The Big Law career guide for law school students and young lawyers looking to land a job at an elite firms

• Each year, law school students interview for coveted summer associate jobs at Big law firms.
• Hiring partners and recruiting chairs shared their tips for impressing interviewers.
• They also shared hot practice areas, including data privacy and healthcare.

2020 was a rollercoaster year for law school students and graduates, but 2021 is getting back on track.

At the start of the pandemic, on-campus interviews (OCI) for law firms' summer associate programs - the primary pipeline for new talent at firms - were pushed back to later in the academic year, with January 2021 as the peak time for virtual interviews.

This year, firms are returning to their usual schedule of summer interviews, looking for fresh talent to help keep up with a record number of deals in the past year.

Insider has spoken to hiring partners and recruiters across the industry to collect the best tips for landing summer job at a Big Law firm.

Big Law summer associate recruiting:

Recruiting chairs and hiring partners at some of the most prestigious Big Law firms, including Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins, shared what they're looking for in an ideal candidate, from strong communication skills to an ability to work as a team player. They also discussed what students should know about their firm to demonstrate genuine interest, and share their top tips on impressing interviewers in a virtual setting.

Read more:

• Hiring partners share how young lawyers can get hired at Paul Weiss, one of the country's top law firms
• How to get hired at Silicon Valley heavyweight Cooley, according to the firm's head of recruiting
• How to land a job at Gibson Dunn, according to two partners leading the Big Law firm's recruitment efforts
• 7 dos and don'ts of virtual interviews for Big Law summer associate programs, according to hiring decision-makers at Skadden and Latham & Watkins and a top industry recruiter
• Kirkland & Ellis recruiting chairs and industry insiders lay out how to get hired at the top-ranking law firm
• How to prep for an interview at elite law firm Latham & Watkins, according to its hiring chairs and 2 top industry recruiters
• How to stand out during Morgan Lewis's individually-tailored virtual interview process, according to the Big Law firm's recruiting manager
• How to impress interviewers and land a job at elite global law firm Baker McKenzie, according to its recruitment director, hiring partner, and 2 industry recruiters
• How to land a summer associate gig at global law firm White & Case this year, according to 2 hiring partners and top legal recruiters

Hot practice areas in law:

While law students aren't expected to know what type of law they want to specialize in off the bat, a demonstrated interest in a particular area can help set them apart during interviews. Attorneys and recruiters shared advice on what practice areas are especially in demand, which can give students interested in those areas a leg up.

Bankruptcy, data privacy, and healthcare are among those in highest demand, especially with the sea changes caused by the pandemic. Tech is another buzzy area with a ton of demand, according to a recruiter.

Read more:

• 9 recession-proof legal practice areas set to boom, according to top lawyers and recruiters
• Recruiters and headhunters say these are the 8 hottest law firms to work at if you want to work in the booming tech industry
• Big Law firms are launching new groups dedicated to data privacy and biometrics. Here's why they're betting changes in regulations are creating a huge opportunity.

Staying on top of your game:

Amid uncertainty and setbacks, industry experts recommended the best ways to keep legal skills sharp, from engaging in pro bono work to reading up on various aspects of the ever-evolving legal field.

Read more:

• 23 books on everything from Ruth Bader Ginsburg's writing collection to a mindfulness guide for lawyers that industry insiders say rising attorneys should read
• Top law firms are delaying their first-year associate classes. Here are 3 ways law school graduates can stay on top of their game in the meantime.