WBA YLD Pre-OCI Prep Session

On August 2nd, the Raising the Bar Committee of the Washington Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division hosted diverse rising Second and Third Year Law students who would be participating in On Campus Interview Programs to attend a Pre-OCI Prep Session at Wiley Rein LLP. After speaking with a number of interviewers from various law firms and noting that many diverse students fall short during their 20 minute on campus interviews, the committee organized the Pre-OCI Prep Session to provide students with important bits of advice, including the must-dos, the should nots, and potential landmines.

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The event began with a warm welcome from Raising the Bar Committee Co-Chairs Derrick A. Petit and Wayne Connor. Following the welcome, attendees were further greeted by WBA YLD Chair Preston Mitchum, who shared information about the organization and offered complimentary membership to attendees, sponsored by one of their partners. The information provided helped law students to identify WBA YLD as a resource for mentorship and support throughout their law school careers and beyond. 

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Committee Co-Chair Derrick A. Petit did an excellent job of moderating the panel which consisted of the following individuals:

1. Amber Thompson - Sheppard Mullin
2. Brian P. Sylvester - Wiley Rein
3. Shekida A. Smith - Skadden
4. Rukiya Mohamed - Cromwell & Moring
5. Evander Williams - Ropes & Gray

Discussion topics included common mistakes candidates make during OCI; Interview Advice; Interview prep; an Tips on how to showcase your talents and abilities in 20-30 minutes. 

The event was a success and attendees found the information provided to be extremely valuable. MABLSA looks forward to partnering with WBA YLD to present many more events of this nature in the future! 
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For more information about the Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, visit them online at https://www.wbayld.org/. ​

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