • Goals: Where you want your career to go, and which practice you want to start in.
  • Resume: Any line on your resume, and what you took from it.
  • Behavioral: Teamwork, pressure and how you handle high-stakes work.
  • Writing sample: What you wrote and why you argued it that way, if you bring one.

Which division question you get

Corporate (M&A, private equity)
Expect to talk about the deals that drew you to corporate work. Junior corporate associates rotate twice across groups such as M&A, finance, capital markets and investment funds before they specialize.1,4
Litigation
Litigation associates work across the department for their first two years before joining a practice group, so be ready to say what kind of disputes interest you and to talk through your writing sample.4,11
Restructuring
Restructuring associates work on all sides of restructuring matters, so expect to explain why restructuring and what you know of how a case works.4
White collar and regulatory defenseBest guess
Expect questions on why investigations work, and on any government, compliance or journalism background on your resume.

The white collar line is our best guess from the pattern in the other practices: why the practice, plus your own background in it.

Example questions and how to answer them

Motivation"Why Paul, Weiss?"1,3,2
  1. 1Start with the practice and one recent Paul, Weiss matter you can explain in two sentences.
  2. 2Give one reason specific to the firm: its strength across both corporate and litigation, or how its summer works.
  3. 3Link it to your own story: a class, a job or a project that brought you here.
  4. 4Close on the office and what you want to learn in the summer.

Tip: Paul, Weiss values early, direct applications as a sign of strong interest. Show the same thing in the room: be specific about the practice and the matter.

Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)

Intervyo example.

I want to do public M&A, and Paul, Weiss is one of the firms boards call for their largest deals. Its work for Chevron on the $55 billion acquisition of Hess is the kind of deal I want to learn on.

Before law school I spent two years on a corporate development team, and I liked the negotiation more than the modeling. I also like that Paul, Weiss is strong in litigation and restructuring as well, so I could try a contested matter this summer before I narrow down. And I want to build my career in New York.

Goals and experience"What are your goals, and which experience on your resume shaped them?"1,6
  1. 1Name the goal in one sentence: the kind of lawyer you want to be.
  2. 2Pick one experience from your resume that points there.
  3. 3Say what you did and what you learned.
  4. 4Connect it to the Paul, Weiss practice you want to try.

Tip: Every line on your resume is open to questions. Pick an experience you can go deep on, with a real challenge in it.

Behavioral"Tell me about a time you worked on a team under pressure."1,3,6
  1. 1Set the scene: the team, the deadline and what was at stake.
  2. 2Say what you did yourself, and how you kept others informed.
  3. 3Give the result.
  4. 4End on what you would repeat or change.

Tip: Paul, Weiss describes itself as fast-paced and team-oriented, and it looks for candidates who value teamwork. Show both the pace and the team.

Goals and experience"Which department do you want to work in this summer?"4,2,1
  1. 1Name the department from your cover letter and the reason.
  2. 2Show you are open to trying more: summer associates can work in one department or several.
  3. 3Ask the interviewer how they chose their own practice.

Tip: You indicate a practice area preference during the interview process, so be consistent with what your cover letter says.

Writing sample"Walk me through your writing sample."11,6,2
  1. 1Say what the document is and the question it answers.
  2. 2Give your conclusion first, then the steps of reasoning.
  3. 3Name the strongest counterargument and how you handled it.
  4. 4Say what you would change now.

Tip: A writing sample is not one of the four application documents, but law school offices advise bringing one to callbacks. Keep spare copies in a folder.

More Paul, Weiss interview questions

Motivation

  • “Why are you interested in Paul, Weiss and our practices?”1

    Wording ours; the firm says its callback questions focus on this

  • “Why are you interested in our firm?”7

  • “Why this office?”7

    Best guess

    Firms want to know you are serious about the office

Goals

  • “What are your goals for your legal career?”1

    Wording ours

  • “What area of the law are you most interested in?”7

Resume

  • “Tell me about this experience and what you learned from it.”6

  • “What challenges did you face in that role?”6

Behavioral

  • “Tell me about a time you worked on a team on a high-stakes project.”1

    Wording ours; the firm looks for team-oriented candidates

  • “How do you handle several deadlines at once?”3

    Best guess

    The firm calls its environment fast-paced

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How long to hear back after the interview

Paul, Weiss interviews after a school program or a direct application, and asks you to update your application with grades as they arrive. Firm response times after a callback vary more by firm than by candidate.1,6

  1. 2025 (summer 2026)

    All firms, NALP survey

    47% of callback interviews led to offers. May 2025 was the busiest offer month, and 85% of offers went out before July.8

  2. 2025 (summer 2025 class)

