Wachtell Lipton 2028 screening and callback guide

For
2028 summer associates
Sources
16 cited

Got a Wachtell Lipton interview for the 2028 summer associate program? Here is how the rounds fit together, why the questions turn to legal substance, what Wachtell looks for and how to prepare.

A law student in a navy suit seated across a desk stacked with binders from a lawyer in shirtsleeves, in a small office with a single window and late afternoon light, both leaning in mid-conversation.
Wachtell interviews ask substantive legal questions, so expect to discuss a legal issue in depth.

Key facts

  • How you get there: Through a career services recruiting program at your law school, or the direct portal open from Dec 1, 2026 to early February 2027.2,1
  • The questions: Substantive legal questions come up in Wachtell interviews, so expect to discuss a legal issue in depth.6
  • What gets the job: Grades and law review experience get you in the door; being able to discuss substantive legal issues articulately in the interview gets you the job.7
  • Traits: Wachtell hires show intellectual curiosity and humility, a fit for a close-knit firm with a low associate-to-partner ratio.6,3
  • What they look for: Strong academic records, meaningful work experience, and people who are highly motivated and eager to contribute.1
  • Who decides: Hiring is by committee, and final review may wait until your completed first-semester transcript is in.6,1
  • Class size: The 2026 summer class was 32, all in New York. In 2025, all 31 2L summers received offers.4,5
  • Callback to offer: Across firms, 47% of callback interviews led to offers in the 2025 cycle (summer 2026).11

Wachtell is one office of about 270 lawyers, and most of its associates were once its summer associates, so every interviewer is a potential colleague on a small team.4,3

What the Wachtell Lipton interview looks like

  1. Getting the interview

    If Wachtell takes part in a career services recruiting program at your law school, you apply and are screened through that program; other students apply through the direct portal, open from Dec 1, 2026 to early February 2027, with a resume and law school transcript. Grades and law review experience are what get candidates in the door.2,3,1,7

  2. The screening interview

    Expect a short first interview, usually 10 to 30 minutes with one or two lawyers, about your resume, why Wachtell and the law that interests you. Have a clear reason for a small, New York-only firm built on teams working across practices.8,9,3,4

  3. The callback

    A callback is usually a half-day series of 20 or 30 minute interviews with partners and associates. At Wachtell, expect at least some of them to turn to substance, since the firm asks substantive legal questions, so bring a writing sample you can defend.8,6,13

  4. What interviewers listen for

    Wachtell asks substantive legal questions, and its hires show intellectual curiosity and humility. Being able to discuss legal issues articulately is what gets candidates the job. The firm also says it prizes independent thinking and creativity, and seeks strong academics, meaningful work experience and motivation.6,7,3,1

  5. After the interviews

    Hiring is by committee, and final review may wait until your completed first-semester transcript is in. If two weeks pass after a callback with no word and no timeline, a short follow-up email is reasonable.6,1,8

From application to offer, step by step

Application Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 2027
Your school's program, or the direct portal with a resume and transcript.
Screening interview About 10 to 30 min
One or two lawyers; your resume, why Wachtell and your interests.
Callback Often half a day
Several interviews with partners and associates, with legal substance.
First-semester transcript Before final review
Review may wait for your completed transcript.
Decision By committee
Wachtell's hiring partners act as a committee.

The route, documents, review timing and committee come from Wachtell's pages and Vault. The interview lengths are Intervyo's reading of law school guidance.1,2,6,8,9

Before your Wachtell interviews

  • Pick two legal issues you know well, from your writing course or a class, and practice explaining each in two minutes.
  • Know where you came out on each and the strongest argument against you.
  • Read about two recent Wachtell matters in M&A, activism defense or litigation.
  • Know every line of your resume and what you learned from it.
  • Have a clear answer for why a small, one-office firm suits you.
  • Bring spare copies of your resume, transcript and writing sample to the callback.
  • Prepare questions about how summers rotate and how teams are staffed.
  • Send a separate thank-you email to each interviewer within 24 hours.

The questions

Expect the usual law firm conversation, plus substantive legal questions: why Wachtell, your resume, a legal issue you know well, your writing sample and how you work in small teams.6,7,8

  • Motivation: Why Wachtell, why a small one-office firm, and why corporate or litigation.
  • Legal substance: A legal issue you have worked on, argued through in depth.
  • Writing sample: What you wrote, why you argued it that way and what you would change.
  • Resume: Any line on your resume, and what you took from it.
  • Teamwork: How you work on small teams under pressure.

