Inside BigLaw Hiring with Dr. Milana Hogan, Sullivan & Cromwell Chief Talent Officer

<p>In this episode of <em>Status Check with Spivey</em>, Mike is joined by Dr. Milana Hogan, Chief Talent Officer at Sullivan &amp; Cromwell, and Rob Baker, a former law firm hiring committee member and BigLaw attorney, for a conversation about the increasingly front-loaded BigLaw recruiting process and what prospective and current law students should know about navigating it. Rob has held recruiting roles at large, medium, and boutique-sized law firms, while Dr. Hogan has spent nearly two decades at Sullivan &amp; Cromwell working in talent, associate development, and recruiting.  </p><p>The group discusses how law firm recruiting has shifted earlier over time and the market pressures driving that change (7:41); whether hiring could move even earlier and why first-semester law school grades may serve as a practical stopping point (13:48); whether 0Ls should already be reaching out to firms and how to approach those conversations from a learning rather than a “will you hire me?” posture (17:13); the value of LinkedIn, low-pressure outreach, and building relationships before recruiting formally begins (20:53); and why the current system may create new opportunities for 2Ls and 3Ls who missed out earlier in the process (24:39).  </p><p>They also discuss how AI is affecting BigLaw work and hiring, including Sullivan &amp; Cromwell’s use of AI as one part of its holistic hiring process (28:34); what can turn hiring partners off in an interview and why trying too hard to demonstrate how smart you are can backfire (31:47); the importance of curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn from more experienced lawyers (34:45); and why students should take ownership of their careers, seek out opportunities, and practice interviewing before the real thing (37:52). </p><p><strong>Related resources:</strong> Mike references NALP Executive Director Nikia Gray’s article, <a href="https://www.nalp.org/the_cruel_recruiting_timeline" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>The “Cruel” Recruiting Timeline</em></a>, which examines the history of OCI and the market forces behind the increasingly accelerated law firm recruiting process. He also references a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(South_Park)" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>South Park</em> episode</a> parodying Black Friday’s increasingly early start as an analogy for how BigLaw recruiting has continued moving earlier.</p><p>You can listen and subscribe to <em>Status Check with Spivey</em> on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠Apple Podcasts</a>⁠⁠, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Spotify⁠⁠</a>, and ⁠⁠<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@statuscheckwithspivey" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a>⁠⁠. You can read a full transcript of this episode with timestamps <a href="www.spiveyconsulting.com/podcasts/biglaw-hiring-with-dr-milana-hogan-sullivan-cromwell-chief-talent-officer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">here</a>.</p>