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To help you through the interview process and to learn more about Alston & Bird, we have complied a list of the most requently asked questions. We hope you find the list useful and encourage you to contact the Hiring Manager of the office you are interested in or interviewing in if you have additional questions.

Can I apply for employment with multiple offices? Do I need to interview with each office?
You may indicate during your on-campus interview your desire to be considered for multiple offices. Call-backs to multiple offices are decided on a case-by-case basis.

If you do not interview on-campus at my school, how and by what date should I apply?
Your application should be submitted directly to the Hiring Manager for the office in which you have an interest. We suggest that you apply on or before August 31, 2008, though applications received after this date will still be considered.

How soon should I expect to hear back from my on-campus interview?
The Hiring Committee in each office evaluates applications and makes decisions regarding call-back interviews for that office. Unless otherwise noted by an office, we try to make our decisions within two weeks, often times within one week.

What is the firm’s travel policy for call-back interviews? Can I bring my spouse with me to visit the city?
The firm will reimburse for travel (mileage or airfare) for your call-back interview. In addition, we will pay for one night hotel and reasonable expenses for ground transportation and meals. The firm will also pay the travel expenses for your spouse during your call-back trip. All arrangements must be made through Alston & Bird’s recruiting office. If you have specific questions about what is and isn’t covered by the firm, contact the Hiring Manager in the office you will be visiting.

What materials, in addition to my resume, would be helpful to Alston & Bird in considering my application?
Depending on the office to which you are applying, you might be asked to submit your law school transcript, references and a writing sample at some point during the interview process. If you are asked to provide a writing sample, it should be a representation of your most recent work but does not need to be lengthy.

What constitutes a typical call-back interview?
In most of our offices, a call-back interview will include dinner with two or three of our attorneys the night before your interview, followed by a half-day of interviews. Your interview usually concludes after lunch with a group of attorneys.

How should I dress for my interview?
Our firm has an informal policy of “dressing for your day” which means that many of our attorneys come to work in business casual attire unless they have a client meeting or court appearance. For your interview at Alston & Bird we recommend you dress professionally, meaning a suit and tie for men and a pant suit, dress or suit for women.

Can I split my summer with Alston & Bird and another employer?
If you choose to split your summer, we require you to spend a minimum of six weeks with Alston & Bird. In some of our offices we also require that you spend the first-half of the summer with Alston & Bird. Please check with the Hiring Manager for specifics about the policy for the office in which you are interested.

How should I proceed if I am interviewing with multiple firms in the same city?
You should alert the Hiring Manager as to interviews with other firms that you have scheduled. Most law firm recruiting departments work together to share travel expenses for candidates visiting their city and interviewing with multiple firms. Your sharing information about other law firms you are visiting will help us to arrange a coordinated travel and interview schedule.

Are associates hired for a specific practice group?
Yes, we hire entry-level associates based on the projected needs of our practice groups. Summer associates work in different groups to enable them to decide on practice group preferences.

Does the firm have a mentor program?
Each summer associate is paired with an Associate Contact and a Mentor. The Associate Contact is responsible for the summer associate’s social integration into the firm. He/she will attend social gatherings with you, arrange for you to have lunch with other attorneys, and will be available to you throughout the summer. The Mentor is responsible for your professional integration into the firm. He/she will assign your work to you, evaluate your work along with the attorney for whom you do the project, and will ensure that you are getting to know the attorneys in the practice groups in which you have expressed an interest.

When you join the firm as an associate, you are assigned a mentor through the firm’s formal mentor program. All first, second and third year associates and lateral associate hires are assigned a mentor. The firm has made mentoring a priority by designating a mentoring partner who has firm-wide responsibility for implementing and overseeing the program. The objective of the formal mentoring program is to encourage experienced lawyers and younger lawyers to spend more time together and to assure a meaningful mentoring experience for all younger lawyers.

What sets Alston & Bird apart from most law firms?
As large as our law firm has grown in the past ten years, the firm continues to focus on and value the culture that made the firm what it is today. The firm’s culture includes recognizing each lawyer and other employee as an individual and designing our programs and benefits packages to meet the needs of individuals. We have a culture of respect. Regardless of an individual’s position within the organization, whether it is a senior partner, paralegal or mailroom clerk, each person adds value and is appreciated for the role that he or she plays in the success of the firm.

What qualities does Alston & Bird look for in an associate hire?
If you were to ask any of our attorneys to name the most important qualities of a successful Alston & Bird associate, the response would probably include some or all of the following characteristics: intelligence, common sense and good judgment, good verbal and written communication skills, pleasant personality, enthusiasm and drive, team-orientated, ethical, and well balanced.

What is Alston & Bird’s policy for the hiring of associates who plan to do a judicial clerkship?
A summer associate who has accepted a judicial clerkship receives an offer of employment for the fall immediately following the conclusion of the clerkship; a summer associate who will seek, but has not secured, a clerkship receives an offer in the alternative -- for the following fall if the clerkship does not materialize, and for the fall following completion of the clerkship if the clerkship does materialize. New associates joining the firm following a judicial clerkship receive one year of credit for both compensation and partnership consideration purposes (regardless of the length of the clerkship). In addition, an associate joining the firm immediately following a judicial clerkship receives a clerkship bonus, payable upon commencement of employment and subject to normal deductions.