Which division question you get

Corporate (M&A, activism, governance)
Wachtell's core work is mergers and acquisitions, takeovers and takeover defense, shareholder activism and corporate governance, so expect to discuss a deal or governance issue you have followed and what made it hard.4
Litigation
Wachtell handles sensitive investigation and litigation matters, and summers attend courtroom and deposition sessions, so be ready to walk through a legal issue from your writing course and defend it.4,1,13
Restructuring and finance
Restructuring is one of Wachtell's practice areas and summers rotate through three or four of them, so a reason to try it helps.4
Tax, executive compensationBest guess
Expect questions on why the practice and any finance or accounting background on your resume.

The tax and executive compensation 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

Legal substance"Walk me through a legal issue you have worked on and where you came out."7,6,15,16
  1. 1State the question in one sentence.
  2. 2Give your conclusion first.
  3. 3Walk through the two or three steps of reasoning.
  4. 4Name the strongest counterargument and how you answered it.

Tip: At Wachtell, being able to discuss substantive legal issues articulately is what gets you the job. Pick an issue you know cold, and expect follow-up questions that push on it.

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

Intervyo example.

My legal writing brief asked when a controlling stockholder's buyout of the minority is safe from a fiduciary duty claim in Delaware. Since March 2025 the answer is in the statute: Section 144 of the Delaware General Corporation Law protects a going-private deal if a committee of at least two disinterested directors approves it, and the deal is conditioned on, and wins, a majority of the votes cast by the disinterested stockholders. Otherwise the controller has to show the deal was fair.

The reasoning: the controller's influence is why these deals used to get entire fairness review under the MFW cases. The committee stands in for an arm's-length negotiation and the vote tests the price. The statute also eased one MFW step: the vote condition only has to be in place when the deal goes to stockholders, not from the very start.

The strongest argument against me was that one protection should be enough, as it is for other controller deals under the same section. I answered that a going-private deal ends the minority's stake for good, so the statute asks for both. The Delaware Supreme Court upheld the 2025 amendments in February 2026.

Motivation"Why Wachtell?"3,4,1,5
  1. 1Give one reason specific to how Wachtell works: small teams, low leverage, one office.
  2. 2Tie it to your own background.
  3. 3Name the kind of work you want to do there.
  4. 4Close on what you want from the summer.

Tip: Wachtell describes a low associate-to-partner ratio, task-force teams across practices and real responsibility early. Show you want that, not just the name.

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

Intervyo example.

I want to work on public M&A and activism defense, which sit at the center of Wachtell's practice. What draws me as much is how it works: small teams drawn from several practices, a low ratio of associates to partners, and associates working directly with partners and clients.

At the bank I worked on deal teams of four or five, where everyone mattered, and I did my best work there. I want a summer that rotates me through corporate and litigation, as Wachtell's does, before I choose.

Writing sample"Walk me through your writing sample."13,8,6
  1. 1Say what the document is and the question it answers.
  2. 2Give your conclusion first, then the steps.
  3. 3Name the hardest point and how you handled it.
  4. 4Say what you would change now.

Tip: Bring spare copies to the callback. Wachtell asks substantive legal questions, so know every paragraph.

Teamwork"Tell me about a time you worked on a small team under pressure."3,4
  1. 1Set the scene: the team, the deadline and the stakes.
  2. 2Say what you did yourself and how you kept others informed.
  3. 3Give the result.
  4. 4End on what you learned about working in small teams.

Tip: Wachtell works on a task-force basis and says a true team spirit prevails over one-upmanship. Make the team, not you, the hero, with your part clear inside it.

Resume"Tell me about something on your resume and what you learned."10,6
  1. 1Pick an entry with a real challenge in it.
  2. 2Say what you did, in a few sentences.
  3. 3Name the result.
  4. 4Spend most of the time on what you learned.

Tip: A great resume does not help if you cannot talk about it, or if you come across as arrogant. Wachtell's hires show humility as well as curiosity.

