According to attorney Frank Ramos, these are the questions a young lawyer interviewing at firm should ask:

• What’s an associate’s caseload?
• What are the typical hours in the office?
• How often do associates work on weekends and for how long?
• How are bonuses determined?
• What hours did the associates bill last year?
• How are cases assigned?
• How many of the current partners started as associates?
• What do the attorneys do together outside the office?
• What mentoring program does the firm have?
• How does the firm train associates?
• How many associates have left the firm in the last three years?
• What organizations do your associates belong to?
• Have you sent your associates to regional or national meetings and if so which ones?

These are hard questions. But you should ask them. If I was asked them, I would answer them.

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Used with permission of attorney Frank Ramos.