    Paul, Weiss summer program

    All 148 2L summer associates received full-time offers.9

  3. Jan 22 and 23, 2026 (summer 2027)

    Berkeley Law Preview program

    Virtual screening interviews for 2L summer 2027 jobs ran on Flo Recruit.12

  4. Around Nov 1, 2026 (summer 2028)

    Paul, Weiss, all US offices

    The 2028 2L postings went up (the firm's Flo Recruit profile dates the New York one Oct 28).13,4

  5. Jan 8 to 13, 2027 (summer 2028)

    Harvard Early Interview Program

    Virtual screeners for private sector employers, for the Class of 2029's 2L summer jobs.10

If two weeks pass after your callback with no word and no timeline, a short follow-up email is reasonable.6

Best guessWith applications opening around Nov 1, 2026, expect screeners from December to February and callbacks within a few weeks of the screener.

What happens after the interview

  1. Online application

    Four documents through Paul, Weiss's Flo Recruit portal, with grades added as they arrive.2,5

  2. Screening interview, then callbackYou are here

    This page. A short screener, then about four callback interviews with two partners and two associates.1,6

  3. Offer

    After the callback. Partners can meet with you to help you decide between firms.1

Screening interview vs callback

The screener checks your story and interest; the callback tests fit with the lawyers you would work with. Grades matter most at the first stage.

Where

Screening interview

A law school program or after a direct application, often virtual.5,10,12

Callback

With the firm, plus meals with lawyers and an office tour.1

Who

Screening interview

One or two lawyers, in a single short meeting.7

Callback

Two partners and two associates.1

Length

Screening interview

About 10 to 30 minutes.6,7

Callback

Four interviews of 20 to 30 minutes, often half a day.1,6

Focus

Screening interview

Why the firm, your practice interest and your resume.7

Callback

Your interest in Paul, Weiss and its practices, your goals and experiences.1

2028 summer associate status

The summer runs 10 weeks. Each summer associate has a partner and an associate mentor, and can work in one department or across several. Most return as junior associates, offered a place in a particular department at the end of the summer.9,1

FAQ

What is the Paul, Weiss screening interview like?

A short interview, usually 10 to 30 minutes and often on video, at a law school program or after your direct application. Expect why Paul, Weiss, which practice interests you and your resume.5,6,7,10,1

What happens at a Paul, Weiss callback?

Typically four interviews, two with partners and two with associates, plus meals with the firm's lawyers, office tours and follow-up meetings with lawyers in the practices that interest you.1

What kind of questions does Paul, Weiss ask?

Questions about your interest in Paul, Weiss and its practices, and about your goals and experiences. Expect any line of your resume to come up.1,6

Do I need a practice area before the interviews?

You indicate a practice area preference during the interview process, and your cover letter already names your departmental interests. You can still work across several departments in the summer.4,2

What does Paul, Weiss look for in interviews?

Ambitious, well-rounded candidates with a strong academic record who value teamwork, are driven, and want to deliver exceptional client service on complex, high-stakes matters.1

Should I bring a writing sample?

The application does not ask for one, but law school offices advise bringing spare copies of your resume, transcript and a writing sample to a callback in case an interviewer asks.2,6,11

Can I talk to more people at Paul, Weiss after an offer?

Yes. Partners can take time to meet with students deciding between firms, and the firm offers follow-up meetings with lawyers in your practices of interest.1

Interview at other firms

Sources

Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 4, 2026.

  1. 1Chambers Associate: Paul, Weiss firm profile: Get Hired · prep site
  2. 2Paul, Weiss (Flo Recruit): New York - 2028 2L Summer Associate Application
  3. 3Paul, Weiss: 2L Summer Program
  4. 4Flo Recruit: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP firm profile (updated Oct 2026)
  5. 5Paul, Weiss: The Summer Experience
  6. 6University of Michigan Law School Office of Career Planning: Guide to Firm Callback Interviews · prep site
  7. 77Sage: What I Wish I Knew before BigLaw Recruiting 101 (Aug 2022) · prep site
  8. 8NALP: Law Student Recruiting Moves Earlier as Employer-Sponsored Hiring Expands (Jan 2026) · press
  9. 9Vault: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP: Summer Law Program · prep site
  10. 10Harvard Law School Office of Career Services: Recruiting Programs for Employers · prep site
  11. 11Yale Law School Career Development Office: Writing Samples, References & Transcripts · prep site
  12. 12Berkeley Law Career Development Office: Class of 2028 2L BigLaw Recruiting · prep site
  13. 13Paul, Weiss (Flo Recruit): Job Openings at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Nov 4, 2026)

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