More Wachtell Lipton interview questions

Motivation

  • “Why are you interested in our firm?”9

  • “Are you interested in corporate or litigation, and why?”14

  • “What deals or cases has our firm recently worked on that interested you?”14

Legal substance

  • “Describe a legal issue you encountered during your first year.”14

    Asked at top Vault firms; adapted from the 1L summer version

  • “What did you find interesting about the topic of your paper?”14

  • “How would you argue the other side?”6

    Best guess

    Wachtell asks substantive legal questions

Behavioral

  • “Tell me about a challenging experience in law school or another job.”10

    A common opener across firms, from another firm's interviewer

  • “Give me an example of how you overcame a challenge.”14

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How long to hear back after the interview

Wachtell takes applications from Dec 1, 2026 to early February 2027, and final review may wait until your first-semester transcript is in.1,2

  1. Aug 2018 (published)

    Wachtell associate

    Grades and law review experience get you in the door; discussing substantive legal issues articulately in the interview gets you the job.7

  2. 2025 (summer 2025 class)

    Wachtell summer program

    All 31 2L summer associates received offers.5

  3. 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.11

  4. 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.12

  5. Feb 6, 2027 (summer 2028)

    Wachtell

    Direct applications close.1,2

Response times vary by firm more than by candidate. If two weeks pass after your callback with no word and no timeline, a short follow-up email is reasonable.8

Best guessWith the portal opening Dec 1, 2026, expect interviews from December to February and decisions once fall grades are in, from January 2027.

What happens after the interview

  1. Online application or school program

    A resume and law school transcript, through your school's program or the direct portal from Dec 1, 2026.1,2

  2. Screening and callback interviewsYou are here

    This page. A screener, then a callback where legal substance comes in.6,8

  3. Offer

    Decided by committee once your first-semester transcript is in.6,1

Screening interview vs callback

The screener checks your story and your reasons for Wachtell; the callback is where the legal substance comes in.

Who

Screening interview

One or two lawyers.9

Callback

Partners and associates, several in a row.8

Length

Screening interview

About 10 to 30 minutes.8,9

Callback

Several 20 or 30 minute interviews, often half a day.8

Focus

Screening interview

Your resume, why Wachtell and your interests.9

Callback

Substantive legal issues, your writing and how you would fit a small team.6,7

Bring

Screening interview

A clear story and a reason for Wachtell.9

Callback

Spare copies of your resume, transcript and writing sample.8

2028 summer associate status

Summers rank their practice preferences and rotate through three or four practice areas over about 11 weeks, and at the end of the summer receive offers to join in corporate, litigation or a smaller practice. Pay is $4,425 a week.4,5

FAQ

What are Wachtell interviews like?

Substantive. Wachtell asks substantive legal questions, so expect to discuss a legal issue in depth, often one from your writing or a class.6

What gets you a Wachtell offer?

Grades and law review experience get you in the door; discussing substantive legal issues articulately in the interview gets you the job.7

What does Wachtell look for?

Strong academic records, meaningful work experience and high motivation, with intellectual curiosity and humility. The firm also prizes independent thinking and creativity.1,6,3

Should I bring a writing sample to a Wachtell callback?

Yes. Bring spare copies of your resume, transcript and a 5 to 10 page writing sample you can defend line by line.8,13

How do I get a Wachtell interview?

Through a career services recruiting program at your law school if Wachtell takes part in one there, or the direct portal open from Dec 1, 2026.2,3

When will I hear back from Wachtell?

Hiring is by committee, and final review may wait until your completed first-semester transcript is in.6,1

Interview at other firms

Sources

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

  1. 1Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: 2L Summer Associate Program
  2. 2Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (Flo Recruit): 2028 2L Summer Associate
  3. 3Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Associates
  4. 4Flo Recruit: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz firm profile (updated Oct 2026)
  5. 5Vault: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Summer Law Program · prep site
  6. 6Vault: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Company Reviews · prep site
  7. 7Vault: Hiring Insights from Attorneys at the Most Selective Law Firms (Aug 2018) · prep site
  8. 8University of Michigan Law School Office of Career Planning: Guide to Firm Callback Interviews · prep site
  9. 97Sage: What I Wish I Knew before BigLaw Recruiting 101 (Aug 2022) · prep site
  10. 10Chambers Associate: OCI advice from the interviewers · prep site
  11. 11NALP: Law Student Recruiting Moves Earlier as Employer-Sponsored Hiring Expands (Jan 2026) · press
  12. 12Harvard Law School Office of Career Services: Recruiting Programs for Employers · prep site
  13. 13Yale Law School Career Development Office: Writing Samples, References & Transcripts · prep site
  14. 14Vault: 22 Interview Questions the Top Law Firms Ask (Aug 2015) · prep site
  15. 15Delaware Code Online: Title 8, Chapter 1, Subchapter IV, section 144: Interested directors and officers; controlling stockholder transactions · press
  16. 16WilmerHale: Delaware Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of Amendments to Delaware General Corporation Law section 144 (Feb 2026) · press

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