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Understanding the OCI Recruiting Program

On Campus Interviewing (OCI) is a program that assists legal employers to recruit and hire qualified Capital University Law School students.  For students, participation in OCI can lead to valuable law clerk experience and potentially post-graduate employment.

Fall OCI

Each fall approximately 30 to 40 employers come to Capital to interview students (typically second-year day (2D) and thrid-year evening (3E) students) during the months of September and October. In general, OCI employers interview for summer positions for the following year, although occasionally they may employ students during the school year. Many OCI employers use their summer associate programs to identify and recruit students they may want to hire as attorneys following graduation.

Generally, Fall OCI employers are medium to large law firms or large government agencies; they typically seek to interview 2D/3E students in the top 25% of the class with law review and/or moot court experience.  Although OCI is a valuable recruiting tool for these employers, most law students obtain post-graduate positions by networking and from job postings.

The Career Services Office e-mails information about Fall OCI to students during the summer.

Participation in fall recruiting depends on your year and program in school.  You must be in one of the following class years of the Juris Doctor program in order to participate:

• 2D, 3E, 3D, & 4E

• For those students who do not fall in the above class years due to special academic exceptions, you may participate if you have completed the following courses by May of your second year in law school:  Contracts, Torts, Property, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law I & II, Civil Procedure Rules & Jurisdiction, Legal Research & Writing, Evidence, and Federal Personal Income Tax.

• Occasionally, an employer will seek students in the LL.M. programs and the Master of Taxation program; the Career Services Office will notify students of these opportunities as they arise.

Spring OCI

Participation in spring OCI is open to any law student other than part-time first-year day and evening students. 

If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact the CSO.

A Note about Employer Hiring Criteria

Although employers determine the criteria used to make their interview selections, any eligible student may submit requested materials to a participating employer.  On occasion, employers have interviewed candidates outside their posted hiring criteria.  Capital University Law School does not prescreen student applicants; each employer makes interview selections based on its own criteria and needs.

Outline of the OCI Process for Students

• During the semester prior to an OCI season, you will begin to receive information regarding dates and training sessions via email.

• Approximately 30 days before the final deadline, "Bidding" begins.  At this time, you may begin selecting the employers with whom you would like to interview during the interviewing period.

• On or before the day of the deadline, students MUST submit a signed Ethical Practices Agreement in order to participate in OCI.

• During the week following the deadline, the Career Services Office will compile employer packets of all requested materials and will forward everything to the employers for review.

• Approximately a week before a scheduled interview, the Career Services Office will receive a list from employers of the students the employer wishes to interview.   Employers have discretion to select which students they wish to interview.  Once an employer has submitted a list of requested students, the Career Service Office emails students who have been selected with instructions for scheduling an interview. Students who have not been selected will also receive an email to that effect.

Important Note

There are no exceptions to deadlines.   Each student has ample time and opportunity to complete the necessary steps to participate in OCI.